Extraction of high quality DNA from biological materials and calcified tissues

Calcified tissues, such as bone and tooth, and some other sample types, such as those containing adhesive, present a challenge to standard extraction protocols. We have developed a lysis reagent, BTA™ lysis buffer, which is designed for use with PrepFiler™ Kit reagents. The BTA™ lysis buffer disrupts calcified tissue matrices and achieves effective extraction of DNA from pulverized bone and tooth samples. In addition, the BTA™ lysis buffer mildly but efficiently extracts DNA from challenging substrates like tape, chewing gum, and cigarette butts and, as with bone and tooth, DNA from these lysates is purified using established PrepFiler™ reagent extraction protocols.We successfully extracted DNA from powdered human bone samples, chewed gum and smoked cigarettes using BTA™ lysis buffer. Extraction yields for bone, gum and cigarette samples tested were consistent and reproducible. This extraction method efficiently removed potential PCR inhibitors from all samples tested, and C_T values for the internal PCR control of Quantifiler^® Human DNA Quantification Kit were consistent and within the normal range. The DNA extracted from these samples also provided conclusive profiles that were free of PCR artifacts when amplified using the AmpF?STR^® Identifiler^® PCR Amplification Kit. The protocol is easily adapted for automation.     

A dedicated automated system for extraction, quantification and STR amplification of forensic evidence samples

Forensic DNA analysis is a multi-step process involving extraction of DNA, quantification of human DNA in the extract, amplification using multiplex STR systems, separation of products, and data analysis. The backlog of forensic casework is increasing worldwide. Automation is one significant way to alleviate the bottleneck of sample processing in forensic labs. The HID EVOlution™ Combination System described here is a robust, reliable sample processing platform, easily adapted to forensic laboratory workflows. Using a variety of forensic sample types including: blood stained FTA paper, cotton fabric and denim, dried blood spiked with known PCR inhibitors, saliva on cotton swabs, and semen stains, we found that yields of human DNA and STR profiles obtained with AmpFlSTR^® Idenitfiler^® kits were complete, highly reproducible, and equivalent to results obtained using the manual PrepFiler™ reagent extraction method. Automated operation was clean, and no cross-contamination was detected between extraction blanks and interspersed high DNA content samples.     

Psycho-semantic Spheres of the Personality Among Correctional Facility Employees

In this study, we describe the theoretical and methodological bases of research of psycho-semantic spheres of the psyche of correctional facility employees (CFE’S). We define psycho-semantic spheres of the personality of CFE’S represented by the most important components forming a self-image “I,” an image of work/activity, a group of affective components and groups of components concerning destructive motives. We describe specific structures, contents and relations of the psycho-semantic spheres of the personality of CFE’S in the optimized and mismatched states, which could predict behavior of CFE’S in the different correctional emergency situations.     

Defining the nation in Russia’s buffer zone: the politics of citizenship by birth on territory (jus soli) in Moldova,Azerbaijan, and Georgia

Citizenship by birth on territory (jus soli), versus by blood (jus sanguinis), is associated with liberal democracies and the Americas. Yet Azerbaijan and Moldova, part of the “buffer zone” between Russia and the West, have used unconditional jus soli. No such law exists in Europe or elsewhere in the post-Soviet space, including in Georgia, a third country that is part of this “buffer zone.” The three countries cannot forge closer links to the West due to Russia’s support of “frozen” separatist conflicts on their territories. The article finds that territorial citizenship in Azerbaijan and Moldova, as well as its absence in Georgia, are linked to territorial integrity concerns, a multi-century historical context that had thwarted or facilitated ethnic collective identity, and geopolitical fears of dual citizenship. Both authoritarian (Azerbaijan) and liberal-democratic (Moldova) states have used the resulting territorial concept of national identity to combat ethnic separatism, whereas Georgia remains an ethnocracy with difficulties integrating ethnic minorities.     

AutoMate Express™ forensic DNA extraction system for the extraction of genomic DNA from biological samples

Abstract: The AutoMate Express? Forensic DNA Extraction System was developed for automatic isolation of DNA from a variety of forensic biological samples. The performance of the system was investigated using a wide range of biological samples. Depending on the sample type, either PrepFiler? lysis buffer or PrepFiler BTA? lysis buffer was used to lyse the samples. After lysis and removal of the substrate using LySep? column, the lysate in the sample tubes were loaded onto AutoMate Express? instrument and DNA was extracted using one of the two instrument extraction protocols. Our study showed that DNA was recovered from as little as 0.025 μL of blood. DNA extracted from casework‐type samples was free of detectable PCR inhibitors and the short tandem repeat profiles were complete, conclusive, and devoid of any PCR artifacts. The system also showed consistent performance from day‐to‐day operation.     

The Antisaccade Task Performance Deficit and Specific CNV Abnormalities in Patients with Stereotyped Paraphilia and Schizophrenia,

Antisaccade task performance and mean amplitudes of slow cortical potentials (contingent negative variation—CNV) were investigated in 19 healthy volunteers, 16 schizophrenic patients (SP), and 12 patients with stereotyped form of paraphilia (PP). Compared with healthy subjects, schizophrenic and paraphilic patients committed significantly more erroneous saccades. The clear between‐group CNV differences were observed during the early CNV stage that is associated with cognitive aspects of preparatory set. In SP, as compared to controls, the significant decline of CNV amplitude was found at frontal‐central area. PP have demonstrated the lack of CNV over central and parietal regions, but their CNV amplitudes in frontal area did not differ from values of control group. Thus, two distinct types of CNV abnormalities have been found. The SP results have been interpreted as support for frontal dysfunction in schizophrenia. The disconnection between prefrontal cortex, sensorimotor cortex, and related subcortical structures is hypothesized in paraphilia group.     

Cohort size and juvenile delinquency in England and Wales

This study focused on the relationship between fluctuations in cohort size and rates of delinquency in England and Wales from 1957 to 1981. Both convictions and cautions were used as indicators of delinquency with the cohorts broken down by gender. Rates of convictions appeared to be related to cohort size for the first few cohorts, whereas caution rates appeared to covary with cohort size for the latter two-thirds of the cohorts studied. Although the relationship held for both sexes, the trend was much more pronounced for males than females.     

Developmental Validation of the PrepFiler™ Forensic DNA Extraction Kit for Extraction of Genomic DNA from Biological Samples*

Abstract: The PrepFiler? Forensic DNA Extraction Kit enables isolation of genomic DNA from a variety of biological samples. The kit facilitates reversible binding of DNA with magnetic particles resulting in high DNA recovery from samples with very low and high quantities of biological materials: 0.1 and 40 μL of human blood (donor 2) provided 14 and 2883 ng of DNA, respectively. Following the revised SWGDAM guidelines, performance of the developed method was investigated using different sample types including saliva on swabs, semen stains on cotton fabric, samples exposed to environment, samples with polymerase chain reaction (PCR) inhibitors, blood stains (on denim, cotton cloth, and FTA^® paper), and touch evidence‐type samples. DNA yields for all samples tested were equal or better than those obtained by both phenol–chloroform extraction and commercial kits tested. DNA obtained from these samples was free of detectable PCR inhibitors. Short tandem repeat profiles were complete, conclusive, and devoid of PCR artifacts.