Transferability of Human and Environmental Microbiome on Clothes as a Tool for Forensic Investigations.

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.

Victims of drug facilitated sexual assault aged 13-24: a cross sectional study on the pool of users of a sexual violence relief centre in Northern Italy.

This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the association between drugs and alcohol intake and sexual abuse in adolescents, otherwise defined as Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA). We considered the survivors who accessed care at the Centre "Soccorso Violenza Sessuale" (SVS - Sexual Violence Relief Centre) in Turin (Italy), between May 2003 and May 2022. We found that 973 patients aged 13-24 among which 228 were victims of DFSA. Epidemiological and anamnestic aspects of the episode of sexual violence were examined, with a specific focus on investigating the alcohol and/or drug intake as reported by the victim, along with the results of the toxicological analysis. the study further accounts for the variations caused by the COVID-19 pandemic on DFSA-related accesses. Our findings show that 23% of adolescents accessing care at SVS were subjected to DFSA. Six out ten adolescents knew their aggressor, at times a partner (10%) oran acquaintance (43%). In 12% of cases violence was perpetrated by a group of people (12%). Almost 90% of young victims described alcohol consumption, while 37% reported drug use at the time of the assault. Alcohol taken alone or in combination with other substances was the most detected drug in our sample throughout the period considered. Given the large use of psychoactive substances among adolescents, it is imperative to implement harm reduction strategies alongside educational activities aimed at fostering awareness about consent. Health personnel should be trained to manage the needs of victims of DFSA clinically and forensically.

Polydopamine Blending Increases Human Cell Proliferation in Gelatin-Xanthan Gum 3D-Printed Hydrogel.

BACKGROUND: Gelatin-xanthan gum (Gel-Xnt) hydrogel has been previously modified to improve its printability; now, to increase its ability for use as cell-laden 3D scaffolds (bioink), polydopamine (PDA), a biocompatible, antibacterial, adhesive, and antioxidant mussel-inspired biopolymer, has been added (1-3% v/v) to hydrogel. METHODS: Control (CT) and PDA-blended hydrogels were used to print 1 cm2 grids. The hydrogels' printability, moisture, swelling, hydrolysis, and porosity were tested after glutaraldehyde (GTA) crosslinking, while biocompatibility was tested using primary human-derived skin fibroblasts and spontaneously immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT). Keratinocyte or fibroblast suspension (100 µL, 2.5 × 105 cells) was combined with an uncrosslinked CT and PDA blended hydrogel to fabricate cylinders (0.5 cm high, 1 cm wide). These cylinders were then cross-linked and incubated for 1, 3, 7, 14, and 21 days. The presence of cells within various hydrogels was assessed using optical microscopy. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: PDA blending did not modify the hydrogel printability or physiochemical characteristics, suggesting that PDA did not interfere with GTA crosslinking. On the other hand, PDA presence strongly accelerated and increased both fibroblast and keratinocyte growth inside. This effect seemed to be linked to the adhesive abilities of PDA, which improve cell adhesion and, in turn, proliferation. CONCLUSIONS: The simple PDA blending method described could help in obtaining a new bioink for the development of innovative 3D-printed wound dressings.

Sexual Violence and Alcohol Intake: A Population-Based Explorative Study in a Northwestern Italian Area.

Background and Objectives: Sexual violence (SV) is a major global public health concern. While socioeconomic factors and familial relationships have been widely reported to contribute to SV, the role of alcohol consumption should not be ignored. Indeed, alcohol can impair cognition, distort reality, increase aggression, and ease drug-facilitated sexual assault. This retrospective study aims to explore the relationship between alcohol consumption and SV by examining the prevalence, characteristics, and consequences of violence episodes. Materials and Methods: A total of 1481 women accessed the Rape Centre "Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale" in Turin, Italy between 2008 and 2019, with 223 reporting alcohol consumption before the assault. Results: The alcohol group had a younger age profile, predominantly within the 18-25-year-old category. SV incidents involving alcohol consumers were more likely to occur in public places or in someone else's home, while the non-alcohol-consuming group experienced more violence in their own homes. Acquaintances and unknown individuals were primarily responsible, whereas partners were the most common perpetrators of violence against non-alcohol-consuming women. Alcohol consumers sought medical attention sooner after the assault and exhibited more symptoms and injuries, particularly of neurological origin. Concurrent use of recreational drugs was higher among alcohol consumers. The logistic regression analysis revealed higher odds of injury for Italian women and those in the 18-35 age groups after consuming alcohol. Conclusions: This study contributes to the understanding of the relationship between alcohol consumption and SV. The prevalence of alcohol-related sexual aggression is lower compared to that shown in previous studies. Nationality, age, and assailant identity influence SV dynamics. These findings can guide well-targeted interventions and prevention strategies to address SV and inform communities facing similar challenges.

Negative consequences of conflict-related sexual violence on survivors: a systematic review of qualitative evidence.

BACKGROUND: Conflicts exacerbate dynamics of power and inequalities through violence normalization, which acts as a facilitator for conflict-related sexual violence. Literature addressing its negative outcomes on survivors is scant. The aim of this systematic review was to analyze the qualitative evidence reported in scientific literature and focusing on the negative consequences of conflict-related sexual violence on victims' physical, psychological, and social dimensions of health in a gender-inclusive and disaggregated form. METHODS: A literature search was conducted on January 13, 2023 on Pubmed, Scopus, and PsychArticles. The search strings combined two blocks of terms related to sexual violence and conflict. A time filter was applied, limiting the search to studies published in the last ten years. Information regarding the main characteristics and design of the study, survivors and their experience, and about conflict-related sexual violence was collected. The negative consequences of conflict-related sexual violence on the physical, psychological, and social dimension of victims were extracted according to the Biopsychosocial model of health. The review followed the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for systematic reviews and relied on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses. RESULTS: After full text review, 23 articles met the inclusion criteria, with 18 of them reporting negative repercussions on physical health, all of them highlighting adverse psychological outcomes, and 21 disclosing unfavorable social consequences. The negative outcomes described in multiple studies were sexual and reproductive health issues, the most mentioned being pregnancy, manifestations of symptoms attributable to post-traumatic stress disorder, and stigma. A number of barriers to access to care were presented as emerging findings. CONCLUSIONS: This review provided an analysis of the negative consequences of conflict-related sexual violence on survivors, thus highlighting the importance of qualitative evidence in understanding these outcomes and addressing barriers to access to care. Conflict-related sexual violence is a sexual and reproductive health issue. Sexuality education is needed at individual, community, and provider level, challenging gender norms and roles and encompassing gender-based violence. Gender-inclusive protocols and services need to be implemented to address the specific needs of all victims. Governments should advocate for SRHRs and translate health policies into services targeting survivors of CRSV.

Privacy and ethical challenges of the Amelogenin sex test in forensic paternity/kinship analysis: Insights from a 13-year case history.

The Amelogenin sex test included in forensic DNA typing kits has the potential to identify congenital conditions such as differences/disorders of sex development (DSD). It can also reveal mismatches between genotypic sex and gender marker in identity documents of transgender persons who obtained legal gender recognition. In a 13-year case history of paternity/kinship tests, involving n = 962 females and n = 1001 males, two mismatches between Amelogenin sex test (male) and gender marker (female), and three cases of chromosomal DSD (Klinefelter syndrome) were observed. The concrete risk of observing Amelogenin anomalies, their potential causes, and the context in which they occur (forensic, i.e. non-medical) mean that laboratory operators are called to strike a complex balance between privacy interests and individual health rights when providing preliminary information and reporting Amelogenin incidental findings. This case history argues for the need of a more responsible approach towards the Amelogenin sex test in the forensic community.

Laser Biostimulation Induces Wound Healing-Promoter ß2-Defensin Expression in Human Keratinocytes via Oxidative Stress.

The innate immune system is the first line of defense of the body composed of anatomical barriers, such as skin and mucosa, as well as effector cells, antimicrobial peptides, soluble mediators, and cell receptors able to detect and destroy viruses and bacteria and to sense trauma and wounds to initiate repair. The human ß-defensins belong to a family of antimicrobial small cationic peptides produced by epithelial cells, and show immunomodulatory and pro-healing activities. Laser biostimulation is a therapy widely used to contrast microbial infection and to accelerate wound healing through biological mechanisms that include the creation of oxidative stress. In this paper, we explored laser biostimulation's ability to modulate the production of two ß-defensins, hBD-1 and hBD-2, in human keratinocytes and whether this modulation was, at least in part, oxidative-stress-dependent. Human spontaneously immortalized keratinocytes (HaCaT) were stimulated using laser irradiation at a 980 nm wavelength, setting the power output to 1 W (649.35 mW/cm2) in the continuous mode. Cells were irradiated for 0 (negative control), 5, 10, 25 and 50 s, corresponding to an energy stimulation of 0, 5, 10, 25 and 50 J. Positive control cells were treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 200 ng/mL). After 6 and 24 h of treatment, the cell conditioned medium was collected and analyzed via ELISA assay for the production of hBD-1 and hBD-2. In another set of experiments, HaCaT were pre-incubated for 45 min with antioxidant drugs-vitamin C (Vit. C, 100 µM), sodium azide (NaN3, 1 mM); ω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10 mM) and sodium pyruvate (NaPyr, 100 µM)-and then biostimulated for 0 or 50 s. After 6 h, the conditioned medium was collected and used for the ELISA analysis. The hBD-1 and hBD-2 production by HaCaT was significantly increased by single laser biostimulation after 6 h in an energy-dependent fashion compared to basal levels, and both reached production levels induced by LPS. After 24 h, only hBD-2 production induced by laser biostimulation was further increased, while the basal and stimulated hBD-1 levels were comparable. Pre-incubation with antioxidative drugs was able to completely abrogate the laser-induced production of both hBD-1 and hBD-2 after 6 h, with the exception of hBD-1 production in samples stimulated after NaN3 pre-incubation. A single laser biostimulation induced the oxidative-stress-dependent production of both hBD-1 and hBD-2 in human keratinocytes. In particular, the pro-healing hBD-2 level was almost three times higher than the baseline level and lasted for 24 h. These findings increase our knowledge about the positive effects of laser biostimulation on wound healing.

The Oral Microbiome for Geographic Origin: An Italian Study.

The human oral microbiome has primarily been studied in clinical settings and for medical purposes. More recently, oral microbial research has been incorporated into other areas of study. In forensics, research has aimed to exploit the variation in composition of the oral microbiome to answer forensic relevant topics, such as human identification and geographical provenience. Several studies have focused on the use of microbiome for continental, national, or ethnic origin evaluations. However, it is not clear how the microbiome varies between similar ethnic populations across different regions in a country. We report here a comparison of the oral microbiomes of individuals living in two regions of Italy - Lombardy and Piedmont. Oral samples were obtained by swabbing the donors' oral mucosa, and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was sequenced from the extracted microbial DNA. Additionally, we compared the oral and the skin microbiome from a subset of these individuals, to provide an understanding of which anatomical region may provide more robust results that can be useful for forensic human identification. Initial analysis of the oral microbiota revealed the presence of a core oral microbiome, consisting of nine taxa shared across all oral samples, as well as unique donor characterising taxa in 31 out of 50 samples. We also identified a trend between the abundance of Proteobacteria and Bacteroidota and the smoking habits, and of Spirochaetota and Synergistota and the age of the enrolled participants. Whilst no significant differences were observed in the oral microbial diversity of individuals from Lombardy or Piedmont, we identified two bacterial families - Corynebacteriaceae and Actinomycetaceae - that showed abundance trends between the two regions. Comparative analysis of the skin and oral microbiota showed significant differences in the alpha (p = 0.0011) and beta (Pr(>F)= 9.999e-05) diversities. Analysis of skin and oral samples from the same donor further revealed that the skin microbiome contained more unique donor characterising taxa than the oral one. Overall, this study demonstrates that whilst the oral microbiome of individuals from the same country and of similar ethnicity are largely similar, there may be donor characterising taxa that might be useful for identification purposes. Furthermore, the bacterial signatures associated with certain lifestyles could provide useful information for investigative purposes. Finally, additional studies are required, the skin microbiome may be a better discriminant for human identification than the oral one.

Clinical and Forensic Aspects of the Management of Child Abuse: The Experience of the Paediatric Emergency Department in Novara, North-West Italy.

BACKGROUND: Child abuse is an endemic phenomenon that refers to any form of violence aimed at children and adolescents. The Emergency Room is often the entry point to healthcare for the abused child. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study including minors, aged 0-18 years, of all genders, who experienced any form of violence examined at the Paediatric Emergency Department of the 'Maggiore della Carità' Hospital in Novara (North-West Italy) between 1 January 2017 to 31 December 2021. Data were extrapolated by looking at the diagnosis at discharge. A comparison of the different variables collected was made between the pre-COVID-19 period and the COVID era. RESULTS: 120 minors presented to the paediatric emergency room seeking help for violence. The average age was 10 years, 55% of the victims were male and 75% of them were Italian. In the pre-COVID period, the number of presentations for abuse was 62, while in the COVID period it was 58 with an increase of peer violence (from 38.71% to 62.07%) and with a statistically significant impact of the pandemic on the phenomenon (p-value < 0.00001). In general, peer violence accounts for 50% of the cases reviewed and resulted in fewer reports to the judicial authority and requests for forensic advice. CONCLUSION: The SARS-CoV-2-related pandemic has had an impact on total emergency room admissions and the types of abuse perpetrated.

Sexual Harassments Related to Alcohol and Drugs Intake: The Experience of the Rape Centre of Turin.

A cross-sectional study was conducted that describes the characteristics of sexual violence episodes related to the intake of alcohol and drugs observed among women that turned to the "Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale" (SVS) of the Sant'Anna Hospital in Turin between 1 January 2008, and 31 December 2017. Two hundred twenty-two patients were enrolled, 25 of which were minors, 141 were Italians, and most of them knew their aggressor and were raped in a private home. One hundred and fifty-five of them declared to the healthcare personnel to have taken alcoholic substances and/or drugs in conjunction with the event (86 reported having drunk alcohol, 36 having taken drugs and 33 disclosed both alcohol and drug abuse). If the woman knew her abuser, alcohol consumption was described as voluntary in more than 80% of cases, while in relation to drugs the consumption was equally voluntary or fraudulent. About 73% of women who reported having drunk alcohol just had amnesia or amnesia related to other symptoms, while amnesia was present in about 63% of women who reported only drug use. Physicians observed physical injuries on 156 women. Patients who reported to have assumed alcohol presented a significantly higher risk to suffer any physical injury and have a significantly increased risk to suffer injuries to their head and/or neck. The results obtained underline how even in Northern Italy alcohol intake represents the most widespread psychoactive substance in case of drug-facilitated sexual assault. There is therefore a need to promote education and prevention campaigns among citizens, especially among the youngest.

Sexual femicide, non-sexual femicide and rape: Where do the differences lie? A continuum in a pattern of violence against women.

Violence against women is a growing health problem, especially when perpetrated in intimate relationships. Despite increasing attention, there is little comparative evidence on the different types of violence involved and there is a paucity of research on sexual femicides. This study examines cases of violence against women in northern Italy, focusing on sexual and non-sexual femicides and comparing them with rape that does not result in femicides. The sample included 500 women who were victims of sexual and non-sexual femicides, and of rape. Results show sexual femicides mostly involved unknown victims or women who were prostitutes. Sexual femicidal offenders used improper weapons to kill their victims, acted in secluded locations, and fled the crime scene; their crime was more likely the result of predatory intentions, with antisociality and sexual deviance being the most significant factors related to this type of femicide. The criminal and violent pattern that characterized sexual femicides in this study shared significant similarities with the pattern of violence involved in rape. Rape victims were in fact mostly unknown, or involved in a brief relationship with their killer. When the victim was known it was more likely that the abuse occurred at home and in front of the woman's children. Rapists were often under the effect of alcohol or drugs. Non-sexual femicides mainly involved known victims, and they were more often committed in the context of domestic disputes. It was not seldom that the long relationship between the victim and perpetrator was likely to be characterized by contentiousness, suggesting that the woman was often victim of an oppressive climate of emotional tension and domination. Morbid jealousy contributed to aggravating the tone of a controlling relationship. Non-sexual femicides bore more similarities to cases of rape within the pattern of intimate partner violence. Findings are discussed in terms of their implications for prevention and intervention.

Microbial DNA in human nucleic acid extracts: Recoverability of the microbiome in DNA extracts stored frozen long-term and its potential and ethical implications for forensic investigation.

Human DNA samples can remain unaltered for years and preserve important genetic information for forensic investigations. In fact, besides human genetic information, these extracts potentially contain additional valuable information: microbiome signatures. Forensic microbiology is rapidly becoming a significant tool for estimating post-mortem interval (PMI), and establishing cause of death and personal identity. To date, the possibility to recover unaltered microbiome signatures from human DNA extracts has not been proven. This study examines the microbiome signatures within human DNA extracts obtained from six cadavers with different PMIs, which were stored frozen for 5-16 years. Results demonstrated that the microbiome can be co-extracted with human DNA using forensic kits designed to extract the human host's DNA from different tissues and fluids during decomposition. We compared the microbial communities identified in these samples with microbial DNA recovered from two human cadavers donated to the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University (FACTS) during multiple decomposition stages, to examine whether the microbial signatures recovered from "old" (up to 16 years) extracts are consistent with those identified in recently extracted microbial DNA samples. The V4 region of 16 S rRNA gene was amplified and sequenced using Illumina MiSeq for all DNA extracts. The results obtained from the human DNA extracts were compared with each other and with the microbial DNA from the FACTS samples. Overall, we found that the presence of specific microbial taxa depends on the decomposition stage, the type of tissue, and the depositional environment. We found no indications of contamination in the microbial signatures, or any alterations attributable to the long-term frozen storage of the extracts, demonstrating that older human DNA extracts are a reliable source of such microbial signatures. No shared Core Microbiome (CM) was identified amongst the total 18 samples, but we identified certain species in association with the different decomposition stages, offering potential for the use of microbial signatures co-extracted with human DNA samples for PMI estimation in future. Unveiling the new significance of older human DNA extracts brings with it important ethical-legal considerations. Currently, there are no shared legal frameworks governing the long-term storage and use of human DNA extracts obtained from crime scene evidence for additional research purposes. It is therefore important to create common protocols on the storage of biological material collected at crime scenes. We review existing legislation and guidelines, and identify some important limitations for the further development and application of forensic microbiomics.

3D Bioprinting of Gelatin-Xanthan Gum Composite Hydrogels for Growth of Human Skin Cells.

In recent years, bioprinting has attracted much attention as a potential tool for generating complex 3D biological constructs capable of mimicking the native tissue microenvironment and promoting physiologically relevant cell-cell and cell-matrix interactions. The aim of the present study was to develop a crosslinked 3D printable hydrogel based on biocompatible natural polymers, gelatin and xanthan gum at different percentages to be used both as a scaffold for cell growth and as a wound dressing. The CellInk Inkredible 3D printer was used for the 3D printing of hydrogels, and a glutaraldehyde solution was tested for the crosslinking process. We were able to obtain two kinds of printable hydrogels with different porosity, swelling and degradation time. Subsequently, the printed hydrogels were characterized from the point of view of biocompatibility. Our results showed that gelatin/xanthan-gum bioprinted hydrogels were biocompatible materials, as they allowed both human keratinocyte and fibroblast in vitro growth for 14 days. These two bioprintable hydrogels could be also used as a helpful dressing material.

Violence Against Prostitutes and Non-prostitutes: An Analysis of Frequency, Variety and Severity.

Violence against women is a form of gender violence, and the lethal aspect of it, defined as femicide, is a global health and human rights problem.This study looked at 330 cases of femicide that occurred in North West Italy, between 1970 and 2020, committed by 303 male perpetrators. The victims included women who were prostitutes and those who were not.Findings show that only a small proportion of femicide occurs within an anonymous setting: Victims were mostly killed by a man they knew. The type and intensity of the relationship was likely to affect how the violence occurred. In those cases in which victims and perpetrators had an intimate relationship, the risk of overkill, that is, an excessive use of violence that goes further than what is necessary to cause death, was four times higher in comparison with the murder of unknown victims. As with non-prostitutes, the risk of overkill was almost fourfold for those prostitutes who knew their perpetrators. Furthermore, when comparing prostitutes with any unknown victims, the risk of being overkilled was almost five times higher for the former, suggesting that prostitutes are more at risk of being murdered with excessive violence. In addition, prostitutes were more likely to be victims of sexual murder, postmortem mutilation, and being killed by men who had previous criminal records.Women who are victims of violence are not a homogeneous group, although some of the psychosocial correlates are the same and relevance should be given to the features behind the type, intensity, and nature of the relationship between prostitutes and non-prostitutes and their perpetrators. These variables are what make violence against women a preventable problem.

Photobiomodulation induces microvesicle release in human keratinocytes: PI3 kinase-dependent pathway role.

Microvesicles (MVs, 100-1000 nm diameter) are released into the extracellular environment by mammalian cells. MVs interact with near or remote cells through different mechanisms; in particular, MVs from human keratinocytes accelerate wound healing. Photobiomodulation by laser improves wound healing, but no information is available about its effects on MV release from human keratinocyte. Human-immortalized keratinocytes (human adult low-calcium high-temperature, HaCaT) were starved for 24 h and then irradiated using a 980-nm energy density of 0, 16.2, 32.5, and 48.7 J/cm2. After 24 h, MVs released in the conditioned medium were isolated, stained, and quantified using flow cytometry. MVs were distinguished from exosomes on the basis of their volume (forward scatter signals). In some experiments, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI-3K) activity, involved in MV release and stimulated by laser light, was inhibited by pre-treating cells with Wortmannin (WRT, 10 µg/mL). MVs were observed in HaCaT-conditioned medium both in basal- and laser-stimulated conditions. Photobiomodulation therapy, also known as PBMT, was able to increase MV release from human keratinocytes reaching a maximum effect at 32.5 J/cm2 with a stimulation of (148.6 ±15.1)% of basal (p<0.001). PI-3K activity inhibition strongly reduced both basal- and laser-induced MV release; but PBMT by laser still increased MV release, compared to basal values in the presence of WRT. In vitro near infrared photobiomodulation increased the releasing of MVs from human keratinocytes, while Wortmannin, a PI-3K inhibitor, negatively affects both basal- and laser-induced releasing. Laser-induced MV release could be a new effect of biostimulation on the wound healing process.

"Touch microbiome" as a potential tool for forensic investigation: A pilot study.

Human skin hosts a variety of microbes that can be transferred to surfaces ("touch microbiome"). These microorganisms can be considered as forensic markers similarly to "touch DNA". With this pilot study, we wanted to evaluate the transferability and persistence of the "touch microbiome" on a surface after the deposition of a fingerprint and its exposure for 30 days at room temperature. Eleven volunteers were enrolled in the study. Skin microbiome samples were collected by swabbing the palm of their hands; additionally, donors were asked to touch a glass microscope slide to deposit their fingerprints, that were then swabbed. Both human and microbial DNA was isolated and quantified. Amelogenin locus and 16 human STRs were amplified, whereas the V4 region of 16 S rRNA gene was sequenced using Illumina MiSeq platform. STR profiles were successfully typed for 5 out of 22 "touch DNA" samples, while a microbiome profile was obtained for 20 out of 22 "touch microbiome" samples. Six skin core microbiome taxa were identified, as well as unique donor characterizing taxa. These unique taxa may have relevance for personal identification studies and may be useful to provide forensic intelligence information also when "touch DNA" fails. Additional future studies including greater datasets, additional time points and a greater number of surfaces may clarify the applicability of "touch microbiome" studies to real forensic contexts.

Violence against pregnant women in the experience of the rape centre of Turin: Clinical and forensic evaluation.

Pregnant women can be victims of violence: as a matter of fact, far from being a protective factor, pregnancy can trigger or worsen episodes of abuse. Studies conducted by the WHO highlight that its incidence fluctuates between 1% and 28%. Therefore violence during pregnancy is endemic all over the world and involves all social strata. We analysed 113 medical records concerning pregnant women (average age 27.9 ± 6.0 years, 80 foreigners), who turned to the Centro Soccorso Violenza Sessuale, one of the two Italian Rape Centre, in Turin between January 1st, 2005 and December 31st, 2017. Fifty-three women were visited in the first trimester, 41 in the second, and 16 in the third, while 3 during the puerperium. The current partner was accused to be the abuser by the 84.4% of the Italian women and by the 69.2% of the foreigners. Sixty-eight women suffered multiple forms of violence, while 98 suffered only physical violence, and 3 reported only sexual abuse. According to 20 women, violent episodes increased during pregnancy. The clinical history of these women was characterized by some recurrent physical symptoms, such as pelvic pain, abdominal pain, facial pain and headache and 54 women presented injuries (abrasions and ecchymosis). Our results confirm that violence in pregnancy is a social and public health problem. Therefore it is important that the health personnel should be prepared not only to care for women seeking help, but above all its better preparation could also identify victims of violence, which do not report abuse.

Trick or Treating in Forensics-The Challenge of the Saliva Microbiome: A Narrative Review.

The oral microbiome harbours microbial community signatures that differ among individuals, highlighting that it could be highly individualizing and potentially unique to each individual. Therefore, the oral microbial traces collected in crime scenes could produce investigative leads. This narrative review will describe the current state-of-the-art of how the salivary microbiome could be exploited as a genetic signature to make inferences in the forensic field. This review has been performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Guidelines. Even if further studies are needed to relate the variation in the oral microbiome to specific factors, in order to understand how the salivary microbiome is influenced by an individual's lifestyle, by reviewing the studies published so far, it is clear that the oral microbial analysis could become a useful forensic tool. Even if promising, caution is required in interpreting the results and an effort to direct research towards studies that fill the current knowledge gaps is certainly useful.

Evaluation of critical aspects in clinical and forensic management of sexual violence: A multicentre Ge.F.I. project.

Violence against women is a violation of human rights, crossing all cultures, classes, levels of education, earnings, ethnic and age groups. We conducted a retrospective study to review forensic records of sexual assault examinations carried out in different Italian health facilities and to correlate these findings with the results of the forensic DNA analyses. The goal was to determine which factors could have affected the obtained results, to identify the fundamental aspects to search for while examining a sexual assault victim in order to gather useful evidence to identify the offender and reconstruct the dynamics of the fact. We analysed 102 cases that occurred between 2006 and 2017, coming from ten participating laboratories. Despite a relatively limited number of cases, this study shows that the ability to ascertain the presence of male biological material in the samples collected is not a problem for forensic laboratories and seems to be influenced by other factors, such as how much time elapsed between the event and the sampling, the availability of the aggressor's biological material on the victim and the identification of biological fluids/stains. Therefore, the need for health structures to adopt specific protocols has been highlighted. It is necessary for health structures to define specific pathways and adopt homogeneous procedures or operational protocols, and it is essential to provide adequate training for health personnel. The results of the study could be useful in drafting and revising protocols/guidelines implemented in Italian hospital. Issues related to the limited number of analyses requested by Italian Authorities are also discussed.

Skin Microbiome Analysis for Forensic Human Identification: What Do We Know So Far?

Microbiome research is a highly transdisciplinary field with a wide range of applications and methods for studying it, involving different computational approaches and models. The fact that different people host radically different microbiota highlights forensic perspectives in understanding what leads to this variation and what regulates it, in order to effectively use microbes as forensic evidence. This narrative review provides an overview of some of the main scientific works so far produced, focusing on the potentiality of using skin microbiome profiling for human identification in forensics. This review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The examined literature clearly ascertains that skin microbial communities, although personalized, vary systematically across body sites and time, with intrapersonal differences over time smaller than interpersonal ones, showing such a high degree of spatial and temporal variability that the degree and nature of this variability can constitute in itself an important parameter useful in distinguishing individuals from one another. Even making the effort to organically synthesize all results achieved until now, it is quite evident that these results are still the pieces of a puzzle, which is not yet complete.