A postmortem interval estimation by cranioencephalic thermometry at a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature

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Abstract

Aim – to develop an estimation method and a computer program for determining the postmortem interval (PMI) by cranioencephalic temperature (CT) of a corpse under conditions of cooling with a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature.

Material and methods. We performed an analytical and finite element modeling of CT dynamics at a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature.

Results. A mathematical model has been developed for determining the PMI and the uncertainty of its estimates at a single discrete decrease in the ambient temperature. The constants' values of the model equation and their variances were determined on the basis of finite element modeling of CT dynamics under the specified cooling conditions. The computational algorithm of the specified method for determining PMI and limitations of its use were implemented in the Warm Bodies DSC program written on C#.

Conclusion. We can recommend using the developed method and software in forensic medicine to determine the PMI at a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature.

About the authors

German V. Nedugov

Samara State Medical University

Author for correspondence.
Email: nedugovh@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-7380-3766

Dr. Sci. (Medicine), Associate professor, Head of the Department of Forensic Medicine

Russian Federation, Samara

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2. Figure 1. Dynamics of cranioencephalic temperature on the example 1 (solid blue line). The red dashed line marks the dynamics of ambient temperature. The dashed blue line shows the conditional dynamics of cranioencephalic temperature in the absence of a change in cooling modes.

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3. Figure 2. Dependence of the cooling constant on the duration of the final cooling period according to finite element modeling of corpse cooling under various modes of a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature. The values of k at t2 < 3 h and ΔTa < 6 °C are marked in red.

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4. Figure 3. The dependence of the temperature plateau constant on the duration of the final cooling period according to finite element modeling of corpse cooling under various modes of a single discrete decrease in ambient temperature. The values of p at t2 < 3 h and ΔTa < 6 °C are marked in red.

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