11 research outputs found
Cadaver dogs: Unscientific myth or reliable biological devices?
No full textDogs are commonly used to detect explosives, narcotics, and other illegal materials. In the forensic setting, cadaver dogs are trained to detect and locate concealed human remains or fluids due to the high sensitivity and selectivity of the canine olfactory system and the relative ease with which dogs can be trained and handled. The need for international and scientifically validated standards has long been outlined by the literature. It is important, therefore, to establish the reliability of the handler/dog team. Our study aimed to detect the real effectiveness of dogs trained to locate human cadaveric blood in very low concentrations, through an optimized and rigorously controlled design which would rule out any possible sources of bias. The study was designed to determine the dogs' olfactory sensitivity to human cadaveric blood and how this capacity might change as the dilution of blood increases from pure blood to very low concentrations. The further step was to examine the dogs' ability to discriminate among target (human cadaveric blood) and non-target (confounding substances) odors (discriminative capability). Our results revealed that well trained dogs were able to detect human cadaveric blood samples even when very low concentrations of blood were stored in the tubes, showing high levels of olfactory sensitivity and to discriminate the target odor even when the non-target odor was orders of magnitude higher in concentrations. Although our results are based only on two dogs, the procedure we used may provide a comprehensive answer to the need for a scientifically unassailable tool for quantifying and objectifying the performance of well-trained specific search dogs in detecting human cadaveric blood traces
THE RELEVANCE OF A MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO THE CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION: A CASE REPORT OF A HOMICIDE VICTIM WHO WAS HIDDEN
No full textWATER SEARCHES AND VOLATILE ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (VOCS): A METHOD TO AID IN DETERMINING THE LOCATION OF SUBMERGED HUMAN BODIES
No full textDOG BITE-RELATED ACCIDENTS: A NEW FORENSIC APPROACH
No full textThe alarming statistics reported around the world have shown that dog attacks today represent a health hazard where prevention strategies have not always been successful 1,2. Most of the dogs involved in these events are known to the victim or belong to him. From our study we found 19 dog bite-related fatalities in Italy from 2009 to 2016 (2,37 cases for year) 3; these data are sharply increased in relationship with previous study that describes 32 dog bite-related fatalities between 1984 to 20094 with a frequency of 1,28 cases for year.
A scientific inclusion/exclusion of the involved dog is possible and also recommended because of the possible consequences for the animal’s owner that could have civil consequences or criminal consequences in the most serious cases. Since dog bite mark analysis should involve different forensic professionals such as pathologists, odontologists, veterinarians, biologists, and also police investigators, a review focused on this type of evidence from a multidisciplinary point of view is presented.
To the best of our knowledge, there are different approaches for identification of offending dog when a human attack occurs. Forensic investigations in dog attacks usually involve the examination of bite marks and toothprints, the dog’s stomach and pathological methods. For the identification of the offending dog the best approach is to evaluate the canine STR typing into saliva traces on dog bite marks. Generally, it is possible to obtain a canine-specific STR profile from the dog’s saliva left on the wound area, even when high background of human DNA was present (blood).
This approach is often a problem because the surface of the wounds may have been treated, for example by first aid workers, removing the canine cells. This approach causes less success in obtaining useful STR results, before that the medico-legal techniques are applied. Furthermore, the dogs appear more frequently in human social life, so it is no rare that the canine DNA is present on hands, arms, legs or foot of the people.
A new forensic approach was described for offending dog identification starting from dog's buccal swabs: the target is the identification of human profile starting from this sample. The further goal of this paper was to determine the latency time of this biological trace in the dog's mouth.
In this work, 10 different races of dogs were used that bite a beef meat sample, previously typed (internal control profile). At different times (30’, 45’, 60’, 90’, 120’, 150’, 180’, 240’), 2 dog buccal swabs were done (a swab for each dental arch). 160 samples were collected. Subsequently DNA was extract and bovine genotyping kit was used. We found in all samples a complete profile of our internal control until 45 minutes and a partial profile until 150 minutes.
These data are very important to confirm the possibility of approaching with buccal swabs to reach the identification of offending dog. The human STRs typing kits are much more specific and sensitive compared with cattle kit, so we can supposed that a complete human STR profile could be obtained from the dog buccal swab, after aggression, at least to 150 minutes. This time is usually enough for the medico-legal team arrive.
This study may offer a model that could be always applied for identification of offending dogs; furthermore, dog-bite related accidents can provide concrete cases even fatal, making it possible to develop, refine or validate medico-legal techniques
A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to solve complex crimes: a case report
No full textAbstract Background Self-defense is legitimate both in common law and in civil law systems. Nevertheless, there remains the age-old question for the prosecutor to identify the limit between the righteous self-defense and the self-defense with excessive force. In these cases, the gathering of all evidence by a forensic multidisciplinary team is essential to provide the necessary data for the prosecutor’s evaluation. Case presentation The case of a 55-year-old man who was killed in front of his neighbor’s house is described. The prosecutor alerted the forensic team, classifying the crime as a gunshot homicide. The neighbor immediately admitted his responsibility as self-defense. Moreover, the relatives of the victim told a different version of the story, assuring that the neighbor had killed him for futile motivations. For these reasons, the prosecutor established further investigations, such as autopsy, the K-9 unit exploration, and alerting the forensic biologist for analysis. Conclusions This case aims to highlight the teamwork of multidisciplinary forensic expertise to solve complex cases; moreover, combining ultra-specialist forensic activities, such as the K-9 unit, it is possible to collect all the evidence to submit to the prosecutor for the formulation of judgment
Festival de la chanson napolitaine / avec Armando Fragna et son orch.
No full textComprend : VURRIA, de Rendine, Pugliese / Claudio Villa - O CALIPPESE NAPULITANO / Malgoni, Nisa ; Marisa del Frate - GIULIETTA E ROMEO / Nazzocco, Martucci ; Fausto Cigliano - MAISTRALE / Oliviero, Crescenzo ; Claudio Villa - TUPPETUPPE MARISCIA / Aracri, Gigante ; Marisa del Frata - SERENATA ARRAGGIATA / Colosimo, Malozzi ; Claudio Villa - CANZUNCELLA PETTEGOLA / Panzeri, Cutolo ; Fausto Cigliano - O'CANTASTORIE / Fanciulli, Tito Manlio ; Claudio Villa - TORNA A VUCA / Murolo ; Claudio VillaBnF-Partenariats, Collection sonore - BelieveContient une table des matière
CANTAMMOLA STA CANZONE ; SUONNO E FANTASIA ; BENE MIO ; FELICITA / Orch : MARCELLO DE MARTINO ; FESTIVAL DE NAPLES 1957
No full textBnF-Partenariats, Collection sonore - BelieveContient une table des matière
VURRIA / A. PUGLIESE - F. RENDINE ; Sergio BRUNI, chant ; Orchestre dir : Giuseppe ANEPETA. GIULIETTA E ROMEO / U. MARTUCCI - S. MAZZOCCO ; Sergio BRUNI, chant ; Orchestre dir : A. GIACOMAZZI. TUPPETTUPPE MARISCIA / M. GIGANTE - D. ARACRI - M. GIGANTE ; Sergio BRUNI, chant ; Orchestre dir : Giuseppe ANEPETA. SUONNO A MARECHIARE / Renato FIORE - A. VIAN ; Sergio BRUNI, chant ; Orchestre dir : A. GIACOMAZZI
No full textBnF-Partenariats, Collection sonore - BelieveContient une table des matière
