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IPMICALC: an Integrated Post-mortem Interval Calculator

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Abstract

Correctly estimating the post-mortem interval (PMI) is essential in forensic practice. In recent decades, the measurement of vitreous humor analyte concentrations — especially of hypoxanthine and potassium — and their correlation with the PMI have returned good results. However, calculating the PMI from the data collected can be quite complex. The present paper describes a web resource (http://modestya.usc.es:3838/Forensic/) that simplifies the procedure. The PMI is determined (with its 95% confidence interval) in a rapid, easy, and reliable manner based on the use of mathematical models, the biochemistry of the vitreous humor, and physical variables such as the ambient temperature, the rectal temperature, and bodyweight. The application is entirely free to use.

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Funding

This study was supported by a grant from the Xunta de Galicia, Spain (Proxectos Plan Galego IDT; ED431C 2021/35), grant ED431C 2021/24 from the Consellería de Cultura, Educación e Universidades (Grupos Competitivos), and grant PID2020-116587 GB-I00 from the Agencia Estatal de la Investigación, Spain.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistics, Mathematical Analysis and Optimization, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Manuel Febrero Bande

  2. Department of Psychiatry, Radiology, Public Health, Nursing and Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Lucía Ordóñez Mayán

  3. Institute of Forensic Sciences (INCIFOR), University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Lucía Ordóñez Mayán & José Ignacio Muñoz Barús

  4. National Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences – Centre Branch, Coimbra, Portugal

    Cristina Cordeiro

  5. Department of Forensic Medicine, Ethics and Medical Law, Faculty of Medicine, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Cristina Cordeiro & Duarte Nuno Vieira

  6. CENCIFOR (Centre of Forensic Sciences) – Foundation for Science and Technology, Coimbra, Portugal

    Cristina Cordeiro

  7. Department of Forensic Sciences, Pathology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, Pediatrics, University of Santiago de Compostela, Rúa de San Francisco, s/n, 15782, Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain

    José Ignacio Muñoz Barús

Authors
  1. Manuel Febrero Bande
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  2. Lucía Ordóñez Mayán
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  3. Cristina Cordeiro
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  4. Duarte Nuno Vieira
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  5. José Ignacio Muñoz Barús
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Correspondence to José Ignacio Muñoz Barús.

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Febrero Bande, M., Ordóñez Mayán, L., Cordeiro, C. et al. IPMICALC: an Integrated Post-mortem Interval Calculator. Forensic Sci Med Pathol 19, 468–472 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-022-00537-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12024-022-00537-7

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