Detection of drugs using XAD-2 resin. III:A routine screening procedure for bile

The ability of bile to concentrate drugs and metabolites coupled with its general availability make it suitable for analysis and often the fluid of choice in postmorten cases requiring drug screening. Bile (5 to 10 ml) was diluted with water, sulfuric acid was added, and the mixture was autoclaved. The precipitated bile salts were easily removed by filtration and the filtrate (pH adjusted to 8.0 to 8.5) extracted with XAD-2 resin. Drugs were eluted with a mixture of ethyl acetate/1,2-dichloroethane and analyzed with thin-layer chromatography. Varying the dilution of bile improved the recovery of morphine, codeine, methadone, amobarbital, and phenobarbital. Excessive dilution, however, caused a washing phenomenon and reduced recovery of some drugs, as shown with morphine and codeine. The procedure described is useful for the rapid screening of bile specimens for drugs.     

Importance of examination of the clothed victim. Fingerprint identification of assailant from skin fragment on knifing victim's clothing

During the examination of the outer garments of a stabbing victim, a small piece of skin from the assailant's finger was discovered on the shirt. This evidence provided the decisive link leading to the speedy arrest and conviction of the murderer. The danger of excessive utilization of the services at autopsy of mortuary attendants is stressed.     

Enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay for plasma thyroglobulin following compression of the neck

A highly sensitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for determination of plasma thyroglobulin (Tg) which we devised was applied to the postmortem diagnosis of external compression of the neck. The coefficients of variation within and between assays were 2.4-6.6% and 6.8-12.0%, respectively. A significant correlation was observed between Tg levels measured by our ELISA and those measured by radioimmunoassay (r = 0.996, P less than 0.001). Plasma Tg levels in all 36 cadavers without external compression of the neck or neck injuries were lower than 200 ng/ml (73.6 +/- 51.9 ng/ml, M +/- S.D.) although these levels were a little higher than those in living bodies (16.7 +/- 11.8 ng/ml). On the other hand, plasma Tg levels in most of 42 victims of asphyxia due to external compression of the neck were higher than 200 ng/ml (2190 +/- 4300 ng/ml), and the highest one was 24,600 ng/ml. Plasma levels of the other thyroid hormones and thyroid-stimulating hormone were determined in some cases, and the cervical conditions in certain cases of strangulation were analyzed. Present results suggest that Tg was released by mechanical force on the thyroid gland added at the agonal stage. The determination of plasma Tg level in a cadaver using our ELISA would seem to be useful for the postmortem diagnosis of the presence of external compression of the neck. Although thyroid diseases causing elevated Tg levels are rare in forensic cases, they should be excluded by routine histology of the thyroid at autopsy, so that the finding of a high Tg level would thus carry more weight when given in evidence.     

The new Israeli health care reform: an analysis of a national need

This paper describes the current situation of health care services in Israel. Major problems are discussed and analyzed in terms of the dualism of the main health organizations (the Ministry of Health and the General Sickness Fund), the multiplicity and discontinuity of health care delivery, quality-of-care problems, and the uneven geographical distribution of facilities. A proposal for a reform of the health care system is outlined, and its principles enumerated. This reform, suggested by the Ministry of Health, reflects a new approach of separating the direct provision of care from the executive functions of planning and control of services. The Ministry's proposal is analyzed, and its implications are discussed in relation to the American health care system.     

The application of minisatellite variant repeat mapping by PCR (MVR-PCR) in a paternity case showing false exclusion due to STR mutation

A boy and a girl with their mother brought a paternity suit against an alleged but deceased father. We tested six conventional genetic markers, the AmpliType PM+ DQA1 and twelve STR loci the children and mother together with the alleged paternal grandparents. We also DNA typed the bloodstain found later in the alleged father's medical record. Only the result at D3S1358 in a nineplex STR system excluded the alleged father from parentage of the boy, whereas all markers were inclusive for the girl. Accordingly, we performed sequence analysis at D3S1358 to confirm the presence of a paternal exclusion or mutation. The sequence analysis indicated that the boy's allele 17 could have originated from either of the alleged father's allele 16 or 18 by a single-step mutation associated with slippage mutation in STR loci. We carried out minisatellite variant repeat mapping by PCR (MVR-PCR) at loci D1S8 (MS32) and D7S21 (MS31A) and mapped allele haplotypes of all individuals except the deceased alleged father. The MVR-PCR analysis showed that the boy has no inconsistency with the relationship between the alleged grandparents, and was very effective at increasing the paternity index (PI) value. We conclude that there is biological relationship between not only the girl but also the boy and the alleged father.     

The structure, frequency, and forensic application of the STR locus D16S543 in the Japanese population

D16S543 is a complex STR locus consisting of five types of repeat units. The frequency distribution and genetic characteristics of this locus in Japanese were investigated using blood samples from 124 unrelated Japanese and 15 families. Alleles were detected using denatured polyacrylamide gels followed by automated analysis on an ABI 373 sequencer using Genescan software 672. Twenty-one alleles were identified, ranging in size from 281 to 489 bp. An allelic ladder containing the 21 alleles was constructed and used as a typing standard. The repeat unit arrays allowed the 21 alleles to be classified into three distinct groups, including alleles 1 to 7 in group I, alleles 8 to 14 in group II, and alleles 15 to 22 in group III. The alleles in group II were characterized by the insertion of one repeat unit of CAGG, one of AAAG, and three of AAGG, while the group III alleles differed from those of groups I and II by the insertion of a total of 32 repeat units ranging in 5 types. Within each group, the alleles differed from each other only in one 5' side tetranucleotide AAGG. The power of discrimination (Pd) and the estimated heterozygosity were calculated to be 0.989 and 0.934, respectively. Typing of this locus was successfully applied in four old forensic materials. The study presented herein demonstrates that D16S543 is a highly polymorphic and applicable locus in Japanese.     

Detection limits for GC/MS analysis of organic explosives

Method detection limits are determined and compared for analysis of liquid injections of organic explosives and related compounds by gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy utilizing electron impact (EI), negative ion chemical ionization (NICI), and positive ion chemical ionization (PICI) detection methods. Detection limits were rigorously determined for a series of dinitrotoluenes, trinitrotoluene, two nitroester explosives, and one nitramine explosive. The detection limits are lower by NICI than by EI or PICI for all explosives examined, with the exception of RDX. The lowest detection limit for RDX was achieved in the PICI ionization mode. Judicious choice of the appropriate ionization mode can enhance selectivity and significantly lower detection limits. Major ions are reported for each analyte in EI, PICI, and NICI detection modes.     

STR data for the AmpFlSTR Profiler loci from the three main ethnic population groups (Malay, Chinese and Indian) in Malaysia

Allele frequencies for the nine STRs genetic loci included in the AmpFlSTR Profiler kit were obtained from samples of unrelated individuals comprising 139-156 Malays, 149-153 Chinese and 132-135 Indians, residing in Malaysia.