DETECHIP®: A Sensor for Drugs of Abuse*

Abstract: The design and preliminary characterization of a novel sensor for drugs of abuse, DETECHIP^®, is described in this proof‐of‐concept note. Combining both colorimetric and fluorimetric assays, DETECHIP^® is suitable for lab and field use. More than a conventional spot test which provides a single “yes or no” answer, DETECHIP^® provides twenty responses for a more complete characterization of suspect material. This is accomplished by visually noting colorimetric and fluorescent changes of carefully selected dyes upon the addition of test analytes, including drugs of abuse, with respect to controls. Color and fluorescence changes are recorded numerically so that a 20 digit identification code can be constructed for comparison of test analytes and known compounds. DETECHIP^® is applicable to a variety of drugs, both plant‐derived and synthetic, addressing the need to use several different spot tests simultaneously for a single sample.     

Sensitivity of the Luminol Test with Blue Denim

Abstract: An article appearing in this journal in 2000 suggested that the sensitivity of the luminol test performed on denim fabric is usually no greater than at a 1:100 dilution of blood. This study shows that the luminol test may be unambiguously interpreted at substantially greater dilutions of blood. In this study, four different types of denim were tested by spraying a swatch of fabric with a typical formulation of the luminol reagent. Testing was conducted of dilutions of blood up to 1:1000, all of which showed distinct chemiluminescence. Diluted blood was applied to denim material in the form of a random number. A successful test was obtained only when a “blind” observer, i.e., an observer who was uninformed of the number, correctly reported the number.     

食品安全地方立法的重大疑难问题解析——以起草《重庆市食品安全条例》为视角

《中华人民共和国食品安全法》以及《中华人民共和国食品安全法实施条例》的颁布实施,为完善我国食品安全监管体制,改善我国食品安全现状,充分保障公众身体健康和生命安全翻开了新的篇章。笔者于2008年8月受托主持起草并参研重庆市人民政府法制办公室委托起草项目《重庆市食品安全条例》,课题组历时1年,通过深入考察调研、广泛征求意见、经过8次修改,终于完成该《条例》起草工作。该项目已于2009年9月通过立法评审并结题。根据在《条例》起草过程中遇到的重大疑难问题,在食品安全监管模式方面,建议在坚持现有的多部门分段监管的基础上,建立并完善食品安全监管部门之间的协调机制、加大机构之间的协调力度;在食品安全监管部门的职责划分方面,建议对食品安全监管部门的职责划分作出明确、清晰的细化规定;对食品安全风险监测作出了突出监管重点的制度设计,规定风险评估的情形及安全隐患的处理机制;此外应明确各监管部门对"五小"食品的监管职责,构建食品检验结果信息共享机制。     

我国环境规制与经济增长关系的区域差异分析——基于东、中、西部面板数据的实证研究

根据1998—2006年中国30个省区的面板数据,运用相关的计量经济学方法,对我国东、中、西部地区环境规制与经济增长的关系进行实证研究的结果表明,我国环境规制水平与经济增长的关系呈现出明显的区域差异性。长期内,东、中、西部地区环境规制水平与经济增长均互为因果关系,短期内东部地区环境规制水平对经济增长影响显著,中部地区两者之间关系不显著,而西部地区经济增长在一定程度上推动了环境规制水平提升。据此应当采取相应的政策措施,以促进中国各区域环境规制与经济增长的良性互动和协调发展。     

三聚氰胺对小鼠的致突变及致畸作用

选用昆明种小白鼠为研究对象,进行了三聚氰胺微核试验、精子畸形试验及致畸胎试验,以评价其致突变及致畸作用。结果显示,三聚氰胺在295.87～1 479.35mg/kg剂量范围内,小鼠骨髓嗜多染红细胞微核率及PCE/NCE比值与阴性对照组无差异性(P>0.05);三聚氰胺中剂量组(591.74mg/kg)和高剂量组(1 479.35mg/kg)小鼠精子畸形率显著高于阴性对照组(P<0.05),精子畸形类型以折尾为主;三聚氰胺在19.72～98.62mg/kg剂量范围内,对孕鼠的生殖机能以及胎鼠的生长发育、外观、骨骼和内脏畸形无影响。结果表明,在本试验设计的剂量范围内,三聚氰胺无骨髓细胞毒性及致突变作用,对小鼠无胚胎毒性及致畸作用,但有精子致畸作用。     

Comparison between Temperature Gradient Gel Electrophoresis of Bacterial 16S rDNA and Diatom Test for Diagnosis of Drowning

When a body is discovered in water, it is difficult to conclude whether the cause of death was drowning, even today. Although diatom testing by the digestive method is classical, we hypothesized that aquatic bacteria, as well as diatoms, might be detected in drowned bodies, and conducted temperature gradient gel electrophoresis (TGGE)‐targeting 16S rDNA. DNA was extracted from the site water, and from heart blood and liver samples from 27 bodies concluded as drowning deaths by autopsy and subjected to TGGE after amplification of 16S rDNA by polymerase chain reaction. We observed whether the feature point of each 16S rDNA from the site water and blood or liver samples matched. Considerably higher correspondence was observed in drowned bodies, and the rate was higher than that achieved with the digestive method. Moreover, TGGE is safer than the digestive method. Our study suggests that this method can aid diagnosis of drowning.     

The Power of Exclusion using Automated Osteometric Sorting: Pair‐Matching,

This study compares the original pair‐matching osteometric sorting model (J Forensic Sci 2003 ;48:717) against two new models providing validation and performance testing across three samples. The samples include the Forensic Data Bank, USS Oklahoma, and the osteometric sorting reference used within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. A computer science solution to generating dynamic statistical models across a commingled assemblage is presented. The issue of normality is investigated showing the relative robustness against non‐normality and a data transformation to control for normality. A case study is provided showing the relative exclusion power of all three models from an active commingled case within the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. In total, 14,357,220 osteometric t‐tests were conducted. The results indicate that osteometric sorting performs as expected despite reference samples deviating from normality. The two new models outperform the original, and one of those is recommended to supersede the original for future osteometric sorting work.     

Discrimination of Geographical Origin of Asian Garlic Using Isotopic and Chemical Datasets under Stepwise Principal Component Analysis

Isotopic compositions of δ²H, δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁵N and concentrations of 22 trace elements from garlic samples were analyzed and processed with stepwise principal component analysis (PCA) to discriminate garlic's country of origin among Asian regions including South Korea, Vietnam, Taiwan, and China. Results indicate that there is no single trace‐element concentration or isotopic composition that can accomplish the study's purpose and the stepwise PCA approach proposed does allow for discrimination between countries on a regional basis. Sequentially, Step‐1 PCA distinguishes garlic's country of origin among Taiwanese, South Korean, and Vietnamese samples; Step‐2 PCA discriminates Chinese garlic from South Korean garlic; and Step‐3 and Step‐4 PCA, Chinese garlic from Vietnamese garlic. In model tests, countries of origin of all audit samples were correctly discriminated by stepwise PCA. Consequently, this study demonstrates that stepwise PCA as applied is a simple and effective approach to discriminating country of origin among Asian garlics.     

The effect of mark enhancement techniques on the presumptive and confirmatory tests for blood

An investigation into the effects of physical and chemical enhancement on subsequent presumptive and confirmatory tests for human blood is presented. Human blood was deposited onto porous (white 80 gsm paper and brown envelope) and non-porous (tile and linoleum) substrates in a depletion series (30 depletions on non-porous and 20 on porous) and subjected to three ageing periods; 1, 7 and 28?days. A number of enhancement techniques were tested [fluorescence, black magnetic powder (BMP), iron-oxide black powder suspension (PS), cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming, acid violet 17 (AV17), acid yellow 7 (AY7), ninhydrin, DFO and Bluestar Forensic Magnum (BFM) luminol] to evaluate their potential effects on subsequent presumptive and confirmatory tests. AV17 and Bluestar provided the best enhancement and fully enhanced all depletions in the series. The sensitivity of the Kastle-Meyer (KM) (presumptive), Takayama and RSID-Blood tests (confirmatory) was initially investigated to determine the range of detectable depletions. The KM test detected all depletions, whereas the Takayama test detected up to depletion 6 and RSID-Blood detected up to depletion 20 (paper), 10 (envelope), 15 (tile) and 9 (lino). The abilities of these tests to detect blood after enhancement were then observed.A number of techniques resulted in little to no effect on any of the blood tests, whereas adverse effects were observed for others. Ninhydrin and CA fuming caused weak but instantaneous positive KM results whereas methanol-based AV17 and AY7 delayed the reaction by as much as 1?min. The Takayama test was not very sensitive, therefore, its performance was easily affected by enhancement and negative results were often observed. RSID-Blood tests were largely unaffected by chemical enhancement although a drop in positive results was observed for some of the techniques when compared to positive controls.Using a standard procedure for DNA extraction, all the tested blood samples (before and after enhancement) gave a detectable quantity of DNA and were successfully profiled. Out of the 45 samples processed for DNA profiling, 41 gave full profiles, while the remaining showed allele drop out in one or two loci.     

Déjà vu! The effect of previewing test items on the validity of the Concealed Information polygraph Test

Abstract

This research compares resident, peer and staff reports of bullying and victimization in one open facility and one secure facility for young offenders. The prevalence of bullies and victims was higher according to resident reports (self-reports) than according to peer or staff reports. There was significant agreement between residents, peers, and staff in identifying bullies and victims. The majority of bullies and victims identified by peers and/or staff were also identified by self-reports. Making the plausible assumption that bullies and victims tend to be concealed, it is concluded that self-reports (in the context of an individual interview) provide the most reliable and valid information about bullies and victims in young offender institutions. Hence, anti-bullying strategies should be based on self-report data.