A continuous forensic spectral analysis study to identify antemortem and postmortem muscle contusions by chemometrics

Area of Science:

• Forensic Pathology
• Biomolecular Analysis
• Spectroscopy

Background:

• Distinguishing antemortem from postmortem injuries is difficult, especially in decomposed remains.
• Current diagnostic markers are often unreliable in advanced decomposition.
• A robust method is needed for accurate trauma vitality assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop an integrative methodology for differentiating antemortem from postmortem mechanical injuries.
• To identify reliable molecular signatures in severely decomposed cadavers.
• To enhance diagnostic accuracy in forensic trauma vitality assessment.

Main Methods:

• Combined advanced morphological characterization with infrared spectroscopy.
• Utilized chemometric modeling, specifically partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA).
• Identified distinct spectral biomarker patterns for proteins, phospholipids, and carbohydrates.

Main Results:

• Distinct molecular fingerprints were identified at specific wavenumbers (e.g., 1643, 1560, 1402, 1011 cm⁻¹).
• PLS-DA models achieved superior classification accuracy in validation cohorts.
• The method demonstrated enhanced reliability in advanced decomposition states.

Conclusions:

• The multimodal approach provides a scientifically robust framework for trauma vitality determination.
• This method offers quantitative spectral interpretation and methodological standardization.
• It addresses a persistent forensic limitation, particularly for prolonged postmortem intervals.