https://www.biolscigroup.us/journals/forensic-science-today A Peertechz Open Access Journal en-us 09 May, 2025 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-11-126.php Forensic mycology utilizes fungal identification to enhance criminal investigations, emerging as a powerful tool in forensic science. Fungi, ubiquitous in diverse environments, provide critical evidence for estimating post-mortem intervals (PMIs), locating buried remains, identifying trace evidence, and determining causes of death, including poisonings and biological warfare. Fungal spores, functioning as environmental signatures, link suspects to crime scenes. Although well-established in developed nations, forensic mycology remains largely unexplored in Iran. This mini-review explores forensic mycology’s applications and feasibility for implementation within Iran’s judicial system, and proposes strategies for adoption, including specialized training, infrastructure development, and policy integration. By leveraging Iran’s exceptional fungal biodiversity, these strategies aim to strengthen criminal investigations and position Iran as a regional leader in forensic science innovation. 25 Mar, 2024 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-10-125.php Introduction: The opioid crisis represents a longstanding public health emergency, significantly worsened by the concurrent use of xylazine. This epidemic has led to a surge in opioid-related fatalities, marking it as a pressing health crisis with global implications. The combination of xylazine with fentanyl and its analogs significantly increases the risk of overdose deaths. This study aims to analyze the current situation by reviewing scientific and governmental publications on the topic. Methods: Our analysis, established on data from PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus, highlights the pharmacological risks related to the combination of xylazine and synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl. It underlines the increased chances of fatal overdoses due to this combination. Results: The research associates weaknesses in current forensic toxicology screenings that fail to effectively detect these dangerous compounds. The illegal synthesis of these substances is a key challenge in directing the emergency. The combination of xylazine with synthetic opioids shows a significant public health risk, worsening the already critical opioid crisis. There is a critical need for improved drug detection and analysis methods to combat this growing challenge. Conclusion: Developing forensic toxicology screenings to precisely identify the presence of these substances is crucial for both the diagnosis and prevention of fatal overdoses. Our findings emphasize the requirement for immediate and concerted efforts to address the complexities of the opioid epidemic and highlight the potential consequences of public health strategies intended to mitigate this crisis. 19 Oct, 2023 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-9-124.php Misinformation and popular beliefs on cannabis use have had an impact on the Canadian population. The trivialization of the substance and poor understanding of its side effects tend to add to the risks of work-related environments that already require acute senses and sharp attention. In this research project, we aim to observe different concurrent factors of cannabis use in Canada and how it articulates with the rising rates of work-related accidents. Since recreational cannabis use has been legalized, and with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, more people appear to be consuming and/or appear to have increased their usage. We will take a closer look at the impact of these factors, the role that misinformation plays on cannabis use, and how we can contribute towards healthier and safer working environments in Canada. 30 Dec, 2022 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-8-123.php Forensic science is an essential component of the criminal justice system, providing scientific evidence to support investigations and prosecutions. However, the field faces several challenges, including the potential for human error, sample contamination, and ongoing scrutiny and criticism. In recent years, emerging technologies have offered new opportunities to address these challenges and enhance the effectiveness of forensic science. This article provides an overview of the current state of forensic science, the challenges it faces, and the ways in which emerging technologies, such as rapid DNA analysis, artificial intelligence, micro-X-ray fluorescence analysis, and 3D scanning and printing, are being used to address those challenges. These technologies offer new opportunities to improve the accuracy and reliability of forensic evidence and enable forensic practitioners to analyze evidence more quickly and efficiently. 21 Sep, 2021 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-7-122.php Handwriting requires coordination of motor skills and cognitive skills which reflects the pictorial effect of the writer and their social and cultural patterns. It creates a unique combination of graphics and motor control of hands which is accepted by the society. Personality traits and characteristics are defined and have the unique handwriting, which gives the writer its individuality. Every writer is individual in their own way based on the handwriting features which can undergo variation when the writer shows commotion and disruptions in its normal neurological and muscular control. This paper reviews and focuses on the natural variation of the writing and also if these variations are caused under the influence of any externally induced elements, such as alcohol. 24 Jul, 2021 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-7-121.php Rape is a type of sexual assault that usually involves sexual intercourse or another form of sexual penetration without the consent of the victim. The act can be committed by physical force, threat and abuse of power. The act may also be committed against a person who is unable to give valid consent, such as one who is unconscious, disabled, has intellectual disabilities or is a juvenile. 29 Dec, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-120.php Fireguns continue to attract people’s attention today as they have in the past. People obtain fireguns for individual purposes such as hunting, protection or defense. Again, firearms are manufactured for institutional purposes and used for deterrence, defense, and even for attacking in order to eliminate danger and threat [1]. 27 Oct, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-119.php The knowledge of forensic mycology has been formed by using the capacity of the science of fungus identification and has gradually opened its place as a tool for identifying criminals in the criminal cases of some countries. The main purpose of this study is to get acquainted with forensic mycology in the process of investigating different criminal cases and the need for the criminal system to benefit from this new method. Fungi exist in many environments, in grounds, air, air conditioners, bathrooms of houses, on wet floors, showers, dirty, and wet laundry, in dark, and humid environments as cellars, and attics and other places. Fungi can be used in criminal investigations for investigating cause of death, time of death, locating buried corpses, providing trace evidence, hallucinations, or poisonings, biological warfare and ascertaining time of deposition. In Iran, fungi have not been used in criminal investigations, although the use of fungi for these studies in the future is inevitable. During the last years many researchers have found various situations in which fungal data can provide critical evidence. 31 Jul, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-118.php Statistical data in Iran reflects a worrying trend for an increased incidence of breast cancer. recent national data on average annual crude incidence for primary breast cancer indicated 22.6 (95%CI 22.1-23.1) per 100,000. It seems that genome encoding with no changes in the sequence of DNA contributes to Lamarck’s theory as a probable causative factor for the deterioration of this disorder by supplementation. Unconscious methylation of DNA by environmental factors make genetic modifications through epigenetic process in nucleotides that create new make up for DNA and DNMTs, expedite one of the most prevalent health disorders. Uterus environment, youth up to a retired and postmenopausal age are periods for changes in genome assembly that include tiny alterations in CpG islands. A review article had been performed by the electronic search for the manuscripts that had been published among current databases and declared facts about the produced results and the main proves had ascertained from the present articles. They were included by the Med Line and PubMed database and Iran’s vital statistics. As a result consumption of selected nutrients has the ability for methylation by group donors and causes an actual transfer of a methyl to the C5 carbon of cytosine for making 5-methylcytosine. Characteristic of a living organism referred to the Genetic and Epigenetic information and unbalanced intake of selected nutrients with dual function like folic acid persuades the creation of a genetic foundation for breast cancer in offspring. 06 May, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-117.php Law enforcement and Disaster Management Agencies within Governments spend substantial resources to identify human remains and dead bodies after wars, mass disasters and political unrest [1-4]. 28 Apr, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-116.php With the democratization of smartphones, law enforcement agencies are increasingly faced with the necessity of extracting data from criminal devices. 21 Apr, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-115.php In the modern era of advancement, new scientific technologies have taken over the traditional methods of investigation. Expansion of recent investigative techniques and sources have made the investigation more specific to an individual/suspect in forensic field. Since when DNA has been explored an unequivocal to an individual, since then, DNA fingerprinting have become probably the most common technique in the context of fast and reliable identification purpose [1]. Yet another aspect such as palmar surface, planter surface, labial mucosa etc. are also valuable form of evidences which are considered exclusive, perpetual, and ubiquitous by nature. These evidences have proven their feasibility in the field of investigation. 19 Mar, 2020 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-6-114.php The first Articles of the German basic law contain the so-called basic rights. As Art. 1 para. 3 states they bind the legislature, the executive and the judiciary and therefore all state authority as directly applicable law. At first glance this sounds familiar and very similar to the bill of rights respectively the first ten amendments to the United States Constitution. But a closer look reveals that the German approach–especially handling free speech issues- is in many ways different from the situation in the United States [1]. 05 Aug, 2019 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-5-113.php In Dubrava, near Varaždin, Croatia, a young woman at 28 years of age has given birth to a baby in a family home in mid-February this year. Because of the mental derangement a few days later, she become sick at her job and she was admitted to a hospital in Varaždin. 12 Feb, 2019 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-5-112.php Introduction: Human identification is one of the major fields in forensic odontology especially when the dental remains are the only available evidence to individual identification. In this context DNA analysis in teeth pulp remains the most accurate and reliable method for identification, whereas RNA is less used for forensic purpose because it is generally considered a quickly degradable molecule. Recently some studies report that another excellent source of nucleic acids is the dental calculus or tartar. Method: Therefore to assess the RNA stability over time, we investigated 40 saliva-derived microRNAs (miRNAs), in archeological and modern tartar samples by classic PCR followed by quantitative PCR. 26 Apr, 2018 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-4-111.php Forensics is the scientific discipline concerned with proving criminal offenses. It proves in a way that an investigator collects, documents and analyzes all facts related to the crime. The most important task of the investigator is to collect the largest possible number of pieces of evidences that connect to a criminal offense. 26 Jan, 2018 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-4-110.php After various tentative to artistically build a tridimensional form of the Turin Shroud (TS) Man, the authors faced the problem of the scientific construction of a 3D model of this Man with an accuracy of the order of 1 cm. 28 Jul, 2017 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-3-109.php Setsubun is associated with The Chinese New Year, or Lunar Calender which was used for centuries in Japan, so this is a coming of spring festival as well as the traditional newyear 30 Jun, 2017 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-3-108.php The aim of this paper is to present the formation of false positive amphetamine in postmortem liver samples and to determine conditions that are responsible for its formation. 29 Dec, 2016 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-2-107.php Cocaine abuse represents a serious problem to many countries and is frequently related to deaths. Differences in response, drug tolerance, drug sensitization and postmortem redistribution difficult clarifying cocaine related deaths. Thus, additional parameters associated to cocaine exposition could assist the pathologist in interpreting the deaths cases. 01 Nov, 2016 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-2-106.php n order to exploit DNA evidence, biological liquid must be detected and recovered. It has been suggested that some hostile conditions like a long water soaking period may have an influence on evidence recovery and thus results and interpretation. These researches demonstrate that adapting a protocol for each situation allows to recover any evidence. 05 Feb, 2016 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-2-105.php Introduction: Age estimation is essential in human identification, but also in civil and pension lawsuits. Teeth maturation is better than other structures and the dental changes provide characteristics which are grouped in different age estimation methods. 23 Jan, 2016 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-2-104.php orensic Palynology contributes to the evidence of the crime site and sometimes the moment of the fact by the study of pollen and spores and other palynomorphs present in the scene. Pollen morphology is sometimes exclusive for a plant species and some of them grow in specific areas besides plants produce pollen at certain times of the year. 10 Dec, 2015 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-1-103.php The developing countries bear a large share of burden and account for about 85% of the deaths as a result of road traffic crashes. So, the problem of road traffic accidents is becoming recognized concern. Motor-vehicle accidents are complex events resulting primarily from human, technical, and environmental contributing factors. 23 Jul, 2015 https://www.biolscigroup.us/articles/FST-1-102.php In science, the publication and presentation on the findings or ideas is the main step for generalization of new knowledge and support the development of the scientific community. 19 Mar, 2015 https://www.biolscigroup.us/Forensic-Science-Technology/PJFST-1-101.php In this paper we would put a mathematic relation between the displacement(x2) of penetration of the lunched bullet inside the victim and the displacement(x1) in air before impact. The cardinal achievement of the article is that we use the physical definition of the inertial own mass of the matter as defined in the paper published by the author in 2014 under the title; physics of the giant atom [5].