Genetic polymorphism at 15 tetrameric short tandem repeat loci in four aboriginal tribal populations of Bengal

POPULATIONS: This study reports the genetic polymorphism observed at 15 short tandem repeat loci D3S1358, TH01, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, D7S820, D16S539, CSF1PO, vWA, D8S1179, TPOX, D2S1338, D19S433, and FGA in four aboriginal populations of Bengal. The analysis was performed to decipher the suitability of CODIS as well as six other highly polymorphic and unlinked markers in Forensic Testing. Studied populations include four tribes: Karmali, Kora, Maheli, and Lodha.     

Fatal dog maulings associated with infant swings

We present three cases of fatal dog maulings of infants placed in mobile infant swings, a phenomenon not previously described in the literature. In each case, the victim was left in a mobile swing, unsupervised by an adult, and the attacking dog was a family pet. Case 1 involved an 18-day-old male infant attacked by a pit bull; Case 2 involved a 3-month-old male infant attacked by a Chow Chow and/or a Dachshund, and Case 3 involved an 18-day-old female infant attacked by a Labrador-pit bull mix. These cases not only underscore the importance of not leaving young children unattended in the presence of pet dogs, but also raise the possibility that mobile swings may trigger a predatory response in dogs and thus may represent an additional risk factor for dog attack.     

An evaluation of matching unknown writing inks with the United States International Ink Library

Utilizing a database of standards for forensic casework is a valuable resource. Undoubtedly, as more standards (and corresponding information about the specimens) are collected, there is a greater certainty of identification when a questioned and a known item cannot be distinguished after a series of analyses. The United States Secret Service and the Internal Revenue Service National Forensic Laboratory jointly maintain the largest known forensic collection of writing inks in the world, which is comprised of over 8500 ink standards collected worldwide, dating back to the 1920s. This study was conducted to evaluate the reliability of matching arbitrarily purchased pens with known inks from a database. One hundred pens were randomly obtained from a variety of sources and their respective ink compositions were compared with standards. Eighty-five of the inks were determined to be suitable for comparison utilizing optical examinations and thin-layer chromatography. Three of the inks did not match any of the specimens on record; one of these inks was similar to an ink from an identical brand of pen that was in the database, but had a modified formulation.     

A simple and inexpensive molecular method for sexing and identification of the forensic samples of elephant origin

The population of the Asian elephant is being dramatically reduced due to poaching of the ivory from the male. As poaching occurs in remote forests, it often takes weeks or longer for it to be discovered and it is therefore often very difficult to determine the sex of the decomposed body. Data suggest that in the recent past, over 2000 male elephants have been poached in South India. We have developed a technique based on molecular markers to determine that the carcass is an elephant and that it is a male. Using DNA sequence information from Genbank, we have developed two primer pairs: one for the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the other for the sex-determining region of Y chromosome (SRY) gene of the Indian elephant. After PCR amplification of known elephant DNA, we found that the mtDNA was common in both males and females, whereas the SRY-specific amplicon was observed only in the male.     

Fatal bromethalin poisoning

Bromethalin is a neurotoxin found in some rodenticides. A delusional 21-year-old male presented to a hospital with altered mental status the day after ingesting a bromethalin-based rodenticide. He died 7 days after his self-reported exposure to c. 17 mg bromethalin (equivalent to 0.33 mg bromethalin/kg). His clinicopathologic course was characterized by altered mental status, obtundation, increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, cerebral edema, death, and diffuse histologic vacuolization of the white matter in the central nervous system seen on microscopic examination at autopsy. The presence of a demethylated form of bromethalin in the patient's liver and brain was confirmed by gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Clinical signs and lesions observed in this patient are similar to those seen in animals poisoned with bromethalin. This case illustrates the potential for bromethalin ingestion to result in fatal human poisoning.     

Characterization of the N+3 stutter product in the trinucleotide repeat locus DYS392

Stutter products generated during DNA amplification by the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) may complicate mixture interpretation. The PCR amplification of the DYS392 locus typically results in three distinct detectable PCR products: the true allele product (N), a stutter product three bases smaller (N-3), and a reproducible low-level product, three bases larger (N+3). Sequence analysis of the N+3 product demonstrated that its sequence is one TAT repeat longer than the true allele product. Our experiments demonstrated that the quantity of both N-3 and N+3 stutter increased as the allele number increased. The percent stutter also increased as the magnesium concentration was increased in the reaction, as well as when the amount of input DNA was decreased. As both stutter products behave in a similar and reproducible fashion, the same rules that apply to the interpretation of N-3 stutter products in short tandem repeat analysis, can be applied to N+3 stutters. The characterization of the DYS392 N+3 product is the first detailed published study of a stutter product larger than the true allele.     

Microbial metagenome profiling using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction proves more effective than elemental analysis in discriminating soil specimens

The combination of soil's ubiquity and its intrinsic abiotic and biotic information can contribute greatly to the forensic field. Although there are physical and chemical characterization methods of soil comparison for forensic purposes, these require a level of expertise not always encountered in crime laboratories. We hypothesized that soil microbial community profiling could be used to discriminate between soil types by providing biological fingerprints that confer uniqueness. Three of the six Miami-Dade soil types were randomly selected and sampled. We compared the microbial metagenome profiles generated using amplicon length heterogeneity-polymerase chain reaction analysis of the 16S rRNA genes with inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy analysis of 13 elements (Al, B, Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Si, and Zn) that are commonly encountered in soils. Bray-Curtis similarity index and analysis of similarity were performed on all data to establish differences within sites, among sites, and across two seasons. These data matrices were used to group samples that shared similar community patterns using nonmetric multidimensional scaling analysis. We concluded that while chemical characterization could provide some differentiation between soils, microbial metagenome profiling was better able to discriminate between the soil types and had a high degree of reproducibility, therefore proving to be a potential tool for forensic soil comparisons.     

Amino acid alanine reactivity with the fingerprint reagent ninhydrin. A detailed ab initio computational study

Ninhydrin is one of the most widely used reagents for chemical development of fingerprints on porous surfaces. The detection is based on the reaction of ninhydrin with a monoacidic component of the fingerprint to form an intensively colored compound named Ruhemann's Purple. A computational study of the mechanisms and reaction energetics of the formation of Ruhemann's Purple from ninhydrin and alanine is presented. Such a study is significant from a forensic science point of view because of the strong interest in the forensic chemistry and law enforcement communities in developing alternatives to the current generation of ninhydrin like chemicals for the detection and development of latent fingerprints. Information about the mechanism of reaction between ninhydrin and amino acids can ultimately help to design compounds with stronger chromo-fluorogenic properties in aid of detecting fingerprints at crime scenes. The three most accepted mechanisms of formation have been considered using ab initio quantum mechanical calculations. At relatively high temperature ( approximately 100 degrees C) all three mechanisms are energetically feasible. However since it is recommended that forensic analyses be performed at room temperature, a revised mechanism is proposed for the formation of Ruhemann's Purple under this condition.     

Prevalence of mental disorders and deliberate self-harm in Greek male prisoners

The aim of this survey was to determine the prevalence of current and lifetime mental disorder and deliberate self-harm among male prisoners in Greece. The subjects were 80 randomly selected remanded and sentenced prisoners in a Greek prison. They were assessed for mental disorder including suicidality and substance misuse using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). We also collected information regarding contact with psychiatric services, previous deliberate self-harm as well as physical health and conducted a brief assessment of their intellectual functioning. Mental disorder was diagnosed in 63 (78.7%) prisoners. The main diagnoses were: anxiety disorder, 30 (37.5%); major depression, 22 (27.5%); antisocial personality disorder, 30 (37.5%); alcohol dependence, 21 (26.3%) and opiate dependence 22 (27.5%) and schizophrenic or bipolar disorder 9 (11.2%). Deliberate self-harm prior to and during imprisonment was reported by 15% and 2.5% of prisoners, respectively, and 12 prisoners (15%) had IQ below 75. This survey identified a significant level of need for specialist mental health services in prison. Further studies are required to assess the specific needs of those patients who are too unwell to remain in prison, the need for specific treatments for substance misuse and improved assessment/treatment of common psychiatric disorders.     

Prisons in transition

The role of the prison has changed, in some ways dramatically, over the last two decades. The prison population has grown and its composition has altered. There has been an increase in the depth and weight of imprisonment, and a hardening of its emotional tone. Prisoners' voices have been silenced, outcomes have deteriorated, and yet public presentation of the prison has improved. Power has shifted upwards, as senior managers have an unprecedented grip on establishments and their 'performance'. There are new fantasies about, and constructions of, the prison's role, with little evidence to support such public and political dreams. Such sleights of hand are only possible without knowledge of the prison's interior life. Punitive prisons which treat prisoners, and possibly prison staff, unfairly and with little or no respect add to human suffering and do not address either the problem of crime or the problem of public fear.