Displaying publications 1 - 20 of 45 in total

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  1. Zainuddin MZ, Mohamad NS, Su Keng T, Mohd Yusof MYP
    J Forensic Sci, 2023 Nov;68(6):2048-2056.
    PMID: 37529884 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15352
    Conventional dental age estimation relies on destructive methods such as sectioning and staining, which are unpreferable when the tooth is required for evidential or archeological preservation. MicroCT is a non-destructive, high-resolution imaging technique that allows for accurate morphometrical measurement. Although microCT technology has been applied in a variety of dental studies, studies focusing on dental age-related change and dental age estimation based on microCT imaging remain lacking. Based on the question: "How has microCT technology been applied in studying human age-related tooth morphological change and dental age estimation studies?", the authors conducted a scoping review in accordance with the Arksey and O'Malley (2005) and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. A literature search using five major scientific databases identified 452 articles, with 11 full-text articles being eligible to be included in the scoping review. Furthermore, 6 out of the 11 studies performed dental age estimation modeling. An overview of the parameters used in the selected articles revealed a variety of tooth characteristics, such as pulp cavity to whole tooth volume ratio, secondary dentin, as well as the diameter of root canal orifice. The findings of this scoping review highlight the extent microCT is used in studying dental age-related changes, as well as the effectiveness of microCT in dental age estimation studies. This review serves as a guide for future forensic odontology age estimation studies.
  2. Tuladhar BS, Haslindawaty N, Nada B, Panneerchelvam S, Norazmi MN
    J Forensic Sci, 2006 Sep;51(5):1205-6.
    PMID: 17018114
  3. Thevan K, Ahmad AH, Rawi CS, Singh B
    J Forensic Sci, 2010 Nov;55(6):1656-8.
    PMID: 20579228 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2010.01485.x
    In estimating the postmortem interval (PMI) using maggots obtained during autopsy, the forensic entomologist makes decisions regarding the effects of low-temperature storage of the body on the insects. In this case report, a corpse was found in an abandoned house in the residential area of Bukit Mertajam, Penang, Malaysia. The maggots were found to be alive inside the mouth of the deceased although the corpse had been in the morgue cooler for 12 days. The maggots were reared and identified as Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius). The emerged adult flies were kept as a stock colony, and the duration of development under the indoor fluctuating temperature regime was studied. The total duration of developmental process of this species was 9.5 ± 0.5 days, and the PMI estimated was 3.2 ± 0.6 days. This case report demonstrates the survival of Ch. megacephala maggots for 12 days and their growth inside the morgue cooler.
  4. Tey SN, Syed Mohamed AMF, Marizan Nor M
    J Forensic Sci, 2024 Jan;69(1):189-198.
    PMID: 37706423 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15380
    Recent advances in imaging technologies, such as intra-oral surface scanning, have rapidly generated large datasets of high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) sample reconstructions. These datasets contain a wealth of phenotypic information that can provide an understanding of morphological variation and evolution. The geometric morphometric method (GMM) with landmarks and the development of sliding and surface semilandmark techniques has greatly enhanced the quantification of shape. This study aimed to determine whether there are significant differences in 3D palatal rugae shape between siblings. Digital casts representing 25 pairs of full siblings from each group, male-male (MM), female-female (FF), and female-male (FM), were digitized and transferred to a GM system. The palatal rugae were determined, quantified, and visualized using GMM computational tools with MorphoJ software (University of Manchester). Principal component analysis (PCA) and canonical variates analysis (CVA) were employed to analyze palatal rugae shape variability and distinguish between sibling groups based on shape. Additionally, regression analysis examined the potential impact of shape on palatal rugae. The study revealed that the palatal rugae shape covered the first nine of the PCA by 71.3%. In addition, the size of the palatal rugae has a negligible impact on its shape. Whilst palatal rugae are known for their individuality, it is noteworthy that three palatal rugae (right first, right second, and left third) can differentiate sibling groups, which may be attributed to genetics. Therefore, it is suggested that palatal rugae morphology can serve as forensic identification for siblings.
  5. Teoh WK, Mohamed Sadiq NS, Saisahas K, Phonchai A, Kunalan V, Md Muslim NZ, et al.
    J Forensic Sci, 2023 Jan;68(1):75-85.
    PMID: 36273275 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15156
    Drugs-facilitated crimes (DFCs) involve the incapacitation of victims under the influence of drugs. Conventionally, a drug administration act is often determined through the examination of biological samples; however, dry residues from any surface, such as drinking glass if related to a DFC could be a potential source of evidence. This study was aimed to establish an attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics for the determination of spiked sedative-hypnotics from dry residues of a drug-spiked beverage. In this study, four sedative-hypnotics, namely diazepam, ketamine, nimetazepam, and xylazine were examined using ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Subsequently, the ATR-FTIR profiles were compared and decomposed by principal component analysis (PCA) followed by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for their detection and discrimination. Visual comparison of ATR-FTIR profiles revealed distinct spectra among the tested drugs. An initial unsupervised exploratory PCA model indicated the separation of four main sedative-hypnotics clusters, and the proposed PCA score-LDA model had allowed for a 100% accurate classification. Discrimination of sedative-hypnotics from a dry beverage previously spiked with these drugs was also possible upon an additional extraction procedure. In conclusion, ATR-FTIR coupled with PCA score-LDA model was useful in detecting and discriminating sedative-hypnotics, including those that had been previously spiked into a beverage.
  6. Teck TC, Kook SC, Badruddin N, Panneerchelvam S, Norazmi MN
    J Forensic Sci, 2005 Sep;50(5):1223-4.
    PMID: 16225236 DOI: 10.1520/JFS2005156
  7. Syed Mohd Daud SM, Heo CC, Mohd Yusof MYP, Khoo LS, Chainchel Singh MK, Mahmood MS, et al.
    J Forensic Sci, 2024 Mar;69(2):542-553.
    PMID: 38402526 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.15466
    Manual ground searches and cadaver dogs are traditional methods for locating remains, but they can be time- and resource-intensive, resulting in the decomposition of bodies and delay in victim identification. Therefore, thermal imaging has been proposed as a potentially useful tool for detecting remains based on their temperature. This study investigated the potential of a novel search technique of thermal drones to detect surface remains through the detection of maggot mass temperatures. Two trials were carried out at Selangor, Malaysia, each utilizing 12 healthy male Oryctolagus cuniculus European white rabbits and DJI Matrice 300 RTK drone China, equipped with a thermal camera; Zenmuse H20T to record the thermal imaging footage of the carcasses at various heights (15, 30, 60-100 m) for 14 days for each trial. Our results demonstrated that the larval masses and corresponding heat emissions were at their largest during the active decay stage; therefore, all the carcasses were observable in thermal images on day 5 and remained until day 7. Statistical analyses showed that (1) no statistically significant differences in thermal images between clothed and unclothed subjects (p > 0.05); (2) 15 m above ground level was proven to be the optimal height, as it showed the greatest contrast between the carcass heat signature and the background (p 
  8. Syed Ahmad SM, Loo LY, Wan Adnan WA, Md Anwar R
    J Forensic Sci, 2017 Mar;62(2):374-381.
    PMID: 28000207 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13303
    This study presents a wavelet analysis of resultant velocity features belonging to genuine and forged groups of signature sample. Signatures of individuals were initially classified based on visual human perceptions of their relative sizes, complexities, and legibilities of the genuine counterparts. Then, the resultant velocity was extracted and modeled through wavelet analysis from each sample. The wavelet signal was decomposed into several layers based on maximum overlap discrete wavelet transform (MODWT). Next, the zero crossing rate features were calculated from all the high wavelet sub-bands. A total of seven hypotheses were then tested using a two-way ANOVA testing methodology. Of these, four hypotheses were conducted to test for significance differences between distributions. In addition, three hypotheses were run to provide test for interaction between two factors of signature authentication versus perceived classification. The results demonstrated that both feature distributions belonging to genuine and forged groups of samples cannot be distinguished by themselves. Instead, they were significantly different under the influence of two other inherent factors, namely perceived size and legibility. Such new findings are useful information particularly in providing bases for forensic justifications in establishing the authenticity of handwritten signature specimens.
  9. Shadan AF, Mahat NA, Wan Ibrahim WA, Ariffin Z, Ismail D
    J Forensic Sci, 2018 Jan;63(1):80-85.
    PMID: 28383137 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13512
    As consumption of stingless bee honey has been gaining popularity in many countries including Malaysia, ability to identify accurately its geographical origin proves pertinent for investigating fraudulent activities for consumer protection. Because a chemical signature can be location-specific, multi-element distribution patterns may prove useful for provenancing such product. Using the inductively coupled-plasma optical emission spectrometer as well as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), the distributions of multi-elements in stingless bee honey collected at four different geographical locations (North, West, East, and South) in Johor, Malaysia, were investigated. While cross-validation using PCA demonstrated 87.0% correct classification rate, the same was improved (96.2%) with the use of LDA, indicating that discrimination was possible for the different geographical regions. Therefore, utilization of multi-element analysis coupled with chemometrics techniques for assigning the provenance of stingless bee honeys for forensic applications is supported.
  10. Saman SA, Chang KH, Abdullah AFL
    J Forensic Sci, 2021 Mar;66(2):608-618.
    PMID: 33202056 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14625
    Abuse of solvent-based adhesives jeopardizes world population, especially the young generation. Adhesive-related exhibits encountered in forensic cases might need to be determined if they could have come from a particular source or to establish link between cases or persons. This study was aimed to discriminate solvent-based adhesives, especially to aid forensic investigation of glue sniffing activities. In this study, thirteen brands with three samples each, totaling at 39 adhesive samples, were analyzed using attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy followed by chemometric methods. Experimental output showed that adhesive samples utilized in this study were less likely to change in their ATR-FTIR profiles over time, at least up to 2 months. No interference from plastic materials was noticed based on ATR-FTIR profile comparison. Physical examination could differentiate the samples into two groups, namely contact adhesives and cement adhesives. A principal component analysis-score linear discriminative analysis (PC-score LDA) model resulted in 100% and 98.6% correct classification in discriminating the two groups of adhesive samples, forming seven discriminative clusters. Test set with adhesive samples applied glass slide and plastic substrates also demonstrated a 100% correct classification into their respective groups. As a conclusion, the method allowed for discrimination of adhesive samples based on the spectral features, displaying relationship among samples. It is hoped that this comparative information is beneficial to trace the possible source of solvent-based adhesives, whenever they are recovered from a crime scene, for forensic investigation.
  11. Pritam HM, Jayaprakash PT
    J Forensic Sci, 2009 Sep;54(5):1135-40.
    PMID: 19570050 DOI: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2009.01095.x
    The likelihood of dipteran maggots colonizing a corpse due to nocturnal oviposition can be used to challenge the postmortem interval (PMI) estimated assuming diurnal oviposition. Earlier experiments tested nocturnal oviposition behavior by exposing fresh baits once during a single night. In this pilot study, oviposition behavior was studied using beef baits, which, simulating the decay of the body seen in case situations, decomposed inside cages designed to open and close at scheduled intervals during consecutive night or twilight periods. Freshly hatched maggots from diurnally oviposited eggs emerged in control baits on the third day, while a limited number of maggots attributable to nocturnal or twilight oviposition were observed in experimental baits only on the fifth or sixth day, indicating a categorical delay. These results suggest that such delayed and limited nocturnal oviposition is not forensically significant since the larger maggots deriving from diurnal oviposition would be the ones considered when estimating PMI.
  12. Panneerchelvam S, Kumara KT, KokFai L, Saravanakumar M, Sumathy V, Yuvaneswari KC, et al.
    J Forensic Sci, 2004 Sep;49(5):1132-3.
    PMID: 15461127
  13. Panneerchelvam S, Thevan KK, KokFai L, Saravanakumar M, Sumathy V, Yuvaneswari KC, et al.
    J Forensic Sci, 2004 Jul;49(4):863-4.
    PMID: 15317219
  14. Panneerchelvam S, Haslindawaty N, Ravichandran M, Norazmi MN, Zainuddin ZF
    J Forensic Sci, 2003 Mar;48(2):451-2.
    PMID: 12665016
  15. Nordin FA, Bominathan UR, Abdullah AFL, Chang KH
    J Forensic Sci, 2020 Jan;65(1):11-25.
    PMID: 31373699 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.14142
    Wherever an impact mark is found, either on the surface or on the recovered projectile, it is important for forensic investigators to extract useful information in solving shooting-related cases. This article reviews a collection of works on examination of impact marks upon striking of projectiles on inanimate objects, emphasizing on the retrievable information from a shooting scene and their forensic significance in shooting event reconstruction. Literature suggested that impact marks on target surfaces and the degree of deformation on striking projectiles vary according to different combinations of ammunition and surface materials. It was noted that conditions in real-case scenarios further differed unpredictably in comparison with controlled studies, where forensic investigation should be treated as case-specific basis. Furthermore, the way forensic science is researched and applied operationally has to be reconsidered to reduce the gap via translational approach for more effective use of forensic evidence.
  16. Muhammad SA, Hayman AR, Van Hale R, Frew RD
    J Forensic Sci, 2015 Jan;60 Suppl 1:S56-65.
    PMID: 25131396 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.12551
    Compound-specific isotope analysis offers potential for fingerprinting of diesel fuels, however, possible confounding effects of isotopic fractionation due to evaporation need to be assessed. This study measured the fractionation of the stable carbon and hydrogen isotopes in n-alkane compounds in neat diesel fuel during evaporation. Isotope ratios were measured using a continuous flow gas chromatograph/isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Diesel samples were progressively evaporated at 24 ± 2°C for 21 days. Increasing depletion of deuterium in nC12-nC17 alkanes in the remaining liquid with increasing carbon chain length was observed. Negligible carbon isotope fractionation was observed. Preferential vaporization was measured for the shorter chain n-alkanes and the trend decreased with increasing chain length. The decrease in δ(2) H values indicates the preferential vaporization of the isotopically heavier species consistent with available quantitative data for hydrocarbons. These results are most important in the application of stable isotope technology to forensic analysis of diesel.
  17. Mohamad Asri MN, Mat Desa WNS, Ismail D
    J Forensic Sci, 2018 Jan;63(1):285-291.
    PMID: 28480527 DOI: 10.1111/1556-4029.13522
    The potential combination of two nondestructive techniques, that is, Raman spectroscopy (RS) and attenuated total reflectance-fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy with Pearson's product moment correlation (PPMC) coefficient (r) and principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the actual source of red gel pen ink used to write a simulated threatening note, was examined. Eighteen (18) red gel pens purchased from Japan and Malaysia from November to December 2014 where one of the pens was used to write a simulated threatening note were analyzed using RS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy, respectively. The spectra of all the red gel pen inks including the ink deposited on the simulated threatening note gathered from the RS and ATR-FTIR analyses were subjected to PPMC coefficient (r) calculation and principal component analysis (PCA). The coefficients r = 0.9985 and r = 0.9912 for pairwise combination of RS and ATR-FTIR spectra respectively and similarities in terms of PC1 and PC2 scores of one of the inks to the ink deposited on the simulated threatening note substantiated the feasibility of combining RS and ATR-FTIR spectroscopy with PPMC coefficient (r) and PCA for successful source determination of red gel pen inks. The development of pigment spectral library had allowed the ink deposited on the threatening note to be identified as XSL Poppy Red (CI Pigment Red 112).
  18. Mahat NA, Yin CL, Jayaprakash PT
    J Forensic Sci, 2014 Mar;59(2):529-32.
    PMID: 24745083
    This study investigated the influence of paraquat, a prevalent poison used by suicides, on initial oviposition and development of Chrysomya megacephala (Fabricius) using minced-beef substrates. Paraquat in lethal dose for human (40 mg/kg), two times the lethal dose (80 mg/kg) and five times the lethal dose (200 mg/kg) were mixed thoroughly with respective minced-beef substrates (1 kg each) that were decomposed in a shaded habitat fully protected from rain. Results of four replications of the above experiment revealed that the presence of paraquat neither delayed initial oviposition nor prolonged the developmental stages of C. megacephala. Therefore, estimation of postmortem interval (PMI) based on empirical baseline data obtained using animal models devoid of any poisons would still be appropriate for estimating PMI in paraquat-related deaths.
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