Dataset Information

Applying multidisciplinary methods to forensic casework in North Carolina.

ABSTRACT: A multidisciplinary approach in the investigation of unidentified decedents employs the use of a variety of scientific approaches. This approach is applied in casework in North Carolina, USA and has led to successful identifications using anthropological analysis and population affinity estimation using 3D-ID, investigative genetic geneaology (IGG), and isotopic analyses. Results from one scientific approach can help to inform the others, providing more information about the decedent, and thus enhancing the investigation. This case report outlines three cases from North Carolina that combine each of these scientific approaches and serve as examples of collaboration in a multidisciplinary approach.

Key points

Anthropological analyses including population affinity using 3D-ID can be used in conjunction with isotopic analyses in estimating geographic origin.Results from anthropological and isotopic analyses can help to narrow down or direct IGG.Multidisciplinary collaboration in the investigation of unidentified decedents enhances the investigation.

SUBMITTER: Long N

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11482012 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Publications

Applying multidisciplinary methods to forensic casework in North Carolina.

Long Nicole N Sheets Kimberly K Thornton Erin Kennedy EK Ross Ann H AH

Forensic sciences research 20240723 3

A multidisciplinary approach in the investigation of unidentified decedents employs the use of a variety of scientific approaches. This approach is applied in casework in North Carolina, USA and has led to successful identifications using anthropological analysis and population affinity estimation using 3D-ID, investigative genetic geneaology (IGG), and isotopic analyses. Results from one scientific approach can help to inform the others, providing more information about the decedent, and thus e ...[more]

PMID: 39416368

Similar Datasets

Project description:Current molecular diagnostic techniques in forensic science are significantly hindered by DNA degradation, underscoring the urgent need for robust molecular tools with resistance to degradation. In our previous study using a murine traumatic brain injury (TBI) model, we were the first to propose the feasibility of using ATAC-seq (Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing) to identify trauma-related chromatin changes under early postmortem degradation conditions (2 hours). However, its applicability to human forensic samples remains insufficiently evaluated. This study aims to systematically assess the utility of ATAC-seq in identifying chromatin accessibility changes induced by TBI in human samples, with a particular focus on its stability and reliability under late-stage postmortem degradation. Cortical brain tissues from three human TBI cases and three matched controls were collected and subjected to sampling at 0 and 24 hours postmortem. Standard ATAC-seq protocols were used for library construction and sequencing. Downstream analyses included quality control, differential accessibility analysis, Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment, and transcription factor motif analysis. All 12 samples exhibited high-quality sequencing metrics. Numerous differentially accessible chromatin regions (peaks) were identified between TBI and control groups, demonstrating the sensitivity of ATAC-seq in detecting trauma-associated chromatin alterations. Notably, no significant differences were observed between samples degraded for 0 and 24 hours, indicating the method’s robustness to degradation. Enrichment analyses revealed that differential peaks were significantly associated with biological processes and pathways relevant to TBI pathology, including axon development, synaptic signaling, and neurotrophin signaling pathways. The SOX transcription factor family emerged as a dominant motif, consistent with known mechanisms of TBI pathophysiology. This study provides compelling evidence that trauma-induced chromatin accessibility changes remain stable even in degraded forensic brain tissues, including those subject to late postmortem intervals. The high sensitivity and specificity of ATAC-seq support its potential application in forensic pathology, offering both a theoretical foundation and empirical validation for its broader use in forensic diagnostics.

Dataset Information

Applying multidisciplinary methods to forensic casework in North Carolina.

Key points

Publications

Applying multidisciplinary methods to forensic casework in North Carolina.

Similar Datasets

OmicsDI is part of the ELIXIR infrastructure

Tweets