Distribution of morphine and morphine glucuronides in body tissue and fluids--postmortem findings in brief survival

An intoxication following administration of morphine, tramadol and atracurium in a suicide case is reported. The route of administration and the amount of the particular drug were known from the investigation of the death scene and the findings of the postmortem examination. Tramadol was present in the gastric contents as well as in blood, liver, kidney and brain samples, whereas the drug could not be detected in muscle. All body fluids and tissues investigated contained morphine as well as its 3- and 6-glucuronides with the exception of muscle tissue. The concentrations of morphine and its glucuronide metabolites were determined by LC/MS following solid phase extraction. Interestingly, the concentration of M6G in brain, liver and kidney were close to the concentration of M3G in the particular tissue. This phenomenon might be explained by a preferential hydrolysis of M3G or by a preferential formation of M6G postmortem. Measurement of morphine and M6G in femoral blood and cerebrospinal fluid may be a useful indicator in rapid deaths.     

Sex differences in proximal humeral outline shape: elliptical Fourier functions

A method is presented for the numerical analysis of sex differences in size and shape of the proximal humeral outlines using elliptical Fourier functions (EFFs). A skeletal sample consisting of right and left humeri pairs of 69 individuals, 36 males and 33 females, was used. The proximal superior view in the plane of the proximo-distal axis of each humerus was photographed and then 54 boundary points were located on the two-dimensional outline tracings. These points were digitized and used to compute EFFs with 27 harmonics. From the EFFs, a set of expected points on the proximal humeral outline was generated using the centroid as an origin. Superimposition of the male and female outlines on this centroid provided a detailed picture of the relative sex differences in size and shape with respect to that center. The bounded area of the proximal humeral outline showed statistically significant sex differences. Additionally, statistical results of the amplitudes derived from the "area-standardized" EFFs and visual assessments of the mean outline plots indicated significant sex differences in shape of the proximal humeral outlines. Focusing on localized regional differences, the greater tubercle was located more postero-medially and the lesser tubercle was located more anteriorly in the males compared to the females. Sex determinations from the proximal humeri were also examined with discriminant functions based on the amplitudes, which represent shape characteristics of the outline, and the hounded area. Using a cross-validation method, predictions of the percentages of cases correctly classified with the discriminant functions were ranged from 92.8% to 95.7% for the right and left humeral data. These results suggest that differences in size and shape of the proximal humeral outlines may be better predictors of sex when compared with conventional measurements of the humerus.     

Age estimation by occlusal tooth wear

The purpose of the present investigation was to test the accuracy of a new scoring system in recording tooth wear for age estimation. The material consisted of dental stone casts of 383 volunteers who had sound premolars and molars with normal occlusion. The degree of occlusal wear for all premolar and molar teeth was scored with the new system. The high intra- and inter-examiner concordances showed that the new score system was very reliable. The degree of tooth wear showed a significant positive correlation with age in each and every examined tooth of both males and females. Tooth wear scores of males were higher than those of females. Calculating tables for age estimation were designed and the accuracy of age estimation was obtained with the General Linear Models procedures. Our system could provide estimation of an individual's age within +/-3 years in 42.4% of males and 49.4% of females, within +/-5 years in 61.8% of males and 63.3% of females. When the subjects were divided into two age groups and data were re-treated, the accuracy of age estimation was increased. Collectively, it was shown that our new system for scoring tooth wear is a reliable and accurate method for age estimation.     

The relationship between substance use, drug selling, and lethal violence in 25 juvenile murderers

The goal of the present study was to determine the relationship between substance use, drug selling, and lethal violence in adolescent male homicide offenders and their victims. The study employed a retrospective review of criminal justice databases and medical examiner records for murders committed by 25 adolescent males incarcerated in the Commonwealth of Virginia juvenile correctional centers from February 1992 to July 1996. The perpetrator sample was 84% African American and 16% white. The average age at the time of the offense was 15.0 years (range = 13.0 to 17.7 years). The victims were 84% male, 60% African American and 32% white. The median victim age was 28.0 years (mean = 34.8, range = 17 months to 75 years). The results indicated that 52% of the murders were committed by juveniles with identified involvement in drug selling, and 28% of the murders were drug-related. Toxicology results indicated recent drug or alcohol use in 27% of the victims; while 74% of the perpetrators reported substance use, 35% indicating daily use. Using discriminant analysis, it was possible to accurately classify 86% of the drug-related murders with the variables of recent victim drug use and perpetrator substance use history. The results indicated that adolescent males involved in the sale and distribution of illegal drugs comprised a significant percentage of those incarcerated for murder. Recent victim drug use and perpetrator substance use may be important variables in identifying drug-related juvenile homicides. These results underscore the link between substance use, drug selling, and lethal violence.     

The FAA's postmortem forensic toxicology self-evaluated proficiency test program: the first seven years

Existing proficiency-testing (PT) programs do not address the complexity of postmortem forensic toxicology. These programs do not include decomposed samples and solid tissues. Therefore, the Federal Aviation Administration in July 1991 started such a needed PT program. This program is used to: (i) professionally develop and maintain technical currency on a voluntary, interlaboratory, and self-evaluation basis, and (ii) quantifiably assess methods in the absence and presence of interfering substances. There are currently about 30 laboratories in the program. Functioning under various governmental/non-governmental agencies and academic institutions, these laboratories represent a broad cross-section of the country. PT samples are distributed quarterly, and result summaries are sent to the participants, while maintaining their anonymity. Since the inception of the program, 28 PT samples encompassing whole blood, plasma, urine, kidney, or liver, with (or without) drugs, metabolites, and common chemicals (nicotine, caffeine, beta-phenylethylamine, etc.) have been analyzed by the participants. Analytical findings were generally consistent with the anticipated values, but they were dependent on the nature and conditions of the specimens and types of the added analytes. Some incidences of false positives of concern were noted, as well. This PT program is one of the few programs recommended by the American Board of Forensic Toxicology in which laboratories may participate for their accreditation by the Board. It is anticipated that this PT program will continue to play a critical part in supporting the quality assurance/quality control (QA/QC) component of forensic toxicology, thereby enhancing operational performance.     

Population genetics of nine STR loci in two populations from Brazil

The Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) D3S1358, HUMvWA31/A, HUMFIBRA/FGA, D8S 1179, D2S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S317, and D7S820 were studied in two Brazilian populations (from Amazonia and S. Paulo) using the "AmpF1 STR Profiler Plus PCR Amplification Kit." The nine loci showed a combined discrimination power greater than 0.9999999999 and a chance of exclusion of 0.9999.     

Formation of an interfering substance, 3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidine, during a pseudoephedrine urinalysis

During fatal aviation accident investigations, biosamples from the victims are submitted to the FAA Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) for drug analysis. In the process of one such analysis by CAMI, an unknown substance was found in a urine sample. Simultaneous screening by thin layer chromatography (TLC) and gas chromatography/FID (GC/FID) suggested the presence of pseudoephedrine. A subsequent routine confirmation analysis of a separate urine aliquot by GC Fourier transform infrared (GC/FTIR) and GC mass spectrometry (GC/MS) indicated that the retention times of the unknown substance matched with those of pseudoephedrine. However, its infrared and mass spectra were different--the -OH and -NH groups were missing, a C-O-C group was present, and the molar mass was 12 atomic mass units (amu) more than that of pseudoephedrine. A subsequent literature search suggested that ephedrine-like amines react with aldehydes to form oxazolidines. Therefore, the 12-amu increase could be accounted for by condensation of pseudoephedrine with formaldehyde. Since this aldehyde is present in various grades of methanol and ethyl acetate, and these solvents were used during the solid-phase extraction, 3,4-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1,3-oxazolidine was synthesized by using (+)-pseudoephedrine HCl and formaldehyde. The analytical findings of the synthesized compound were consistent with those of the unknown interfering substance, confirming that it was the oxazolidine. Aldehyde contaminants in solvents or specimens can transform drugs of interest and may result in misidentification of a compound originally present in specimens. Therefore, chemicals used in analyses should be of the highest available purity, and a multi-analytical approach should be adopted to maintain a high degree of quality assurance.     

DNA typing of samples for polymarker, DQA1, and nine STR loci from a human body exhumed after 27 years

A body was exhumed from the ground after 27 years. Samples of femur bone, tooth, and a fingernail were collected and successfully subjected to DNA extraction, quantitation, amplification, and subsequently typed for DQA1, polymarker, and nine STR loci. All three types of samples were typed for D3S1358, vWA, FGA, D8S1179, D21S11, D18S51, D5S818, D13S17, D7S820, and amelogenin using ABI Prism 377 DNA sequencer.     

The Frye hearing in Florida: an attempt to exclude scientific evidence

State Supreme Courts require a minimum threshold of reliability and acceptance in the scientific community for all medical and similar evidence to be admitted at trial. In Florida and some other states, the courts adhere to what is known as the Frye standard, whereas in most states and in Federal Courts, it is the so-called Daubert standard. The jurisdiction of the present case is Hillsborough County (Tampa), Florida. Forensic pathologists seldom, if ever, are requested to participate in such hearings, unlike their toxicological and basic science colleagues who are more involved in research methodology and technical procedures. The burden is on the proponent of the evidence to prove the general acceptance of both the underlying scientific principle of the test and procedures used to apply that principle to the facts of the case at hand. The trial judge has the sole discretion to determine this question and general acceptance must be established by a preponderance of the evidence. The authors describe in detail a hearing in a case in which they were all involved. One author (WQS) had researched and documented the original scientific methodology in the literature. The situation involved a car and tractor trailer crash with the two occupants of the car dying of multiple trauma, whereas the truck driver was not injured. Autopsy of the auto driver revealed multiple injuries with exsanguination, and only vitreous humor and liver tissue, but not blood, were tested for ethyl alcohol. The estate of the driver of the automobile brought suit against the owner of the trucking company for wrongful death. The plaintiff requested a Frye hearing to question the reliability of testing other body specimens to translate to probable blood alcohol level. The testimony, submitted documents, and eventual decision by the judge are discussed.