Vol 12, No 1 (2026)

These practice guidelines are intended to support the organization of forensic medical examination units for living persons and provide a structured methodology for conducting such examinations. The guidelines are designed for forensic medical experts, faculty members of forensic medicine departments and courses, residents, and postgraduate trainees in relevant academic programs. The guidelines outline general principles for forensic medical examinations of living persons, as well as specific features of individual types of examinations. Key issues encountered by forensic medical experts in the examination of living persons are addressed, including what objects should be examined and how their assessment should be performed. Specific aspects of the examination of a living person are described, and an algorithm for describing injuries is proposed. A structure for conclusions is proposed for forensic medical examinations of living persons. Specific considerations for examinations of female and male individuals are discussed depending on the forensic questions being addressed. Two sections of the practice guidelines focus on the specific aspects of forensic medical examinations in determining the permanence of injuries and in cases involving the use of electroshock devices. The guidelines conclude with recommendations on the proper documentation of forensic medical examinations of living persons in accordance with applicable legislation.

BACKGROUND: This study addresses the issue of estimating the postmortem interval based on the examination of human remains with signs of putrefactive decomposition. In particular, it involves spectrophotometric analysis of putrefactive blister fluid with subsequent development of a mathematical equation and its use as an additional method for estimating the postmortem interval, which will improve the accuracy and objectivity of forensic conclusions in addressing this issue.

AIM: The work aimed to evaluate the possibility of objective postmortem interval estimation using spectrophotometry through analysis and mathematical modeling of changes in the optical density of putrefactive blister fluid in the late postmortem period.

METHODS: This was an experimental, uncontrolled, single-center study. The biological material consisted of putrefactive blister fluid obtained during the examination of cadavers of both sexes across different age groups at various stages of the postmortem period with signs of putrefactive biotransformation. Spectrophotometric analysis was performed at the Bureau of Forensic Medical Examination of the Udmurt Republic, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, from February 2023 to July 2024 using an SF-2000 spectrophotometer in the wavelength range of 490–520 nm as per the developed protocol.

RESULTS: Changes in optical density of the studied fluid obtained from cadavers (n = 77) demonstrated time-dependent changes relative to the postmortem interval, allowing the construction of a mathematical equation based on a power model with an approximation coefficient exceeding 95% for the 24–120 h postmortem interval. Additionally, limits of potential error for the developed equation were calculated, with formulation of a corresponding mathematical inequality. The results were validated using a blinded experimental approach on practical material.

CONCLUSION: The findings support the use of optical density of putrefactive blister fluid as a quantitative parameter for estimating the postmortem interval. Considering its temporal changes, the proposed mathematical model may be applied in the 24–120-hour postmortem period as an additional diagnostic tool.

BACKGROUND: Determination of the drowning site in forensic practice is based on comparative analysis of diatom communities. However, current methodology remains insufficiently formalized: standard ecological approaches are not applicable to paired sample comparisons (water body vs cadaver), and conclusions largely rely on subjective visual assessment. This limits objective and evidence-based interpretation and reduces the evidentiary value of forensic conclusions.

AIM: To develop a formalized method for digital paired comparative taxonomic analysis of diatom plankton and implement it as a cross-platform web application for forensic practice.

METHODS: This work describes the development of a protocol for comparative taxonomic analysis and its implementation as a web application compatible with Windows, Linux, Android, and iOS. The protocol includes three complementary metric blocks for paired comparison: overall similarity (Bray–Curtis and Hellinger distances with bootstrap testing); dominance structure (Jaccard, Sørensen–Dice, and Simpson indices, as well as rank correlations); and stability and indicator value (adapted Dufrêne–Legendre metrics). To justify threshold values and evaluate diagnostic performance, Monte Carlo simulation was performed. The application was developed using JavaScript and Python.

RESULTS: A formalized method for paired comparative taxonomic analysis was developed, replacing subjective assessment with calculation of objective metrics. A free online application, Qualitative Dual Sample Taxa Analyzer, was created. Based on Monte Carlo simulation, statistically justified threshold values were established for each metric, ensuring sensitivity and specificity of at least 95%. A key feature of the application is a bootstrap procedure that enables statistical testing of the hypothesis that the samples originate from the same water body. The combination of metrics allows multilevel analysis of the taxonomic composition of plankton extracts, whereas the web interface facilitates accessibility for forensic experts by automating calculations, standardizing procedures, and generating detailed reports.

CONCLUSION: The proposed method and software tool provide a comprehensive solution for objective and statistically validated assessment of similarity between diatom communities. Their implementation may improve the evidentiary strength, reproducibility, and standardization of forensic conclusions regarding the determination of the site of drowning.

Determining the severity of harm to human health is one of the core tasks in forensic medical examination across criminal, administrative, and civil proceedings. Previously, the term harm to health or its synonymous term bodily injury was defined in relevant regulatory legal acts. However, since September 1, 2025, no legal definition of harm to health has been provided in the applicable legislation. This situation raises several important questions, including the justification for removing the legal definition of the severity of harm, the selection of an appropriate term for use in current practice, and the absence of an official definition. In this context, it is necessary to determine which definition of harm to health should be applied in forensic medical practice or whether any of the existing definitions may be used. To address these issues, the article presents a historical, comparative, and logical analysis of existing interpretations of the concept of harm to health. It is substantiated that the current regulatory legal act governing the determination of severity of harm to human health should include a clear definition of this term.

Thus, this review addresses a highly relevant issue, the need for a legally established definition of harm to health. It is of relevance to a wide range of stakeholders. The topic discussed has substantial practical implications.

Sudden cardiac death remains one of the leading causes of premature mortality among the working-age population, particularly in young individuals. In a substantial proportion of cases, conventional autopsy methods fail to establish a definitive cause of death. The need for new diagnostic approaches to unexplained deaths has led to the emergence and rapid development of the concept of molecular autopsy. This review analyzes the applications, limitations, and prospects of molecular genetic methods in forensic practice. This review discusses current knowledge on the genetic basis of inherited arrhythmias and cardiomyopathies, the leading causes of sudden death in the absence of structural myocardial abnormalities. The evolution of technologies is outlined, from Sanger sequencing, which formed the basis of early molecular autopsies, to next-generation sequencing, which now enables the simultaneous analysis of hundreds of genes associated with arrhythmogenic disorders. Particular attention is given to the interpretation of genetic variants, classification of their clinical significance, challenges in analyzing variants of uncertain significance, and the need for their reclassification as scientific evidence accumulates. A separate section addresses cascade family testing as a key element in preventing recurrent cases of sudden death and in organizing genetic counseling for relatives. The review substantiates the rationale for integrating molecular autopsy into the forensic medical system as a tool to enhance the evidentiary value of conclusions and to promote interdisciplinary integration of forensic medicine, cardiology, and clinical genetics. The analysis demonstrates that molecular autopsy not only expands diagnostic capabilities but also provides a foundation for the development of preventive medicine aimed at reducing inherited sudden deaths.

This article describes a case of forensic identification of skeletal remains discovered in the firebox of a wood-burning kitchen stove. According to the investigation materials and the mother’s confession, the body of her child had been burned in the stove. The relevance of this case lies in the limited specialized data on thermally destroyed pediatric remains, as well as in the difficulty of determining species and age when bones are reduced to an ash-like state.

The article presents the process of expert examination of 190 bone fragments in the stage of white and gray calcination. Using visual, metric, photographic, anatomical-morphological, and comparative anatomical methods, the specimens were sorted, allowing identification of fragments of the skull, vertebrae, ribs, and long bones. The analysis found that the remains belong to a human child. Taking into account ossification centers and the absence of synostoses in the bones of the skull base, vertebrae, and foot bones, the estimated age was under one year. Sex and height could not be assessed due to the lack of valid methods.

This case report demonstrates the possibility of successful identification of species and age using anatomical-morphological and comparative anatomical methods, even in cases of remarkable thermal destruction of bone tissue.