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More About This Title Essential Forensic Biology 2e
English
This book is an introduction to the application of biology in legal investigations. Fully revised and updated throughout, the second edition of this highly successful textbook offers an accessible overview to the essentials of the subject providing a balanced coverage of the range of organisms used as evidence in forensic investigations; invertebrates, vertebrates, plants and microbes.
The book provides an overview of the decay process and discusses the role of forensic indicators – human fluids and tissues, including blood cells, bloodstain pattern analysis, hair, teeth, bones, and wounds. It also examines the study of forensic biology in cases of suspicious death.
The coverage of molecular techniques has been expanded throughout with additional material on bioterrorism and wildlife forensics now included. The use of DNA and RNA for the identification of individuals and their personal characteristics is now covered along with a discussion of the ethical issues associated with the maintenance of DNA databases.
- Fully revised and updated new edition of this highly successful textbook.
- Includes self-assessment questions at the end of each chapter and case studies.
- Now in full colour throughout.
- Includes a supplementary website (www.wileyeurope.com/college/gunn) covering additional material and self-test questions to reinforce student understanding.
From the reviews of the first edition:
"The author does an excellent job of demonstrating how biological science can, and does, contribute to legal investigations..."
—THE QUARTERLY REVIEW OF BIOLOGY
"...a super book …not a book that will languish on library shelves. Buy it!"
—JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL EDUCATION
"...naturalists and biologists will find much of interest within these books…new light on the application of their own specialism..."
—THE NATURALIST
"Overall, I give it my highest recommendation. I was unable to find a single paragraph that was no fascinating, despite being sad or gruesome at times."
—E-STREAMS
English
English
Acknowledgements
Introduction
PART A: HUMAN REMAINS: DECAY, DNA, TISSUES AND FLUIDS
Chapter One: The decay, discovery and recovery of human bodies
The dead body
The stages of decomposition
Factors affecting the speed of decay
Discovery and recovery of human remains
Determining the age and provenance of skeletonized remains
Future developments
Chapter Two: Body fluids and waste products
Blood cells and blood typing
Methods for detecting blood
Confirming the presence of blood
Bloodstain pattern analysis
Artificial blood
Post mortem toxicological analysis of blood
Saliva and semen
Vitreous humor
Faeces and urine as forensic indicators
Future directions
Chapter Three: Molecular biology
The structure of DNA
DNA sampling
DNA profiling
Polymerase chain reaction
Short tandem repeat markers
Single nucleotide polymorphism markers
Determination of ethnicity
Determination of physical appearance
Determination of personality traits
Mobile element insertion polymorphisms
Mitochondrial DNA
RNA
DNA databases
Future developments
Chapter Four: Human tissues
The outer body surface
Hair
Bones
Teeth
Future developments
Chapter Five: Wounds
Definitions
Blunt force injuries
Sharp force traumas
Bone damage
Additional aspects of wound interpretation
Asphyxia
Pathology associated with drug use
Gunshot wounds
Bite marks
Burns and scalds
Ageing of wounds
Post mortem injuries
Future developments
PART B: INVERTEBRATES AND VERTEBRATES
Chapter Six: Invertebrates 1: biological aspects
An introduction to invertebrate biology
Invertebrates as forensic indicators in cases of murder or suspicious death
Invertebrates as a cause of death
Invertebrates as forensic indicators in cases of neglect and animal welfare
The role of invertebrates in food spoilage and hygiene litigation
The illegal trade in invertebrates
Invertebrate identification techniques
Future directions
Chapter Seven: Invertebrates 2: practical aspects
Calculating the PMI/time since infestation from invertebrate development rates
Complicating factors affecting earliest oviposition date calculations
Determination of the PMI using invertebrate species composition
Determination of the PMI using ectoparasites
Determination of movement from invertebrate evidence
Invertebrate evidence in cases of wound myiasis and neglect
Detection of drugs, toxins and other chemicals in invertebrates
Obtaining human/vertebrate DNA evidence from invertebrates
Determining the source and duration of invertebrate infestations of food products
Collecting invertebrates for forensic analysis
Killing and preserving techniques for invertebrates
Future directions
Chapter Eight: Vertebrates
Introduction
Vertebrate scavenging of human corpses
Vertebrates causing death and injury
Neglect and abuse of vertebrates
Vertebrates and drugs
Vertebrates and food hygiene
Illegal trade and killing of protected species of vertebrates
Identification of vertebrates
Future directions
PART C: PROTISTS, FUNGI, PLANTS AND MICROBES
Chapter Nine: Protists, fungi and plants
Introduction
Protists
Fungi
Plants
Plant secondary metabolites as sources of drugs and poisons
Illegal trade in protected plant species
Future directions
Chapter Ten: Bacteria and viruses
Introduction
The role of microorganisms in the decomposition process
Microbial profiles as identification tools
Microbial infections and human behaviour
Microbial infections that can be mistaken for signs of criminal activity
The use of microorganisms in bioterrorism
Future directions
References
Index
English
"If it is entomology you are interested in, this is the book for you." (Australian Biochemist, April 2010)
"Gunn presents an introductory textbook on the application of biological science in legal investigations." (Book News, September 2009)
