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Innovations in Forensic Medicine
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Innovations in Forensic Medicine

A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 7428

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Masahito Hitosugi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Legal Medicine, Shiga University of Medical Science, Shiga 520-2192, Japan
Interests: forensic medicine; trauma biomechanics; preventive medicine; traffic science
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Forensic medicine is not only the medical field that address legal or criminal issues, but also the field contributing to public health and both social and personal welfares. For those who have injured or suffered from violence, the mechanisms of injuries are determined. Furthermore, psychiatric management is also provided for the victims. Therefore, all patients who are victims of physical or sexual assault, abuse, or trauma have forensic needs. For those suffering from sudden, unexpected, or unexplained death, medico-legal investigations are performed. The task is primarily identifying the cause and manner of death and time of death. Based on these results, criminal investigation is promoted by the police, and preventive measures for the accident, diseases, or crime are also considered. For the family members of the victims, a psychiatric approach is also provided as a form of grief care. Forensic medicine covers a broad area and has multi-disciplinary branches, such as forensic psychiatry, forensic dentistry. As forensic medicine emerged with the formation of human society, it should be continuously advanced with the development of medical science.

The Special Issue aims to gather papers that will help to spur progress in forensic medicine. The following fields are suitable for this issue:

  • forensic anthropology, and traumatology;
  • forensic odontology, clinical forensic medicine, and forensic psychiatry.

Prof. Dr. Masahito Hitosugi
Guest Editor

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. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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

  • traumatology
  • clinical examination
  • odontology
  • antolopology

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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11 pages, 1190 KiB  
Article
Comparative Analysis of Korean Nasal Morphology Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
by Jeong-Hyun Lee and Jong-Tae Park
Healthcare 2024, 12(18), 1839; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181839 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 501
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Nasal morphology is a significant aspect of facial anatomy and is often used for forensic identification and aesthetic surgery. This study aims to compare nasal dimensions based on sex, facial index (FI), and nasal index (NI) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Nasal morphology is a significant aspect of facial anatomy and is often used for forensic identification and aesthetic surgery. This study aims to compare nasal dimensions based on sex, facial index (FI), and nasal index (NI) using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and 3D modeling. Methods: To observe differences in nasal dimensions by sex and analyze the relationships between facial shapes (FI) and nasal forms (NI), a total of 100 participants (50 males, 50 females) in their 20s were selected from Dankook University Dental Hospital. CBCT scans were performed, and 3D models were created using Mimics software (version 22.0). The measurement items included the alaria distance between (AL), the distance between N (nasion) and SN (subnasale), the distance between N (nasion) and PRN (pronasale), and the distance between SN (subnasale) and PRN (pronasale). A T-test was used for the sex-based analysis of the nasal dimensions, and the facial index- and nasal index-based nasal dimensions were analyzed using a one-way ANOVA with Scherffe’s post hoc test. Additionally, all the statistical analyses were performed using SPSS software (version 23.0). Results: The results indicated that males generally have larger nasal dimensions than females. Additionally, the mesoprosopic facial type (round face) showed the largest nasal dimensions in the FI classification, while the platyrrhine nasal type (broad and short nose) exhibited the largest dimensions in the NI classification. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the nasal size varies significantly with sex, facial shape, and nasal form. The findings can contribute to forensic identification and provide valuable data for clinical practices in facial reconstruction and nasal surgery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Forensic Medicine)
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10 pages, 1781 KiB  
Article
An Observational Study on the Management of Medico-Legal Maxillofacial Trauma Cases by General Practitioners
by Constantin Răzvan Giuvara, Victor Vlad Costan, Otilia Boisteanu, Adina Armencia, Mihai Ciofu, Eduard Radu Cernei, Carina Balcos, Bulgaru Iliescu, Gabriela Calin and Loredana Liliana Hurjui
Healthcare 2024, 12(18), 1803; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12181803 - 10 Sep 2024
Viewed by 547
Abstract
Maxillofacial trauma, as seen from a medico-legal point of view, is an integral part of medical practice in emergency departments. Therefore, general practitioners should have sufficient knowledge about their roles and responsibilities in managing these cases. This study aimed to assess general practitioners’ [...] Read more.
Maxillofacial trauma, as seen from a medico-legal point of view, is an integral part of medical practice in emergency departments. Therefore, general practitioners should have sufficient knowledge about their roles and responsibilities in managing these cases. This study aimed to assess general practitioners’ knowledge, practices, and attitudes regarding managing medico-legal cases (MLCs). Material and method: This study included 113 general practitioners from St. Spiridon Hospital in Iasi, Romania. Participants completed a self-administered structured questionnaire assessing the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of general practitioners regarding the handling of medico-legal cases. Results: The scores obtained for the level of knowledge, attitudes, and practices indicate a good level of knowledge on the part of the responding doctors, with the average value being 38, in a range from 0 to 49 (min. value 28–max wave. 47). The score regarding the attitudes of doctors related to the management of medico-legal cases is modest, with the average value being 37 points out of a maximum of 60 points (min. 14–max. 51). The same situation is recorded in the case of practices regarding the management of medico-legal cases, with the average value being 68 out of a maximum value of 90 (min. 38–max. 84). Conclusion: This study’s results revealed the absence of a well-defined protocol for the recognition and handling of medico-legal cases among general practitioners from Iasi and the need to improve the level of attitudes and practices regarding the management of medico-legal cases. The limitations of this study included the relatively small sample from a single hospital and the use of a methodology based on self-administered questionnaires, which may be subjective. Accordingly, future studies should involve larger and more diverse samples to monitor changes in knowledge and practices over time and qualitative methodologies to gain deeper physician-related insights into medical case management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Forensic Medicine)
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18 pages, 602 KiB  
Article
Posttraumatic Growth, Maladaptive Cognitive Schemas and Psychological Distress in Individuals Involved in Road Traffic Accidents—A Conservation of Resources Theory Perspective
by Cristian Delcea, Dana Rad, Ovidiu Florin Toderici and Ana Simona Bululoi
Healthcare 2023, 11(22), 2959; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11222959 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2034
Abstract
Road traffic accidents can have profound psychological impacts on the individuals involved, encompassing both negative distress and positive growth. This study, guided by the conservation of resources (COR) theory, investigates the intricate relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG), maladaptive cognitive schemas, and psychological distress [...] Read more.
Road traffic accidents can have profound psychological impacts on the individuals involved, encompassing both negative distress and positive growth. This study, guided by the conservation of resources (COR) theory, investigates the intricate relationship between posttraumatic growth (PTG), maladaptive cognitive schemas, and psychological distress in individuals involved in road traffic accidents. PTG reflects an individual’s ability to derive positive changes from adversity, while maladaptive schemas represent negative cognitive patterns. Using a 122 sample of individuals involved in road traffic accidents, we examined direct and indirect effects within this complex network. Our findings reveal significant direct effects of PTG on psychological distress (β = 0.101, p = 0.02). Particularly noteworthy are the indirect effects mediated by cognitive schemas, emphasizing the role of impaired autonomy and perceived performance deficiencies (β = 0.102, p = 0.05). This suggests that individuals involved in road traffic accidents experiencing higher PTG levels may indirectly experience greater psychological distress through these maladaptive cognitive schemas. This study not only advances our understanding of the psychological consequences of road traffic accidents but also aligns with self-determination theory, emphasizing autonomy and competence as fundamental needs. Individuals involved in road traffic accidents may undergo profound shifts in perspective following the trauma, which our results support. Recognizing the nuanced relationship between PTG, maladaptive cognitive schemas, and psychological distress is crucial for tailoring interventions and support systems for individuals involved in traffic accidents. As PTG can coexist with distress, interventions should foster adaptive growth while addressing maladaptive schemas to promote resilience in the face of traumatic events. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Forensic Medicine)
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8 pages, 1181 KiB  
Communication
Affecting Factors of Prostate Volume in Forensic Autopsied Decedents
by Kota Tanaka, Masahito Hitosugi, Marin Takaso, Mami Nakamura and Arisa Takeda
Healthcare 2023, 11(10), 1486; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11101486 - 19 May 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1213
Abstract
Because decedents undergoing forensic autopsies would have behaved normally before death, prostate volume according to age group can be confirmed with forensic autopsy materials. The objectives of this study were to first confirm the current prostate volume by age and then determine diseases [...] Read more.
Because decedents undergoing forensic autopsies would have behaved normally before death, prostate volume according to age group can be confirmed with forensic autopsy materials. The objectives of this study were to first confirm the current prostate volume by age and then determine diseases that can influence prostate volume using forensic autopsy materials. Prostate specimens were collected from forensic autopsies performed at Shiga University of Medical Science, Japan, between January 2015 and December 2019. Overall, 207 decedents were included in the study. Prostate volume was measured by the Archimedes’ principle. Concomitant diseases were determined by the past medical histories and autopsy results. The mean crude prostate volume was 29.1 ± 10.3 mL (range, 2.8–88.0 mL). The crude prostate volume increased with age. The mean corrected prostate volume (divided by body surface area) was significantly higher in patients with atherosclerosis than in those without. However, multiple regression analysis revealed that only age influenced the corrected prostate volume. Age was the only significant influencing factor for prostate volume. We propose applying age estimation using prostate volume for forensic medicine purposes. Because prostate volume was not influenced by concomitant disease, it would be valuable to estimate the decedent’s age using the prostate volume. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Forensic Medicine)
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12 pages, 2241 KiB  
Systematic Review
Worldwide Prevalence of Alcohol Use in Non-Fatally Injured Motor Vehicle Drivers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
by Laura Kassym, Assiya Kussainova, Yuliya Semenova, Almas Kussainov, Damir Marapov, Marat Zhanaspayev, Zhanar Urazalina, Almira Akhmetova, Madi Tokanov, Yerbol Smail and Geir Bjørklund
Healthcare 2023, 11(5), 758; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11050758 - 5 Mar 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2371
Abstract
Drunk driving is an important risk factor significantly contributing to traffic accidents and their associated lethality. This meta-analysis of observational studies aims to provide the estimates of drunk driving prevalence in non-lethally injured motor vehicle drivers in relation to the world region, blood [...] Read more.
Drunk driving is an important risk factor significantly contributing to traffic accidents and their associated lethality. This meta-analysis of observational studies aims to provide the estimates of drunk driving prevalence in non-lethally injured motor vehicle drivers in relation to the world region, blood alcohol concentration (BAC), and quality of the primary study. A systematic search for observational studies that examined the prevalence of drunk driving in injured drivers was performed, and 17 studies comprising 232,198 drivers were included in the pooled analysis. The pooled prevalence of drunk driving in injured drivers was found to be 16.6% (95% CI: 12.8–20.3%; I2 = 99.87%, p < 0.001). In addition, the prevalence of alcohol use ranged from 5.5% (95% CI: 0.8–10.1%) in the Middle East, North Africa, and Greater Arabia region to 30.6% (95% CI: 24.6–36.5%) in the Asia region. As for the subgroups with different thresholds of BAC, the maximum value of 34.4% (95% CI: 28.5–40.3%) was found for a dose of 0.3 g/L. The prevalence of alcohol use reported by high-quality studies was 15.7% (95% CI: 11.1–20.3%), compared to 17.7% (95% CI: 11.3–24.2%) reported by studies of moderate quality. These findings could inform law enforcement efforts to promote road safety. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Forensic Medicine)
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