Tal I Simmons - Academia.edu (original) (raw)

Papers by Tal I Simmons

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

International audienc

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

International audienc

Routledge eBooks, Nov 14, 2005

... for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), who began the exhumation of mass graves in a search fo... more ... for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), who began the exhumation of mass graves in a search for thc disnppeared in Argentina (Stover and Kyan 2001 ... reliable, it sul~tle, indicator in these cases is the extenclcd s~iprameat~il crest present in Japi~ncsc ~ n ~ les , Bass 1983.) In ...

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 2018

Pig half-carcasses were shot in scapulae, ribs and mandibles with either 0.243 hunting rifle usin... more Pig half-carcasses were shot in scapulae, ribs and mandibles with either 0.243 hunting rifle using high velocity expanding ammunition (N = 30) or AK47 using full metal jacketed (FMJ) ammunition (N = 12) from a range of either 5 or 20 m. Fracture patterns related to distance of fire and ammunition type were compared on de-fleshed, macerated, and reconstructed bones. For expanding ammunition, location of fracture on ribs affected the resulting pattern. Scapulae shot from 5 m presented a comminuted pattern different from those shot from 20 m. Mandibles shot from 20 m showed a characteristic radiating pattern at entrance with the opposite ramus unfractured; those shot from 5 m exhibited fractures to both rami. Using decision tree analysis provided accuracies of 93.8% for scapulae and 87.5% for mandibles. For FMJ, no distance dependent fracture differences were apparent in any bone. Decision tree analysis facilitated the interpretation of fracture patterns caused by projectile trauma.

Forensic Science International, Sep 1, 2019

Recent, short-term studies on porcine and human models (albeit with few replicates) demonstrated ... more Recent, short-term studies on porcine and human models (albeit with few replicates) demonstrated that the succession of the microbial community of remains may be used to estimate time since death. Using a porcine model (N=6) over an extended period of time (1703 ADD, or two months), this study characterized the eukaryote community of decomposing remains. Skin microbial samples were collected from the torso of each set of remains every day during the first week, on alternate days during the second week, and once a week for the remainder of the 60day period; all collection intervals were recorded in accumulated degree days (ADD). The eukaryote community of each sample was determined using 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) MiSeq high throughput sequencing; data were analyzed in the Mothur pipeline (v1.39.5) and in IBM SPSS and R statistical packages. The relative abundance of eukaryote taxa across ADD/Days and an Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) indicated similarities between sequential ADD/Days, but significant differences in the eukaryote communities as broad stage 'milestones' of decomposition were reached. Fresh remains (0-57 ADD/0-2 Days; exhibiting a Total Body Score (TBS) of 0-10) were characterized by the combined presence of Saccharomycetaceae, Debaryomycetaceae, Trichosporonaceae, Rhabditida, and Trichostomatia. During bloat and active decay (87-209 ADD/3-7 Days; exhibiting TBS of 11-20), Diptera was the most abundant eukaryotic taxa. During advanced decay stage (267-448 ADD/9-15 Days; exhibiting TBS of 21-25), Rhabditida was the most dominant eukaryote. Dry/skeletal remains (734-1703 ADD/26-61 Days; TBS ≥26) were dominated by fungal families Dipodascaceae, Debaryomycetaceae, Trichosporonaceae, and Sporidiobolaceae. Using the family-level eukaryote taxonomic data for the entire study, random forest modeling explained 89.58% of the variation in ADD/Days, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 177.55 ADD (≈6 days). Overall, these results highlight the importance of the microbial eukaryote community during the process of decomposition and in estimation of PMI.

Journal of Human Evolution, Mar 1, 1991

Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from sout... more Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from southwestern Asia are examined utilizing multivariate analyses of frontal bones. Particular emphasis is placed on assessing the interaction of size and shape factors in determining ...

Oxbow Books, Nov 21, 2017

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd eBooks, Feb 10, 2017

The identification of victims killed in disasters is important for the psychological well-being o... more The identification of victims killed in disasters is important for the psychological well-being of the victims' families and for legal closure. Recent advances, particularly in DNA profiling, used along with other scientific methods of identification have increased the scope and also the scale of disaster victim identification (DVI) operations to include disaster and post-conflict identification where there are thousands of victims.

Elsevier eBooks, 2013

Forensic taphonomy encompasses the study of the processes of decomposition, the circumstances of ... more Forensic taphonomy encompasses the study of the processes of decomposition, the circumstances of death, commingling, trauma analysis, and all other factors relating to the estimation of time since death. Forensic taphonomy grew out of taphonomic studies of bone assemblages conducted in palaeontology and archaeology, and took on new directions as both casework and the situations and conditions in which remains were found expanded. Current research in forensic taphonomy depends upon the collection of standardised data; this has aided the ability of researchers to compare decomposition patterns and rates across diverse geographic regions and environments.

Forensic Science International, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Sep 29, 2021

Conducting physical searches for mass grave locations based on anecdotal evidence is a time consu... more Conducting physical searches for mass grave locations based on anecdotal evidence is a time consuming and resource intensive endeavor in circumstances that often pose a threat to personal safety. The development of tools and procedures to speed such searches can greatly reduce the risk involved, increase the number of individuals whose remains are recovered and identified; and, more importantly, reunite these remains with their loved ones to provide them with a proper burial. Geographic information systems (GIS) software, which can analyze and manipulate the spatial characteristics of known mass grave data, represents a powerful tool that can be used to predict new mass grave locations and increase the speed and efficiency with which they are investigated. Using the open source QGIS project, existing mass grave locations in Guatemala were analyzed based on their distance from and change in elevation relative to roads, streets, waterways, points of interest, and possible villages/towns. Statistical analyses performed to detect relationships among the variables resulted in patterns that warrant further study and can be used to further narrow areas of investigation.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Apr 5, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

264 Advances in Forensic Taphonomy Introduction Interpretation of postmortem, taphonomic processe... more 264 Advances in Forensic Taphonomy Introduction Interpretation of postmortem, taphonomic processes in some outdoor scenes requires an understanding of geological processes and features. Geomorphologically induced microen-vironments coupled with the taphonomic ...

Forensic Science International, Jun 1, 2021

Although recent studies explored using microbial succession during decomposition to estimate the ... more Although recent studies explored using microbial succession during decomposition to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) and postmortem submersion interval (PMSI), there is currently no published research using aquatic eukaryotic community succession to estimate the minimum postmortem submersion interval (PMSImin). The goals of this study were to determine whether eukaryotic community succession occurs on porcine skeletal remains in a lentic environment, and, if so, to develop a statistical model for PMSImin prediction. Fresh porcine bones (rib N = 100, scapula N = 100) were placed in cages (10'' x 10'') attached to floatation devices and submerged in a fresh water lake (Crozet, VA), using waterproof loggers and a YSI Sonde to record temperature and water quality variables, respectively. In addition to baseline samples, one cage, containing five ribs and five scapulae, and water samples (500 mL) were collected approximately every 250 accumulated degree days (ADD). Nineteen sample cohorts were collected over a period of 5200 ADD (579 Days). Variable region nine (V9) of the 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified and sequenced using a dual-index strategy on the MiSeq FGx sequencing platform. Resulting sequences underwent quality control parameters and analysis in mothur v 1.42.3, R v 3.5.3, and R v 3.6.0. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed a significant difference in phylogenetic β-diversity among ribs, scapulae and water (p = 0.001) and among ADD (p ≤ 0.011), which was supported by distinct clustering of samples associated with each ADD in UniFrac distance based non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations. Using similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis of class and family level taxa, differences observed between bone types were attributed to Peronosporomycetes_cl, Eukaryota_unclassified, and Intramacronucleata (e.g., Armophorida), however these differences were not statistically significant. Alpha diversity revealed a non-linear increase in phylogenetic diversity with an increase in ADD. Random forest models for ribs and scapulae predicted PMSImin with an error rate within±104 days (937 ADD) and±63 days (564 ADD), respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that eukaryotic succession is capable of predicting long term PMSImin in lentic systems.

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

International audienc

Berghahn Books, Dec 31, 2022

International audienc

Routledge eBooks, Nov 14, 2005

... for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), who began the exhumation of mass graves in a search fo... more ... for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), who began the exhumation of mass graves in a search for thc disnppeared in Argentina (Stover and Kyan 2001 ... reliable, it sul~tle, indicator in these cases is the extenclcd s~iprameat~il crest present in Japi~ncsc ~ n ~ les , Bass 1983.) In ...

Berghahn Books, Nov 29, 2018

Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, 2018

Pig half-carcasses were shot in scapulae, ribs and mandibles with either 0.243 hunting rifle usin... more Pig half-carcasses were shot in scapulae, ribs and mandibles with either 0.243 hunting rifle using high velocity expanding ammunition (N = 30) or AK47 using full metal jacketed (FMJ) ammunition (N = 12) from a range of either 5 or 20 m. Fracture patterns related to distance of fire and ammunition type were compared on de-fleshed, macerated, and reconstructed bones. For expanding ammunition, location of fracture on ribs affected the resulting pattern. Scapulae shot from 5 m presented a comminuted pattern different from those shot from 20 m. Mandibles shot from 20 m showed a characteristic radiating pattern at entrance with the opposite ramus unfractured; those shot from 5 m exhibited fractures to both rami. Using decision tree analysis provided accuracies of 93.8% for scapulae and 87.5% for mandibles. For FMJ, no distance dependent fracture differences were apparent in any bone. Decision tree analysis facilitated the interpretation of fracture patterns caused by projectile trauma.

Forensic Science International, Sep 1, 2019

Recent, short-term studies on porcine and human models (albeit with few replicates) demonstrated ... more Recent, short-term studies on porcine and human models (albeit with few replicates) demonstrated that the succession of the microbial community of remains may be used to estimate time since death. Using a porcine model (N=6) over an extended period of time (1703 ADD, or two months), this study characterized the eukaryote community of decomposing remains. Skin microbial samples were collected from the torso of each set of remains every day during the first week, on alternate days during the second week, and once a week for the remainder of the 60day period; all collection intervals were recorded in accumulated degree days (ADD). The eukaryote community of each sample was determined using 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) MiSeq high throughput sequencing; data were analyzed in the Mothur pipeline (v1.39.5) and in IBM SPSS and R statistical packages. The relative abundance of eukaryote taxa across ADD/Days and an Analysis of Molecular Variance (AMOVA) indicated similarities between sequential ADD/Days, but significant differences in the eukaryote communities as broad stage 'milestones' of decomposition were reached. Fresh remains (0-57 ADD/0-2 Days; exhibiting a Total Body Score (TBS) of 0-10) were characterized by the combined presence of Saccharomycetaceae, Debaryomycetaceae, Trichosporonaceae, Rhabditida, and Trichostomatia. During bloat and active decay (87-209 ADD/3-7 Days; exhibiting TBS of 11-20), Diptera was the most abundant eukaryotic taxa. During advanced decay stage (267-448 ADD/9-15 Days; exhibiting TBS of 21-25), Rhabditida was the most dominant eukaryote. Dry/skeletal remains (734-1703 ADD/26-61 Days; TBS ≥26) were dominated by fungal families Dipodascaceae, Debaryomycetaceae, Trichosporonaceae, and Sporidiobolaceae. Using the family-level eukaryote taxonomic data for the entire study, random forest modeling explained 89.58% of the variation in ADD/Days, with a root mean square error (RMSE) of 177.55 ADD (≈6 days). Overall, these results highlight the importance of the microbial eukaryote community during the process of decomposition and in estimation of PMI.

Journal of Human Evolution, Mar 1, 1991

Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from sout... more Morphometric relationships among late middle and early late Pleistocene fossil hominids from southwestern Asia are examined utilizing multivariate analyses of frontal bones. Particular emphasis is placed on assessing the interaction of size and shape factors in determining ...

Oxbow Books, Nov 21, 2017

John Wiley & Sons, Ltd eBooks, Feb 10, 2017

The identification of victims killed in disasters is important for the psychological well-being o... more The identification of victims killed in disasters is important for the psychological well-being of the victims' families and for legal closure. Recent advances, particularly in DNA profiling, used along with other scientific methods of identification have increased the scope and also the scale of disaster victim identification (DVI) operations to include disaster and post-conflict identification where there are thousands of victims.

Elsevier eBooks, 2013

Forensic taphonomy encompasses the study of the processes of decomposition, the circumstances of ... more Forensic taphonomy encompasses the study of the processes of decomposition, the circumstances of death, commingling, trauma analysis, and all other factors relating to the estimation of time since death. Forensic taphonomy grew out of taphonomic studies of bone assemblages conducted in palaeontology and archaeology, and took on new directions as both casework and the situations and conditions in which remains were found expanded. Current research in forensic taphonomy depends upon the collection of standardised data; this has aided the ability of researchers to compare decomposition patterns and rates across diverse geographic regions and environments.

Forensic Science International, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Sep 29, 2021

Conducting physical searches for mass grave locations based on anecdotal evidence is a time consu... more Conducting physical searches for mass grave locations based on anecdotal evidence is a time consuming and resource intensive endeavor in circumstances that often pose a threat to personal safety. The development of tools and procedures to speed such searches can greatly reduce the risk involved, increase the number of individuals whose remains are recovered and identified; and, more importantly, reunite these remains with their loved ones to provide them with a proper burial. Geographic information systems (GIS) software, which can analyze and manipulate the spatial characteristics of known mass grave data, represents a powerful tool that can be used to predict new mass grave locations and increase the speed and efficiency with which they are investigated. Using the open source QGIS project, existing mass grave locations in Guatemala were analyzed based on their distance from and change in elevation relative to roads, streets, waterways, points of interest, and possible villages/towns. Statistical analyses performed to detect relationships among the variables resulted in patterns that warrant further study and can be used to further narrow areas of investigation.

Journal of Forensic Sciences, Apr 5, 2021

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the ad... more This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such as the addition of a cover page and metadata, and formatting for readability, but it is not yet the definitive version of record. This version will undergo additional copyediting, typesetting and review before it is published in its final form, but we are providing this version to give early visibility of the article. Please note that, during the production process, errors may be discovered which could affect the content, and all legal disclaimers that apply to the journal pertain.

264 Advances in Forensic Taphonomy Introduction Interpretation of postmortem, taphonomic processe... more 264 Advances in Forensic Taphonomy Introduction Interpretation of postmortem, taphonomic processes in some outdoor scenes requires an understanding of geological processes and features. Geomorphologically induced microen-vironments coupled with the taphonomic ...

Forensic Science International, Jun 1, 2021

Although recent studies explored using microbial succession during decomposition to estimate the ... more Although recent studies explored using microbial succession during decomposition to estimate the postmortem interval (PMI) and postmortem submersion interval (PMSI), there is currently no published research using aquatic eukaryotic community succession to estimate the minimum postmortem submersion interval (PMSImin). The goals of this study were to determine whether eukaryotic community succession occurs on porcine skeletal remains in a lentic environment, and, if so, to develop a statistical model for PMSImin prediction. Fresh porcine bones (rib N = 100, scapula N = 100) were placed in cages (10'' x 10'') attached to floatation devices and submerged in a fresh water lake (Crozet, VA), using waterproof loggers and a YSI Sonde to record temperature and water quality variables, respectively. In addition to baseline samples, one cage, containing five ribs and five scapulae, and water samples (500 mL) were collected approximately every 250 accumulated degree days (ADD). Nineteen sample cohorts were collected over a period of 5200 ADD (579 Days). Variable region nine (V9) of the 18S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified and sequenced using a dual-index strategy on the MiSeq FGx sequencing platform. Resulting sequences underwent quality control parameters and analysis in mothur v 1.42.3, R v 3.5.3, and R v 3.6.0. Permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) revealed a significant difference in phylogenetic β-diversity among ribs, scapulae and water (p = 0.001) and among ADD (p ≤ 0.011), which was supported by distinct clustering of samples associated with each ADD in UniFrac distance based non-metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) ordinations. Using similarity percentage (SIMPER) analysis of class and family level taxa, differences observed between bone types were attributed to Peronosporomycetes_cl, Eukaryota_unclassified, and Intramacronucleata (e.g., Armophorida), however these differences were not statistically significant. Alpha diversity revealed a non-linear increase in phylogenetic diversity with an increase in ADD. Random forest models for ribs and scapulae predicted PMSImin with an error rate within±104 days (937 ADD) and±63 days (564 ADD), respectively. In conclusion, this study suggests that eukaryotic succession is capable of predicting long term PMSImin in lentic systems.