Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
8.3
5.5
Journals
Biomolecules
Special Issues
Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters
share announcement

Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X). This special issue belongs to the section "Cellular Biochemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2022) | Viewed by 17406

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nina Heldring

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Forensic Medicine, Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine, Retzius väg 5, SE-171 65, Stockholm, Sweden
Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet, Retzius väg 3, SE-17165 Solna, Sweden
Interests: biochemistry; molecular biology; forensic medicine; cell signaling
Dr. Brita Zilg

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Swedish National Board of Forensic Medicine, Retzius väg 5, 171 65 Solna, Sweden
Interests: potassium; forensics; autopsy; forensic medicine; forensic pathology; legal medicine; clinical forensic medicine; cause of death; medico-legal autopsy; postmortem changes

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biochemistry has become crucial in clinical medicine since it successfully explains living processes as well as the causes and cures of many diseases. Biochemical investigations performed postmortem have become important in recent years in the determination of the cause and time of death. These investigations can be limited, though, since clinical reference intervals are not applicable after death due to the natural processes connected to decay. However, postmortem biochemistry has been an active area of research for many years, and blood and vitreous humor tests have gained acceptance as part of investigating deaths by, for example, chronic alcoholism, diabetes, infection, dehydration, hypothermia, and anaphylactic shock. The application of postmortem biochemistry is powerful and may prove invaluable with serious implications spanning several disciplines such as science, medicine, and law. Many new challenges are awaiting in the field.

This Special Issue aims to present original research articles and up-to-date reviews about all aspects of postmortem biochemistry aiming at supporting death investigations.

Dr. Nina Heldring
Dr. Brita Zilg
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • postmortem biochemistry
  • forensic pathology
  • bodily fluids
  • time of death
  • cause of death

Published Papers (6 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

12 pages, 2806 KiB  
Article
A Rapid Method for Postmortem Vitreous Chemistry—Deadside Analysis
by Brita Zilg, Kanar Alkass, Robert Kronstrand, Sören Berg and Henrik Druid
Biomolecules 2022, 12(1), 32; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12010032 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2995
Abstract
Vitreous fluid is commonly collected for toxicological analysis during forensic postmortem investigations. Vitreous fluid is also often analyzed for potassium, sodium, chloride and glucose for estimation of time since death, and for the evaluation of electrolyte imbalances and hyperglycemia, respectively. Obtaining such results [...] Read more.
Vitreous fluid is commonly collected for toxicological analysis during forensic postmortem investigations. Vitreous fluid is also often analyzed for potassium, sodium, chloride and glucose for estimation of time since death, and for the evaluation of electrolyte imbalances and hyperglycemia, respectively. Obtaining such results in the early phase of a death investigation is desirable both in regard to assisting the police and in the decision-making prior to the autopsy. We analyzed vitreous fluid with blood gas instruments to evaluate/examine the possible impact of different sampling and pre-analytical treatment. We found that samples from the right and left eye, the center of the eye as well as whole vitreous samples gave similar results. We also found imprecision to be very low and that centrifugation and dilution were not necessary when analyzing vitreous samples with blood gas instruments. Similar results were obtained when analyzing the same samples with a regular multi-analysis instrument, but we found that such instruments could require dilution of samples with high viscosity, and that such dilution might impact measurement accuracy. In conclusion, using a blood gas instrument, the analysis of postmortem vitreous fluid for electrolytes and glucose without sample pretreatment produces rapid and reliable results. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

13 pages, 3257 KiB  
Article
The Importance of BHB Testing on the Post-Mortem Diagnosis of Ketoacidosis
by Stina Ahlström, Johan Ahlner, Anna K. Jönsson and Henrik Green
Biomolecules 2022, 12(1), 9; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom12010009 - 21 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2780
Abstract
Although beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) analysis has proved its importance in forensic pathology, its effects on cause-of-death diagnostics are unaddressed. Therefore, this study aims at evaluating the effects of BHB analysis on the number of deaths by DKA (diabetes ketoacidosis), AKA (alcoholic ketoacidosis), HHS (hyperosmolar [...] Read more.
Although beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) analysis has proved its importance in forensic pathology, its effects on cause-of-death diagnostics are unaddressed. Therefore, this study aims at evaluating the effects of BHB analysis on the number of deaths by DKA (diabetes ketoacidosis), AKA (alcoholic ketoacidosis), HHS (hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state), hypothermia, diabetes, alcoholism, and acidosis NOS (not otherwise specified). All 2900 deaths from 2013 through 2019 in which BHB was analysed at the National Board of Forensic Medicine, and 1069 DKA, AKA, HHS, hypothermia, diabetes, alcoholism, and acidosis cases without BHB analysis were included. The prevalence of BHB-positive cases for each cause of death, and trends and proportions of different BHB concentrations, were investigated. The number of BHB analyses/year increased from 13 to 1417. AKA increased from three to 66 and acidosis from one to 20. The deaths from alcoholism, DKA, and hypothermia remained stable. It is unclear why death from alcoholism remained stable while AKA increased. The increase in unspecific acidosis deaths raises the question why a more specific diagnosis had not been used. In conclusion, BHB analysis is instrumental in detecting AKA and acidosis. The scientific basis for the diagnosis of DKA and hypothermia improved, but the number of cases did not change. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 10827 KiB  
Article
Neuropathological Changes in the Brains of Suicide Killers
by Tomasz Stępień, Janusz Heitzman, Teresa Wierzba-Bobrowicz, Paweł Gosek, Paweł Krajewski, Agnieszka Chrzczonowicz-Stępień, Jarosław Berent, Tomasz Jurek and Filip Bolechała
Biomolecules 2021, 11(11), 1674; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11111674 - 11 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2675
Abstract
Background: Homicide combined with subsequent suicide of the perpetrator is a particular form of interpersonal violence and, at the same time, a manifestation of extreme aggression directed against oneself. Despite the relatively well-described individual acts of homicide and suicide, both in terms of [...] Read more.
Background: Homicide combined with subsequent suicide of the perpetrator is a particular form of interpersonal violence and, at the same time, a manifestation of extreme aggression directed against oneself. Despite the relatively well-described individual acts of homicide and suicide, both in terms of psychopathology and law, acts of homicide and subsequent suicide committed by the same person are not well-studied phenomena. The importance of emotional factors, including the influence of mental state deviations (psychopathology), on this phenomenon, is discussed in the literature, but still there is relatively little data with which to attempt neuropathological assessments of the brains of suicide killers. This paper is dedicated to the issue based on the neuropathological studies performed. Methods: We analyzed a group of murder–suicides using histochemical and immunohistochemical methods. Results: The results of our research indicate the presence of neurodegenerative changes including multiple deposits of ß-amyloid in the form of senile/amyloid plaques and perivascular diffuse plaques. Conclusions: Neurodegenerative changes found in the analyzed brains of suicide killers may provide an interesting starting point for a number of analyses. The presence of neurodegenerative changes at such a young age in some murderers may suggest preclinical lesions that affect cognitive functions and are associated with depressed moods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 800 KiB  
Article
Analysis of 14C, 13C and Aspartic Acid Racemization in Teeth and Bones to Facilitate Identification of Unknown Human Remains: Outcomes of Practical Casework
by Rebecka Teglind, Irena Dawidson, Jonas Balkefors and Kanar Alkass
Biomolecules 2021, 11(11), 1655; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11111655 - 8 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1542
Abstract
The identification of unknown human remains represents an important task in forensic casework. If there are no clues as to the identity of the remains, then the age, sex, and origin are the most important factors to limit the search for a matching [...] Read more.
The identification of unknown human remains represents an important task in forensic casework. If there are no clues as to the identity of the remains, then the age, sex, and origin are the most important factors to limit the search for a matching person. Here, we present the outcome of application of so-called bomb pulse radiocarbon (14C derived from above-ground nuclear bomb tests during 1955–1963) analysis to birthdate human remains. In nine identified cases, 14C analysis of tooth crowns provided an estimate of the true date of birth with an average absolute error of 1.2 ± 0.8 years. Analysis of 14C in tooth roots also showed a good precision with an average absolute error of 2.3 ± 2.5 years. Levels of 14C in bones can determine whether a subject has lived after 1955 or not, but more precise carbon turnover data for bones would be needed to calculate date of birth and date of death. Aspartic acid racemization analysis was performed on samples from four cases; in one of these, the year of birth could be predicted with good precision, whereas the other three cases are still unidentified. The stable isotope 13C was analyzed in tooth crowns to estimate provenance. Levels of 13C indicative of Scandinavian provenance were found in known Scandinavian subjects. Teeth from four Polish subjects all showed higher 13C levels than the average for Scandinavian subjects. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1718 KiB  
Article
Assessing Protein Biomarkers to Detect Lethal Acute Traumatic Brain Injuries in Cerebrospinal Fluid
by Johann Zwirner, Simone Bohnert, Heike Franke, Jack Garland, Niels Hammer, Dustin Möbius, Rexson Tse and Benjamin Ondruschka
Biomolecules 2021, 11(11), 1577; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11111577 - 25 Oct 2021
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2012
Abstract
Diagnosing traumatic brain injury (TBI) from body fluids in cases where there are no obvious external signs of impact would be useful for emergency physicians and forensic pathologists alike. None of the previous attempts has so far succeeded in establishing a single biomarker [...] Read more.
Diagnosing traumatic brain injury (TBI) from body fluids in cases where there are no obvious external signs of impact would be useful for emergency physicians and forensic pathologists alike. None of the previous attempts has so far succeeded in establishing a single biomarker to reliably detect TBI with regards to the sensitivity: specificity ratio in a post mortem setting. This study investigated a combination of body fluid biomarkers (obtained post mortem), which may be a step towards increasing the accuracy of biochemical TBI detection. In this study, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 30 acute lethal TBI cases and 70 controls without a TBI-related cause of death were evaluated for the following eight TBI-related biomarkers: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), ferritin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), lactate dehydrogenase, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), neuron-specific enolase and S100 calcium-binding protein B. Correlations among the individual TBI biomarkers were assessed, and a specificity-accentuated threshold value analysis was conducted for all biomarkers. Based on these values, a decision tree modelling approach was performed to assess the most accurate biomarker combination to detect acute lethal TBIs. The results showed that 92.45% of acute lethal TBIs were able to be diagnosed using a combination of IL-6 and GFAP in CSF. The probability of detecting an acute lethal TBI was moderately increased by GFAP alone and considerably increased by the remaining biomarkers. BDNF and NGAL were almost perfectly correlated (p = 0.002; R2 = 0.944). This study provides evidence that acute lethal TBIs can be detected to a high degree of statistical accuracy using forensic biochemistry. The high inter-individual correlations of biomarkers may help to estimate the CSF concentration of an unknown biomarker, using extrapolation techniques. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1646 KiB  
Article
Screening for Fatal Traumatic Brain Injuries in Cerebrospinal Fluid Using Blood-Validated CK and CK–MB Immunoassays
by Johann Zwirner, Sven Anders, Simone Bohnert, Ralph Burkhardt, Ugo Da Broi, Niels Hammer, Dirk Pohlers, Rexson Tse and Benjamin Ondruschka
Biomolecules 2021, 11(7), 1061; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11071061 - 20 Jul 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4234
Abstract
A single, specific, sensitive biochemical biomarker that can reliably diagnose a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not yet been found, but combining different biomarkers would be the most promising approach in clinical and postmortem settings. In addition, identifying new biomarkers and developing laboratory [...] Read more.
A single, specific, sensitive biochemical biomarker that can reliably diagnose a traumatic brain injury (TBI) has not yet been found, but combining different biomarkers would be the most promising approach in clinical and postmortem settings. In addition, identifying new biomarkers and developing laboratory tests can be time-consuming and economically challenging. As such, it would be efficient to use established clinical diagnostic assays for postmortem biochemistry. In this study, postmortem cerebrospinal fluid samples from 45 lethal TBI cases and 47 controls were analyzed using commercially available blood-validated assays for creatine kinase (CK) activity and its heart-type isoenzyme (CK–MB). TBI cases with a survival time of up to two hours showed an increase in both CK and CK–MB with moderate (CK–MB: AUC = 0.788, p < 0.001) to high (CK: AUC = 0.811, p < 0.001) diagnostic accuracy. This reflected the excessive increase of the brain-type CK isoenzyme (CK–BB) following a TBI. The results provide evidence that CK immunoassays can be used as an adjunct quantitative test aid in diagnosing acute TBI-related fatalities. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Postmortem Biochemistry-When Death Matters)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-6
Back to TopTop