In a worldwide collaborative effort, 19,630 Y-chromosomes were sampled from 129 different populations in 51 countries. These chromosomes were typed for 23 short-tandem repeat (STR) loci (DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393, DYS385ab, DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, DYS448, DYS456, DYS458, DYS635, GATAH4, DYS481, DYS533, DYS549, DYS570, DYS576, and DYS643) and using the PowerPlex Y23 System (PPY23, Promega Corporation, Madison, WI). Locus-specific allelic spectra of these markers were determined and a consistently high level of allelic diversity was observed. A considerable number of null, duplicate and off-ladder alleles were revealed. Standard single-locus and haplotype-based parameters were calculated and compared between subsets of Y-STR markers established for forensic casework. The PPY23 marker set provides substantially stronger discriminatory power than other available kits but at the same time reveals the same general patterns of population structure as other marker sets. A strong correlation was observed between the number of Y-STRs included in a marker set and some of the forensic parameters under study. Interestingly a weak but consistent trend toward smaller genetic distances resulting from larger numbers of markers became apparent.

Objectives. The study aimed to compare the accuracy of different methods of data acquisition and data reconstruction and to assess their usefulness for 3D printing of tooth replicas. Methods. 3-dimensional models of molar and canine teeth obtain utilizing CBCT examination with different protocols, and optical scanning was compared with models derived from micro-computed (micro-CT) examination using Geomagic Studio Qualify software. A pairwise comparison of 3D models with analysis of standard deviation and the value of the mean distance of given surfaces was performed. Results. Standard deviation and the value of the mean distance were lowest for optical scanning followed by CBC in high and standard resolution in all tested protocols. Models, obtained with high-resolution CBCT protocols, of teeth in and outside of alveolar bone showed similar average distance parameters, but standard deviation parameter was significantly lower for models of teeth scanned outside of the socket. Good surface representation on all models was seen at relatively smooth areas while in areas of high changes in the geometry CBCT based models performed inferiorly to those obtained from an optical scanner. Conclusions. In case of teeth of noncomplicated texture, independently from a position (within or outside the alveolar socket), the high-resolution CBCT seems to be a sufficient method to obtain data for 3D printed tooth replica. Optical scanning performs better when a detailed replica is necessary.

The Investigator DIPplex® kit (Qiagen) contain components for the simultaneous amplification and analysis of 30 biallelic autosomal INDELs and amelogenin. The objective of this study was to estimate the diversity of the 30 markers in Polish (NP = 122) and Taiwanese (NT = 126) population samples and to evaluate their usefulness in forensic genetics. All amplicon lengths were shorter than 160 base pairs. The DIPplex genotype distributions showed no significant deviation from Hardy–Weinberg rule expectations (Bonferroni corrected) except for DLH39 in the Taiwanese population. Among the Poles and the Taiwanese the mean observed heterozygosity values are 0.4385 and 0.4079, and the combined matching probability values are 7.98 × 10−14 and 1.22 × 10−11, respectively. The investigated marker set has been confirmed as a potential extension to standard short tandem repeat-based kits or a separate informative system for individual identification and kinship analysis. Eight INDELs have been selected as possible ancestry informative single-nucleotide polymorphisms for further analyses.

Computed tomography is commonly used in modern medicine, and thus, it is often helpful for medicolegal purposes, especially as part of the antemortem record. The application of postmortem computed tomography and 3D reconstruction of the skull in challenging cases is reported, and its valuable contribution to positive identification is discussed. This paper presents a case in which the body of an unknown individual is identified. Positive identification had not been possible despite a multidisciplinary examination. The postmortem use of computerized tomography and 3D reconstruction of the skull followed by the comparison of individual morphological characteristics of the viscerocranium showed the concordant points between the deceased and a missing person. Finally, superimposition using a 3D-reconstructed skull instead of the skeletonized skull demonstrated an adequate degree of morphological consistency in the facial images of the analyzed individuals that lead to positive identification. It was concluded that where other methods of personal identification had failed, the use of postmortem computed tomography had proved to be instrumental in the positive identification of the deceased.

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