Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39506939›Full record

ReviewHeliyon2024

75 years of forensic profiling: A critical review.

Roberta Tittarelli, Sara Dagoli, Rossana Cecchi, Luigi Tonino Marsella, Francesco Saverio Romolo

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Heliyon, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Roberta TittarelliDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Legal Medicine, Social Security and Forensic Toxicology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
Sara DagoliDepartment of Medicine and Surgery, Legal Medicine, University of Parma, Viale Gramsci 14, 43126, Parma, Italy.
Rossana CecchiDepartment of Biochemical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, Institute of Legal Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.
Luigi Tonino MarsellaDepartment of Biomedicine and Prevention, Section of Legal Medicine, Social Security and Forensic Toxicology, University of Rome "Tor Vergata", Via Montpellier 1, 00133, Rome, Italy.
Francesco Saverio RomoloDepartment of Law, University of Bergamo, Via Moroni 255, 24127, Bergamo, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The interest in characterization of drugs abused started in 1948 with the aim of determining the origin of opium. After 75 years there is still a great interest in this approach, called geo-profiling, chemical or forensic profiling in the following decades. Recently chemical attribution signatures (CAS) were proposed by the authors who studied "synthesis precursors and byproducts, impurities, degradation products, and metabolites in various biological matrices" of fentanyl. Forensic profiling evolved during these decades: new analytical approaches were tested and it was applied to more and more products, which threaten the health and security of citizens worldwide. In substances of natural origins (e.g. opium, cannabis and cocaine), it is possible to exploit the great variability of both elements and organic chemical compounds and to study chemical compounds such as reagents and solvents, by-products, and cutting agents used in the production chain. Profiles can be used to classify products from different seizures into groups of similar samples (tactical intelligence) or to determine the origin of samples (strategic intelligence). Chromatographic approaches coupled to mass spectrometry are very common to determine organic profiles, while elemental profiles are obtained by nuclear activation analysis, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or ion beam analysis. A very important role in the field is played by isotope ratio analysis. Approaches to obtain forensic profiles are available also for chemical warfare agents, explosives, illegal medicines, doping agents, supplements, food. Chemometrics can be particularly useful to establish the authenticity of products and for the interpretation of large amount of forensic data. The future of forensic profiling is a challenge for forensic sciences. Organized crime is involved in the manufacturing of a large number of illegal products and forensic profiling is a very powerful tool to support the health of citizens and the administration of justice worldwide.

Indexed as

Chemical attribution signatures (CAS)Chemical profilingChemical warfare agentsCounterfeit medicinesDoping agentsGeo-profilingIllicit drugs

Identifiers

PMID39506939
PMCPMC11538754

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.