The Microbial Rosetta Stone database: A common structure for microbial biosecurity threat agents

Infectious microorganisms are important to multiple communities engaged in biodefense and biosecurity, including the agencies responsible for health, defense, law enforcement, agriculture, and drug and food safety. Many agencies have created lists of high priority infectious microorganisms to prioritize research efforts or to formally control the possession and distribution of specific organisms or toxins. However, the biological classification of infectious microorganisms is often complex and ambiguous, leading to uncertainty and confusion for scientists involved in biosecurity work. To address this problem, we created a database, known as the Microbial Rosetta Stone, which resolves many of these ambiguities and includes links to additional information on the microbes, such as gene sequence data and scientific literature. Here we discuss the efforts to coordinate organism names from pathogen lists from various governmental agencies according to biological relatedness and show the overlap of high-priority organisms from multiple agencies. To our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive coordination of pathogens, synonyms, and correct taxonomic names. The organized tables and visual aids are freely available at http://www.microbialrosettastone.com. This website provides a single location where access to information on a broad range of disease-causing organisms and toxins is available to members of the biosecurity community.     

Evaluation of Raman spectroscopy for the analysis of colored fibers: a collaborative study

A collaborative study on Raman spectroscopy was carried out by members of the ENFSI (European Network of Forensic Science Institutes) European Fibres Group (EFG) on three dyed fibers: two red acrylics and one red wool. Raman instruments from six different manufacturers were tested as well as nine different laser wavelengths ranging from blue (lambda = 458 nm) to near infrared-NIR (lambda = 1064 nm). This represents the largest comparison study of Raman analytical parameters carried out on identical fiber samples. For the chosen fiber and dye samples, red lasers (lambda = 633 and 685 nm) gave the poorest spectral quality whereas blue (458 nm), green (514 nm) and near infrared lasers (785, 830 and 1064 nm) provided average results. Blue (488 nm) and green lasers (532 nm) globally gave the best quality spectra. Fluorescence problems were often encountered with some of the excitation wavelengths and therefore a flexible Raman instrument equipped with different lasers can be recommended to measure forensic fiber samples. The instrument should also be equipped with a Raman microscope in order to be able to focus on a single fiber. This study shows that Raman spectroscopy usually enables the identification of the main dye present in a colored fiber; however, minor dye components are much more difficult to detect. SERRS (Surface Enhanced Resonance Raman Scattering) techniques give an improvement of the dye's spectral intensity but no spectral improvement was observed for the two red acrylic and red wool fibers tested.     

Forensic medical examination of clinical and biomechanical changes in mechanical injuries of the cervical spine ligaments

Posttraumatic alterations in the cervical spine ligaments were studied clinically and psychologically in the victims with mechanical injuries of the musculoligamentous system of the cervical spine. A clinical course of the traumatic process and biomechanical musculoligamentous alterations, development and severity of mental disorders were established. These characteristics should be taken into consideration in forensic medical evaluation of health deterioration.     

Pathomorphology of the endocardium and myocardium in the heart injury

Light, polarization, luminescent microscopy, phase contrast, special staining methods and scanning electron microscopy were used for studying sections and fragments of the endocardium and myocardium from 123 patients who had died of heart contusion and ischemic heart disease and from 50 rats with experimental heart contusion. The morphological classification of heart contusion and differential-diagnostic table of myocardial alterations due to contusion of the heart and ischemic heart disease are proposed to facilitate pathomorphological diagnosis of heart contusion. The classification of pathomorphological signs in heart contusion is presented.     

Modern structure of the pancreatic injuries

Current structure of pancreatic traumas of peace time is considered. The dynamics, mechanism and characteristics of pancreastic injury are described. Surgical treatment of pancreatic injuries and causes of their inadequate management are analysed. This will contribute to improvement of the quality of treatment of pancreatic injuries and of expert evaluation.     

Estimation of shooting distance for a pneumatic gun MP-654 K loaded with small lead shots

The experimental material has shown possibility of definition of shooting distance and some technical characteristics of the barrel of the pneumatic gun loaded with shots.     

Forensic-medical assessment of terroristic chemical attacks

By potential damage, chemical terroristic attacks are much more dangerous than terroristic bombing. To fight chemical terrorism it is necessary to create the system of medical-environmental defense of the population. In line with emergency medicine, forensic medical service is a very important element of the antiterroristic defense. The activity of forensic-medical experts in the field of terroristic chemical attack is analysed.