Estimation of Time since Death in Australian Conditions

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Estimation of Time Since Death in Australian Conditions
Copyright Page
Contents
Acknowledgements
About the book
Introduction
	1 Introduction
	2 Current research
	3 Aims and approaches of the thesis
	4 Thesis structure
1 A review of research concerning the estimation of time since death in decomposed bodies in the early stages of decomposition
	1.1 Immediate post-mortem or supravital reactions
		1.1.1 Livor mortis
		1.1.2 Rigor mortis
	1.2 Algor mortis and temperature-based methods of estimating the post-mortem interval
		1.2.1 Mid-20th century research
			1.2.1.1 1950–80: Tentative beginnings with modern methods
			1.2.1.2 1960s: The ‘Marshall and Hoare Era’, the search for a formula
			1.2.1.3 1970s and 1980s: The continuing search for an accurate formula
		1.2.2 Late 20th and 21st century research
			1.2.2.1 1980s: The development of Henssge’s nomogram
			1.2.2.2 Contemporary research: the ongoing search for an accurate method
	1.3 Biochemical methods of examining body tissues and fluids
		1.3.1 Chemical investigation of vitreous humor
			1.3.1.1 Determining validity and defining methods of collection and measurement
			1.3.1.2 Acceptance of the relationship of vitreous potassium with the post-mortem interval
			1.3.1.3 Recent advances and the current status of research
		1.3.2 The estimation of hypoxanthine in vitreous humor
		1.3.3 Chemical investigation of synovial fluid
		1.3.4 Biomarkers of the post-mortem interval in the bone marrow and other body organs
		1.3.5 Immunohistochemistry
		1.3.6 High-resolution proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
		1.3.7 Electrolyte concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid
		1.3.8 Electrolyte concentrations in pericardial fluid
		1.3.9 The use of deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid in the estimation of the post-mortem interval
2 A review of research concerning the estimation of time since death in decomposed bodies in the later stages of decomposition
	2.1 Estimation of the PMI during the stage of autolysis and early putrefaction
		2.1.1 Extrinsic factors affecting decomposition: temperature, environment, insects, burial, moisture and scavenging
		2.1.2 Delayed decomposition and preservation: mummification and adipocere formation
	2.2 Estimation of the PMI in the later stages of putrefaction and skeletonisation
		2.2.1 Forensic entomology and the estimation of the post-mortem interval
		2.2.2 Estimation of the PMI in skeletal remains
			2.2.2.1 Indirect methods
			2.2.2.2 Direct methods
				2.2.2.2.1 Morphological examination
				2.2.2.2.2 Microscopic examination
				2.2.2.2.3 Methods measuring physicochemical changes
					Nitrogen levels in bones
					Ultraviolet fluorescence
					Benzidine staining
					Chemoluminescence
					Citrate content of bone
			2.2.2.3 The use of radioactive isotopes
	2.3 Current research and future directions
		2.3.1 Development of a grading system of human decomposition
		2.3.2 Correlation of a decomposition grading system with the PMI
		2.3.3 Recent research and current trends
3 Materials and methods
	3.1 Materials
		3.1.1 The Australian Coronial System and the Victorian Institute of Forensic Medicine
		3.1.2 The National Coronial Information System: history and organisation
		3.1.3 Quality of reports
			3.1.3.1 Police reports
			3.1.3.2 Autopsy reports
			3.1.3.3 Coroner’s finding reports
			3.1.3.4 Toxicology reports
		3.1.4 The statistics revealed by the NCIS database concerning decomposed bodies
		3.1.5 Comments on the statistical findings
	3.2 Methods
		3.2.1 Introduction
		3.2.2 The autopsy report
		3.2.3 The sequential stages of decomposition derived from autopsy reports
			3.2.3.1 The external body appearance
			3.2.3.2 The brain
			3.2.3.3 The heart
			3.2.3.4 The liver
			3.2.3.5 The spleen
		3.2.4 Development of a decomposition grading score
			3.2.4.1 Decomposition of the external body surface
			3.2.4.2 Decomposition of the brain
			3.2.4.3 Decomposition of the heart
			3.2.4.4 Decomposition of the liver
			3.2.4.5 Decomposition of the spleen
		3.2.5 Correlation of the decomposition grading score with temperature and humidity data
4 Modelling time since death
	4.1 Introduction
	4.2 Exploring the data sets
		4.2.1 Testing for normality of distribution of the variables
		4.2.2 Homogeneity of variance
	4.3 Exploration of variable correlations
	4.4 Testing observed correlations
	4.5 Modelling time since death
		4.5.1 Prediction of the error in the outcome variable
		4.5.2 The mathematical equation of the model
		4.5.3 The assessment of individual predictors by the t-statistic (t)
		4.5.4 Outliers and influential cases
		4.5.5 The results of regression analysis on each data set
			Testing the Total data set model on an individual case
		4.5.6 Multiple regression analysis
			4.5.6.1 Southern States data set
			4.5.6.2 Victoria data set
			4.5.6.3 Winter data set
	4.6 Fitted and observed relationships
	4.7 Comparison of the External Body Score with the TSD
	4.8 Summary
	4.9 The final models
5 Practical application of the models
	5.1 Part 1: Autopsy assessment of 13 decomposed bodies
		5.1.1 Introduction
		5.1.2 Description and analysis of 13 decomposed bodies
			5.1.2.1 Case no. 1: male (57)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (10/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.2 Case no. 2: male (68)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (11/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.3 Case no. 3: male (51)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (17/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.4 Case no. 4: male (79)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (11/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.5 Case no. 5: male (68)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (22/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.6 Case no. 6: female (77)
				Police history
				Autopsy finding (29/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.7 Case no. 7: male (74)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (23/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.8 Case no. 8: male (57)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (7/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.9 Case no. 9: male (37)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (10/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.10 Case no. 10: male (43)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (15/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.11 Case no. 11: female (59)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (29/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.12 Case no. 12: male (41)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (25/6/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
			5.1.2.13 Case no. 13: male (69)
				Police history
				Autopsy findings (1/7/2010)
					External appearance
					Comment
		5.1.3 Discussion
		5.1.4 Conclusion
	5.2 Part 2: Monitoring two decomposing bodies
		5.2.1 Introduction
		5.2.2 Materials and methods
		5.2.3 Results
			5.2.3.1 Temperature and humidity data
		5.2.4 The decomposition process
			5.2.4.1 The autopsies
				5.2.4.1.1 Body No. 1
				5.2.4.1.2 Summary
				5.2.4.1.3 Body No. 2
				5.2.4.1.4 Summary
		5.2.5 Discussion
			5.2.5.1 The temperature and humidity data
			5.2.5.2 The contrasting decomposition processes between Body No. 1 and Body No. 2
		5.2.6 Conclusion
6 Discussion and conclusions
	6.1 Time since death: problems with accuracy
		6.1.1 TSD estimation in the early stage by the use of a cooling formula
		6.1.2 TSD estimation in the early stage by biochemical methods
		6.1.3 TSD estimation in the stage of putrefaction: the role of entomology
		6.1.4 TSD estimation: the development of a numerical grading system
	6.2 The data set
		6.2.1 Temperature, humidity and the environment
		6.2.2 Total Body Score
		6.2.3 Time since death
		6.2.4 Temperature of the internal body organs
	6.3 Mathematically modelling time since death
		6.3.1 The contribution of temperature and humidity data in modelling TSD
		6.3.2 The practical use of the model: the assessment of 13 decomposed bodies
	6.4 Robustness of the time since death modelling and future research
	6.5 Summary and conclusion
References
	Website sourced references
Index
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