The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages.
Estimation of the postmortem interval in advanced postmortem stages is a challenging task. Although there are several approaches available for addressing postmortem changes of a (human) body or its environment (ecologically and/or biochemically), most are restricted to specific timeframes and/or ind...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Public Library of Science (PLoS)
2020-01-01
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| Series: | PLoS ONE |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243395 |
| _version_ | 1819292786894045184 |
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| author | Stefan Pittner Valentina Bugelli M Eric Benbow Bianca Ehrenfellner Angela Zissler Carlo P Campobasso Roelof-Jan Oostra Maurice C G Aalders Richard Zehner Lena Lutz Fabio C Monticelli Christian Staufer Katharina Helm Vilma Pinchi Joseph P Receveur Janine Geißenberger Peter Steinbacher Jens Amendt |
| author_facet | Stefan Pittner Valentina Bugelli M Eric Benbow Bianca Ehrenfellner Angela Zissler Carlo P Campobasso Roelof-Jan Oostra Maurice C G Aalders Richard Zehner Lena Lutz Fabio C Monticelli Christian Staufer Katharina Helm Vilma Pinchi Joseph P Receveur Janine Geißenberger Peter Steinbacher Jens Amendt |
| author_sort | Stefan Pittner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Estimation of the postmortem interval in advanced postmortem stages is a challenging task. Although there are several approaches available for addressing postmortem changes of a (human) body or its environment (ecologically and/or biochemically), most are restricted to specific timeframes and/or individual and environmental conditions. It is well known, for instance, that buried bodies decompose in a remarkably different manner than on the ground surface. However, data on how established methods for PMI estimation perform under these conditions are scarce. It is important to understand whether and how postmortem changes are affected under burial conditions, if corrective factors could be conceived, or if methods have to be excluded for respective cases. We present the first multi-methodological assessment of human postmortem decomposition carried out on buried body donors in Europe, at the Amsterdam Research Initiative for Sub-surface Taphonomy and Anthropology (ARISTA) in the Netherlands. We used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate postmortem changes of morphology, skeletal muscle protein decomposition, presence of insects and other necrophilous animals as well as microbial communities (i.e., microbiomes) from August to November 2018 associated with two complete body exhumations and eight partial exhumations. Our results clearly display the current possibilities and limitations of methods for PMI estimation in buried remains and provide a baseline for future research and application. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:00:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6884239702164b79862e67262fbd45dd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1932-6203 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:00:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
| record_format | Article |
| series | PLoS ONE |
| spelling | doaj.art-6884239702164b79862e67262fbd45dd2022-12-21T17:16:20ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-011512e024339510.1371/journal.pone.0243395The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages.Stefan PittnerValentina BugelliM Eric BenbowBianca EhrenfellnerAngela ZisslerCarlo P CampobassoRoelof-Jan OostraMaurice C G AaldersRichard ZehnerLena LutzFabio C MonticelliChristian StauferKatharina HelmVilma PinchiJoseph P ReceveurJanine GeißenbergerPeter SteinbacherJens AmendtEstimation of the postmortem interval in advanced postmortem stages is a challenging task. Although there are several approaches available for addressing postmortem changes of a (human) body or its environment (ecologically and/or biochemically), most are restricted to specific timeframes and/or individual and environmental conditions. It is well known, for instance, that buried bodies decompose in a remarkably different manner than on the ground surface. However, data on how established methods for PMI estimation perform under these conditions are scarce. It is important to understand whether and how postmortem changes are affected under burial conditions, if corrective factors could be conceived, or if methods have to be excluded for respective cases. We present the first multi-methodological assessment of human postmortem decomposition carried out on buried body donors in Europe, at the Amsterdam Research Initiative for Sub-surface Taphonomy and Anthropology (ARISTA) in the Netherlands. We used a multidisciplinary approach to investigate postmortem changes of morphology, skeletal muscle protein decomposition, presence of insects and other necrophilous animals as well as microbial communities (i.e., microbiomes) from August to November 2018 associated with two complete body exhumations and eight partial exhumations. Our results clearly display the current possibilities and limitations of methods for PMI estimation in buried remains and provide a baseline for future research and application.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243395 |
| spellingShingle | Stefan Pittner Valentina Bugelli M Eric Benbow Bianca Ehrenfellner Angela Zissler Carlo P Campobasso Roelof-Jan Oostra Maurice C G Aalders Richard Zehner Lena Lutz Fabio C Monticelli Christian Staufer Katharina Helm Vilma Pinchi Joseph P Receveur Janine Geißenberger Peter Steinbacher Jens Amendt The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. PLoS ONE |
| title | The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. |
| title_full | The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. |
| title_fullStr | The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. |
| title_full_unstemmed | The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. |
| title_short | The applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages. |
| title_sort | applicability of forensic time since death estimation methods for buried bodies in advanced decomposition stages |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0243395 |
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