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Full-Text Articles in Forensic Biology
Decomposition Study Using Pigs In Southeastern Nebraska During The Fall And Winter Seasons, Ryan Bodine
Decomposition Study Using Pigs In Southeastern Nebraska During The Fall And Winter Seasons, Ryan Bodine
Department of Anthropology: Theses and Student Research
When an individual is found deceased, one of the tools used in the identification process is estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI). This estimate is used to determine how long an individual has been deceased once their remains are found. To estimate an accurate PMI, knowing how decomposition is affected by external factors is key. The transition period from fall to winter in southeastern Nebraska consists of fluctuating temperatures as the seasons transfer from fall to winter. This thesis investigates how decomposition is affected during this transition period while also looking at two different environments that are common in Nebraska, prairies …
The Chemistry Of Decomposition: The Mechanisms To Decay The Human Body, Lydia J. Buxa
The Chemistry Of Decomposition: The Mechanisms To Decay The Human Body, Lydia J. Buxa
Senior Honors Theses
Taphonomic analysis separates decomposition into four major stages: fresh, early decomposition, advanced decomposition, and skeletonization. It is easy to demarcate the observable changes to the body, but it is far more difficult to know what underlying biochemical processes are occurring. Fresh decomposition begins with algor mortis, livor mortis, and rigor mortis, which sets the stage for the major workforces of decomposition: autolysis and putrefaction. The external signs of decomposition appear in early decomposition, which can be attributed to the breakdown of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids. This also leads to major changes in the moisture levels during advanced decomposition, …