After the terrorist attacks on September 11 and the anthrax attacks in 2001, the United States Government (USG) implemented several pieces of legislation to enable the federal government to prepare for future threats, including managing and funding product development of medical countermeasures (MCMs). The Project BioShield Act of 2004[1] and the Pandemic and All Hazards Preparedness Act (PAHPA) of 2006[2] (with reauthorizations in 2013[3] and 2019[4]) described and fine-tuned the scope and mission of different agencies in this effort. The Department of Homeland Security is charged with issuing material threat determinations[5] from which organizations can model threat scenarios to determine potential health outcomes. The numbers from these models serve as thresholds for planning purposes. Within the radiological and nuclear (Rad/Nuc) space, there are two primary threats that have been identified as threats to national security: nuclear detonation (NucDet) and radiological dispersal devices (RDDs). NucDet is deemed the higher priority threat for planning and MCM development because of its greater potential impact. Health effects associated with nuclear power plant accidents are also considered in planning and preparedness.

Digital forensics plays a key role in investigating different types of crimes. It involves analyzing evidence from electronic devices, social media, and system logs. However, investigators face major challenges due to the large size of digital data. Information from networks, smartphones, and online platforms is often too complex to analyze within a limited time. The large size of digital evidence and the pressure of a strict timeline for case investigation force the investigator to do data reduction and selective analysis. It is also difficult for the investigator to correlate the various digital evidence to create the complete picture of the crime story. To address these challenges, we propose a Multimodal Artificial Intelligence Framework designed to integrate heterogeneous digital evidence analysis capabilities by leveraging artificial intelligence. The proof-of-concept architecture proposed in the paper incorporates explainable AI, pattern recognition, and a confidence-aware inference mechanism for semantic evidence analysis. The experimental analysis of the proposed model shows improved investigative efficiency. The analysis of the research results endorses the effectiveness of AI-assisted workflow in digital forensics investigation.

Prolonged sitting restricts lower-limb joint mobility, and conventional device-based massage has limited capacity to expand joint range of motion (ROM). This study examined whether adding a passive stretching module to device-based massage produces additional immediate lower-limb improvements. Forty-one sedentary adults were randomly assigned to two groups: the main group completed conventional massage (CON) followed, in a fixed order, by passive-stretch massage (PST), while an independent control group repeated CON twice. The PST phase produced significantly greater immediate incremental ROM gains than repeated CON across hip flexion, abduction, extension and knee flexion. Target-muscle %MVC remained below 5% throughout PST, with iEMG 62-79% lower than CON and subjective ratings indicated positive relaxation, flexibility improvement and willingness to continue use. These immediate, single-session findings offer preliminary support for integrating passive stretching into device-based massage systems; long-term effects and practical application value warrant further investigation.

Background/Objectives: Total scapulectomy for malignant scapular tumors remains a major reconstructive challenge because resection removes the osseous framework, muscular insertions, and biomechanical support required for shoulder function. Patient-specific three-dimensional (3D)-printed implants may improve anatomical reconstruction, but the indications and surgical principles underlying successful total scapular replacement remain poorly defined. Methods: This retrospective single-center case series included the first three consecutive patients who underwent total scapulectomy followed by immediate reconstruction using a patient-specific 3D-printed scapular prosthesis between January 2024 and December 2025. Clinical, radiographic, oncological, and functional outcomes were reviewed. Functional outcome was assessed using the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score and active shoulder range of motion. Results: The cohort included two women and one man with a median age of 53 years (range, 43-58 years). Diagnoses were chondrosarcoma in two patients and osteosarcoma in one. All tumors were Enneking stage IIB. Negative margins were achieved in all patients, and the axillary nerve and principal shoulder-girdle stabilizers were preserved in every case. Median follow-up was 13 months (range, 12-27 months). At latest follow-up, two patients had no evidence of disease and one was alive with disease after developing pulmonary metastases. The median MSTS score was 25/30 (range, 21-26). Median active elbow flexion, abduction, and forward flexion measured 88°, 80°, and 80°, respectively. Two patients experienced complications: one clavicular fracture and one aseptic wound dehiscence; neither resulted in implant failure or required revision of the reconstruction. Conclusions: Patient-specific total scapular reconstruction may provide satisfactory early radiographic and functional outcomes in carefully selected patients, although outcomes remain variable depending on individual patient and tumor characteristics. Implant design, patient selection, preservation of the axillary nerve and viable innervated shoulder-girdle musculature, and soft-tissue reconstruction should be considered complementary components of this reconstructive strategy.

Chop wounds on the body, produced by the forceful impact of a heavy swinging blade, are conventionally considered telltale signs of homicide in forensic pathology, as a person cannot plausibly inflict such a wound upon themselves, since it appears to demand the momentum and arc of another individual's swinging arm. Existing literature has extensively documented suicidal deaths involving incised and stab wounds, where the mechanics of a short blade wielded by the victim's own hand are well established and readily accepted. Until now, however, no prior study has documented such a case of suicide resulting from a chop wound. The case describes a rare instance in which a 51-year-old man died from a self-inflicted chop wound to his own neck. He did not employ a conventional blade but instead used a Sudi, a device commonly found in Indian shops and ordinarily used for cutting areca nut or betel nut. He positioned his neck within the cutting mechanism of the Sudi and self-actuated its lever, producing a deep, transecting wound that divided the cervical soft tissues, the major neurovascular structures, the cervical vertebra, and the spinal cord. What renders this case forensically noteworthy is that the morphology of the wound did not conform to the pattern typically associated with an assault delivered by a swinging blade. Instead, forensic examination identified asymmetric wound depth, bevelling along the wound margins, and pressure and traction marks on the adjacent skin. These features could not be reconciled with the conventional arc and impact mechanics of a wielded chopping weapon. They became fully explicable once the compressive and shearing action of the Sudi's lever-based mechanism was taken into account. The Sudi does not operate through a freely swung strike but rather functions through a hinged lever that compresses and shears through tissue placed within its jaws. Consequently, the wound superficially resembled a homicidal chop injury while actually bearing the mechanical signature of a self-actuated, static compression event. It must be emphasized that no single category of evidence was sufficient in isolation. Rather, it was the convergence of multiple strands like the findings at the crime scene, the contextual history of the deceased's financial distress and a rigorous biomechanical analysis of the weapon that proved pivotal in establishing suicide as the definitive manner of death. This case demonstrates concretely how the reflexive assumption that chop wounds are inherently homicidal can mislead investigators if the specific mechanics of the implicated weapon are not meticulously scrutinized. Exceptions can and do arise when atypical weapons with unconventional mechanical actions are involved. By documenting morphological features that diverged from the expected homicidal pattern and by tracing those divergences to the specific engineering of the Sudi's cutting action, the report illustrates how the boundary between homicide and suicide can sometimes become obscured. Features characteristic of one manner of death may, paradoxically manifest in a case belonging to the other. Forensic pathologists and investigating authorities must resist the temptation to arrive at hasty conclusions regarding manner of death based on wound appearance alone. A comprehensive and evidence integrated approach is essential, one in which weapon biomechanics, scene reconstruction, and circumstantial history are weighed collectively.

Background.Accurate three-dimensional dynamic assessment of the thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) joint is important for understanding the pathomechanics of CMC osteoarthritis and evaluating treatment outcomes. Intensity-based biplane 2D-3D registration is a promising approach for dynamic bone motion analysis; however, conventional orthogonal biplane configurations are often difficult to implement for small-joint imaging in clinical settings.Methods.We validated the accuracy of intensity-based biplane 2D-3D registration for thumb CMC joint kinematic analysis using a phantom model under a low-angle, non-orthogonal biplane fluoroscopic configuration (53°). Registration-derived bone poses were compared with radiostereometric analysis-derived ground truth across 252 biplane fluoroscopic image pairs during palmar and radial abduction tasks. Translational and rotational errors were calculated for the thumb proximal phalanx, first metacarpal, trapezium, and second metacarpal.Results.The method achieved submillimeter mean overall component-wise translational errors for all evaluated bones (range: 0.11-0.31 mm). Mean overall component-wise rotational errors were below 3° for all bones (range: 0.44-2.64°). Larger axis-specific rotational root mean square errors were observed for the trapezium and thumb proximal phalanx, reflecting bone- and axis-dependent error patterns.Conclusion.Intensity-based biplane 2D-3D registration can provide sufficient accuracy for dynamic analysis of the thumb CMC joint using a low-angle, non-orthogonal biplane configuration. This approach may serve as a clinically feasible platform for assessing small-joint kinematics in settings where conventional orthogonal biplane systems are difficult to implement, supporting futurein vivostudies of dynamic thumb CMC joint motion.