Correlation of Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol concentrations determined by LC-MS-MS in oral fluid and plasma from impaired drivers and evaluation of the on-site Dräger DrugTest

Oral fluid (collected with the Intercept((R)) device) and plasma samples were obtained from 139 individuals suspected of driving under the influence of drugs and analyzed for Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the major psychoactive constituent of cannabis, using a validated quantitative LC-MS-MS method. The first aim of the study was to investigate the correlation between the analytical data obtained in the plasma and oral fluid samples, to evaluate the use of oral fluid as a 'predictor' of actual cannabis influence. The results of the study indicated a good accuracy when comparing THC detection in oral fluid and plasma (84.9-95.7% depending on the cut-off used for plasma analysis). ROC curve analysis was subsequently used to determine the optimal cut-off value for THC in oral fluid with plasma as reference sample, in order to 'predict' a positive plasma result for THC. When using the LOQ of the method for plasma (0.5 ng/mL), the optimal cut-off was 1.2 ng/mL THC in oral fluid (sensitivity, 94.7%; specificity, 92.0%). When using the legal cut-off in Belgium for driving under the influence in plasma (2 ng/mL), an optimal cut-off value of 5.2 ng/mL THC in oral fluid (sensitivity, 91.6%; specificity, 88.6%) was observed. In the second part of the study, the performance of the on-site Dr?ger DrugTest for the screening of THC in oral fluid during roadside controls was assessed by comparison with the corresponding LC-MS-MS results in plasma and oral fluid. Since the accuracy was always less than 66%, we do not recommend this Dr?ger DrugTest system for the on-site screening of THC in oral fluid.     

An alternative for the extraction and storage of DNA from insects in forensic entomology

An important area of recent research in forensic entomology has been the use of insect DNA to provide identification of insects for fast and accurate estimation of time since death. This requires DNA to be extracted efficiently and in a state suitable for use in molecular procedures, and then stored on a long-term basis. In this study, Whatman FTA cards were tested for use with the Calliphoridae (Diptera). In particular, testing examined their ability to effectively extract DNA from specimens, and store and provide DNA template in a suitable condition for amplification using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The cards provided DNA that was able to be amplified from a variety of life stages, and thus appears to be of sufficient quality and quantity for use in subsequent procedures. FTA cards therefore appear suitable for use with calliphorids, and provide a new method of extraction that is simple and efficient and allows for storage and transportation without refrigeration, consequently simplifying the handling of DNA in forensic entomological cases.     

The Court for Sexual Offences: perceptions of the families of the victims of sexual offences

This article aims to evaluate the degree to which the Court for Sexual Offences in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa and associated auxiliary institutions meet the needs of the families of the victims of sex-crimes. The perceptions of 24 family members of victims were obtained. These individuals generally perceived the functioning of the Court and its auxiliary institutions in a positive light. However, perceptions of the time that cases took to come to trial and the standard of post-trial interaction between the Court and the families was not positive. A need for more effective victim-care at both social and psychological levels was identified. Future psycho-legal research possibilities in this largely neglected field are highlighted.     

The Court for Sexual Offences: perceptions of the victims of sexual offences

This article explores the perceptions of sexual offence victims following their interaction with the Court for Sexual Offences in Bloemfontein, Free State, South Africa. The study primarily investigates these individuals' satisfaction with the degree to which the Court succeeds in providing more effective justice for victims and reduces secondary victimization during judicial proceedings. The respondents were generally positive with regard to their experiences with the Court. However, cases were still found to be slow in coming to trial. The treatment of the victims after their participation in the trials was found not to be of the same standard as that received before they testified. These findings point to potential changes to the current system to further enhance the Court's functioning and legitimacy amongst the people who make use of its services.     

Inference of human geographic origins using Alu insertion polymorphisms

The inference of an individual's geographic ancestry or origin can be critical in narrowing the field of potential suspects in a criminal investigation. Most current technologies rely on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes to accomplish this task. However, SNPs can introduce homoplasy into an analysis since they can be identical-by-state. We introduce the use of insertion polymorphisms based on short interspersed elements (SINEs) as a potential alternative to SNPs. SINE polymorphisms are identical-by-descent, essentially homoplasy-free, and inexpensive to genotype using a variety of approaches. Herein, we present results of a blind study using 100 Alu insertion polymorphisms to infer the geographic ancestry of 18 unknown individuals from a variety of geographic locations. Using a Structure analysis of the Alu insertion polymorphism-based genotypes, we were able to correctly infer the geographic affiliation of all 18 unknown human individuals with high levels of confidence. This technique to infer the geographic affiliation of unknown human DNA samples will be a useful tool in forensic genomics.