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Reading the Epigenetic Clock: A Comparative Analysis of DNA Methylation Markers for Age Estimation in Semen, Saliva, and Touch DNA Febria Suryani; Bryan Helsey; Leonardo Simanjuntak; Karina Chandra; Mustafa Mahmud; Lisha Sandrina; Ahmad Erza
Sriwijaya Journal of Forensic and Medicolegal Vol. 3 No. 1 (2025): Sriwijaya Journal of Forensic and Medicolegal
Publisher : Phlox Institute: Indonesian Medical Research Organization

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.59345/sjfm.v3i1.233

Abstract

Introduction: The capacity to predict an individual's age from biological evidence constitutes a significant advancement in forensic intelligence. DNA methylation, a stable epigenetic mark, provides a molecular basis for "epigenetic clocks." However, the operational reliability of these clocks necessitates rigorous validation across diverse biological samples and populations, particularly for challenging, low-template touch DNA evidence. Methods: Following approval from the Ethical Committee of CMHC Indonesia (No. 128/EC/CMHC/2023), we recruited 150 healthy Indonesian male volunteers aged 18-65. Semen, saliva, and high-yield standardized touch DNA samples were collected. DNA was extracted, quantified fluorometrically, and subjected to bisulfite conversion with efficiency controls. The methylation levels of a curated five-CpG panel (ELOVL2, FHL2, TRIM59, KCNQ1DN, C1orf132) were quantified using a rigorously controlled pyrosequencing workflow. Body-fluid-specific age prediction models were developed using multiple linear regression, validated with 10-fold cross-validation, and assessed for statistical assumptions including multicollinearity. Results: The models for semen and saliva demonstrated high predictive accuracy, yielding Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) values of 3.19 years (R²=0.94) and 3.55 years (R²=0.92), respectively. The model developed from high-yield touch DNA was less precise but still highly informative, with a MAD of 5.49 years (R²=0.85). All models satisfied the assumptions of linear regression, with Variance Inflation Factors below 2.5 indicating low multicollinearity. The 95% prediction intervals were narrowest for semen, reflecting its superior precision. Conclusion: This study validates a robust, targeted epigenetic panel for age prediction in a Southeast Asian population. We present highly accurate, tissue-specific models for semen and saliva, suitable for immediate consideration in forensic casework. The touch DNA model, while requiring cautious interpretation, provides a valuable framework for generating investigative leads from trace evidence. Our findings underscore the critical importance of tissue-specific modeling and provide a detailed methodological and statistical blueprint for the responsible implementation of forensic age estimation.
Comprehension-Based Informed Consent Efficacy in High-Risk Surgeries: A Structural Equation Modeling Study Among Indonesian Patients in a Collectivistic Cultural Context Mustafa Mahmud; Cinthya Callathea; Yi-Fen Huang; Delia Tamim
Sriwijaya Journal of Forensic and Medicolegal Vol. 3 No. 2 (2025): Sriwijaya Journal of Forensic and Medicolegal
Publisher : Phlox Institute: Indonesian Medical Research Organization

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.59345/sjfm.v3i2.249

Abstract

Introduction: Comprehension-based informed consent (IC) represents the ethical and medicolegal foundation of surgical practice, yet its adequacy in collectivistic societies remains insufficiently studied. This study evaluated IC efficacy among high-risk surgical patients in an Indonesian tertiary hospital and identified sociodemographic, psychosocial, and clinical determinants using binary logistic regression within a structural equation modeling (SEM) analytical framework. Methods: A cross-sectional study enrolled 320 adult patients undergoing high-risk elective surgery (cardiac, thoracic, major abdominal, and orthopaedic) at Private Hospital X, Palembang, South Sumatra, Indonesia, from January to December 2024. Validated instruments assessed IC Comprehension Score (ICCS), Health Literacy Level (HLL), Surgeon Communication Quality (SCQ), Family Influence Score (FIS), Collectivism Index (CI), and IC Efficacy Score (ICE, 0–100). Adequate IC efficacy was defined as ICE ≥ 70. Bivariat analysis used Chi-Square and Mann-Whitney U tests. Multivariable binary logistic regression was performed with all continuous predictors standardised. Results: Mean ICCS was 49.4 ± 20.0 and mean ICE was 40.5 ± 19.8. Only 19 participants (5.9%) achieved adequate IC efficacy. Education level was significantly associated with IC efficacy adequacy (χ²=58.9, p<0.001). Spearman correlations revealed strong positive associations between ICCS and ICE (rho=0.773, p<0.001) and HLL and ICE (rho=0.566, p<0.001), and a weak negative association between FIS and ICE (rho=−0.139, p=0.012). In multivariable analysis, ICCS was the sole statistically significant independent predictor of adequate IC efficacy (OR=13.75, 95% CI [3.32–56.92], p<0.001); the model explained 55.4% of variance (Nagelkerke R²=0.554). Conclusion: Comprehension-based IC efficacy is markedly insufficient in this high-risk surgical collectivistic setting, with only 5.9% achieving adequacy. IC Comprehension Score was the sole independent determinant of IC efficacy, underscoring the imperative for structured, comprehension-focused, and culturally tailored IC interventions in Indonesian and comparable surgical settings.