Anabolic-androgenic steroids (AASs) are a large group of molecules including endogenously produced androgens, such as testosterone, as well as synthetically manufactured derivatives. AAS use is widespread due to their ability to improve muscle growth for aesthetic purposes and athletes’ performance, minimizing androgenic effects. AAS use is very popular and 1–3% of US inhabitants have been estimated to be AAS users. However, AASs have side effects, involving all organs, tissues and body functions, especially long-term toxicity involving the cardiovascular system and the reproductive system, thereby, their abuse is considered a public health issue. The aim of the proposed review is to highlight the most recent evidence regarding the mechanisms of action of AASs and their unwanted effects on organs and lifestyle, as well as suggesting that AAS misuse and abuse lead to adverse effects in all body tissues and organs. Oxidative stress, apoptosis, and protein synthesis alteration are common mechanisms involved in AAS-related damage in the whole body. The cardiovascular system and the reproductive system are the most frequently involved apparatuses. Epidemiology as well as the molecular and pathological mechanisms involved in the neuropsychiatric side-effects of AAS abuse are still unclear, further research is needed in this field. In addition, diagnostically reliable tests for AAS abuse should be standardized. In this regard, to prevent the use of AASs, public health measures in all settings are crucial. These measures consist of improved knowledge among healthcare workers, proper doping screening tests, educational interventions, and updated legislation.

The term artificial intelligence (AI) was coined in the 1950s and it has successfully made its way into different fields of medicine. Forensic sciences and AI are increasingly intersecting fields that hold tremendous potential for solving complex criminal investigations. Considering the great evolution in the technologies applied to forensic genetics, this literature review aims to explore the existing body of research that investigates the application of AI in the field of forensic genetics. Scopus and Web of Science were searched: after an accurate evaluation, 12 articles were included in the present systematic review. The application of AI in the field of forensic genetics has predominantly focused on two aspects. Firstly, several studies have investigated the use of AI in haplogroup analysis to enhance and expedite the classification process of DNA samples. Secondly, other research groups have utilized AI to analyze short tandem repeat (STR) profiles, thereby minimizing the risk of misinterpretation. While AI has proven to be highly useful in forensic genetics, further improvements are needed before using these applications in real cases. The main challenge lies in the communication gap between forensic experts: as AI continues to advance, the collaboration between forensic sciences and AI presents immense potential for transforming investigative practices, enabling quicker and more precise case resolutions.

The use of illicit and non-illicit substances is widespread in suicides. The toxicological data may help in understanding the mechanism of death. This systematic review aimed to analyze autopsies related to suicides by consuming poison, focusing on the correlation between substance use and the country of origin to create an alarm bell to indicate that suicide maybe attempted and prevent it. The systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines, with the primary objective of identifying autopsies conducted in cases of suicide by consuming poison in specific geographic areas. Significant differences in substances were observed between low-income and Western countries that confirm previous literature data. In rural areas and Asian countries, most suicides by consuming poison involve the use of pesticides, such as organophosphates and carbamates. In Western countries, illicit drugs and medically prescribed drugs are the leading cause of suicide by self-poisoning. Future research should shed light on the correlation between social, medical, and demographic characteristics and the autopsy findings in suicides by self-poisoning to highlight the risk factors and implement tailored prevention programs worldwide. Performing a complete autopsy on a suspected suicide by self-poisoning could be essential in supporting worldwide public health measures and policy makers. Therefore, complete autopsies in such cases must be vigorously promoted.

The best evidence provided in the literature worldwide suggests the importance of harmonizing the investigation in drug-related fatalities. In this study, the application of a multidisciplinary approach in eight cases of drug-related deaths is presented. Although death scene findings could be highly suggestive of drug intoxication, external examination and toxicological screening test alone are insufficient. There are several variables, and it is not always easy to give the proper interpretation of the drug detection. A complete autopsy is necessary to correctly complete organ and tissues sampling for further histological and toxicological studies and obtain body fluids. The use of peripheral blood is recommended to avoid artifacts. The collection of many specimens is warranted to get more responses. The sampling aims to provide a picture of the distribution of the substance in the body. The sample and the selection of the drugs and the matrices to investigate are case-dependent. The presented diagnostic algorithm provides the coroner with all the elements to investigate drug-related deaths and cooperate with toxicologists. Toxicological forensic diagnosis is still extremely heterogeneous in regional and national contexts. Funding for method development, research, networking, facilities, and technologies improvement is mandatory to standardize the toxicological investigation.

Ethyl glucuronide (EtG) is a non-volatile, non-oxidative, hydrophilic, and stable ethanol phase II metabolite. EtG is produced through ethanol glucuronidation by UDP-glucuronosyltransferase (UGT), a phase II enzyme. EtG can be extracted from different biological matrices, including keratin ones, such as hair or nails. The purpose of this scoping review is to describe the relationship between EtG levels in hair and some of the most common and frequent pathological conditions and verify whether different reference cut-offs in relation to various pathologies have been identified in the scientific literature. In fact, in-depth knowledge of the influence of pathologies, such as diabetes mellitus, hepatic and renal dysfunction, on EtG production and its storage in keratin matrices would allow a more appropriate interpretation of obtained data and rule out false positives or false negatives. This scoping review is based on bibliographic research carried out on PubMed regarding the quantification of EtG in hair of subjects affected by different pathological conditions. According to the scientific literature, the main and most common pathologies that can affect the concentration of EtG in hair are liver and kidney diseases and diabetes. The EtG quantification analytical data should be interpreted carefully as they may have a great impact in both forensic and clinical contexts.

Background: Healthcare-Acquired Infections (HAIs) are serious healthcare complications affecting hospital stay, in-hospital mortality, and costs. Root cause analysis has identified the inappropriate use of antibiotics as the main causative factor in the expansion of multi-drug-resistant organisms (MDRO) in our hospital. An Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS) program was implemented to optimize antibiotic use, limit the development of resistance, improve therapeutic efficacy and clinical outcomes, and reduce costs. Methods: The stewardship strategies were: antimicrobial oversight on “critical” antibiotics; the development of hospital guidelines on antibiotic selection with the production of a consensus document; the implementation of clinical and management control algorithms with visual impact and Business Intelligence methods; training and updating; and the monitoring of outcome measures and process indicators. Results: Clinical outcomes: length of stay reduced by 0.23 days, hospital readmission/first month rates decreased by 19%, and mortality for infections reduced by 8.8%. Microbiological Outcomes: Clostridium Difficile colitis incidence reduced by 9.1%.Economic Outcomes: Reduction in antimicrobial costs by 35% on average fee/discharged patient. Conclusions: The systematic application of the AMS program in a small hospital led to multiple improvements in clinical, microbiological, and economic outcome measures. The analysis of the core indicators for our hospital AMS program showed a significant adherence to the model and hospital recommendations.