Background: For establishing identity, sex and stature are important parameters in medicolegal examination. It becomes difficult to identify the deceased, when extremely decomposed and mutilated dead bodies with fragmentary remains are brought for postmortem examination. Sometimes, cephalo-facial remains are brought in for forensic examination. In such a situation, sex determination and stature estimation become equally essential along with other parameters like age and race. Aim: The present research attempts to determine sex and estimate stature from various six maxillofacial anthropometric measurements in Egyptian individuals. A total of 227 healthy participants were Egyptian medical students and members of the university, comprising 118 males and 109 females, in the age group of 18 to 40 years. The height of all subjects was measured by an anthropometric rod, and facial measurements were taken using a sliding caliper. Data were subjected to statistical analysis like Indices of separation (d/s) and the probability of correct sex determination, Karl Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and multiple regression analysis was done to calculate the best equation in the determination of sex and estimation of stature. Results: The average height of males and females was 171.6 ( 6.3) cm and 159.2 ( 5.7) cm respectively. The results showed that the differences between all male and female variables exhibited statistically significant differences (P < 0.001). Also, it indicated that all the maxillo-facial measurements were positively correlated (p < 0.001) with stature. Conclusions: Maxillofacial measurements were significantly related to gender and higher in males. Also, the use of measurements in stature estimation calculated by regression analysis was successful. So, we can conclude that regression models generated from facial measurements can be a supplementary approach for the prediction of sex and estimation of stature when extremities are not available.

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The assessment of alteration of postmortem RNA expression has forensic significance in estimating postmortem interval. To evaluate wound healing progression and the effect of different postmortem intervals, histopathological changes, immunohistochemical matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression, and long noncoding fatty acid oxidation (lncFAO), RNA expression was assessed in the incised cutaneous wound model. A full-thickness cutaneous wound was inflicted on 75 rats. All 15 rats were sacrificed at different post-infliction intervals (0, 2, 4, 8 and 10 days), and the cutaneous wounds (n = 5) were excised at different postmortem intervals (0, 5, and 24 h after euthanasia). The maximal inflammatory healing stage was detected at day 4 post-infliction, while near complete healing, thick mature collagen deposition was detected at day 10 post-infliction. LncFAO expression was significantly over-expressed with increasing wound age. MMP-9 was detectable on injury day with continuous elevation until 8 days post-wounding, which later decreased. Although histopathological and immunohistochemical examinations within 24 h postmortem did not show any remarkable changes, lncFAO RNA expression showed a significant negative correlation with hours passed since death. The combined use of histopathological changes, immunohistochemical expression of MMP-9, and molecular expression of lncFAO could be appropriate in wound dating verification. Among these factors, lncFAO could be a reliable indicator in postmortem interval estimation.

Introduction: The identification of semen stain is one of the most common human stains that can provide crucial information for crime scene reconstruction and forensic investigation. In sexual assault cases semen identification helps to support or refute victim's allegations, it also provides a material for DNA analysis. The rapid Stain Identification of Human Semen (RSID TM-Semen) bioassay is designed to detect specifically the presence of human semenogelin. It does not crossreact with other human or nonhuman tissues. Aim: To assess the efficacy of RSID TM-Semen strip test for the detection of human semen under some different variables (different fabrics, different time intervals and mixed with vaginal secretions). Methodology: Semen samples were collected from four male participants; each sample was divided into two portions; one used for semen only test group and the other mixed with vaginal secretions for the mixed test group. Vaginal swabs were carried out from the four female participants using cotton, linen or nylon-tipped plastic rods (2 swabs from each female). One of the fabrics tipped vaginal swab was mixed with semen for the mixed test group and the other used as a positive control group to test the sensitivity and specificity of the RSID TM-Semen strip. The semen samples were deposited over different fabrics at the same time. All the samples were left to dry for 15 minutes at room temperature (summer) then extracted and analyzed. Each of the previous groups, was categorized into 5 subgroups (a, b, c, d and e) according to the time interval of semen extraction (zero (on the spot), 2, 4, 6 and 10 days respectively). Results: Semen could be identified in 100% of tested samples of the semen only group as well as of the combined semen and vaginal secretions group over cotton and linen fabrics at all the different tested time intervals. However, semen extracted from nylon fabric was identified in tested samples of the semen only group and of the combined semen and vaginal secretions group only at zero time only and couldn't be identified at the rest of tested time intervals. Conclusion: The current study evidenced that the new RSID TM-semen kit is a reliable method for semen identification over different types of fabrics even in the presence of vaginal secretions. It also persists up to 10 days except on nylon fabric.

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