Human Identification

An integrated lab-on-a-chip system has been developed and successfully utilized for real-time forensic short tandem repeat (STR) analysis. The microdevice comprises a 160-nL polymerase chain reaction reactor with an on-chip heater and a temperature sensor for thermal cycling, microvalves for fluidic manipulation, a co-injector for sizing standard injection, and a 7-cm-long separation channel for capillary electrophoretic analysis. A 9-plex autosomal STR typing system consisting of amelogenin and eight combined DNA index system (CODIS) core STR loci has been constructed and optimized for this real-time human identification study. Reproducible STR profiles of control DNA samples are obtained in 2h and 30min with <or=0.8bp allele typing accuracy. The minimal amount of DNA required for a complete DNA profile is 100 copies. To critically evaluate the capabilities of our portable microsystem as well as its compatibility with crime scene investigation processes, real-time STR analyses were carried out at a mock crime scene prepared by the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office (PBSO). Blood stain sample collection, DNA extraction, and STR analyses on the portable microsystem were conducted in the field, and a successful "mock" CODIS hit was generated on the suspect's sample within 6h. This demonstration of on-site STR analysis establishes the feasibility of real-time DNA typing to identify the contributor of probative biological evidence at a crime scene and for real-time human identification.

The vulnerability of conventional biometrics to spoof has caused considerable concern especially in those fields that require high reliable user identification. This heightened concern leads to great interest in assessing the probability and efficiency of using eye movements in identification systems. By applying eye movements as biometrics a new approach has been taken into human identification including all the crucial attributes of previous traditional identification that may offer certain notable advantages. The most obvious is the inherent difficulty in forging them. The purpose of this article is to review examples of researches utilizing eye movements in human identification. These studies can be divided into two groups: the first group utilizes eye movement bioelectrical signals in identification purpose and another one uses eye movement tracking in human identification.

The number of annual maritime fatalities reported in the Mediterranean has more than doubled in the last two years, a phenomenon closely linked to the increase of migrants attempting to reach Europe via the Mediterranean. The majority of victims reportedly never gets recovered, which in part relates to the fact that the mechanisms and interaction of factors affecting marine taphonomy are still largely not understood. These factors include intrinsic factors such as whether the individual was alive or dead at the time of submergence, the individual's stature and clothing, as well as extrinsic factors such including ambient temperature, currents, water depth, salinity and oxygen levels. This paper provides a compilation of the current literature on factors influencing marine taphonomy, recovery and identification procedures for submerged remains, and discusses the implications for the retrieval and identification of maritime mass fatalities as part of the humanitarian response, specifically humanitarian forensic action, to the consequences of the current migration phenomenon.

Forensic odontology and anthropology provide valuable support with regard to human identification. In some cases, when soft tissue is destroyed, carbonized or absent for whatever reason, bones and teeth become the only source of information about the identity of the deceased. In human identification, anything different, such as variation from normality, becomes an important tool when trying to establish the identity of the deceased. This paper illustrates a positive identification case achieved by the diagnosis of an anomaly of tooth position, with confirmation using skull-photo superimposition. Even though forensic science presents modern techniques, in this particular case, the anomalous position of the canine played a key role on the identification, showing that the presence of a forensic dentist on the forensic team can be of great value.

Forensic odontology and anthropology provide
valuable support with regard to human
identification. In some cases, when soft tissue is
destroyed, carbonized or absent for whatever
reason, bones and teeth become the only source
of information about the identity of the deceased.
In human identification, anything different, such as
variation from normality, becomes an important
tool when trying to establish the identity of the
deceased. This paper illustrates a positive
identification case achieved by the diagnosis of an
anomaly of tooth position, with confirmation using
skull-photo superimposition. Even though forensic
science presents modern techniques, in this
particular case, the anomalous position of the
canine played a key role on the identification,
showing that the presence of a forensic dentist on
the forensic team can be of great value.

The identification of human skeletal remains is one of the most important objectives of anthropologists working in medico-legal contexts. The establishment of identity from human bones is based on four main characteristics: age, sex, ethnicity and stature. The majority of these characteristics can be established relatively quickly if the skeleton is complete. However, this is not always the case and often the skeletal specialists have to work with incomplete and severely fragmented remains.
The correct determination of sex using skeletal remains generally depends on the completeness of the pelvis and the skull as best indicators of sex. The craniofacial element of the skull is rather fragile and easily damaged by external factors. The cranial base is one of the regions of the skull which survive more intact.
The primary objective of this thesis is to establish the sexual dimorphism of a specific anatomical area of the skull base: the foramen magnum region. This analysis has not been undertaken before in any English population. Therefore, sexual dimorphism is examined using a British 18th and 19th century London crypt sample.
Discriminant analysis is carried out and population-specific sex determination functions are developed using the foramen magnum, the occipital condyles and a combination of both. Furthermore, a newly developed semi-automated method for the extraction of foramen magnum data from digital images is assessed and the effect of advanced age on the metric dimensions of the foramen magnum region is analysed.
Results demonstrate the existence of significant sexual dimorphism in this sample of English crania. The newly developed functions based on a combination of foramen magnum and occipital condyle variables permit the correct determination of sex of this collection with 71.9%. Functions using only foramen magnum variables achieved 68.4% correct identifications whilst occipital condyle functions provided the highest correct classification percentage of 76.7%. The semi-automated method proved to be useful and promising for future research application. No significant age effect in the foramen magnum region was found. Overall, sexual dimorphism is evident in the foramen magnum region of the St. Bride’s crania. New discriminant functions developed during this study are useful for sex determination but these methods should not be used in forensic cases without prior testing on modern samples.

Being identified in death is recognized as a basic human right, and has significant legal, social and cultural implications. Yet increasingly, narratives about unidentified deaths are reaching us via the media, usually a result of a single-event mass fatality, and less frequently as a result of concentrated, clandestine attempts to cross national borders.

Adopting a participant-observer perspective, this paper examines the politics of what it means to enter the medico-legal system in South Africa as an unidentified individual, and how the system – and those tasked with carrying out its policies and practices – copes with its enormous case load.

Ultimately this raises two questions: ‘Who forms part of the large post-mortem population residing in the country’s mortuaries?’ and ‘What practices might be introduced to address the crisis?’

This paper takes the view that the numbers of unidentified dead in South Africa are akin to a mass fatality event (and should therefore be addressed according to Disaster Victim Identification protocol) yet the situation does not attract the same attention, despite the fact that many of the country’s forensically-trained specialists are on the national response team register. I consider two contexts that offer useful parallels (and possibly lessons) for the South African context: the campaign to identify those who perish attempting to cross the Mediterranean led by Dr Cristina Cattaneo (LABANOF, Milan) and Operation ID at Texas State University, supporting the investigation of unidentified deaths in the US/Mexican border zone, led by Dr Kate Spradley. Both represent initiatives set up in the face of political apathy, with barely minimal resources, but which may end up innovating practices of forensic human identification more broadly.

Osteological analysis of two individuals retrieved from a medieval cemetery in Fishergate, York will be discussed in this paper. The first individual (Y3743) is a young female adult approximately 18 years of age with congenital spinal bifida. The second individual (Y2699) belongs to an infant, approximately 2-3 years of age +/-6 months. The paper will analyse methods for formulating and assessing the sex, age-at-death, stature, non-metric traits, and pathology in these individual skeletal samples. Moreover, this paper will critically review the methods in question for level of applicability and overall accuracy.

Determination of sex from the skeleton is vital to medicolegal investigations. There is no longer any question that populations differ in size and proportions and these differences affect the metric assessment of sex. The extent of variation in sexual dimorphism among Asian Mongoloids within and between regions has not been quantified by discriminant function analysis, nor have standards for most groups been introduced for the humerus. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to establish metric standards for sex determination from the humerus of Chinese, Japanese and Thais, as well as to compare size and sexual dimorphism in these Asian Mongoloid populations. The database for this study consisted of documented skeletal samples from China (N = 87), Japan (N = 90), and Thailand (N = 104). Six standard dimensions, including maximum length, vertical head diameter, minimum midshaft diameter, maximum midshaft diameter, midshaft circumference, and epicondylar breadth were taken and subjected to stepwise and direct discriminant function analysis. Of dimensions selected by the stepwise function, vertical head diameter and epicondylar breadth were the only elements common to all three groups. Overall, mean accuracies were highest using formulae produced by the stepwise procedure and ranged from 86.8% in the Chinese to 92.4% in the Japanese to 97.1% in the Thais. Group comparisons also revealed that while the Chinese had the largest measurements, they were the least dimorphic. The reverse was true for the Thais and the Japanese were intermediate on both counts. In cross validation tests, classification accuracy decreased in all cases where a formula from one group was applied to another. It was therefore concluded even though all individuals were Asian Mongoloids, these regionally diverse populations exhibited significant metric differences that affect sex determination from the skeleton. These findings confirm those of previous studies that there is a need for group specific metric standards of assessment.

Jewellery along with other personal effects have been used for human identification and acknowledged in the
INTERPOL (The International Criminal Police Organization) DVI (disaster victim identification) forms. It is
hypothesised that modified oral jewellery has scope as a unique personal effect that can be used in combination
with other identifiers. The main aim of this study was to investigate the opinions on the use of modified tooth/
oral jewellery items among 90 subjects. The secondary aim was to create and suggest an elaborated oral charting
system to document oral jewellery and tooth modifications and respective abbreviations. A number of 30 dental
students, 30 dentists and 30 designers/tattoo & piercing artists (groups G1, G2 and G3) responded to online
closed-ended surveys (versions V1, V2 and V3). As results, G1 considered jewellery ‘fashion/contemporary’
(77%), unique and accepted the idea of wearing a customised oral jewellery (equally 47%). G2 considered oral
jewellery as ‘disgusting/vile fashion’ (46.66%), unique (60%) and person’ (60%). 53% accepted the idea of
presenting oral jewellery to their patients. G3 associated it to ‘a sign of rebellion’ (53.3%), unique (40%) and
accepted the idea of making customised oral jewellery (50%)Preferable designs were tooth jewel (G1), implant
with Hallmark (G2) and fixed tooth ring (G3). As conclusions, oral jewellery and piercings are highly acceptable
by the dental students but the uniqueness of oral jewellery was more recognized by the dentists. Modified oral
jewellery has been fairly accepted among all but the preferable type of design varied. A recording of those by the
dentist could potentially aid in forensic dental identifications. Therefore, an elaborated oral charting system to
document oral jewellery and tooth modifications and respective abbreviations were also suggested to grant a
useful reason to this fashion.

The aim of this study was to derive Filipino-specific formulae that can be used as supplementary tools for sex discrimination, especially in forensic cases. Three dimensions — clinical crown height (CCH), maximum mesiodistal breadth (MMD) and maximum buccolingual width (MBL) — of the maxillary and mandibular canines were measured in 100 male and 100 female Filipino participants. CCH emerged as the most significant variable in determining sex in maxillary canines while CCH and MMD were both statistically significant in mandibular canine sex determination. Tree models were derived and 39 data sets were analysed as a test of accuracy. The accuracy ratings for the maxillary and mandibular trees were 56.41% and 74.36%, respectively. The mandibular tree is recommended for use in cases with incomplete or fragmented human remains when no other skeletal elements yielding higher accuracy estimates are available. The results of this study contradict the previous claim of no significant dimorphism in the dentition of the Filipino population.

Changes in the size of the pulp canal, caused by apposition of secondary dentine, are the best morphometric parameters for estimating age by X-rays. The apposition of secondary dentine is the most frequently used method for age estimation in adult subjects. In two previous papers, we studied the application of the pulp/tooth area ratio by peri-apical X-rays as an indicator of age at death. The aim of the present study was to test the accuracy of age evaluation by combined analysis of labio-lingual and mesial peri-apical X-rays of lower and upper canines. A total of 200 such X-rays were assembled from 57 male and 43 female skeletons of Caucasian origin, aged between 20 and 79 years. For each skeleton, dental maturity was evaluated by measuring the pulp/tooth area ratio according to labio-lingual and mesial X-rays on upper (x(1), x(2)) and lower (x(3), x(4)) canines. Very good agreement was found between intra-observer measurements. Statistical analysis showed that all variables x(1),...

Since the introduction of the Machine Readable Travel Document (MRTD) that is also known as e-passport for human identification at border control debates have been raised about security and privacy concerns. In this paper, we present the first hardware implementation for cracking Basic Access Control (BAC) keys of the e-passport issuing schemes in Germany and the Netherlands. Our implementation was designed for the reprogrammable key search machine COPACOBANA and achieves a key search speed of 228 BAC keys per second. This is a speed-up factor of more than 200 if compared to previous results and allows for a runtime in the order of seconds in realistic scenarios.

As part of the disaster victim identification (DVI) response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires disaster, a number of scientific disciplines contributed to the human identification process--forensic pathology, anthropology and odontology, as well as fingerprinting and DNA profiling. The DNA laboratory received 182 post-mortem (PM) samples from 120 DVI cases and 236 reference samples corresponding to 163 missing persons (and two non-DVI cases). DNA analysis yielded full DNA profiles for 102 DVI cases and 190 ante-mortem (AM) samples (relating to all 163 missing persons), respectively. Subsequent comparison of DNA profiles, through direct and kinship matching, resulted in the submission of 76 DNA reports to the DVI Reconciliation Centre which assisted in the identification of 67 deceased. This paper describes the contribution of DNA analysis towards the DVI response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires disaster.

Analysis of the frontal sinus is an important
tool in personal identification. Cone beam-computed
tomography (CBCT) is also progressively replacing conventional radiography and multi-slice computed tomography (MSCT) in human identification. The aim of this study is to develop a reproducible technique and measurements from 3D reconstructions obtained with CBCT, for use in human identification. CBCT from 150 patients (91 female, 59 male), aged between 15 and 78 years, was analysed with the specific software program MIMICS 11.11 (Materialise N.V., Leuven, Belgium). Corresponding 3D volumes were generated and maximal dimensions along 3 directions (x, y, z), XM, YM, ZM (in mm), total volume area (in mm3), Vt, and total surface (in mm2), St, were calculated. Correlation analysis showed that sinus surfaces were strongly correlated with their volume (r = 0.976). Frontal sinuses were separate in 21 subjects (14 %), fused in 67 (44.6 %) and found on only one side (unilateral) in 9 (6 %). A Prominent Middle of Fused Sinus (PMS) was found in 53 subjects (35.3 %). The intra- (0.963–0.999) and inter-observer variability (0.973–0.999) showed a great agreement and a substantial homogeneity of evaluation.