Pasquale Poppa - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Pasquale Poppa

Forensic Science International, Feb 1, 2010

Congress of the International Academy of Legal Medicine, 2009

Forensic archaeology applies the techniques of search and recovery commonly performed in the arch... more Forensic archaeology applies the techniques of search and recovery commonly performed in the archaeological context to forensic cases and aims at the best possible conservation of the deposition site and the human remains. Thus it should be considered of primary importance by Police and judicial authorities in cases where a body needs to be found and adequately recovered. Nevertheless, in Italy and in southern Europe this discipline in real cases is still rarely applied, with obvious disastrous outcomes. This presentation aims at presenting the first three cases where forensic archaeology was for the first time applied in Italy for the search and recovery of victims of organised crime, and how the scenario is evolving. The first case occurred in October 2001; in a woody area at the ourskirts of Milan, children from a nursery school close-by found a boot appearing on the surface containing several bones emerging from the ground. The skeletal remains were recovered as indicated by archaeological recommendations; a conservative recovery of all the skeletal elements, clothes and personal belongings was then performed. The area was recorded by topographical methods, and tree roots crossing the deposition site were sampled, which made possible a PMI estimation; the botanical and product analysis of clothes limited the PMI estimation between 1995 and 1998. The reconstruction of biological data revealed that the skeletal remains belonged to a 20-25 year old female subject. A facial reconstruction was performed in order to evoke memories of the missing woman; the broadcasting of the result allowed a prostitute from Kosovo to recognize the subject as a friend of hers called Viola but at the present a positive identification has not yet been achieved. The anthropological analysis pointed out a cutmark with perimortal characteristics at the lower margin of the 10th left rib. The second case concerns the corpses of two missing adolescents, found in May 2004 in a woody area near Varese after confession of their murderers called \u201cSatan\u2019s Beasts\u201d because of their devotion to drugs and satanism, who indicated the woods in which the victims had been buried. The first research procedures were conducted by cadaver dogs, followed by field walking and the use of a metal detector/georadar. No sign of burial was found. The murderers, led on the site, indicated a new field, where the application of archaeological methodology led to the appearance of a ditch fill. The fill was then removed and on the bottom, two skeletonized corpses were found. The first subject was male, 15-18 years old, the second one was female, 17-22 years old. The two corpses were identified as the missing adolescents according to odontological and anthropological methods. The female subject was hit at least 11 times by a sharp force tool (a large knife), the male subject at least 12, and was also hit by a mallet in the facial region. The lesions observed were consistent with the events referred to by the murderers. The third case concerns the search of a buried body (a victim of a mafia execution), which took place in December 2006 in a woody area in the outskirts of Milano, according to the indication of the murder; his accomplices reported he had shot and beheaded the victim, although he had always denied it (he in fact had said that he was only responsible for burying the body, not for the murder). Thus the magistrate wanted to verify whose version was true. At the beginning of the search, a 10 x 10 m area was defined; the analysis of soil anomalies went on until excavation activities brought to light the cranial vault. The human remains in the fill were cleaned, photographed, sketched, and then a 3D digitizing analysis of the site was performed. Close to the cranium, a dental prothesis was found. The subject was male, 20-28 years old, according to anthropological analyses; positive identification was reached by odontological data thanks to the prothesis found during the excavation procedure. The cranium, severely fractured, was finally cleaned and reassembled in order to verify the presence of lesions. The analysis of the cranium pointed out that the victim was hit by two gunshots. No lesion consistent with a possible beheading was observed. These cases show how at least in northern Italy judges and police authorities are beginning to employ anthropologists and archaeologists for the retrieval and recovery of buried bodies; these cases have also strengthened among pathologists and magistrates the theory that only by proper archaeological methodology can proper reconstruction of identity, mode of deposition and trauma be performed

La Revue de Médecine Légale, 2017

Negli ultimi anni, in ambito internazionale e solo pi\uf9 recentemente in Italia, molte disciplin... more Negli ultimi anni, in ambito internazionale e solo pi\uf9 recentemente in Italia, molte discipline tra cui la metodica geofisica, la botanica, l'ausilio di cani da cadavere e l'archeolologia hanno acquisito sempre maggiore rilevanza in ambito forense, fornendo il loro \u201cknow-how\u201d nella ricerca di persone scomparse, corpi, resti occultati e il loro eventuale recupero. Si riporta l'esperienza del laboratorio Labanof (Laboratorio di Antropologia e Odontologia Forense \u2013 Universit\ue0 degli Studi di Milano) maturata nel corso di 17 anni (1995-2012) di attivit\ue0 in ambito antropologico-forense nel territorio italiano ed in particolare nel circondario della citt\ue0 di Milano facendo riferimento ai casi ritenuti pi\uf9 significativi, ponendo particolare attenzione alle problematiche incontrate ed alle scelte spesso anche sperimentali messe in pratica per affrontarle. Nel corso di tale esperienza si \ue8 potuto constatare come scienze e pratiche anche molto diverse tra loro, dalle pi\uf9 note alle pi\uf9 inconsuete, possano risultare utili, fondamentali e in alcuni casi \u201cpurtroppo\u201d fallimentari. Questo studio ha lo scopo di illustrare l'importanza della professionalit\ue0, dell'esperienza degli operatori coinvolti e di un approccio multidisciplinare nella ricerca e nel recupero di resti scheletrici d'interesse forense, sottolineando il ruolo delle scienze afferenti ed in particolare dell'archeologia forense

Proceedings of 3DBODY.TECH 2017 - 8th International Conference and Exhibition on 3D Body Scanning and Processing Technologies, Montreal QC, Canada, 11-12 Oct. 2017, 2017

The genetic background of the craniofacial development is a sensitive topic: in this context twin... more The genetic background of the craniofacial development is a sensitive topic: in this context twin studies have had a relevant role as they allow to understand the effect of genes on the anatomical variability observed in the population. In particular, monozygotic twins (MZT) share the same DNA and allow to evaluate the genetic component of a specific morphology. In order to understand the similarities and differences on the facial morphology of MZT in different portions of the face, a thirdbased, superimposition approach was applied to the 3D facial scans of 10 couples of MZT. The experimental subjects were acquired through a stereophotogrammetric system, after the identification of a set of reference landmarks on their facial surfaces. The landmarks were used to segment facial areas of interest from the 3D reconstructions and to subdivide them into thirds, according to the territories of distribution of trigeminal branches for somatic sensitivity. The left and right upper, middle and lower facial thirds of each MZT couple were pairwise superimposed and the root mean square (RMS) point-to-point distances were automatically calculated. Data were statistically analysed through a two-way ANOVA, setting the level of significance at 5%. Post-hoc tests were performed with the necessary reductions in the degrees of freedom. Results revealed statistically significant differences among thirds (p < 0.05), while no differences were found for facial sides (p > 0.05) or for the third x side interaction (p > 0.05). Post hoc tests showed statistically significant differences between the upper and the lower facial thirds, and the middle and lower facial thirds (p < 0.05), with the middle and lower thirds being the more different between the couples. In conclusion, stereophotogrammetric techniques can be valid instruments to analyse the facial morphology of MZT. The acquisition procedure is easy to perform, fast and free from risk, being suitable to obtain multiple subsequent 3D reconstructions. These reconstructions can be superimposed and locally analysed in order to provide an anatomically-based, detailed description of the most similar and different facial areas, useful for the evaluation of the genetic components of a specific morphology.

Personal identification is an essential medico-legal process. Osteology and bone pathology can pr... more Personal identification is an essential medico-legal process. Osteology and bone pathology can provide general and specific information on the skeleton of the deceased useful for implementing the biological profile and for personal identification. Morphological traits, including anatomical, pathological, and therapeutic features, are considered secondary means of identification; yet, the superimposition and concordance of morphological bone features between antemortem and postmortem images possess the same evidentiary value as primary identifiers (such as fingerprints) for personal identification. In this chapter, we illustrate through a series of forensic cases the potential of bone anatomical and pathological traits for general and personal identification

Italian journal of anatomy and embryology, 2014

The assessment of facial mimicry has a relevant importance not only in anatomy, but also in clini... more The assessment of facial mimicry has a relevant importance not only in anatomy, but also in clinics for the evaluation of facial performances in patients affected by neurological or muscular impairments, and in forensic medicine, for the standardization of individualizing markers useful for personal identification. The application of modern 3D image acquisition systems may provide reliable results, especially for what concerns the analysis of facial surfaces: however, the comparison of anatomical structures needs standardized, reproducible protocols in order to provide comparable data. This study aims at exposing a novel and promising method for comparing 3D profiles, useful for quantifying alteration of facial structures in different conditions. Ten male adults, aged between 30 and 40 years underwent to four acquisitions by stereophotogrammetry (VECTRA-3D®: Canfield Scientific, Inc., Fairfield, NJ) with different expressions (neutral, happy, sad, angry, surprised). On each 3D facia...

The identification of culprits from videosurveillance systems brings about relevant problems for ... more The identification of culprits from videosurveillance systems brings about relevant problems for what concerns the reliability of comparison and quantification of the degree of match between the culprit and the suspect. The actual videosurveillance give only 2D images of the culprit, which can be compared to a 3D model of the suspect\u2019s face in 2D-3D superimposition. However, in the next future the videosurveillance systems will provide a 3D image of the filmed persons, which may allow the operator to perform 3D-3D superimposition. This study aims at exposing a pilot study based on 10 male subjects: the face from each individual underwent two acquisitions by stereophotogrammetry. On each 3D facial model, 9 landmarks (right and left: en, ex, ch: midline: se, gn, prn) were identified by VAM\uae software; the acquisitions of each individual were then superimposed with the models of all the other subjects in order to reduce the distance between the corresponding points. The RMS value (Root Mean Square) between the two models was then calculated. When the two superimposed models belonged to the same individual, RMS value was in mean 1.58 mm (SD: 0.61 mm), whereas when the two models were taken from different persons, the same value was 4.54 mm (SD: 2.02 mm) with a statistically significant (p<0.0001). This pilot study shows that the judgment of identification based on 3D-3D superimposition may provide reliable results. The improvement specific methods of 3D-3D comparison may provide in the next future relevant advantages in this field of forensic anthropology

Italian journal of anatomy and embryology, 2014

International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2021

Personal identification of the living from video surveillance systems usually involves 2D images.... more Personal identification of the living from video surveillance systems usually involves 2D images. However, the potentiality of three-dimensional facial models in gaining personal identification through 3D-3D comparison still needs to be verified. This study aims at testing the reliability of a protocol for 3D-3D registration of facial models, potentially useful for personal identification. Fifty male subjects aged between 18 and 45 years were randomly chosen from a database of 3D facial models acquired through stereophotogrammetry. For each subject, two acquisitions were available; the 3D models of faces were then registered onto other models belonging to the same and different individuals according to the least point-to-point distance on the entire facial surface, for a total of 50 matches and 50 mismatches. RMS value (root mean square) of point-to-point distance between the two models was then calculated through the VAM® software. Intra- and inter-observer errors were assessed thr...

Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Jan 24, 2018

Laser scanner devices are acquiring a growing importance in facial anatomy. Most studies have ana... more Laser scanner devices are acquiring a growing importance in facial anatomy. Most studies have analysed facial scans obtained through two simultaneous captures, whereas the same result can be obtained by consecutive three-dimensional (3D) scans. However, this latter procedure has not yet been validated. Fourteen volunteers underwent face image capture through stereophotogrammetry (VECTRA M3) and three consecutive facial scans through a laser scanner (Konica Minolta Vi910). The concordance between 14 linear distances, 12 angles, facial surface area and volume measurements was verified by the Bland-Altman test and calculation of absolute and relative technical errors of measurement (TEM/rTEM). The two facial images obtained by the different devices were then registered to calculate point-to-point distance. Most of linear distances and angles showed a high agreement, with "very good" or "good" rTEMs, ranging between 1.1% and 6.4%. Surface area measurements agreed wel...

Legal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), Jan 27, 2017

Distinction of one twin with respect to the other, based on external appearance, is challenging; ... more Distinction of one twin with respect to the other, based on external appearance, is challenging; nevertheless, facial morphology may provide individualizing features that may help distinguish twin siblings. This study aims at exposing an innovative method for the facial assessment in monozygotic twins for personal identification, based on the registration and comparison of 3D models of faces. Ten couples of monozygotic twins aged between 25 and 69 years were acquired twice by a stereophotogrammetric system (VECTRA-3D® M3: Canfield Scientific, Inc., Fairfield, NJ); the 3D reconstruction of each person was then registered and superimposed onto the model belonging to the same person (self-matches), the corresponding sibling (twin-matches) and to unrelated participants from the other couples (miss-matches); RMS (root mean square) point-to-point distances were automatically calculated for all the 220 superimpositions. One-way ANOVA was used to evaluate the differences among miss-matches,...

International journal of legal medicine, Jan 13, 2017

Decomposition of the human body and human face is influenced, among other things, by environmenta... more Decomposition of the human body and human face is influenced, among other things, by environmental conditions. The early decomposition changes that modify the appearance of the face may hamper the recognition and identification of the deceased. Quantitative assessment of those changes may provide important information for forensic identification. This report presents a pilot 3D quantitative approach of tracking early decomposition changes of a single cadaver in controlled environmental conditions by summarizing the change with weekly morphological descriptions. The root mean square (RMS) value was used to evaluate the changes of the face after death. The results showed a high correlation (r = 0.863) between the measured RMS and the time since death. RMS values of each scan are presented, as well as the average weekly RMS values. The quantification of decomposition changes could improve the accuracy of antemortem facial approximation and potentially could allow the direct comparisons...

Journal of forensic sciences, Jan 23, 2017

Sexual dimorphism is a crucial characteristic of skeleton. In the last years, volumetric and surf... more Sexual dimorphism is a crucial characteristic of skeleton. In the last years, volumetric and surface 3D acquisition systems have enabled anthropologists to assess surfaces and volumes, whose potential still needs to be verified. This article aimed at assessing volume and linear parameters of the first metatarsal bone through 3D acquisition by laser scanning. Sixty-eight skeletons underwent 3D scan through laser scanner: Seven linear measurements and volume from each bone were assessed. A cutoff value of 13,370 mm(3) was found, with an accuracy of 80.8%. Linear measurements outperformed volume: metatarsal length and mediolateral width of base showed higher cross-validated accuracies (respectively, 82.1% and 79.1%, raising at 83.6% when both of them were included). Further studies are needed to verify the real advantage for sex assessment provided by volume measurements.

Science & Justice, 2017

The situation of missing children is one of the most emotional social issues worldwide. The searc... more The situation of missing children is one of the most emotional social issues worldwide. The search for and identification of missing children is often hampered, among others, by the fact that the facial morphology of longterm missing children changes as they grow. Nowadays, the wide coverage by surveillance systems potentially provides image material for comparisons with images of missing children that may facilitate identification. The aim of study was to identify whether facial features are stable in time and can be utilized for facial recognition by comparing facial images of children at different ages as well as to test the possible use of moles in recognition. The study was divided into two phases (1) morphological classification of facial features using an Anthropological Atlas; (2) algorithm developed in MATLAB® R2014b for assessing the use of moles as age-stable features. The assessment of facial features by Anthropological Atlases showed high mismatch percentages among observers. On average, the mismatch percentages were lower for features describing shape than for those describing size. The nose tip cleft and the chin dimple showed the best agreement between observers regarding both categorization and stability over time. Using the position of moles as a reference point for recognition of the same person on age-different images seems to be a useful method in terms of objectivity and it can be concluded that moles represent age-stable facial features that may be considered for preliminary recognition.

Journal of forensic sciences, Jan 28, 2016

Techniques of 2D-3D superimposition are widely used in cases of personal identification from vide... more Techniques of 2D-3D superimposition are widely used in cases of personal identification from video surveillance systems. However, the progressive improvement of 3D image acquisition technology will enable operators to perform also 3D-3D facial superimposition. This study aims at analyzing the possible applications of 3D-3D superimposition to personal identification, although from a theoretical point of view. Twenty subjects underwent a facial 3D scan by stereophotogrammetry twice at different time periods. Scans were superimposed two by two according to nine landmarks, and root-mean-square (RMS) value of point-to-point distances was calculated. When the two superimposed models belonged to the same individual, RMS value was 2.10 mm, while it was 4.47 mm in mismatches with a statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001). This experiment shows the potential of 3D-3D superimposition: Further studies are needed to ascertain technical limits which may occur in practice and to impro...

Journal of forensic sciences, 2016

The assessment of facial mimicry is important in forensic anthropology; in addition, the applicat... more The assessment of facial mimicry is important in forensic anthropology; in addition, the application of modern 3D image acquisition systems may help for the analysis of facial surfaces. This study aimed at exposing a novel method for comparing 3D profiles in different facial expressions. Ten male adults, aged between 30 and 40 years, underwent acquisitions by stereophotogrammetry (VECTRA-3D(®) ) with different expressions (neutral, happy, sad, angry, surprised). The acquisition of each individual was then superimposed on the neutral one according to nine landmarks, and the root mean square (RMS) value between the two expressions was calculated. The highest difference in comparison with the neutral standard was shown by the happy expression (RMS 4.11 mm), followed by the surprised (RMS 2.74 mm), sad (RMS 1.3 mm), and angry ones (RMS 1.21 mm). This pilot study shows that the 3D-3D superimposition may provide reliable results concerning facial alteration due to mimicry.

Journal of forensic sciences, 2015

The assessment of fractures is a key issue in forensic anthropology; however, very few studies de... more The assessment of fractures is a key issue in forensic anthropology; however, very few studies deal with the features of fractures due to explosion in comparison with other traumatic injuries. This study focuses on fractures resulting from blast trauma and two types of blunt force trauma (manual compression and running over), applied to corpses of pigs; 163 osteons were examined within forty fractures by the transmission light microscopy. Blast lesions showed a higher percentage of fracture lines through the Haversian canal, whereas in other types of trauma, the fractures went across the inner lamellae. Significant differences between samples hit by blast energy and those runover or manually compressed were observed (p < 0.05). The frequency of pattern A is significantly higher in exploded bones than in runover and compressed. Microscopic analysis of the fracture line may provide information about the type of trauma, especially for what concerns blast trauma.

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2012

ABSTRACT Fast documentation of complex scenes where accidents or crimes occurred is fundamental n... more ABSTRACT Fast documentation of complex scenes where accidents or crimes occurred is fundamental not to lose information for post-event analyses and lesson learning. Today 3D terrestrial laser scanning and photogrammetry offer instruments capable of achieving this task. The former allows the fast geometric reconstruction of complex scenes through dense point clouds. Different kinds of instruments can be used according to the size of the area to survey and to the required level of details. The latter can be used for both geometric reconstruction and for photo-realistic texturing of laser scans. While photogrammetry better focuses on small details, laser scanning gives out a more comprehensive view of geometry of whole crime/accident scene. Both techniques can be used for recording a scene just after a crime or a disaster occurred, before the area is cleared out to recover regular activities. Visualization of results through an easy-to-use 3D environment is another import issue to offer useful data to investigators. Here two experiences of crime scene documentation are proposed.

Forensic Science International, Feb 1, 2010

Congress of the International Academy of Legal Medicine, 2009

La Revue de Médecine Légale, 2017

Proceedings of 3DBODY.TECH 2017 - 8th International Conference and Exhibition on 3D Body Scanning and Processing Technologies, Montreal QC, Canada, 11-12 Oct. 2017, 2017

Italian journal of anatomy and embryology, 2014

International Journal of Legal Medicine, 2021

Journal of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery : official publication of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery, Jan 24, 2018

Legal medicine (Tokyo, Japan), Jan 27, 2017

International journal of legal medicine, Jan 13, 2017

Journal of forensic sciences, Jan 23, 2017

Science & Justice, 2017

Journal of forensic sciences, Jan 28, 2016

Journal of forensic sciences, 2016

Journal of forensic sciences, 2015

Proceedings of SPIE - The International Society for Optical Engineering, 2012