Refining Stable Oxygen and Hydrogen Isoscapes for the Identification of Human Remains in Mississippi,

Isoscape refinement is an essential component for accurately predicting region‐of‐origin in forensic investigations involving isotope analysis of unidentified human remains. Stable oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δ²H) isotopes were measured from 57 tap water samples collected across Mississippi to model refined isoscapes for the state. A tap water conversion equation, δ¹⁸O_tw=1.64 δ¹⁸Op?31.35, was developed for the southeastern USA to test the prediction accuracy of the δ¹⁸O_tw isoscape using individuals with known residential histories. A local Mississippi resident (USAFA‐134) was assigned with 90% probability to the correct region‐of‐origin reported by the participant. Assignments for Georgia residents (USAFA‐118 and USAFA‐205) had variable results, predicting USAFA‐118 from Mississippi and USAFA‐205 as a nonlocal resident. Stable isotope values often overlap geographically and a multi‐isotope approach should be used when narrowing region(s)‐of‐origin(s). This study demonstrates the utility of refining isoscapes and the importance of tissue calibration in prediction assignments of human remains.     

Variation of δ2H, δ18O & δ13C in crude palm oil from different regions in Malaysia: Potential of stable isotope signatures as a key traceability parameter

A total of 33 crude palm oil samples were randomly collected from different regions in Malaysia. Stable carbon isotopic composition (δ¹³C) was determined using Flash 2000 elemental analyzer while hydrogen and oxygen isotopic compositions (δ²H and δ¹⁸O) were analyzed by Thermo Finnigan TC/EA, wherein both instruments were coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. The bulk δ²H, δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C of the samples were analyzed by Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Orthogonal Partial Least Square-Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA). Unsupervised HCA and PCA methods have demonstrated that crude palm oil samples were grouped into clusters according to respective state. A predictive model was constructed by supervised OPLS-DA with good predictive power of 52.60%. Robustness of the predictive model was validated with overall accuracy of 71.43%. Blind test samples were correctly assigned to their respective cluster except for samples from southern region. δ¹⁸O was proposed as the promising discriminatory marker for discerning crude palm oil samples obtained from different regions. Stable isotopes profile was proven to be useful for origin traceability of crude palm oil samples at a narrower geographical area, i.e. based on regions in Malaysia. Predictive power and accuracy of the predictive model was expected to improve with the increase in sample size. Conclusively, the results in this study has fulfilled the main objective of this work where the simple approach of combining stable isotope analysis with chemometrics can be used to discriminate crude palm oil samples obtained from different regions in Malaysia. Overall, this study shows the feasibility of this approach to be used as a traceability assessment of crude palm oils.     

Can Stable Isotopes and Radiocarbon Dating Provide a Forensic Solution for Curbing Illegal Harvesting of Threatened Cycads?

Cycads in South Africa are facing an extinction crisis due to the illegal extraction of plants from the wild. Proving wild origin of suspect ex situ cycads to the satisfaction of a court of law is difficult, limiting law enforcement efforts. We investigated the feasibility of using multiple stable isotopes to identify specimens removed from the wild. Relocated and wild specimens from two species in the African genus Encephalartos (E. lebomboensis and E. arenarius) were sampled. ¹⁴C analysis indicated that a ± 30‐year chronology could be reliably obtained from the cycads. For E. arenarius, pre‐relocation tissue was consistent with a wild origin, whereas tissue grown post‐relocation was isotopically distinct from the wild for ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr and δ¹⁵N. For E. lebomboensis, δ³⁴S, δ¹⁸O, and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr were different between relocated and control plants, consistent with the >30 years since relocation. Our findings demonstrate the potential for a forensic isotope approach to identify illegal ex situ cycads.     

Stable Isotope Ratios of Marijuana. I. Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotopes Describe Growth Conditions*

Abstract: There remains significant uncertainty in illicit marijuana cultivation. We analyzed the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of 508 domestic samples from known U.S.A. counties, 31 seized from a single location, 5 samples grown in Mexico and Colombia, and 10 northwest border seizures. For a subset, inflorescences and leaves were analyzed separately. These data revealed a strong correspondence, with inflorescences having slightly higher δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values than leaves. A framework for interpreting these results is introduced and evaluated. Samples identified as outdoor‐grown by δ¹³C were generally recorded as such by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). DEA‐classified indoor‐grown samples had the most negative δ¹³C values, consistent with indoor cultivation, although many were also in the outdoor‐grown domain. δ¹⁵N indicated a wide range of fertilizers across the dataset. Samples seized at the single location suggested multiple sources. Northwest border δ¹³C values suggested indoor growth, whereas for the Mexican and Colombian samples they indicated outdoor growth.     

Microscopic Age Estimation from the Anterior Cortex of the Femur in Korean Adults*

Abstract: The purpose of this study was to develop age‐predicting equations from the anterior cortex of the femur of Korean adults. Seventy‐two femoral samples (44 male and 28 female) were obtained from Korean cadavers and used to develop the equations. The thin sections (<100‐μm thick) were prepared by manual grinding; the sections were not decalcified and were stained with Villanueva bone stain reagent. Analysis of covariance showed no significant differences in age‐adjusted histomorphological variables between sexes. In stepwise regression analysis, osteon population density, average osteon area, and the most anterior cortical width were selected for an age‐predicting equation which produced a high regression correlation (R² = 0.789). The average Haversian canal area was not significantly related to age for any specimen.     

Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotope Analyses of Ephedra Plant and Ephedrine Samples and Their Application For Methamphetamine Profiling

In this study, stable isotope ratio analysis was used to track the precursor information of methamphetamine. The δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of 30 nature ephedra plants, 12 synthetic ephedrine/pseudoephedrine (ephedrine), 14 natural ephedrine, and 987 seized methamphetamine samples were measured and compared. Due to different weather and earth conditions, the δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values of ephedra plants grown in the east and the west of Inner Mongolia showed great difference. The δ¹⁵N values of ephedra plants were consistent with related ephedrine extracted from them. Moreover, the criteria to infer the synthetic origin of ephedrine were set up after the analysis of natural and synthetic ephedrine samples. Finally, the precursor origins of 949 seized methamphetamine samples synthesized by Emde and Nagai method were tentatively inferred. Influenced by different preprecursors, the δ¹³C values of seized methamphetamine samples that synthesized from P2P also showed great difference, and this result is consistent with the reported data.     

Globalization through the Lens of Palace Wars: What Elite Lawyers' Careers Can and Cannot Tell Us about Globalization of Law

Yves Dezalay and Bryant Garth's three studies—Dealing in Virtue (1996), The Internationalization of Palace Wars (2002), Asian Legal Revivals (2010)—trace the globalization of law through “palace wars” among elites for positions in the “fields of state power.” They conclude that globalization occurs through links among elites engaged in their domestic palace wars, which independently establish the symbolic power of law in each state. The article argues that while Dezalay and Garth provide an invaluable new starting point for further research, they do not adequately consider an emerging field of research documenting alternative pathways of legal development pursued by local activists inside and outside the new states of the Global South.     

Investigating Residential History Using Stable Hydrogen and Oxygen Isotopes of Human Hair and Drinking Water

The relationship between isotopic signals in human hair and geographic region has potential forensic applications for identifying unknown individuals' place of recent residence. This study analyzes δ²H and δ¹⁸O isotopes in residential tap water and bulk hair samples from 17 volunteers representing 12 locations in Ontario, Canada. There is a strong correlation (R² = 0.9) between δ²H and δ¹⁸O values of the water samples. In contrast, the δ²H and δ¹⁸O values of the hair samples are weakly correlated (R² = 0.3), and the greater variability in the data is linked to dietary factors. This study demonstrates that the δ²H and δ¹⁸O values of hair and drinking water can be used to help identify potential place of residence in forensic cases, particularly in relation to proximity to large bodies of water such as the Great Lakes, but interpretations are complicated by the contribution of both water and diet to δ²H and δ¹⁸O values in hair.     

Misclassifications of Hispanics Using Fordisc 3.1: Comparing Cranial Morphology in Asian and Hispanic Populations

It has been brought to the attention of the authors of Fordisc 3.1 that Hispanic samples will often misclassify as Japanese when Asian population samples are included. This study examined this problem in an effort to better document the occurrence and deduce possible causes via comparative analyses. Asian and Hispanic samples were first compared utilizing the existing samples from the University of Tennessee's Forensic Data Bank. Additional modern Japanese, Thai, and Korean samples collected by the first author that have previously not been utilized in analyses were subsequently included. Results of this study confirm frequent rates of misclassification among Hispanic and Japanese groups. Furthermore, a close morphological relationship is identified through further group comparisons and the addition of data used in conjunction with Fordisc samples. Similarities identified among Hispanic and Japanese crania may stem from similar population histories reflected in ancestral Native American and East Asian populations.     

Sourcing explosives: A multi-isotope approach

Although explosives are easily identified with current instrumental techniques, it is generally impossible to distinguish between sources of the same substance. To alleviate this difficulty, we present a multi-stable isotope (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ¹⁸O, δD) approach for appraising the possibility of discriminating explosives. The results from 30 distinct PETN, TNT and ANFO samples show that the different families of explosives are clearly differentiated by both their specific isotope signatures and their combination with corresponding element concentrations. Coupling two or more of the studied isotope systematics yields an even more precise differentiation on the basis of their raw-material origin and/or manufacturing process.     

Offending Patterns Among Southeast Asians in the State of California

Abstract

Using California's Monthly Arrest and Citation Register (MACR) data collected by the California Department of Justice for the years 1991-1996, this study examined odds of arrest for various violent and lucrative type offenses, across seven different Asian ethnic groups. To avoid selection bias, African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans were also included in the analysis. Logistic regression models were fitted to the MACR data. Consistent with theoretical hypotheses, the authors found that Southeast Asian immigrants were more likely to engage in criminal activity than their white counterparts and more established Asian groups. Logistic regression results revealed that Southeast Asians, in particular Vietnamese, were over-represented in every arrest category, while non-refugee Asian groups were considerably underrepresented in arrests. Cambodians, Laotians, and Vietnamese were at significantly higher odds of arrest for crimes that tended to produce financial gain, such as theft, car theft, and petty theft. The authors suggest that their findings on Southeast Asians may in part reflect the unique nature of the immigration of members of this group to the U.S., and the multiple disadvantages that they continue to experience, for example, low human capital, lack of English proficiency, and ethnic prejudice and discrimination. Results suggest the need for more programs aimed at assisting Southeast Asians refugee immigrants with their transition into American society.     

Leprosy,Legal Mobilization,and the Public Sphere in Japan and South Korea

This article addresses the question of what gets transmitted in cross‐national diffusion and why. It does so by analyzing the spread of rights‐based activism from Japanese to South Korean leprosy (Hansen's disease) survivors in the 2000s. Previous scholarship would predict extensive diffusion of mobilizing frames and tactics, especially since Korean lawyers learned an effective legal mobilization template while working with Japanese lawyers to win compensation for Korean leprosy survivors mistreated by Japanese colonial authorities before 1945. Yet the form of subsequent activism by Korean leprosy survivors for redress from the Korean government differed from the original Japanese model. This case suggests the need for scope conditions on theories about isomorphism and the agency of brokers. In particular, it draws attention to how the structure of a country's public sphere—and especially its legal profession, news media, and activist sector—affects the feasibility of imported innovations related to activism and legal mobilization.     

Mass spectrometry-based SNP genotyping as a potential tool for ancestry inference and human identification in Chinese Han and Uygur populations

Ancestry informative SNPs (AISNPs) are genetic variants that exhibit substantially different frequencies between populations from different geographical regions; thus, they can provide some valuable information regarding samples and be used in predicting an individual's ancestry origin. In this study, we selected the potentially best SNPs from our previous study with genome-wide high-density SNP data in mainland Chinese Uygur and Han populations and investigated the allele distribution patterns and genetic information of AISNPs with a mass spectrometry-based SNP genotyping panel. Mass spectrometry-based detection technology offers the opportunity to analyze forensic DNA samples and obtain SNP variants with accuracy and ease. The panel can distinguish and cluster Han and Uygur populations and is suitable for human identification and parentage testing in the two populations. Heatmap, PCA, and Structure analyses indicated that the ideal 64 AISNPs can collectively provide additional information on differences among populations from East Asia, South Asia, Europe and Africa. Additionally, the results proved that the Uygur population is the admixture of East Asia and Europe.     

Attitudes of chinese immigrants and vietnamese refugees toward law enforcement in the United States

The present study identifies areas of concern related to the interaction of recent Asian arrivals with the American police, and differentiates Chinese immigrants from Vietnamese refugees. Community leaders reported their perception of Asian attitudes toward the police. This information was used to construct a questionnaire administered to residents of a Chinese and a Vietnamese community in the greater Los Angeles metropolitan area. The study found 1) that fear of crime, poor communication with police, and gang activities are the major concerns for the Vietnamese in the sample, and that fear of crime and perceived police prejudice against residents are the primary concerns for the Chinese; and 2) that the Vietnamese consistently rated all the problems as more serious than did the Chinese.     

Provenance Establishment of Stingless Bee Honey Using Multi‐element Analysis in Combination with Chemometrics Techniques

As consumption of stingless bee honey has been gaining popularity in many countries including Malaysia, ability to identify accurately its geographical origin proves pertinent for investigating fraudulent activities for consumer protection. Because a chemical signature can be location‐specific, multi‐element distribution patterns may prove useful for provenancing such product. Using the inductively coupled‐plasma optical emission spectrometer as well as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), the distributions of multi‐elements in stingless bee honey collected at four different geographical locations (North, West, East, and South) in Johor, Malaysia, were investigated. While cross‐validation using PCA demonstrated 87.0% correct classification rate, the same was improved (96.2%) with the use of LDA, indicating that discrimination was possible for the different geographical regions. Therefore, utilization of multi‐element analysis coupled with chemometrics techniques for assigning the provenance of stingless bee honeys for forensic applications is supported.     

Patterns of Self-Reported Delinquency in Children with One Immigrant Parent,Two Immigrant Parents and Norwegian-Born Parents

Differences in self-reported delinquency among adolescents in Oslo, Norway, were analysed with respect to immigrant status, gender and country of origin. The survey covered 11,500 adolescents between the ages of 14 and 17 years in Oslo, Norway. Delinquent behaviours were analysed and described in terms of prevalence and frequency. The findings suggest that immigrants are under-represented in minor deviance, with no differences in serious delinquency, but over-represented in violent delinquency. Adolescents with one immigrant parent had a higher prevalence of delinquency compared to adolescents with two immigrant parents, in all categories of delinquency except for violence among males. There were substantial differences between the various immigrant groups, with the lowest prevalence of delinquency among Asians. The study has demonstrated clearly the importance of including different categories of delinquency when studying delinquency among children of immigrants, and to carry out separate analyses according to gender and parent's country of origin.     

Quantitative Determination of Cannabinoids in Cannabis and Cannabis Products Using Ultra‐High‐Performance Supercritical Fluid Chromatography and Diode Array/Mass Spectrometric Detection

Ultra‐high‐performance supercritical fluid chromatography (UHPSFC ) is an efficient analytical technique and has not been fully employed for the analysis of cannabis. Here, a novel method was developed for the analysis of 30 cannabis plant extracts and preparations using UHPSFC /PDA ‐MS . Nine of the most abundant cannabinoids, viz . CBD , ?⁸‐THC , THCV , ?⁹‐THC , CBN , CBG , THCA ‐A, CBDA , and CBGA , were quantitatively determined (RSD s < 6.9%). Unlike GC methods, no derivatization or decarboxylation was required prior to UHPSFC analysis. The UHPSFC chromatographic separation of cannabinoids displayed an inverse elution order compared to UHPLC . Combining with PDA ‐MS , this orthogonality is valuable for discrimination of cannabinoids in complex matrices. The developed method was validated, and the quantification results were compared with a standard UHPLC method. The RSD s of these two methods were within ±13.0%. Finally, chemometric analysis including principal component analysis (PCA ) and partial least squares‐discriminant analysis (PLS ‐DA ) were used to differentiate between cannabis samples.     

Extraction and isolation of cannabinoids from marijuana seizures and characterization by 1H NMR allied to chemometric tools

Marijuana, a drug derived from the Cannabis sativa L. plant, is the world's most consumed illicit drug. In this paper, a total of 156 marijuana samples seized in the state of Espírito Santo (ES), Brazil were studied and analysed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) spectroscopy to identify the major cannabinoids present. A crude extract of all samples was purified using high performance liquid chromatography so that these compounds could serve as reference substances. Nine fractions were obtained and analysed by ¹H NMR and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), with five presented cannabinoids. ?⁹-THC (Δ⁹-trans-tetrahydrocannabinol), ?⁹-THCA (?⁹-tetrahydrocannabinolic acid), ?⁸-THC (?⁸-tetrahydrocannabinol), 11-hydroxycannabinol, CBV (cannabivarin), and CBN (cannabinol) were found, and their chemical structures were confirmed by GC–MS. The latter compound was obtained with high purity (≈100%), while the others were obtained as less complex mixtures with purity higher than 75% (except for Δ⁸-THC). Principal component analysis (PCA) was used on the ¹H NMR spectra of the 156 samples, and it was found that the samples were grouped according to the months, differentiating into two groups (from July 2014 to January 2015 and from February 2015 to July 2015), where non-grouping was observed from four macro-regions of the ES state (North, Central, Metropolitan, and South). The chemical profile of the seized samples was correlated to the ¹H NMR spectrum of an isolated CBN sub-fraction, in which the group formed by samples seized in the year 2015 presented lower CBN content in the chemical composition. From the PCA score plot, two groups of samples were confirmed using the partial least squares discriminant analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures classification methods.     

Case of Fatal Starvation: Can Stable Isotope Analysis Serve to Support Morphological Diagnosis and Approximate the Length of Starvation?

The diagnosis of death as a result of starvation is established on anthropological measurements, visual appearance of the deceased on external and internal examination, microscopic analysis, laboratory testing, and exclusion of other causes of death. Herein, we present our findings on a case of 95‐year‐old man who died of starvation. After the diagnosis of starvation was established by traditional forensic medicine methods, we have conducted retrospective segmental analysis of stable carbon (δ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope ratios in hair sample. This method reveals periods of starvation through decrease in δ¹³C and increase in δ¹⁵N along the strand of hair. Our analysis revealed the decrease of 0.6 ‰ in δ¹³C during the last 10–12 weeks prior to death, similar as reported in other investigations. Also, a decrease of 0.7 ‰ in δ¹⁵N during the last 8–10 weeks prior to death was determined that was different than observed in previous studies.     

Forensic genetic value of 27 Y-STR loci (Y-Filer® Plus) in the South African population

South Africa has one of the highest rape statistics in the world, with an average of 117 rapes reported daily. Y-STR genotyping is becoming a popular tool in the analysis of DNA evidence collected after a crime of a sexual nature has been committed, but has yet to be implemented in South Africa’s forensic laboratories. This study aimed to investigate the forensic value of the 27 Yfiler™ Plus loci in the South African population. A total of 271 samples from the African, Asian/Indian, Mixed Ancestry¹, and Caucasian populations at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa were amplified and analysed using ThermoFisher Scientific’s Yfiler™ Plus PCR Amplification kit. Of the 271 samples, 261 were identified to be unique, with an overall discrimination capacity of 98.15%. Discrimination capacities ranged from 91.67% for the Asian/Indian population to 100% for the Mixed Ancestry population. The haplotype diversity across the four populations is 0.9999, with an average gene diversity across all loci of 0.717. The forensic parameters estimated in this study provide evidence for the potential use of the commercial Yfiler™ Plus PCR amplification kit in a forensic application in South Africa.