The rights of migrants to the identification of their dead: an attempt at an identification strategy from Italy.

Europe is turning a blind eye on a humanitarian disaster unfolding at its doorsteps, with thousands of migrants dying unidentified in Mediterranean waters. Since 2014, Italy has been struggling in an almost indifferent international scenario to identify its dead migrants. Despite the lack of sufficient resources, of the difficulties in collecting post mortem data from the disseminated bodies, and of the problems of contacting and collecting ante mortem information from relatives, it has been proven, with a series of pilot studies, that not only can these bodies be identified but that relatives are also looking for their loved ones and need death certificates. This article focuses on the administrative limbo and lack of regulations obliging single states to engage in appropriate procedures to maximise identification.

Twenty-five years of unidentified bodies: an account from Milano, Italy.

The identification of decedents has always been a central issue in forensic pathology, for ethical, criminal, and administrative reasons, but today, it needs more attention due to issues related not only to migration but also to the weakening of family ties. This article presents a descriptive study discussing the Italian regulatory situation developed in the last decade to face the many identification issues, with all its improvements and flaws. Hence, data gathered in 25 years of at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan and the epidemiology of unidentified decedents are illustrated. Briefly, from 1995 to 2019, the number of unidentified human remains with no identity or requesting verification of identity amounts to 726, i.e., 3% circa of all autopsies performed at the Institute, with an average of 29 individuals per year. In total, 528 (72.7%) individuals were successfully identified, 100 (13.8%) remained without an identity, and 98 (13.5%) individuals remained with suspected yet unconfirmed identities. Percentages for each identification technique are displayed, with insight into the role of forensic anthropology and odontology compared to genetics, and into the misuse of non-scientific methods allowed by Public Prosecutors. All the data is compared, as much as possible, with the very few recent studies concerning the problem worldwide. Finally, the article aims to show the Italian experience in dealing with unidentified bodies, in order to provide food for thought for other countries toward a discussion regarding a global issue which is sometimes taken for granted and underestimated.

Histological determination of the human origin from dry bone: a cautionary note for subadults.

Anthropologists are frequently required to confirm or exclude the human origin of skeletal remains; DNA and protein radioimmunoassays are useful in confirming the human origin of bone fragments but are not always successful. Histology may be the solution, but the young subadult structure could create misinterpretation. Histological tests were conducted on femur and skull of 31 human subjects. Each sample was observed focusing on presence or absence of fibrous bone, lamellar bone, radial lamellar bone, plexiform bone, reticular pattern, osteon banding, Haversian bone, primary osteons, secondary osteon and osteon fragments. Samples were divided into five age classes; 1 (<1 year), 2 (1-5 years), 3 (6-10 years), 4 (11-15 years) and 5 (16-20 years). Regarding femurs, class 1 presented the following: 87.5% fibrous bone, 37.5% plexiform bone, 12.5% reticular pattern and 12.5% lamellar bone radially oriented. Class 2 showed 37.5% of fibrous bone, 12.5% of reticular pattern and 37.5% of osteon banding. In the higher age classes, the classical human structures, lamellar bone and osteons were frequently visible, except for one case of reticular pattern, generally considered a distinctive non-human structure. The situation appeared different for the skull, where there was a lack of similar information, both in human and non-human. An analysis of the percentage of lamellar bone and osteons was conducted on femur and skull fragments. A trend of increase of primary osteon number and a decrease of the lamellar bone area has been detected in the femur. The present study has therefore shed some light on further pitfalls in species determination of subadult bone.

Characteristics and time-dependence of cut marks and blunt force fractures on costal cartilages: an experimental study.

PURPOSE: The distinction between cut marks and blunt force injuries on costal cartilages is a crucial issue in the forensic field. Moreover, a correct distinction may further be complicated by decomposition, so the need arises to investigate the distinctive features of lesions on cartilage and their changes over time. METHODS: This study aimed to assess the stereomicroscopic features of cut marks (performed with six different knives) and blunt fractures (performed with a hammer and by means of manual bending) on 48 fragments of human costal cartilages. Moreover, in order to simulate decomposition, the cut and fractured surfaces were checked with stereomicroscopy and through casts after 1 and 2 days, 1 week, and 1, 2 and 4 months of drying in ambient air. RESULTS: In fresh samples, for single and unique cuts, striations were observed in between 44 and 88% of cases when non-serrated blades were used, and between 77 and 88% for serrated blades; in the case of "repeated" (back and forth movement) cuts, striations were detected in between 56 and 89% of cases for non-serrated blades, and between 66 and 100% for serrated blades. After only 1 week of decomposition the detection rates fell to percentages of between 28 and 39% for serrated blades and between 17 and 33% for non-serrated blades. Blunt force injuries showed non-specific characteristics, which, if properly assessed, may lead to a reliable distinction between different cut marks in fresh samples. The most evident alterations of the structure of the cartilage occurred in the first week of decomposition in ambient air. After one week of drying, the characteristics of cut marks were almost undetectable, thereby making it extremely challenging to distinguish between cut marks, blunt force fractures and taphonomic effects. CONCLUSION: The study represents a contribution to the correct assessment and distinction of cut marks and blunt force injuries on cartilages, providing a glimpse on the modifications such lesions may undergo with decomposition.

Assets and pitfalls of chemical and microscopic analyses on gunshot residues in skeletonized bodies: a report of five cases.

In case of gunshot wounds, forensic anthropologists and pathologists have many tools at hand, and the assistance that chemical and microscopic investigations can provide in such scenarios is often valuable and crucial. However, the results of such analyses in the search of gunshot residues (GSR) ought not to be acritically considered. We report five cases where chemical (sodium rhodizonate) and microscopic (scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX)) analyses were performed for the search of GSR. Four cases concerned the forensic field and analyses on buried, charred, or submerged remains, whereas one case concerned the historical remains of a soldier of the First World War. In every case, the search for GSR with these techniques showed their persistence even after long periods and preservation in peculiar environments. However, chemical analyses provided their contribution, but in two cases, anthropological analyses provided crucial and solving results. The five cases show the indisputable usefulness of chemical and microscopic analyses in the search of GSR in gunshot wounds and especially how such residues may survive in time and in adverse environmental conditions. However, experts should always be dubious about some pitfalls (such as contamination) one can frequently find in these scenarios.

Splitting hairs: differentiating between entomological activity, taphonomy, and sharp force trauma on hair.

PURPOSE: The analysis of hair can provide useful information for the correct evaluation of forensic cases, but studies of trauma on hair are extremely rare. Hair may present lesions caused by traumatic events or by animals: in fact, signs of sharp force weapons on hair may provide important information for the reconstruction of the manner of death, and, for example, may suggest fetishist practice. This study stemmed from a judicial case where it was fundamental to distinguish between sharp force lesions and insect activity on hair. METHODS: In order to highlight differences between sharp force lesions and insect feeding activity, different experiments were performed with high power microscopy: hair samples were subjected to several lesions by blunt and sharp force trauma; then samples were used as pabulum for two taxa of insects: the common clothes moth (Tineola bisselliella Lepidoptera, Tineidae) and the carpet beetle (Anthrenus sp., Coleoptera, Dermestidae). Hairs were examined from a macroscopic and microscopic point of view by stereomicroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM): the morphological characteristics of the lesions obtained from the different experimental samples were compared. RESULTS: Results show that sharp force trauma produces lesions with regular edges, whereas insects leave concave lesions caused by their "gnawing" activity. These two types of lesions are easily distinguishable from breaking and tearing using SEM. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrates that insect activity leaves very specific indications on hair and sheds some light on different hair lesions that may be found in forensic cases.

Temperature measurement from the brain and rectum in charred corpses: a pilot study on an animal model.

Measurement of body temperature provides relevant data on postmortem interval, and different studies have been so far attempted to apply temperature assessment methods also under extreme environmental conditions; however, none of them has been performed yet on charred or heated bodies, where temperature measurement is presumed to be unreliable because of the possible influence of heating. This study aimed at verifying any possible early-stage alterations of rectal and endocranial temperature due to fire on an animal model during the charring process. Three pigs, 2 adults (pigs 1 and 2) whose weight was about 50 kg each and 1 piglet weighing 3 kg, were heated and burnt on a natural fire lit on top of a wooden stack, without the use of accelerants; 2 thermocouples were positioned in the rectum and in the cranium to record second-by-second rectal and endocranial temperature values. Results demonstrate that the rectal temperature does not seem to increase in adult pigs for 40 to 50 minutes after the body has been exposed to fire, probably because of the thermal insulating characteristics of the adipose tissue. Therefore, temperature may still be of some help for estimating postmortem interval on heated or burnt cadavers.

Psychopathological characteristics in ultra-high risk for psychosis with and without comorbid ADHD.

AIM: This study investigates the psychopathological characteristics of a sample of individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis with and without comorbid attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). METHODS: Twenty-eight subjects (aged 13-21 years; 13 females) with attenuated psychosis syndrome (APS) were recruited in a cross-sectional study and divided into two groups, each with 14 patients, according to the presence or absence of ADHD. RESULTS: The APS group showed a significantly higher prevalence of negative symptoms than the APS + ADHD group. Other characteristics investigated (positive symptoms, aberrant salience, psychotic-like experiences and prodromal symptoms) did not differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS: The different profiles of negative symptoms in the APS with or without ADHD might suggest the presence of a specific subtype among individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Longitudinal studies with larger samples will provide information about the role of negative symptoms in determining conversion to full psychosis in those people with 'pure' APS and those with APS + ADHD.

Burial of piglet carcasses in cement: a study of macroscopic and microscopic alterations on an animal model.

Scarce experimental data exist describing postmortem effects of burial in cement. The scanty literature presents several case reports, but no experimental study. To perform a pilot study, the following experimental system was designed: 4 piglet corpses, who died of natural causes, were encased in concrete. After 1, 2, 3, and 6 months, a block was opened, and autopsy and microscopic analyses were performed. At the first month, initial putrefaction had started, and hindlegs were partly skeletonized. At the second month, both forelegs and hindlegs were partly skeletonized, and the abdomen and back showed advanced putrefaction. At the third month, the samples showed areas of mummification at the abdomen within a general context of initial putrefaction. At the sixth month, the sample showed wide adipocere formation. Histological findings revealed in some analyzed tissues (epithelium, dermis, adipose, and subcutaneous muscular tissues) a well-defined histological pattern even at 3 months after encasement in concrete: this means that microscopic changes may be delayed in concrete and that it may be worth performing histological analyses even in such kind of decomposed material.

The importance of an anthropological scene of crime investigation in the case of burnt remains in vehicles: 3 case studies.

Inspection of a crime scene is a crucial step in forensic medicine, and even the methods taught by forensic anthropology are essential. Whereas a thorough inspection can provide crucial information, an approximate inspection can be useless or even harmful. This study reports 3 cases of burnt bodies found inside vehicles between 2006 and 2009 in the outskirts of Milan (Italy). In all 3 cases, the victim was killed by gunshot, and the body was burnt in the vehicle to destroy signs of skeletal injury and prevent identification. In every case, the assistance of forensic anthropologists was requested, but only after the inspection of the body at autopsy showed that the remains were incomplete, thus making it more difficult to determine the identity, cause, and manner of death. A second scene of crime inspection was therefore performed with strict anthropological and adapted archeological methods by forensic anthropologists to perform a more complete recovery, proving how much material had been left behind. These cases clearly show the importance of a proper recovery and of the application of forensic anthropology methods on badly charred bodies and the importance of recovering every fragment of bone: even the smallest fragment can provide essential information. Thus, a precise coordination, a correct and thorough recovery of bone fragments, and an anthropological approach are crucial for many issues: analysis of the scene of crime, reconstruction of the corpse, and reconstruction of the perimortem events.

Distinguishing between perimortem and postmortem fractures: are osteons of any help?

The distinction between perimortem and postmortem fractures in forensic anthropology is still a frequently unsolved issue. In the present study, we try to verify if there are differences in the pattern of osteon fracturing between fresh and dry bone which could be used for such a diagnosis. Fresh and dry long bones were fractured by a hammer at the mid-shaft perpendicularly to the long axis of the bone and the fracture margins examined under a light microscope as undecalcified sections. Examination of 982 osteons (505 fresh, 477 dry) showed that twice as often the fracture line crosses the osteons as opposed to travelling around them, independently of whether the bone is fresh or dry. Statistical analysis confirmed that there was no significant difference between fresh and dry bone. This seems to imply that osteon fracture pattern cannot help in the diagnosis of perimortem versus postmortem bone fractures. Further research however must be performed concerning fast and slow energy dispersal which may have an influence on the type of fracture inflicted.

Detection of blunt, sharp force and gunshot lesions on burnt remains: a cautionary note.

The study of skin and bone lesions may give information concerning type and manner of production, but in burnt material modification of tissues by the high temperatures may considerably change the morphological characteristics of the lesions. This study aims at pointing out the effects of burning head of pigs with several types of lesions (blunt trauma, sharp force, and gunshot lesions) on soft tissues and bones, both from a morphological and chemical point of view. Results show that the charring process does not completely destroy signs of lesions on bones, which can often be recovered by cleaning bone surface from charred soft-tissue residues. Furthermore, neutron activation analysis test proved that antimony may be detectable also on gunshot entry wounds at the final stages of charring process.

Scene-of-crime analysis by a 3-dimensional optical digitizer: a useful perspective for forensic science.

Analysis and detailed registration of the crime scene are of the utmost importance during investigations. However, this phase of activity is often affected by the risk of loss of evidence due to the limits of traditional scene of crime registration methods (ie, photos and videos). This technical note shows the utility of the application of a 3-dimensional optical digitizer on different crime scenes. This study aims in fact at verifying the importance and feasibility of contactless 3-dimensional reconstruction and modeling by optical digitization to achieve an optimal registration of the crime scene.

The detection of microscopic markers of hemorrhaging and wound age on dry bone: a pilot study.

An example of the barriers and conceptual differences between forensic anthropology and pathology can be seen in determining the vitality of a wound. Pathology can make use of skin color and microscopic techniques; anthropology (as concerns the study of dry bone) needs different criteria. The diagnosis of the vitality of a wound (whether it is produced antemortem or postmortem) as well as determination of the time elapsed between the production of the wound and death is a crucial issue in forensic pathology. In fresh skin, the red-purplish coloration of a cut or bruise will reveal its vitality, whereas the change in coloration, from a macroscopic perspective, will reveal the time of survival. In more difficult cases, microscopic analyses can be performed. Bone follows similar "laws" as concerns the evolution of the histologic picture, but even if the beginning of healing processes (periosteal bone production and callus formation) can be detected macroscopically and radiologically, these processes require a long time.The scope of this pilot study was therefore to collect bone fractures from cadavers with a known time of survival, have them undergo a simulated putrefaction procedure until they became "dry or macerated bone" and perform macroscopic and microscopic analysis to verify the potential of histology in identifying "vital" processes in putrefied soft-tissue-free bone.A total of 6 samples of fractured bone (cranium, rib, and tibia) were taken from cadavers with known time of survival between trauma and death. Time intervals ranged from a few seconds after the bone fracture had been inflicted, to several hours, days, and weeks. A negative control was included (postmortem fracture). The bone was decalcified and stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Perls' (for the demonstration of hemosiderin deposits), Periodic Acid Schiff, phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin, and Weigert (for the demonstration of fibrin). Immunohistochemistry was performed using a monoclonal antibody antihuman Glycophorin A.Results show the presence of clots and red blood cell residues on the fractured margins, strongly indicative of vital reaction.This study, though certainly not conclusive, shows that it may be worth pursuing the study of bone fractures from a histopathological point of view even on "dry bone" to verify whether the fracture is vital or not, and, if so, if its time of production can be verified.

A new method of reproduction of fingerprints from corpses in a bad state of preservation using latex.

In view of the problems arising while fingerprinting corpses in a bad state of preservation, especially in case of mummification and carbonization, the authors propose an innovative technique which uses latex film. To better illustrate the potential of the method, two cases where the latex technique was applied successfully are reported: the first one is a mummified body discovered in a shack on the outskirts of Milan and the second one is the case of a burnt corpse found in a car boot. Such a technique is versatile, easy to apply, and allows the operator to work quickly on cadavers without amputating parts, except in rare cases (i.e., burnt bodies with muscle retraction). By the latex technique, a perfect and enduring negative copy of the fingerprint is obtained, ready to be inked and photographed. The numerous copies produced this way can be inked several times allowing for the repeatability of the procedure and this is crucial in cases of problematic legal identification of corpses. In both the cases illustrated, the fingerprints obtained by the latex technique were useful for identification. The quality was good enough for the automatic fingerprint identification system research system to be applied.

Assessment of the Effects Exerted by Acid and Alkaline Solutions on Bone: Is Chemistry the Answer?

The treatment of corpses with extremely acid or basic liquids is sometimes performed in criminal contexts. A thorough characterization by chemical analysis may provide further help to macroscopic and microscopic analysis; 63 porcine bone samples were treated with solutions at different pH (1-14) for immersion periods up to 70 days, as well as in extremely acidic sulfuric acid solutions (9 M/18 M) and extremely basic sodium hydroxide. Inductively coupled optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES)/plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed that only the sulfuric acid solution 18 M was able to completely dissolve the sample. In addition, chemical analysis allowed to recognize the contact between bone and substances. Hydrated calcium sulfate arose from extreme pH. The possibility of detecting the presence of human material within the residual solution was demonstrated, especially with FT-IR, ICP-OES, and EDX.

Variations of midfacial soft-tissue thickness in subjects aged between 6 and 18years for the reconstruction of the profile: A study on an Italian sample.

Facial approximation techniques used in forensic anthropology are based on soft-tissue thickness databases. However most of articles deal with adult populations, and very few studies were conducted on minors. This study aims at providing data concerning facial thickness for George reconstruction, preliminary to the 3D facial approximation. Diagnostic cephalometric X-ray films were obtained from 222 healthy Caucasoid children (91 boys and 131 girls), aged between 6 and 18years, treated in a Department of Orthodontics of Northern Italy. After setting the Frankfurt plane horizontal, 14 measurements were taken at the mid-facial landmarks: supraglabella, glabella, nasion, nasale, subnasale, superior labial sulcus, labrale superius, stomion, labrale inferius, inferior labial sulcus, suprapogonion, pogonion, gnathion, menton. Mean and standard deviation of soft-tissues thickness at each point were calculated. A two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to test the modifications of facial parameters with age and sex (p<0.01). The results demonstrated that there is an increase in tissue thickness as individuals grow; in most occasions, males showed thicker soft tissues than females of the same age, especially after the adolescent growth spurt. Facial thicknesses at subnasale, superior labial sulcus, labrale superius, labrale inferius, inferior labial sulcus, suprapogonion, pogonion and gnathion significantly modified with age, whereas the same parameters at subnasale, superior labial sulcus, labrale superius, labrale inferius, stomion and suprapogonion were significantly sexually dimorphic. In addition, a database for soft-tissue thicknesses in children aged between 6 and 18years was created, which may be of interest in cases of facial approximation of Italian minors.

Dismemberment and disarticulation: A forensic anthropological approach.

The dismemberment of a corpse is fairly rare in forensic medicine. It is usually performed with different types of sharp tools and used as a method of concealing the body and thus erasing proof of murder. In this context, the disarticulation of body parts is an even rarer event. The authors present the analysis of six dismemberment cases (well-preserved corpses or skeletonized remains with clear signs of dismemberment), arising from different contexts and in which different types of sharp tools were used. Two cases in particular showed peculiar features where separation of the forearms and limbs from the rest of the body was performed not by cutting through bones but through a meticulous disarticulation. The importance of a thorough anthropological investigation is thus highlighted, since it provides crucial information on the manner of dismemberment/disarticulation, the types of tools used and the general context in which the crime was perpetrated.

The utility of ground-penetrating radar and its time-dependence in the discovery of clandestine burials.

In the field of forensic investigation burial is a relatively common method of hiding a corpse. The location of clandestine graves is, however, a particularly difficult task in which multiple forensic disciplines such as anthropology, botany or archaeology can provide valuable assistance. The use of GPR (ground-penetrating radar) has recently been introduced as a method in the detection of these graves, but what is the true potential of this tool in an operative search scenario? In this study a total of 11 pig carcasses were buried in two wooded areas, each presenting a similar soil composition. The animals were subsequently exhumed at regular intervals, ranging from 2 to 111 weeks, using systematic GPR analysis of the burial sites and archaeological recovery of the subjects that were then autopsied. GPR proved to be useful in recognizing anomalies at the chosen depths of burial and appeared to be dependent on the state of decay of the samples, producing only slight anomalous readings in the presence of skeletal remains: at 92 weeks from burial the difference in signal was weak and at 111 weeks GPR survey offered no helpful information as to burial location. The experiment, in this particular context, determined the technique as being successful in the presence of recent burials, highlighting the need for a multidisciplinary approach in the operative search for buried human remains.

The effects of acid and alkaline solutions on cut marks and on the structure of bone: An experimental study on porcine ribs.

Among taphonomical modifications during decomposition processes, little is known about the action of high or low pH to human tissues and bones. Moreover, acid or basic solutions are seldom used to ease decomposition and wrecking of the body. In this study a total of 60 samples of porcine bones on which two cut marks were produced before the beginning of the experiment, were put in six different solutions with different pH (1, 3, 5, 9, 12, 14) and analyzed every five days over a period of 70 days. Surveys were carried out macroscopically, with stereomicroscopy and with light microscopy on thin sections. Only the specimens exposed to extremely acid (<1) or basic (>12) pH showed evident modifications of the bone's structure, as witnessed by the analyses with stereomicroscopy as well. Many samples showed a detachment of the periosteum; cut marks became soon unrecognizable with pH 14 but still detectable in all the other samples. The information gained from the present study can be of great help in detecting the exposure of human tissues to high or low environmental pH and in understanding the effects that these solutions can exert on human bones.