Fatal poisoning from Nicotiana glauca leaves: identification of anabasine by gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry

Death of a worker occurred after ingestion of unknown amounts of Nicotiana glauca G leaves. The leaves were cooked after having been mistakenly considered to be spices of a type which grow in Thailand. After ingestion, two Thai workers collapsed, one with asystolia. Resuscitation efforts were successful only for one of the victims. A GC/MS method was used for the identification of anabasine as the main constituent in the leaves, food extract, blood, and the urine of the deceased. Lacking a standard, it was necessary to interpret the GC/MS spectrum to identify anabasine and establish its presence.     

D1S80等位点在法医物证鉴定中应用价值评估

比较D1S80 ,DQA1+PM和CTT等位点在法医物证鉴定中应用情况 ,经研究发现 ,D1S80位点识别能力较强 ,基因遗传稳定 ,其电泳检测操作简单 ,易推广 ;DQA1+PM位点扩增片段较短 ,反向斑点杂交法灵敏度高 ,特别适用于陈旧、降解和微量生物检材的鉴定 ;CTT位点的荧光检测法稳定、可靠 ,实验结果便于保存和管理。总之 ,D1S80、DQA1+PM和CTT位点的遗传符合孟德尔定律 ,分型简便、可靠 ,在亲子鉴定和个人识别中发挥重要作用。     

STR复合扩增及荧光检测技术在个体识别中的应用

目的 :使用 310型遗传分析仪对D3S1358等 10个位点进行基因型检测并应用于法医物证学个体识别案件。方法 :用PCR复合扩增结合四色荧光检测技术对样本DNA进行基因分型。结果 :常见物证检材可成功地得到检验。结论 :这些位点适用于法医物证学个体识别。     

Allele frequencies for 15 autosomal STR loci and admixture estimates in Puerto Rican Americans

Allelic frequencies of 15 short tandem repeats (STR) markers (CSF1PO, FGA, THO1, TPOX, VWA, D3S11358, D5S818, D7S820, D8S1179, D13S317, D16S539, D18S51, D21S11, D19S433 and D2S1338) were determined using the AmpFl STR Identifiler PCR Amplification Kit in Puerto Rican American individuals (N=205) from Massachusetts. The FGA, D18S51 and D2S1338 loci had a high power of discrimination (PD) with values of 0.967, 0.965 and 0.961, respectively. Significant deviations from the Hardy-Weinberg (HW) equilibrium were not detected. An important genetic contribution of Caucasian European (76.4%) was detected in Puerto Rican Americans. However, comparative analysis between Puerto Rican American and other neighboring populations from United States mainly with African and Caucasian Americans, revealed significant differences in the distribution of STR markers. Our results are important for future comparative genetic studies of different American ethnic groups, in particular a cultural group called Hispanic-Americans and should be helpful for forensic and paternity testing.     

A new method of age estimation based on the changes in human non-collagenous proteins from dentin

The new method exploits the characteristic of staphylococcal protease V8, which specifically splits peptide bonds where l-glutamic or l-aspartic acid participate. Those peptide bonds where d-aspartic acid is present remain unsplit because of the stereospecifity of enzymes. In accordance with expectations, fewer peptide bonds are split by this protease at more advanced ages and larger peptide fragments are thus formed due to the higher content of d-amino acid residues in the proteins of older people. The samples of acid-extracted non-collagenous proteins from dentin were separated using high performance liquid chromatography after enzymatic hydrolysis. A peak with a retention time of 45.3 min was chosen and his enlarging area showed a linear correlation with increasing age. Although the linear correlation with age was proved, the scattering of values decreases the usefulness of the proposed method for age estimation.     

The biology of trauma: implications for treatment

During the past 20 years, the development of brain imaging techniques and new biochemical approaches has led to increased understanding of the biological effects of psychological trauma. New hypotheses have been generated about brain development and the roots of antisocial behavior. We now understand that psychological trauma disrupts homeostasis and can cause both short and long-term effects on many organs and systems of the body. Our expanding knowledge of the effects of trauma on the body has inspired new approaches to treating trauma survivors. Biologically informed therapy addresses the physiological effects of trauma, as well as cognitive distortions and maladaptive behaviors. The authors suggest that the most effective therapeutic innovation during the past 20 years for treating trauma survivors has been Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapeutic approach that focuses on resolving trauma using a combination of top-down (cognitive) and bottom-up (affect/body) processing.     

Two cases of suicidal electrocution

Two cases of suicidal electrocution are presented: one using a household lamp, the other using a homemade electrocution machine. The mechanisms of death and the histologic changes in electrocution are discussed.