Death Investigation Research Articles

Alcohol testing and alcohol involvement among violent deaths by state, 2014–2016

Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) testing rates vary across states, potentially biasing estimates of alcohol involvement in violent deaths. The National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS) collects information on violent deaths, including decedents' BACs. This study assessed characteristics of violent deaths by BAC testing status, and the proportion of decedents with a positive BAC or BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dL. NVDRS data from 2014 to 2016 (2014: 18 states; 2015: 27 states; 2016: 32 states) were analyzed to assess BAC testing (tested, not tested, unknown/missing) by state, decedent characteristics, and death investigation system (e.g., state medical examiner, coroners), in 2019. The proportion of violent deaths with a BAC > 0.0 or ≥ 0.08 g/dL was also assessed. Among 95,390 violent death decedents, 57.1% had a BAC test (range: 9.5% in Georgia to 95.8% in Utah), 2.3% were not tested, and 40.6% had an unknown/missing BAC testing status (range: 1.3% in Alaska to 78.0% in Georgia). Decedents who were 21–44 years, American Indian/Alaska Native or Hispanic, died by poisoning, died by undetermined intent, or were investigated by a state medical examiner were most likely to receive BAC testing. Among the violent deaths with a reported BAC, 41.1% had a positive BAC and 27.7% had a BAC ≥ 0.08 g/dL. About 2 in 5 violent deaths were missing data on alcohol testing. Increased testing and reporting of alcohol among violent deaths could inform the development and use of evidence-based prevention strategies (e.g., increasing alcohol taxes, regulating alcohol outlet density) for reducing violent deaths.

Postmortem radiologic and pathologic findings in COVID-19: The Toronto experience with pre-hospitalization deaths in the community

Over a year after the initial emergence of the disease, the COVID-19 pandemic continues to strain healthcare systems worldwide. The value of feedback and connection between clinical care, public health, and death investigation systems has never been more clear. To this end, knowledge of the radiologic and histopathologic features of fatal COVID-19 is critical for those working with the living and the dead. Most of the medical descriptions of COVID-19 are either focused on clinical in vivo medical imaging or autopsies performed following an intensive course of treatment over days to weeks prior to death, rather than deaths in the community prior to hospitalization. Here we report the postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and lung histopathology in five fatal cases of COVID-19 that were subject to medicolegal death investigation. All individuals died in the community without medical treatment, or after a brief terminal admission to hospital. In these cases, the main PMCT findings included: diffuse lung changes including ground glass-type opacifications, a “crazy paving” appearance, variable areas of more dense consolidation, and relatively few areas of spared/less involved lung parenchyma. The unifying histopathology was diffuse alveolar damage in various stages of cellular evolution. In all cases, the pattern of PMCT and the lung histopathology corroborated the diagnosis of COVID-19. We propose the routine use of PMCT as a potential screening tool for the identification of COVID-19 related fatalities in the medicolegal setting where a paucity of historical information may not otherwise permit the identification of this disease prior to autopsy.

Community surveillance and response to maternal and child deaths in low- and middle-income countries: A scoping review.

BackgroundCivil registration and vital statistics (CRVS) systems do not produce comprehensive data on maternal and child deaths in most low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with most births and deaths which occur outside the formal health system going unreported. Community-based death reporting, investigation and review processes are being used in these settings to augment official registration of maternal and child deaths and to identify death-specific factors and associated barriers to maternal and childcare. This study aims to review how community-based maternal and child death reporting, investigation and review processes are carried out in LMICs.MethodsWe conducted a scoping review of the literature published in English from January 2013 to November 2020, searching PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Joanna Briggs, The Cochrane Library, EBM reviews, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. We used descriptive analysis to outline the scope, design, and distribution of literature included in the study and to present the content extracted from each article. The scoping review is reported following the PRISMA reporting guideline for systematic reviews.ResultsOf 3162 screened articles, 43 articles that described community-based maternal and child death review processes across ten countries in Africa and Asia were included. A variety of approaches were used to report and investigate deaths in the community, including identification of deaths by community health workers (CHWs) and other community informants, reproductive age mortality surveys, verbal autopsy, and social autopsy. Community notification of deaths by CHWs complements registration of maternal and child deaths missed by routinely collected sources of information, including the CRVS systems which mostly capture deaths occurring in health facilities. However, the accuracy and completeness of data reported by CHWs are sub-optimal.ConclusionsCommunity-based death reporting complements formal registration of maternal and child deaths in LMICs. While research shows that community-based maternal and child death reporting was feasible, the accuracy and completeness of data reported by CHWs are sub-optimal but amenable to targeted support and supervision. Studies to further improve the process of engaging communities in the review, as well as collection and investigation of deaths in LMICs, could empower communities to respond more effectively and have a greater impact on reducing maternal and child mortality.

Development and investigation of dual potent anticancer drug-loaded nanoparticles for the treatment of lung cancer therapy

Combinations of two potent chemotherapeutic drugs are often used to treat early stage lung cancer. To enhance the efficiency of the treatment, a combinational co-drug delivery system of gemcitabine (GEM) and 5-fluorouracil (5FU) is used owing to its great antitumor ability, as GEM and 5FU improve the anticancer ability of lung cells by stabilizing the tumor microenvironment. Nevertheless, encapsulation of GEM and 5FU potential anticancer drugs by co-loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA)- Polyethylene glycol (PEG) nanoparticles (NPs) is not effective because of the incompatibility of the dual drug GEM and 5FU polymeric biodegradable system. Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology of GEM NPs, 5FU NPs, and GEM-5FU NPs, along with their nanoparticle morphology and size. GEM-5FU NPs also induced apoptosis in vitro in human lung cells such as A549 and HEL-299. Morphological changes and cell deaths were the result of different biochemical staining techniques such as acridine orange-ethidium bromide (AO-EB) and Hoechst staining. In addition, the mechanistic investigation of cell death was confirmed by Annexin V-Fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) using flow cytometry. Taken together, this dual co-drug delivery method revealed that GEM-5FU NPs might have a remarkable potential to enhance the efficacy of lung cancer therapy.

Patterns of Intentional Dismemberment in Florida Medicolegal Death Investigations

This study identifies broad patterns of intentional dismemberment in Florida as observed in cases accessioned over a 15-year period at the University of Florida C. A. Pound Human Identification Laboratory. A review of all case files dating from July 2003 through June 2018 (N = 959) found 28 individuals with indications of intentional dismemberment. Decedents ranged from neonatal to 76 years in age at death; half were female, and 91.7% were identified by the medical examiner as White. Transection via sawing was the most common dismemberment mode (50%), followed by disarticulation of joints (19%). The most common implement was a saw, and electric reciprocating saws were the most common saw type. These data are compared to multiple U.S.-based dismemberment samples, positioned within a larger U.S. framework, and assessed against international data. Combined U.S. data suggest female homicide victims are more likely to be dismembered than male homicide victims. The use of three different modes of dismemberment, with transection by sawing more common than transection by chopping and transection by any means more common than disarticulation, is noted across the Eastern U.S. However, selection of implement and mode may be influenced by sub-regional factors such as population density. This is in contrast to available Latin American data, which indicate dismemberments—commonly in the context of organized violence and used as a means of symbolic communication—occur primarily to males and overwhelmingly by chopping. The discrepancies in dismemberment patterns between the U.S. and Latin American contexts illustrate the importance of sociopolitical circumstance when making broad comparisons across geographic samples.

Bringing the science back into forensic science in death investigations in the Philippines during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract After a pandemic-filled 2020 had finally come to an end, many were looking forward to a new year filled with renewed hope and fresh beginnings. Unfortunately for a 23-year old Filipina, the first day of the year would turn out to be her last day on earth. While a single individual's death on New Year's day would typically not be a newsworthy event in the Philippines, this particular case sparked a media frenzy. It exposed the flaws of a death investigation system still reeling from the many unsolved cases of extrajudicial killings brought about by the war on drugs [9] . To date, the Philippines does not have an independent, science-based medico-legal death investigation system (Go, 2021; Pastor, 2021). This commentary aims to provide a case narrative to highlight the urgency of adopting a systematic death investigation system, seek justice for the victim's family, reduce the possibilities of wrongful accusations and convictions, and maximize the use of limited and costly forensic resources in the Philippines.

Concentrations of para-Fluorofuranylfentanyl in Paired Central and Peripheral Blood Collected during Postmortem Death Investigations.

The opioid epidemic in the USA has been associated with an increasing mortality rate in large part due to the emergence and proliferation of synthetic opioids over the last 15 years. Fentanyl and its analogs have played a large part in these statistics due to their potency and toxicity. Fluorofuranylfentanyl (FFF) is a fentanyl analog that emerged in the USA in 2018 and was associated with numerous adverse events and deaths. During this study, a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry workflow was developed to accurately identify the isomer of FFF present (ortho- vs. meta- vs. para-) in medicolegal death investigation cases from Pinellas County, Florida. FFF was quantified in central and peripheral blood samples collected at autopsy. In addition, the metabolism of FFF was studied using liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. para-FFF was quantitatively confirmed in 29 postmortem cases; no other isomer of FFF was detected. Central blood concentrations ranged between 0.66 and 73 ng/mL (mean = 11 ± 14 ng/mL, median = 10 ng/mL) and peripheral blood concentrations ranged between 0.53 and 23 ng/mL (mean = 5.7 ± 6.4 ng/mL, median = 2.7 ng/mL). A comparison of central to peripheral blood concentrations was evaluated to determine the possibility of postmortem redistribution. The metabolism of ortho-FFF was studied and found to undergo metabolic processes similar to fentanyl, producing ortho-fluorofuranyl-norfentanyl, fluoro-4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine, and hydroxylated species. The results of this study demonstrate the toxicity of FFF and its implication in medicolegal death investigations. Laboratories must remain aware of new or re-emerging fentanyl analogs, as they pose significant risks to public health and public safety.

Forensic autopsies in Norway 1996-2017: A retrospective study of factors associated with deaths undergoing forensic autopsy.

Aims:Forensic autopsies are important for the investigation of deaths with a legal or public-health interest, as well as being a source for cause-of-death statistics. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of forensic autopsies in Norway, with a special emphasis on geographical variation.Methods:Data from the Norwegian Cause of Death Registry for the years 1996–2017 included 920,232 deaths and 37,398 forensic autopsies. We used logistic regression to identify factors that were associated with the proportion of forensic autopsies, grouped according to the registered cause of death. Explanatory variables were age and sex, place of death, police district, population size and urbanity level of the municipality and distance to the autopsy facility.Results:The proportion of deaths undergoing forensic autopsy was 4.1%, with the highest being homicides (96.6%) and the lowest being deaths from natural causes (1.7%). Variation between police districts was 0.9–7.8%, and the span persisted during the study period. The most important explanatory variables across the strata were place of death (there were few autopsies of deaths in health-care facilities), police district and age of the deceased. Distance to the autopsy facility, sex, population size and the level of urbanity had only a minor influence. The variation between police districts was not fully accounted for by the other investigated factors.Conclusions: Unjustified differences in the frequency of autopsies may lead to insufficient investigation of possible unnatural deaths. In worst-case scenarios, homicides or other criminal cases might remain undetected. It may also introduce spurious shifts in the cause-of-death statistics.

Forensic Entomology in China and Its Challenges.

Simple SummaryForensic entomologists utilize sarcosaprophagous insect species to estimate the postmortem interval to aid death investigations. In this paper, we present the recent chronology of forensic entomology in China and illustrate how identification, development, and succession data are obtained and applied at the scale of such a large country. To overcome the difficulties and challenges forensic entomology faces in China, a number of countermeasures are provided.While the earliest record of forensic entomology originated in China, related research did not start in China until the 1990s. In this paper, we review the recent research progress on the species identification, temperature-dependent development, faunal succession, and entomological toxicology of sarcosaprophagous insects as well as common applications of forensic entomology in China. Furthermore, the difficulties and challenges forensic entomologists face in China are analyzed and possible countermeasures are presented.

Workplace safety concerns in medico-legal death investigations related to COVID-19.

The personnel involved in the management of COVID-19 affected dead bodies, including law enforcement personnel at the scene of crime, personnel involved in transportation of the dead bodies, forensic practitioners, autopsy pathologists, mortuary personnel, as well as the family members of the dead, etc. are at risk of exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Post-mortem examination is a high-risk procedure, considering that it involves aerosol generating procedures, and exposure to body fluids. The safety of the forensic practitioners and support staff in the management of suspected or confirmed COVID-19 deaths hence, is of extreme importance, especially in the absence of pre-autopsy testing for COVID-19 and due to non-availability of adequate first-hand medical history of the deceased. This communication aims to highlight the current practices and advises certain guidelines in ensuring occupational health and safety in view of these risks in medico-legal death investigations.

Three-dimensional versus two-dimensional postmortem ultrasound: feasibility in perinatal death investigation.

Three- and four-dimensional US techniques in antenatal screening are commonplace, but they are not routinely used for perinatal postmortem US. In this technical innovation, we performed both two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) postmortem US on 11 foetuses (mean gestation: 23weeks; range: 15-32weeks) to determine whether there was any benefit in 3-D over conventional 2-D methods. In one case of osteogenesis imperfecta, both 2-D and 3-D US images were non-diagnostic because of small foetal size. Of the remaining 10 foetuses, 7 were normal at imaging and autopsy, and 3 had abnormalities detected on both 2-D and 3-D US. There were no false-positive diagnoses by 2-D or 3-D US. Whilst 3-D postmortem US was a feasible technique, it did not provide additional information over 2-D US. Routine 3-D postmortem US cannot therefore be routinely recommended based on our findings.

Gunshot homicides in Denmark 1992-2016.

The majority of homicides in the world are caused by firearms and a good understanding of gunshot wounds is important for the forensic pathologist. We have analyzed all 315 homicides by gunshots in Denmark during 1992-2016 with focus on information relevant to forensic pathologists. Of the 1417 homicides in Denmark in 1992-2016, 315 (22.2%) had gunshot trauma as the primary homicide method. During 1992-2016, there has been a significant decrease in the number of gunshot homicides overall, of homicides committed with hunting weapons, and of domestic gunshot homicides. Most victims (70.5%) and offenders (93.7% of homicides with known offenders) were males. Male victims were significantly younger than female victims. Most victims were killed with handguns (43.8%) or shotguns (41.0%). Compared to all other weapons, the victims killed with shotguns had fewer entry wounds, a higher New Injury Severity Score (NISS), and a higher proportion of contact/close-range entry wounds. The head (58.1%) and thorax (46.7%) were often injured, with injuries to the head being more common in contact/close-range entry wounds. The results show that gunshot injuries in homicides are different from suicides and accidents and clearly are affected by the homicide type, the sex of the victim, and the weapon used and that these entities are intertwined. Our findings provide an evidence-based foundation for use in death investigations and for policy development in the area of interpersonal violence.

Forensic Pluralism and the Dead Body in Early 20th-Century China.

Modern forensic medicine was introduced into China during the first decades of the 20th century. The members of China's first generation of medicolegal experts were soon advocating that medical expertise play a greater role in police and judicial officials' investigations of suspicious death and homicide cases. While forensic reform in China had parallels with developments in other contemporary societies in which physicians were pushing for a greater role in the law, this process unfolded in China in unique ways, against the backdrop of an older tradition of forensic science that had developed under the Qing dynasty (1644-1911). Central to this tradition was the Records on the Washing Away of Wrongs, a handbook of forensic practice that was written in the 13th century and saw numerous editions and expansions over subsequent centuries. Death investigation in early 20th-century China was defined by "forensic pluralism," a situation in which the different body examination methods and standards of forensic proof associated with the Washing Away of Wrongs and modern forensic medicine were both accepted by officialdom and society. This article untangles the complexities of forensic practice during this period through the rather unexceptional exchange over a case of suspected drowning that occurred between local officials in Hebei province and Lin Ji (1897-1951), director of the Beiping University Medical School Institute of Legal Medicine. This case reveals the different regimes of forensic knowledge and practice that were used in China during this period as well as the sites at which they interacted.

Concern about the Diagnosis of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in Current Death Investigation System

Because their contents would be utilized in many parts of society, medical diagnosis should be accurate and veracious especially for dead body. Autopsy records are one of the representative form of medical diagnosis determined by forensic pathologists, which are superior to the certificates for postmortem inspection in their completeness. But autopsy has its own limitation because of morphologic and biochemical changes in postmortem status and diagnostic criteria mainly based on clinical situations. Also, various diseases with only functional impairments or borderline/ambiguous changes make the forensic diagnosis difficult, for example, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Even though numerous researchers with various backgrounds have been dedicated to clarifying the nature of SIDS, it seems too early to use this term in autopsy diagnosis in general. A thorough investigation of the death scene, the family dynamics, and the medical history should be guaranteed and the forensic pathologists should agree for the definition and diagnostic criteria of SIDS based on scientific knowledge. Key Words: Sudden infant death syndrome · Autopsy · Postmortem examination · Diagnosis

A Case Series of Etizolam in Opioid-Related Deaths.

Etizolam is a novel psychoactive substance and novel benzodiazepine of the thienotriazolodiazepine class, which has recently seen an increasing trend in use worldwide. We report a case series of 10 decedents with etizolam and opioids in their systems. Death investigation, expanded toxicology and medical investigation information were included for contextualization of etizolam in death. Etizolam was detected and confirmed within peripheral and cardiac blood, urine, vitreous humor and, in one case, gastric fluid, by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-quadrupole time of flight mass spectrometry methodologies. Death investigation indicated nonmedical use of most drugs. Medical investigation commonly noted pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly and cerebral swelling. The majority of the decedents appeared to be unaware of the presence of etizolam and succumbed to the mixed drug toxicity of their routine depressant and narcotic analgesic drug of abuse in combination with etizolam. Etizolam use continues to be observed and poses as a potentially lethal contribution to multiple drug toxicity, especially in the age of the opioid crisis. Assessment of analytes like etizolam requires up-to-date methodologies and vigilance in testing to better characterize the toxicology and interpret the contribution to death.

Antemortem and Post-Mortem Characteristics of Lethal Mitral Valve Prolapse Among All Countywide SuddenDeaths.

The goal of this study was to investigate the characteristics of mitral valve prolapse (MVP) in a post-mortem study of consecutive sudden cardiac deaths (SCDs) in subjects up to 90 years of age. Up to 2.3% of subjects with MVPs experience SCD, but by convention SCD is rarely confirmed by autopsy. In a post-mortem study of persons<40 years of age, 7% of SCDs were caused by MVP; bileaflet involvement, mitral annular disjunction (MAD), and replacement fibrosis were common. In the San Francisco POST SCD (Postmortem Systematic Investigation of Sudden Cardiac Death) study, autopsies have been performed on >1,000 consecutive World Health Organization-defined (presumed) cases of SCD in subjects aged 18 to 90 years since 2011; a total of 603 were adjudicated. Autopsy-defined sudden arrhythmic death (SAD) required absence of nonarrhythmic cause; MVP diagnosis required leaflet billowing. One hundred antemortem echocardiograms were revised to identify additional MVPs missed on autopsy. Among the 603 presumed SCDs, 339 (56%) were autopsy-defined SADs, with MVP identified in 7 (1%). Six additional MVPs were identified by review of echocardiograms, for a prevalence of at least 2% among 603 presumed SCDs and 4% among 339 SADs (vs. 264 non-SADs; p=0.02). All 6 additional MVPs had monoleaflet rather than bileaflet involvement and mild mitral regurgitation, ruling out hemodynamic cause. Less than one-half had MAD with replacement fibrosis, but all had multisite interstitial fibrosis. In a countywide post-mortem study of all adult cases of SCD, MVP prevalence was at least 4% of SADs,but one-half were missed on autopsy. Monoleaflet MVP was often underdiagnosed post-mortem. Compared withyoung cases of SCD, lethal MVP in older cases of SCD did not consistently have bileaflet anatomy, replacement fibrosis, or MAD.

Green sample preparation of alternative biosamples in forensic toxicology

Forensic toxicology is the scientific field that is associated with death investigations, matters involving drugs determination, sports doping etc. In forensic toxicology, reliable qualitative and quantitative toxicological analysis of a wide variety of drugs with different chemical properties (e.g., amphetamines, benzodiazepines, cannabis and opiates) is required. Alternative biosamples including hair, nails, saliva, sweat, cerebrospinal fluid and dried blood spots can be efficiently used in forensic toxicology to provide necessary or additional information. These samples exhibit certain benefits towards conventional blood and urine samples, such as ease in collection, stability, and provision of useful information for a long time period. Gas chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled with mass detectors or tandem mass detectors are the most powerful instrumentations for the determination of analytes of interest in forensic toxicology. Sample preparation is required to make the analyte compatible with these instrumentations, to remove matrix interferences and to preconcentrate them. For this purpose, solid-phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) have been widely used. However, since the development of green analytical chemistry that emerged from green chemistry, a plethora of microextraction and miniaturized extraction techniques have been developed. In this review article we aim to discuss the green sample preparation techniques of alternative biosamples in forensic toxicology reported during the last 10 years.

Fatal self-injury in the United States, 1999-2018: Unmasking a national mental health crisis.

BackgroundSuicides by any method, plus ‘nonsuicide’ fatalities from drug self-intoxication (estimated from selected forensically undetermined and ‘accidental’ deaths), together represent self-injury mortality (SIM)—fatalities due to mental disorders or distress. SIM is especially important to examine given frequent undercounting of suicides amongst drug overdose deaths. We report suicide and SIM trends in the United States of America (US) during 1999–2018, portray interstate rate trends, and examine spatiotemporal (spacetime) diffusion or spread of the drug self-intoxication component of SIM, with attention to potential for differential suicide misclassification.MethodsFor this state-based, cross-sectional, panel time series, we used de-identified manner and underlying cause-of-death data for the 50 states and District of Columbia (DC) from CDC's Wide-ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research. Procedures comprised joinpoint regression to describe national trends; Spearman's rank-order correlation coefficient to assess interstate SIM and suicide rate congruence; and spacetime hierarchical modelling of the ‘nonsuicide’ SIM component.FindingsThe national annual average percentage change over the observation period in the SIM rate was 4.3% (95% CI: 3.3%, 5.4%; p<0.001) versus 1.8% (95% CI: 1.6%, 2.0%; p<0.001) for the suicide rate. By 2017/2018, all states except Nebraska (19.9) posted a SIM rate of at least 21.0 deaths per 100,000 population—the floor of the rate range for the top 5 ranking states in 1999/2000. The rank-order correlation coefficient for SIM and suicide rates was 0.82 (p<0.001) in 1999/2000 versus 0.34 (p = 0.02) by 2017/2018. Seven states in the West posted a ≥ 5.0% reduction in their standardised mortality ratios of ‘nonsuicide’ drug fatalities, relative to the national ratio, and 6 states from the other 3 major regions a >6.0% increase (p<0.05).InterpretationDepiction of rising SIM trends across states and major regions unmasks a burgeoning national mental health crisis. Geographic variation is plausibly a partial product of local heterogeneity in toxic drug availability and the quality of medicolegal death investigations. Like COVID-19, the nation will only be able to prevent SIM by responding with collective, comprehensive, systemic approaches. Injury surveillance and prevention, mental health, and societal well-being are poorly served by the continuing segregation of substance use disorders from other mental disorders in clinical medicine and public health practice.FundingThis study was partially funded by the National Centre for Injury Prevention and Control, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (R49CE002093) and the US National Institute on Drug Abuse (1UM1DA049412–01; 1R21DA046521-01A1).

Effects of insecticide dimethoate on the developmental rate of forensic importance sarcophagid flies

The impact of forensic entomology on the judicial systems within the twenty-first century has earned its great considerations in matters of death investigations. Such is highly elaborate in developed countries. Malicious destruction of evidence is prominent in cases of homicides. Insect evidence is one of the tiny evidence that is hardly lost. Cadaveric insects feed on the dead bodies in succession manner. First witnesses arrive within minutes to the injured dead bodies, or within 24 h in the absence of the wounds. They ingest chemicals found in the cadvers. The chemical substances have diverse effects on the developmental rate and the life cycle duration of these insects. The effects alter the Post Mortem Interval (PMI) estimation.The study focused on experimental investigations of the impact of dimethoate pose to sarcophagidae flies. The interaction of the chemicals with the tissues of the insect is phenomenal. Three species of sarcophagidae flies were used in the study Sarcophaga peregrine, Sarcophaga dux, and Sarcophaga ruficornis. Effects of various concentrations of dimethoate on such species were monitored under controlled conditions of humidity and temperature. The rate of development in the larval, prepupal, and pupal stages was investigated. It negatively correlated with the concentrations of dimethoate. The results were plausible enough to insure the dimethoate can alter the PMI determination, concurring with various studies in the science arena. Such investigations can establish useful links in following a crime. The study exploited a key phenomenon in medico-legal investigations.

Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in First Responders and Public Safety Personnel, New York City, New York, USA, May-July 2020.

We conducted a serologic survey in public service agencies in New York City, New York, USA, during May–July 2020 to determine prevalence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection among first responders. Of 22,647 participants, 22.5% tested positive for SARS-CoV-2–specific antibodies. Seroprevalence for police and firefighters was similar to overall seroprevalence; seroprevalence was highest in correctional staff (39.2%) and emergency medical technicians (38.3%) and lowest in laboratory technicians (10.1%) and medicolegal death investigators (10.8%). Adjusted analyses demonstrated association between seropositivity and exposure to SARS-CoV-2–positive household members (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 3.52 [95% CI 3.19–3.87]), non-Hispanic Black race or ethnicity (aOR 1.50 [95% CI 1.33–1.68]), and severe obesity (aOR 1.31 [95% CI 1.05–1.65]). Consistent glove use (aOR 1.19 [95% CI 1.06–1.33]) increased likelihood of seropositivity; use of other personal protective equipment had no association. Infection control measures, including vaccination, should be prioritized for frontline workers.