A novel method for post-mortem interval estimation based on tissue nano-mechanics

Fabio De Giorgio, Matteo Nardini, Federica Foti, Eleonora Minelli, Massimiliano Papi, Ernesto d'Aloja, Vincenzo Lorenzo Pascali*, Marco De Spirito, Gabriele Ciasca

*Autore corrispondente per questo lavoro

Risultato della ricerca: Contributo in rivistaArticolo

10 Citazioni (Scopus)

Abstract

Forensic estimation of post-mortem interval relies on different methods, most of which, however, have practical limitations or provide insufficient results, still lacking a gold standard method. In order to better understand the phenomenon of rigor mortis and its applicability to the post-mortem interval estimation, we decided to use atomic force microscopy, a tool often employed to measure mechanical properties of adherent cells. Thus, we surgically removed skeletal muscle samples of three forensic cases from 0 to 120 h post-mortem and quantitatively evaluate two parameters: the Young's modulus (E), which gives information about the sample stiffness, and the hysteresis (H), which estimates the contribution of viscous forces. Despite being a preliminary study, the obtained results show that the temporal behavior of E well correlates with the expected evolution of rigor mortis between 0 and 48 h post-mortem, and then monotonically decreases over time. Unfortunately, it is strongly affected by inter-individual variability. However, we found that H provides measurable data along a time-dependent curve back to the starting point, and these data measured on different subjects collapse onto a single master curve, getting rid of the inter-individual variability. Although a larger sampling should be performed to improve the result reliability, this finding is strongly suggestive that the evaluation of rigor mortis should involve the measure of the nanoscale dissipative behavior of muscular tissues.
Lingua originaleInglese
pagine (da-a)1-7
Numero di pagine7
RivistaInternational Journal of Legal Medicine
Numero di pubblicazioneN7A
DOI
Stato di pubblicazionePubblicato - 2019

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Anatomia Patologica e Medicina Forense

Keywords

  • Atomic force microscope
  • Nano-mechanics
  • Rigor mortis
  • Time since death

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