Search results for "Forensic science"
showing 10 items of 52 documents
Application of whole genome amplification for forensic analysis
2006
Abstract Fundamental to most forensic analyses is the availability of genomic DNA of adequate quality and quantity. To perform a multitude of genetic analyses and assays requires a sufficiently large amount of template. However, DNA yield from forensic samples is frequently limiting the extent of genetic typing. A possible solution to overcome this “bottleneck” of forensic and paleoarcheological DNA analyses could be the amplification of the entire genomic DNA prior to locus specific PCR analysis. Whole Genome Amplification appears to be a promising tool to obtain sufficient DNA amounts from forensic samples of limited quantity.
A Pilot Study of Group Administered Metacognitive Training (MCT) for Schizophrenia Patients in a High-Security Forensic Setting: Subjective Training …
2015
Metacognitive group training (MCT) for psychosis has showed promising effects on positive symptoms of schizophrenia, even in forensic settings. Its effect on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) or patient perspective of it has not been studied before in violent inpatients. This pilot study investigated the patient perspective of the MCT, assessed the intervention’s effects on HRQOL compared with the control group, and compared the patients’ HRQOL with that of the general population. Twenty male violent inpatients with schizophrenia participated and were randomized to the eight-session MCT or to treatment as usual. The participants’ HRQOL was assessed at baseline, at posttreatment, and 3 …
Killing methods in Sicilian Mafia families
2019
The Sicilian Mafia is a criminal organisation founded in Sicily which is an island south of the Italian mainland in the Mediterranean Sea. Until recently, this organization was responsible for many murders and bombings. However, recently, based on the investigations known as the “Mare Nostrum” operation, the Supreme Court convicted 67 people and sent them to prison. Some defendants were found guilty of as many as 39 murders. This article reviews the forensic analysis that was used when investigating responsibility for these Mafia murders. Our review is based on the court documents and the ballistic investigations which were carried out to evaluate the reliability of “repented” or “pentiti”…
Ion mobility spectrometry evaluation of cocaine occupational exposure in forensic laboratories
2014
An approach, based on ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has been developed for the control of cocaine in air of the breathing zone of operators, in laboratory surfaces and in nasal mucus of employees to evaluate cocaine exposure in a forensic laboratory. The analytical methodology has been validated in terms of accuracy, precision and limits of detection and results obtained were statistically comparable with those obtained by liquid chromatography. Cocaine concentration in laboratory air increases from 100 ± 35 ng m(-3) of a normal day to 10,000 ng m(-3) during the manipulation of cocaine seizures. The occupational exposure limit (OEL) for cocaine has not been established which difficult the…
Aerobic Fitness Does Not Modify the Effect of FTO Variation on Body Composition Traits
2012
Purpose Poor physical fitness and obesity are risk factors for all cause morbidity and mortality. We aimed to clarify whether common genetic variants of key energy intake determinants in leptin (LEP), leptin receptor (LEPR), and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) are associated with aerobic and neuromuscular performance, and whether aerobic fitness can alter the effect of these genotypes on body composition. Methods 846 healthy Finnish males of Caucasian origin were genotyped for FTO (rs8050136), LEP (rs7799039) and LEPR (rs8179183 and rs1137101) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and studied for associations with maximal oxygen consumption, body fat percent, serum leptin levels, wa…
Experience with the PCR-based HLA-DQ? DNA typing system in routine forensic casework
1993
The results of HLA-DQ alpha typing from 42 routine forensic cases using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) were analyzed regarding the reliability, discrimination efficiency and informative value of this system in a given case. The cases included stain typing from a variety of different substates, i.e. blood and semen stains, mixed body fluids, single hairs, cigarette butts, material from fingernail scratches, as well as identification and paternity cases on postmortem and fixed tissue. A total of 125 individual stain and tissue samples were included. PCR amplification was achieved in 70% of these samples. In cases with mixed body fluids, e.g. sperm and vaginal cells from rape cases, DQ al…
DNA Commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics: recommendations on forensic analysis using Y-chromosome STRs
2001
During the past few years, the DNA Commission of the International Society of Forensic Genetics has published a series of documents providing guidelines and recommendations concerning the application of DNA polymorphisms to the problems of human identification. This latest report addresses a relatively new area - namely, Y-chromosome polymorphisms, with particular emphasis on short tandem repeats (STRs). This report addresses nomenclature, use of allelic ladders, population genetics and reporting methods.
The role of PMCT for the assessment of the cause of death in natural disaster (landslide and flood): a Sicilian experience
2021
AbstractIn this report, the authors provide a contribution of PMCT in assessing the cause of death due to natural disasters. Here, the PMCT findings of 43 subjects who died during both landslide and flood were described. The post-mortem imaging revealed, clearly, traumatic injuries and/or the presence of foreign material in airways allowing to assess the cause of death of each subject, together with external inspection and the collected circumstantial data. Particularly, the PMCT has been helpful for characterization and localization of the clogging substance in airways providing findings on bronchial branches involvement. Moreover, the investigation offered detailed data on skeletal injuri…
Cross-age effects on forensic face construction
2015
This work was supported in part by an award from the UK Economic and Social Research Council (RES-000-22-4150) to Dr Charity Brown and Dr Charlie Frowd The own-age bias (OAB) refers to recognition memory being more accurate for people of our own age than other age groups (e.g., Wright and Stroud, 2002). This paper investigated whether the OAB effect is present during construction of human faces (also known as facial composites, often for forensic/police use). In doing so, it adds to our understanding of factors influencing both facial memory across the life span as well as performance of facial composites. Participant-witnesses were grouped into younger (19-35 years) and older (51-80 years)…
An Alternative to the Human Hemoglobin Test in the Investigation of Bloodstains Treated with Active Oxygen: The Human Glycophorin A Test
2011
In criminal investigations, there are three stages involved when studying bloodstains: search and orientation, confirmation, and individualization. Confirmatory tests have two aims: to show that the stain contains a human biological fluid and to confirm the type of biological fluid. The need to determine the nature of the evidence is reflected in the latest bibliography, where the possibility of employing mRNA and miRNA markers for this purpose is proposed. While these new proposals are being investigated, the kits for determining human hemoglobin currently provide a simple solution for resolving this issue. With these kits, the possibility of obtaining false positives and false negatives i…