Forensic Ecogenomics

Forensic Ecogenomics: The Application of Microbial Ecology Analyses in Forensic Contexts provides intelligence on important topics, including environmental sample provenance, how to indicate the body decomposition timeline to support postmortem interval (PMI) and postmortem submersion interval (PMSI) estimates, and how to enhance identification of clandestine and transit grave locations. A diverse group of international experts have come together to present a clear perspective of forensic ecogenomics that encapsulates cutting-edge, topical and relevant cross-disciplinary approaches vital to the field. Considers the effects of decomposition on bacterial, fungal and mesofaunal populations in pristine ecosystems Examines the role of the microbiome, necrobiome and thanatomicrobiome in postmortem interval estimations Focuses on the application of different analytical techniques across forensics to enhance/expand the crime scene investigation toolkit Written by a wide range of international experts in their respective fields

Forensic geology is the application of geology to aid the investigation of crime. A Guide to Forensic Geology was written by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS), Initiative on Forensic Geology (IFG), which was established to promote and develop forensic geology around the world. This book presents the first practical guide for forensic geologists in search and geological trace evidence analysis. Guidance is provided on using geological methods during search operations. This developed following international case work experiences and research over the last 25 years for homicide graves, burials associated with serious and organised crime and counter terrorism. With expertise gained in over 300 serious crime investigations, the guidance also considers geological trace evidence, including the examination of crime scenes, geological evidence recovery and analysis from exhibits and the reporting of results. The book also considers the judicial system, reporting and requirements for presenting evidence in court. Included are emerging applications of geology to police and law enforcement: illegal and illicit mining, conflict minerals, substitution, adulteration, fraud and fakery.

"Incorporating insights from leading experts across a range of disciplines, including the social sciences, the humanities, and the biological sciences, When Animals Die offers a fascinating and comprehensive examination of animal death, one of the most fraught aspects of human relations with other-than-human animals"--

This new volume offers a valuable introduction to plant ecology from a genomics point of view, presenting a thorough foundation and summary of modern approaches, methodologies, research goals, and evidence of plant ecology in the modern genomic era. The book also presents important updated information on the most recent knowledge of the different aspects of plant populations. The volume gives an overview of the approaches to unravelling the genetic basis underlying fundamental responses of plants to their natural environments, describing in detail the concepts, aims, and approaches of plant ecological genomics along with the genomic tools embraced by ecologists for mining various ecological problems. Recent advances and breakthroughs made in molecular markers along with their applications in plant ecogenomic studies are shared, and specific applications, techniques, and tools are described as well, such advanced molecular techniques, next-generation sequencing, eDNA metabarcoding, among others.

Forensic Anthropology serves as a graduate level text for those studying and teaching forensic anthropology, as well as an excellent reference for forensic anthropologist libraries or for use in casework. Covers taphonomy, recovery and analysis, identification, statistical interpretation, and professional issues. Edited by a world-renowned leading forensic expert, the Advanced Forensic Science Series grew out of the recommendations from the 2009 NAS Report, Strengthening Forensic Science: A Path Forward, and is a long overdue solution for the forensic science community. Provides the basic principles of forensic science and an overview of forensic anthropology Contains sections on taphonomy, recovery, analysis, pathology, and identification Covers statistical interpretation of evidence using the classical-frequentist approach and Bayesian analysis, measurement uncertainty, and standard methods Includes a section on professional issues, such as: from crime scene to court, expert witness testimony, and health and safety Incorporates effective pedagogy, key terms, review questions, discussion questions, and additional reading suggestions

New York Times Bestseller Winner of a Goodreads Choice Award “Funny, dark, and at times stunningly existential.” —Marianne Eloise, Guardian Everyone has questions about death. In Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs?, best-selling author and mortician Caitlin Doughty answers the most intriguing questions she’s ever received about what happens to our bodies when we die. In a brisk, informative, and morbidly funny style, Doughty explores everything from ancient Egyptian death rituals and the science of skeletons to flesh-eating insects and the proper depth at which to bury your pet if you want Fluffy to become a mummy. Now featuring an interview with a clinical expert on discussing these issues with young people—the source of some of our most revealing questions about death—Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? confronts our common fear of dying with candid, honest, and hilarious facts about what awaits the body we leave behind.

Despite being confined to the gastrointestinal tract, the gut microbiome has a wide impact on human physiology, supplementing its host’s biochemistry in a complex symbiotic relationship. Research in the field has evolved rapidly in the last decade, and we are now developing a better understanding of how our gut microbiome can influence our immune systems, metabolism, neurological signaling, and perhaps most unexpectedly, our brains; a phenomenon described as the gut-brain-axis. This book, ‘Handbook of Microbiome and Gut-Brain-Axis in Alzheimer’s Disease’, sets out to explore the complex role of the microbiome with regard to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The microbiome is a critical and often overlooked aspect of immunity, which in turn plays a role in cognition. The book presents current research into the gut microbiota and its far-reaching impacts on cognitive function and neurodegeneration. Interventions, including probiotic supplementation, fecal transfer, and supplementation with microbial metabolites, are discussed, as is the use of certain probiotics to study the effects of the gut microbiota on behavior and cognitive function, and as potential therapeutics for AD. Other topics covered include the influence of the gut and oral microbiota on immune inflammatory signals: cytokines, neuroendocrine hormones, bacterial components, neuroactive molecules, and microbial metabolites. The book is divided into four sections, each covering a research area pertinent to the gut-brain-axis and its relationship with cognitive function and AD. It will be of interest to all those whose work includes the study and understanding of these complex, multi-variable biological mechanisms, particularly in the context of cognitive function and AD. The cover shows a color edited MRI image of a sagittal section of a neurological control brain of Dr. Giulio Maria Pasinetti.