Cell counting to monitor swab efficiency
This study reports on the best combination of swabs and moistening solution for the greatest recovery of cellular material from ziplock bags. Five swabs, two different variations of Copan Diagnostics nylon 4N6FLOQSwabs, one Medical Wire rayon DRYSWAB, one IsoHelix rayon swab, and one Livingstone cotton swab, were evaluated with two moistening solutions, Triton X-100 in either distilled water or isopropanol. Fingermarks were deposited on ziplock bags and stained with Diamond™ Nucleic Acid Dye to allow visualization of the cells pre- and post-swabbing to determine the number of cells recovered. Based on cell counting data,...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 21, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Madison Nolan Adrian Linacre Source Type: research
Quantitative color analysis of burned bone to predict DNA quantity, quality, and genotyping success
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 17. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15490. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBadly burned skeletal remains are commonly submitted to forensic laboratories for victim identification via DNA analysis methods. Burned skeletal remains present many challenges for DNA analysis as they can contain low amounts of DNA which can also be damaged and degraded, resulting in partial or no STR profiles. Therefore, a simple, but effective screening method that identifies which samples may provide the most successful STR or mtDNA typing results for identification would enable forensic laboratories to save time, money, and resou...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 17, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Eric Macias Kendall Hartline Patrick Buzzini Sheree Hughes Source Type: research
Quantitative color analysis of burned bone to predict DNA quantity, quality, and genotyping success
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 17. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15490. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBadly burned skeletal remains are commonly submitted to forensic laboratories for victim identification via DNA analysis methods. Burned skeletal remains present many challenges for DNA analysis as they can contain low amounts of DNA which can also be damaged and degraded, resulting in partial or no STR profiles. Therefore, a simple, but effective screening method that identifies which samples may provide the most successful STR or mtDNA typing results for identification would enable forensic laboratories to save time, money, and resou...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 17, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Eric Macias Kendall Hartline Patrick Buzzini Sheree Hughes Source Type: research
Quantitative color analysis of burned bone to predict DNA quantity, quality, and genotyping success
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 17. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15490. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBadly burned skeletal remains are commonly submitted to forensic laboratories for victim identification via DNA analysis methods. Burned skeletal remains present many challenges for DNA analysis as they can contain low amounts of DNA which can also be damaged and degraded, resulting in partial or no STR profiles. Therefore, a simple, but effective screening method that identifies which samples may provide the most successful STR or mtDNA typing results for identification would enable forensic laboratories to save time, money, and resou...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 17, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Eric Macias Kendall Hartline Patrick Buzzini Sheree Hughes Source Type: research
Quantitative color analysis of burned bone to predict DNA quantity, quality, and genotyping success
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 17. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15490. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTBadly burned skeletal remains are commonly submitted to forensic laboratories for victim identification via DNA analysis methods. Burned skeletal remains present many challenges for DNA analysis as they can contain low amounts of DNA which can also be damaged and degraded, resulting in partial or no STR profiles. Therefore, a simple, but effective screening method that identifies which samples may provide the most successful STR or mtDNA typing results for identification would enable forensic laboratories to save time, money, and resou...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 17, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Eric Macias Kendall Hartline Patrick Buzzini Sheree Hughes Source Type: research
An improved Simon reaction method to discriminate between methamphetamine and false-positive substances
In this study, we examined the new Simon reaction to improve the qualitative accuracy of MA detection to discriminate substances that give false positives in a conventional Simon reaction. After the conventional Simon reaction for MA and false positives (N-isopropylbenzylamine (NIP-BA), N-methylbenzylamine (NMe-BA), L-proline (Pro), and L-hydroxyproline (HYP)), which are colored blue, di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (t-Boc) reagent was added, and color tone changes were observed. When t-Boc was added to the false positives (NIP-BA, NMe-BA, Pro, and HYP), the colors of MA, Pro, and HYP changed to purple; NIP-BA changed to blue; a...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 16, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Koichi Saito Yusuke Mamiya Marie Kawakami Rie Ito Source Type: research
Screening of volatiles from explosive initiators and plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS)
In this study, a variety of SPME fiber coatings (i.e., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), divinylbenzene/carboxin/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), and carboxin/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS)) were employed for the extraction and analysis of volatiles from Composition C-4 (cyclohexanone, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB)) and Red Dot double-base smokeless powder (nitroglycerine, phenylamine). The results revealed that a PDMS/DVB fiber was optimal. Then, an assortment of explosive items (i.e., detonation cord, safety fuse, slip-on booster, and shape ch...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 16, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Alexis J Hecker John V Goodpaster Source Type: research
Discrimination between right- and left-handed writers based on sister lines
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 16. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15489. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTForensic document examiners are often confronted with questioned documents written with ballpoint pens. Depending on the force applied (or pressure) as well as the angle between the pen and the surface, sister lines running parallel to the inked strokes can be left by the lip of the housing ball. In a real case, sister lines were observed on the left side of inked strokes of a questioned signature. To assess whether the writer of that signature was a left-handed or a right-handed writer based on this result, an experimental study was c...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 16, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Roxane Mi éville Raymond Marquis Williams Mazzella Source Type: research
An improved Simon reaction method to discriminate between methamphetamine and false-positive substances
In this study, we examined the new Simon reaction to improve the qualitative accuracy of MA detection to discriminate substances that give false positives in a conventional Simon reaction. After the conventional Simon reaction for MA and false positives (N-isopropylbenzylamine (NIP-BA), N-methylbenzylamine (NMe-BA), L-proline (Pro), and L-hydroxyproline (HYP)), which are colored blue, di-tert-butyl dicarbonate (t-Boc) reagent was added, and color tone changes were observed. When t-Boc was added to the false positives (NIP-BA, NMe-BA, Pro, and HYP), the colors of MA, Pro, and HYP changed to purple; NIP-BA changed to blue; a...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 16, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Koichi Saito Yusuke Mamiya Marie Kawakami Rie Ito Source Type: research
Screening of volatiles from explosive initiators and plastic-bonded explosives (PBX) using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (SPME/GC-MS)
In this study, a variety of SPME fiber coatings (i.e., polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polydimethylsiloxane/divinylbenzene (PDMS/DVB), divinylbenzene/carboxin/polydimethylsiloxane (DVB/CAR/PDMS), and carboxin/polydimethylsiloxane (CAR/PDMS)) were employed for the extraction and analysis of volatiles from Composition C-4 (cyclohexanone, 2-ethyl-1-hexanol, and 2,3-dimethyl-2,3-dinitrobutane (DMNB)) and Red Dot double-base smokeless powder (nitroglycerine, phenylamine). The results revealed that a PDMS/DVB fiber was optimal. Then, an assortment of explosive items (i.e., detonation cord, safety fuse, slip-on booster, and shape ch...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 16, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Alexis J Hecker John V Goodpaster Source Type: research
Global survey on evaluative reporting on DNA evidence with regard to activity-level propositions
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15488. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTFor many criminal cases, the source of who deposited the DNA is not what the prosecutor and the defense are trying to dispute. In court, the question may be how the DNA was deposited at the crime scene rather than who the DNA came from. Although laboratories in many countries have begun to evaluate DNA evidence given formal activity-level propositions (ALPs), it is unknown how much other forensic practitioners know and what they think about activity-level evaluative reporting (ALR). To collect this information, a survey with 21 questio...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 14, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Mechthild Prinz Devyn Pirtle Fabio Oldoni Source Type: research
Strategies to detect trace methamphetamine contamination on hard surfaces: Assessing realistic performance of commercially available presumptive tests and a laboratory-based LC-MS/MS method
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 13. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15491. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTRecreational methamphetamine production and heavy use can result in dwelling contamination that is difficult to detect. First responders and public health officials may use commercially available trace methamphetamine detection (presumptive) test kits to understand apparent and hidden dangers in impacted dwellings. Here, we assessed the limit of detection (LOD) of several commercially available presumptive test kits using simulated contaminated hard surfaces. Pyrex petri dishes were spiked with aliquots of methanolic methamphetamine so...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 14, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: William Naviaux Curtis Hedman Heather Barkholtz Source Type: research
Commentary on: Lee N, Chan S. Isolated injury of the caudate lobe of the liver due to cardiopulmonary resuscitation. J Forensic Sci. https://doi.org/10.1111/1556-4029.15459. Epub 2024 Jan 17
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 9. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15486. Online ahead of print.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38339762 | DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.15486 (Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences)
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 10, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Aleksa Lekovi ć Slobodan Nikoli ć Source Type: research
Authors' response: Isolated injury of the caudate lobe of the liver due to cardiopulmonary resuscitation
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 9. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15485. Online ahead of print.NO ABSTRACTPMID:38339767 | DOI:10.1111/1556-4029.15485 (Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences)
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 10, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Nadia Lee Shijia Chan Source Type: research
Pervasiveness of inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR) in handguns after cleaning and conditioning procedures
J Forensic Sci. 2024 Feb 8. doi: 10.1111/1556-4029.15484. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTMemory effect in firearms that is, the possibility for a weapon to release inorganic particles whose elemental composition depends on its entire shooting history, is responsible for most of the interpretation difficulties encountered in forensic gunshot residue analysis. The presence of residues chemically inconsistent with the last discharged round, the creation of particles having unusual elemental profiles, and the dependence of residue population composition on the collection point are all manifestations of memory effect. The experi...
Source: Journal of Forensic Sciences - February 9, 2024 Category: Forensic Medicine Authors: Matteo Donghi Stefano Orsenigo Luigi Manna Antonella Profumo Alessia Mattino Daniele Merli Source Type: research
