Forensic Research Research Articles

Trends of the cannabis market in Poland over the last decade = Tendencje na rynku konopi indyjskich w ostatniej dekadzie w Polsce

Cannabis is the most widely used drug. in recent years, interest in cannabis has grown significantly. over the last decade, the number of cannabis users worldwide has increased by almost 21%, reaching approximately 219 million people in 2021. Can- nabis cultivation covers practically all regions of the world. In recent years, 151 countries have reported cannabis cultivation, both outdoors and indoors. The increased growth of the latter is particularly observed in North America and Europe. Global data shows that in 2021, 5,226 tons of marihuana and 2,014 tons of hashish were confiscated. an increase in seizures of can- nabis products is observed in Europe and Poland. Another trend concerns the increasing content of the psychoactive substance Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC) in cannabis plants. According to UNODC data, over the last 25 years there has been a 4-fold increase in the content of Δ9-THc in cannabis. over the last decade, the average content of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol in marihua- na seized in europe has increased approximately twice, and in hashish three times. The aim of this work is to assess potential changes in the content of the main psychoactive ingredients in cannabis in Poland in the last decade (2012–2022), based on expert opinions developed by the Institute of Forensic research in Kraków. The conduct- ed analyses confirmed the trends observed around the world. in the last ten years, the number of cases in which the drug-type cannabis was detected increased from 5.3% to 68.4% of total number of illicit drug cases examined for the presence of narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances and new psychoactive substances. an increasing trend in the content of Δ9-THC in the drug-type cannabis was also noted. over the last decade, the average total content of Δ9-THC increased almost three times and in 2022 reached 12%. This is due to the growth of cannabis cultivation in Europe, carried out using the technique known as sinsemilla, genetic modifications, as well as the appearance on the market of the feminized cannabis seeds.

Environmental risk score of multiple pollutants for kidney damage among residents in vulnerable areas by occupational chemical exposure in Korea

This study aimed to develop an environmental risk score (ERS) of multiple pollutants (MP) causing kidney damage (KD) in Korean residents near abandoned metal mines or smelters and evaluate the association between ERS and KD by a history of occupational chemical exposure (OCE). Exposure to MP, consisting of nine metals, four polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and four volatile organic compounds, was measured as urinary metabolites. The study participants were recruited from the Forensic Research via Omics Markers (FROM) study (n = 256). Beta-2-microglobulin (β2-MG), N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase (NAG), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were used as biomarkers of KD. Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) was selected as the optimal ERS model with the best performance and stability of the predicted effect size among the elastic net, adaptive elastic net, weighted quantile sum regression, BKMR, Bayesian additive regression tree, and super learner model. Variable importance was estimated to evaluate the effects of metabolites on KD. When stratified with the history of OCE after adjusting for several confounding factors, the risks for KD were higher in the OCE group than those in the non-OCE group; the odds ratio (OR; 95% CI) for ERS in non-OCE and OCE groups were 2.97 (2.19, 4.02) and 6.43 (2.85, 14.5) for β2-MG, 1.37 (1.01, 1.86) and 4.16 (1.85, 9.39) for NAG, and 4.57 (3.37, 6.19) and 6.44 (2.85, 14.5) for eGFR, respectively. We found that the ERS stratified history of OCE was the most suitable for evaluating the association between MP and KD, and the risks were higher in the OCE group than those in the non-OCE group.

Reliable Out-of-Distribution Recognition of Synthetic Images.

Generative adversarial networks (GANs) and diffusion models (DMs) have revolutionized the creation of synthetically generated but realistic-looking images. Distinguishing such generated images from real camera captures is one of the key tasks in current multimedia forensics research. One particular challenge is the generalization to unseen generators or post-processing. This can be viewed as an issue of handling out-of-distribution inputs. Forensic detectors can be hardened by the extensive augmentation of the training data or specifically tailored networks. Nevertheless, such precautions only manage but do not remove the risk of prediction failures on inputs that look reasonable to an analyst but in fact are out of the training distribution of the network. With this work, we aim to close this gap with a Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) that provides an additional uncertainty measure to warn an analyst of difficult decisions. More specifically, the BNN learns the task at hand and also detects potential confusion between post-processing and image generator artifacts. Our experiments show that the BNN achieves on-par performance with the state-of-the-art detectors while producing more reliable predictions on out-of-distribution examples.

Recurrent neural network and long short-term memory models for audio copy-move forgery detection: a comprehensive study

One of the most pressing challenges in audio forgery detection—a major topic of signal analysis and digital forensics research—is detecting copy-move forgery in audio data. Because audio data are used in numerous sectors, including security, but increasingly tampered with and manipulated, studies dedicated to detecting forgery and verifying voice data have intensified in recent years. In our study, 2189 fake audio files were produced from 2189 audio recordings on the TIMIT corpus, for a total of 4378 audio files. After the 4378 files were preprocessed to detect silent and unsilent regions in the signals, a Mel-frequency-based hybrid feature data set was obtained from the 4378 files. Next, RNN and LSTM deep learning models were applied to detect audio forgery in the data set in four experimental setups—two with RNN and two with LSTM—using the AdaGrad and AdaDelta optimizer algorithms to identify the optimum solution in the unlinear systems and minimize the loss rate. When the experimental results were compared, the accuracy rate of detecting forgery in the hybrid feature data was 76.03%, and the hybrid model, in which the features are used together, demonstrated high accuracy even with small batch sizes. This article thus reports the first-ever use of RNN and LSTM deep learning models to detect audio copy-move forgery. Moreover, because the proposed method does not require adjusting threshold values, the resulting system is more robust than other systems described in the literature.

Red Shoes Australia: when public art meets forensic science and becomes a movement for change

ABSTRACT Public art has long been recognized as a powerful medium for social and cultural expression, taking various forms and sizes across different settings. Generally designed for installation in public places, public art aims to engage the public by fostering participation, interaction, and critical thinking. One notable example is ‘Red Shoes Australia’, an adaptation of ‘Los Zapatos Rojos’ by Mexican artist Elina Chauvet. This installation features hundreds of pairs of red shoes in an iconic Australian public space, serving as a poignant memorial to the victims of domestic, gender, and family violence. First presented in 2022 as part of the Western Australian ‘16 Days in WA: Stop Violence Against Women’ campaign, the event was a collaboration with the Western Australia Museum and continued as an impactful initiative in subsequent years. Beyond its role as an art exhibition, the event seeks to emphasize the impact of forensic research and practice in combating gender-based violence and empowering victims with a scientific voice against their perpetrators. The confluence of art, and forensics, leveraging ‘The Red Shoes’, underscores that positive change in systems and society is driven by knowledge, education, strategic research, and the development of educational programmes and community services.

Scaling up contrast-enhanced micro-CT imaging: Optimizing contrast and acquisition for large ex-vivo human samples

Microfocus Computed Tomography (Micro-CT) is a novel method for non-destructive 3D imaging of samples, reaching microscale resolutions. While initially prominent in material sciences for small samples, micro-CT now gains significance in biological and medical studies. Here we present our utilization of micro-CT for imaging large ex-vivo human samples for anatomical and forensic research in three recent experiments and discuss the fundamentals of micro-CT imaging.For pelvic anatomical research, whole human pelvises were imaged to explore nerve anatomy around the prostate using various concentrations of buffered lugol (B-lugol). Advanced acquisition protocols were essential due to X-ray attenuation properties of the sample, which required higher energy for sufficient photon transmission.For fetal research, B-lugol stained fetuses of 20–24 gestational weeks underwent full body imaging. However, this led to challenging acquisition parameters and images of insufficient quality. Subsequent destaining yielded less dense, yet contrast-maintaining samples allowing higher quality images. Refined acquisition protocols with reduced energy improved image quality.For forensic research, explanted hyoid-larynx complexes were imaged. Micro-CT imaging showed potential in visualizing micro-fractures. The addition of B-lugol allowed for excellent soft tissue contrast and promising possibilities for forensic evaluation.In conclusion, micro-CT imaging accommodates a diversity of large ex-vivo human samples for anatomical and forensic purposes, though challenges arise with optimal soft tissue staining and acquisition protocols. We describe partial destaining as a new possibility to alleviate scanning issues to improve scan quality and highlight topics for future research. Micro-CT imaging is a promising new avenue for medical research and forensic evaluation.

An effective method for preparing histological sections of blow fly intra-puparial stages for minimum PMI estimations

Blow flies (Diptera: Calliphoridae) are generally early colonisers of fresh cadavers, enabling the estimation of a minimum post-mortem interval (minPMI) based on an accurate aging of the oldest immature stages associated with a cadaver. In blow flies, the pupal stage and the subsequent development of the adult take place inside a protective case, the puparium, formed from the hardened and darkened cuticle of the third instar larva. Because the puparium is an opaque structure that shows virtually no external changes, qualitative analyses of the internal tissues can be very informative for determining reliable age-specific morphological markers. Those analyses can be performed using either non-invasive but expensive and not widely accessible techniques, or traditional histological methods, which are invasive as they require the serial sectioning of the sample. Histological methods are often readily available for forensic researchers and practitioners; however, the histological study of blow fly intra-puparial stages has traditionally been hampered by the poor paraffin infiltration of tissues due to the abundance of fat bodies, resulting in usually fragmented sections and the subsequent loss of relevant information. We present here an effective method for the preparation of histological sections of blow fly intra-puparial stages, maximising the paraffin infiltration while enabling the production of clean and entire sections that allow for the use of reliable age-specific morphological markers, thus improving the accuracy of minPMI estimations when access to more costly techniques is not feasible.

Analysis of total lip score system and total groove score for gender identification: A cross-sectional study.

Endless ink and pixel space have been spent to validate the use of cheiloscopy classification systems in the field of identification. It is becoming evident that lip-print patterns may provide indications about an individual's gender, race, occupation, habits, blood type, and paternity. Over the course of time, much data have been collected on a substantial population in this field. In the present study, we strive to see how well a noble total lip scoring (TLS) system works in identifying a person's gender among the College of Dentistry students. We also quantified the total groove score (TGS) and compared it with each quadrant for better authentication of the set study design. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted among 60 dental students (30 males and 30 females), with an age range of 18-30 years. Lip prints were recorded using the writing pad method and subsequently digitalized by capturing the images using Adobe Photoshop CS 6 Extended Version, counted and summed up, quadrant-wise, in both upper and lower lips. The TLS and TGS between males and females were statistically calculated using the Jamovi project. The mean value for TLS for males (n = 402; SD ± 92.1) is higher than that for females (n = 348; SD ± 86.1). The correlation matrix applying a non-parametric test for non-continuous data using Spearman's ratio inferred a statistically significant correlation (-0.354) with a P-value of 0.005 for TLS, whereas a correlation (-0.162) of TGS with gender was not so significant with a P-value of 0.217. Our study proved the uniqueness of applying TLS as a novel approach to gender identification. The study revealed that males had a statistically higher lip score than females. Being unique, our study inferred the importance of TLS, which needs to be explored in detail for applying, evaluating, and validating its accuracy in forensic research that can help for errorless investigations as full-proof evidence in court.

Analysis of Cannabis and its Products in the Context Forensic Science

Legalization of low-tetrahydrocannabinol-high-cannabidiol cannabis plants is gaining momentum due to growing demand for these products. In some countries, the testing of cannabis and products containing it is a legal requirement: cannabis is identified, the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol or cannabidiol and their precursor acids is assessed. Current research requires more sensitive and reliable analytical methods for accurate identification and quantification of cannabis components. This article purpose is to review the latest advances in the scientific literature on the isolation and analysis of cannabis and cannabis-containing products in the context of forensic science. Research methods included analysis of information on this topic using search engines, including Google, Google Scholar, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect. Search requests took into account scientific, analytical and statistical reports in the field of forensic research. Since the forensic expert must be well-versed in modern trends in the analysis of prohibited substances and use the latest data from the analytical and forensic literature in his work, such information will help them choose research methods, taking into account the actual resources and equipment of forensic laboratories. According to the article purpose, advantages and disadvantages of existing methods of extraction and analysis of objects containing cannabis for identification, quantification, profiling and age estimation of cannabis are considered.

Use of microorganisms, insects, plants and soil in criminological research

The expectation of effective detection of perpetrators of crimes is fundamental for every person, given their deep-seated need to feel safe. In the context of modern realities, it is difficult to imagine effective activities of the police, prosecutor’s office or judiciary without the use of advanced, reliable forensic techniques. The aim of this publication was to collect and present highlights of the evolution in forensic research based on a variety of scientific specializations, including forensic microbiology, forensic entomology, forensic botany, and soil science.

Proof of Concept of a Digital Forensic Readiness Cybercrime Language as a Service

Welcome to the 21st century, where more devices are connected to the Internet than people on this earth. Each device will be or has been a target of cybercrime. The popularity of text-based cybercrimes has become prevalent with the advancement of the Internet. The number of cybercrimes increases yearly, unlike the reports of such crimes. The major problem is the lack of awareness and protection from cybercrimes. These issues cascade into greater consequences, such as a shortfall of reports, deficiency of cybercrime data, etc. The DFClaaS system is proposed as a solution; it allows users to report text-based cybercrimes anonymously. Next, several NLP techniques are applied to such reports to comprehend text-based cybercrimes as a language, and once the usage of the language is detected, an investigation proceeds. Subscribed users are individuals or businesses that are in some regard connected to the Internet. The DFClaaS system aims to protect its users from text-based cybercrimes and provide digital forensic investigators resources to conduct a successful investigation, enriching digital forensics research. The system is a feature-rich digital forensics readiness tool that will track the aggressive advancements of text-based cybercrimes, thus serving and protecting its users.

Mass spectrometry-based proteomic analysis of biological stains identifies body fluids specific markers

The identification of biological stains and their tissue resource is an important part of forensic research. Current methods suffer from several limitations including poor sensitivity and specificity, trace samples, and sample destruction. In this study, we profiled the proteomes of menstrual blood, peripheral blood, saliva, semen, and vaginal fluid with mass spectrometry technology. Tissue-enhanced and tissue-specific proteins of each group have been proposed as potential biomarkers. These candidate proteins were further annotated and screened through the combination with the Human Protein Atlas database. Our data not only validates the protein biomarkers reported in previous studies but also identifies novel candidate biomarkers for human body fluids. These candidates lay the foundation for the development of rapid and specific forensic examination methods.

THE ROLE OF FORENSIC CYTOLOGY IN CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS

The purpose of this article is to substantiate the need for conducting cytological forensic research in the criminal investigations.
 Materials and methods. An investigation of regulatory, legal documents, and scientific publications was conducted using keywords in the international electronic databases PubMed, Embase, and Scopus. This review, coupled with statistical analysis and generalization, aimed to evaluate forensic cytological studies performed between 2020 and 2023 at the Kyiv City Clinical Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination. Results. The results obtained revealed an upward trend in the number of forensic cytological studies conducted in recent years. Notably, studies of subungual contents, injury tools, and hand washings comprised the majority of the work, accounting for 76% of the total. Changes in the ratio are due to the fact that in recent years, the number of examinations of washings from the hands and washings from the place of the accident has increased. In the reporting year, the number of objects (washes from the penis, bed linen, clothes of suspects, condoms, napkins) for sexual crimes increased. In 2023, the number of sexual crime investigations quadrupled. To preserve crucial evidence, investigators may now directly collect swabs from suspects' genitals within medical institutions. Previously, this procedure could be lengthy, especially if the crime occurred on a weekend, potentially leading to the loss, degradation, or destruction of evidence.
 Conclusion. Employees of law enforcement agencies constantly emphasize the relevance, scientific validity, evidentiality of cytological studies in the investigation of criminal crimes. The increase in the number of forensic cytological studies indicates the need for a cytological department in the structure of the forensic medical service. Conducting cytological forensic research is necessary to increase the informativeness and objectivity of the expert's conclusions in cases of complex study of microtraces of blood, isolated cells, particles of damaged tissues and organs on injury instruments, in the contents of the nail, and other material evidence in the investigation of criminal crimes.

Criminalistic aspects of torture using an artificial intelligence system: a review

The article discusses the use of artificial intelligence to identify violations and deficiencies in forensic institutions and law enforcement agencies and chipping employees of criminal prosecution agencies to prevent illegal investigative methods, including torture.
 The legislation of foreign countries regulating the procedures for conducting medical research and investigating cases of torture is considered.
 Regarding obtaining high-quality materials for examining the scene of an accident and using their results during a forensic medical study, the authors proposed a modular kit for recording the results of an inspection of the scene (utility model patent dated August 4, 2023).
 This study proposed a procedure for using artificial intelligence to improve the quality of work of criminal prosecution bodies and forensic institutions. A SWOT analysis of the use of artificial intelligence to improve the quality of law enforcement agencies and forensic institutions was conducted. Based on the results, the positive and negative aspects of the use of artificial intelligence were determined.
 Based on the analysis of the national mechanism for conducting forensic research, proposals have been developed to improve the work of investigators and forensic experts.

Uncovering the authorship: Linking media content to social user profiles

The extensive spread of fake news on social networks is carried out by a diverse range of users, encompassing private individuals, newspapers, and organizations. With widely accessible image and video editing tools, malicious users can easily create manipulated media. They can then distribute this content through multiple fake profiles, aiming to maximize its social impact. To tackle this problem effectively, it is crucial to possess the ability to analyze shared media to identify the originators of fake news. To this end, multimedia forensics research has advanced tools that examine traces in media, revealing valuable insights into its origins. While combining these tools has proven to be highly efficient in creating profiles of image and video creators, it is important to note that most of these tools are not specifically designed to function effectively in the complex environment of content exchange on social networks. In this paper, we introduce the problem of establishing associations between images and their source profiles as a means to tackle the spread of disinformation on social platforms. To this end, we assembled SocialNews, an extensive image dataset comprising more than 12,000 images sourced from 21 user profiles across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, and we propose three increasingly realistic and challenging experimental scenarios. We present two simple yet effective techniques as benchmarks, one based on statistical analysis of Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) coefficients and one employing a neural network model based on ResNet, and we compare their performance against the state of the art. Experimental results show that the proposed approaches exhibit superior performance in accurately classifying the originating user profiles.

Forensic DNA Phenotyping: a review on SNP Panels, Genotyping Techniques, and Prediction Models

Abstract In the past few years, forensic DNA phenotyping has attracted a strong interest in the forensic research. Among the increasing publications, many have focused on testing the available panels to infer biogeographical ancestry on less represented populations and understanding the genetic mechanisms underlying externally visible characteristics. However, there are currently no publications that gather all the existing panels limited to forensic DNA phenotyping and discuss the main technical limitations of the technique. In this review, we performed a bibliographic search in Scopus database of phenotyping-related literature, which resulted in a total of 48, 43 and 15 panels for biogeographical ancestry, externally visible characteristics and both traits inference, respectively. Here we provide a list of commercial and non-commercial panels and the limitations regarding the lack of harmonization in terms of terminology (i.e., categorization and measurement of traits) and reporting, the lack of genetic knowledge and environment influence to select markers and develop panels, and the debate surrounding the selection of genotyping technologies and prediction models and algorithms. In conclusion, this review aims to be an updated guide and to present an overview of the current related literature.

The role of ecogenomics in environmental and forensic discoveries

Ecogenomics is the application of genetic information and environmental science to understand the genetic diversity and functional potential of microbial communities in various environments. It involves the analysis of DNA and RNA sequences to gain insights into the structure, function, and dynamics of ecosystems. In the context of the environment, ecogenomics plays a crucial role in understanding the impact of human activities on natural ecosystems. By studying the genetic composition of microbial communities, researchers can assess the health and resilience of ecosystems, identify key species involved in nutrient cycling and energy flow, and monitor the effects of pollution and climate change. Ecogenomics also has significant applications in forensic research. By analyzing the microbial DNA present at crime scenes, forensic scientists can gain valuable information about the individuals involved. Microbes are ubiquitous and can be transferred from person to person, leaving behind a unique microbial signature that can be used for identification purposes. This approach, known as microbial forensics, can complement traditional forensic techniques and provide additional evidence in criminal investigations. By harnessing the power of genomics, researchers can uncover hidden microbial diversity, track ecosystem changes, and provide valuable insights into criminal investigations.

Forensic Hypoglycaemia & Neuroglycopenia — A Clinical Legal Social Endocrinology Challenge for 2024, Forensic Law in Hypoglycaemia 4

Forensic Hypoglycaemia & Neuroglycopenia — A Clinical Legal Social Endocrinology Challenge for 2024, Forensic Law in Hypoglycaemia 4

DFRWS EU 10-year review and future directions in Digital Forensic Research

Conducting a systematic literature review and comprehensive analysis, this paper surveys all 135 peer-reviewed articles published at the Digital Forensics Research Conference Europe (DFRWS EU) spanning the decade since its inaugural running (2014–2023). This comprehensive study of DFRWS EU articles encompasses sub-disciplines such as digital forensic science, device forensics, techniques and fundamentals, artefact forensics, multimedia forensics, memory forensics, and network forensics. Quantitative analysis of the articles’ co-authorships, geographical spread and citation metrics are outlined. The analysis presented offers insights into the evolution of digital forensic research efforts over these ten years and informs some identified future research directions.

ANALISIS BUKTI DIGITAL PADA APLIKASI DISCORD DESKTOP DENGAN MENGGUNAKAN FRAMEWORK DFRWS

A Currently, various communication platforms are available, and one of them is Discord. Discord is utilized by users to interact and share various types of content. However, Discord is often implicated in the distribution of inappropriate content that goes against Discord regulations. This can lead to cybercrime cases such as Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). The main challenge faced is the recovery of digitally deleted data through these communication platforms. The objective of this research is to analyze digital evidence in the form of deleted text messages, images, and documents in the chat rooms of the desktop-based Discord application. The research method employed is the Live Forensic Technique, applying the DFRWS (Digital Forensics Research Workshop) method. The digital forensic analysis process is conducted using the digital forensic tool Magnet Axiom. The research results indicate that the accuracy of digital evidence analysis using Magnet Axiom reaches 94.11%. A total of 16 digital evidence items were successfully recovered out of the total 17 items available