Browsing by Subject "Forensics"
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Item 3D Printing Law(2016) Hook, Sara AnneWhoever you represent in relation to 3D printing, you need to ensure that you're in-the-know regarding the latest rules and regulations. In this fast paced legal program, you'll maximize insight and gain cutting-edge pointers for advising your clients on this new area of law. Dig deep into the science, technology, rules and requirements regulating 3D printing today - AND identify key business, legal, and technical issues that will oversee this evolving landscape now, and in the near future. Review 3D printing laws and get the latest legislative updates, rules and regulations. Identify top liability traps, legal landmines and mistakes. Review intellectual property rights and issues. Analyze 3D printing taxation considerations.Item Blood on FTA™ Paper: Does Punch Location Affect the Quality of a Forensic DNA Profile?(2013-03-06) Carter, Megan Elizabeth; Picard, Christine; Siegel, Jay A.; Randall, Stephen Karl, 1953-Forensic DNA profiling is widely used as an identification tool for associating an individual with evidence of a crime. Analysis of a DNA sample involves observation of data in the form of an electropherogram, and subsequently annotating a DNA “profile” from an individual or from the evidence. The profile obtained from the evidence can be compared to reference profiles deposited in a national DNA database, which may include the potential contributor. Following a match, a random match probability is calculated to determine how common that genotype is in the population. This is the probability of obtaining that same DNA profile by sampling from a pool of unrelated individuals. Each state has adopted various laws requiring suspects and/or offenders to submit a DNA sample for the national database (such as California’s law that all who are arrested must provide a DNA sample). These profiles can then be associated with past unsolved crimes, and remain in the database to be searched in the event of future crimes. In the case of database samples, a physical sample of the offender’s DNA must be kept on file in the laboratory indefinitely so that in the event of a database hit, the sample is able to be retested. Current methods are to collect a buccal swab or blood sample, and store the DNA extracts under strict preservation conditions, i.e. cold storage, typically -20° C. With continually increasing number of samples submitted, a burden is placed on crime labs to store these DNA extracts. A solution was required to help control the costs of properly storing the samples. FTA™ paper was created to fulfill the need for inexpensive, low maintenance, long term storage of biological samples, which makes it ideal for use with convicted offender DNA samples. FTA™ paper is a commercially produced, chemically treated paper that allows DNA to be stored at room temperature for years with no costly storage facilities or conditions. Once a sample is required for DNA testing, a small disc is removed and is to be used directly in a PCR reaction. A high quality profile is important for comparing suspect profiles to unknown or database profiles. A single difference between a suspect and evidentiary sample can lead to exclusion. Unfortunately, the DNA profile results yielded from the direct addition have been unfavorable. Thus, most crime laboratories will extract the DNA from the disc, leading to additional time and cost to analyze a reference sample. Many of the profiles from the direct addition of an FTA™ disc result in poor quality profiles, likely due to an increase in PCR inhibitors and high concentrations of DNA. Currently, standardized protocols regarding the recommended locations for removal of a sample disc from a bloodspot on an FTA™ card does not exist. This study aims to validate the optimal location by comparing DNA profiles obtained from discs removed from the center, halfway, and edge locations of a bloodspot from 50 anonymous donors. Optimal punch location was first scored on the number of failed, partial or discordant profiles. Then, profile quality was determined based on peak characteristics of the resulting DNA profiles. The results for all three disc locations were 5.3% failed amplifications, 4.2% partial amplifications, and one case of a discordant profile. Profile quality for the majority of the samples showed a high incidence of stutter and the absence of non-template adenylation. Of the three disc locations, the edge of the blood stain was ideal, due to a presumably lower concentration of DNA and likely more dilute amount of the PCR inhibitor heme. Therefore, based on the results of this study, there is a greater probability of success using a sample from the edge of a blood stain spotted in FTA™ paper than any other location of the FTA™ card.Item Covariate and Co-Structural Influences on Human Facial Morphology: Decoding the Structural Blueprint Behind Facial Shape(2025-05) Wilke, Franziska; Walsh, Susan; Roper, Randall; Balakrishnan, Lata; Wilson, Jeremy; Wetherill, Leah; Lapish, ChristopherThe human face is one of the most intricate yet informative structures, serving as a key identifier in forensic investigations, an indicator of medical conditions, and a crucial factor in surgical planning. Over the past few decades, significant effort has been dedicated to understanding the genetic architecture underlying facial morphology. However, this focus often overlooks the substantial influence of covariates, such as biogeographic ancestry, and structural components like the skull. While these factors are acknowledged, their anthropological is frequently reduced to statistical models that bypass anatomical considerations. Furthermore, many of the complex models developed to reconstruct facial shape are not yet practically applicable. This dissertation addresses these gaps by investigating how regional, rather than just global, biogeographic ancestry influences facial morphology and whether genetic models of biogeographic ancestry align with phenotypic expression. Our findings indicate that broad categorizations such as “European” do not fully capture ancestral variation, yet incorporating too many genetic principal components risks overcorrection. To address this, we introduce a novel standardized, phenotype-based approach using consensus faces. Additionally, we present a validated, standardized method for efficiently masking and analyzing the human skull using over 6,000 quasi-landmarks. This methodology is further expanded to include a facial mask, where both the skull and face are intrinsically linked through anatomically corresponding quasi-landmarks. This innovation enables the simultaneous study of facial soft tissue thickness (FSTT), cranial shape, and facial morphology in a computationally efficient manner that has not been previously achieved. The use of correspondence masks permits modeling of the relationship between the skull and face, facilitating craniofacial reconstruction and laying the foundation for an open-source FSTT and facial measurement database. Ultimately, this dissertation explores standardization, global applicability, with the aim of facilitating real-world applications of a scientifically transparent computational approach to facial image projection from skeletal remains. By integrating genetic, anthropological, and statistical approaches, it describes a streamlined methodology that can harness structural knowledge of facial variation to develop practical tools useful in forensic and medical applications. Moreover, it highlights the need for global large-scale collaborative research to further advance this field on both fundamental science and applied levels.Item Evaluation of storage conditions on DNA used for forensic STR analysis(2014) Beach, Lisa Renae; Picard, Christine; Goodpaster, John V. (John Vincent); Randall, Stephen Karl, 1953-Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis is currently the most common method for processing biological forensic evidence. STRs are highly polymorphic and allow for a strong statistical power of discrimination when comparing deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) samples. Since sample testing and court proceedings occur months, if not years apart, samples must be stored appropriately in the event additional testing is needed. There are generally accepted methods to store DNA extracts long-term; however, one universally recognized method does not exist. The goal of this project was to examine various methods of storage and make recommendations for a universal storage method that maintained DNA integrity over time. Four variables were evaluated: storage buffer, storage temperature, initial storage concentration and the effects of repeated freeze-thaw cycles. DNA quantity was assessed using real-time polymerase chain reaction and DNA quality was evaluated using STR genotyping. Overall, the Tris-EDTA (TE) buffer outperformed nuclease free water as a long-term storage buffer for DNA extracts. Stock tubes stabilized concentration better than single use aliquots when eluted with TE while tube type was not significant when water was the buffer. For samples stored in TE, temperature had no effect on DNA integrity over time, but samples stored in water were largely affected at room temperature. Additionally, the greater the initial DNA concentration, the less likely it was to degrade in water. As a result of this research, DNA extracts from forensic samples should be stored long-term in TE buffer with a minimum concentration of 0.1 ng/μL. When water is the buffer, frozen storage is recommended.Item Utilization of Blow Flies (Phormia regina) as Vertebrate Resource Diversity Indicators(2022-08) Jones, Ashton Brooke; Picard, Christine; Walsh, Susan; Wells, JeffreyBlow flies are often utilized in the field of forensic science due to their ability to aid in the estimation of time since death. Currently, estimations of postmortem interval require assumptions to be made and are prone to a margin of error, prompting research that may contribute to more accurate postmortem interval estimations and help to fill in the gaps of unknown information. Blow flies are necrophagous, feeding on feces and carrion, and therefore, are constantly sampling the environment. This behavior can be exploited in order to monitor the biodiversity in an environment. Through analysis of DNA isolated from the guts of blow flies, information can be obtained regarding what animals have died in an environment, what animals are still living in that environment, and the abundance and diversity of the animals present in a specific environment. Using fly-derived ingested DNA is a viable method for vertebrate resource identification and biodiversity monitoring. Over the course of a two-summer sampling period, in and around two national parks, a total of 162 blow fly (Phormia regina) samples returned a positive vertebrate DNA identification, with 33 species identified from five animal orders. Of the total number of flies collected and analyzed, 23.58% returned a positive vertebrate species identification. The method detected both abundant and common species based on National Park surveys, as well as some uncommon or unknown to the park species. In the SE region, 9 individuals belonging to the Rodentia order, 12 individuals belonging to the Artiodactyla order, 21 individuals belonging to the Carnivora order, 1 individual belonging to the Cingulata order, and 3 individuals belonging to the Lagomorph order were detected. In the SE region, 63% of the individuals detected belonged to the common category, 14% of the individuals detected belonged to the uncommon category, and 23% of the individuals detected belonged to the not in park/unknown category. In the NW region, 42 individuals belonging to the Rodentia order, 46 individuals belonging to the Artiodactyla order, and 28 individuals belonging to the Carnivora order were detected. In the NW region, 52% of the individuals detected belonged to the abundant category, 36% of the individuals detected belonged to the common category, and 12% of the individuals detected belonged to the uncommon category. The relative biodiversity of the sampled environment can be inferred. In the SE region, the Shannon Biodiversity Index was calculated to be 2.28 with an evenness of 0.844, while in the NW region, the Shannon Biodiversity Index was calculated to be 2.79 with an evenness of 0.855. Unsurprisingly, there was greater biodiversity in the Northwest Park samples than in the Southeast Park samples. Additionally, the ideal weather conditions for blow fly collection were determined be at a temperature of between 60- and 80-degrees Fahrenheit, a relative humidity between 50% and 60%, no precipitation, and a wind speed between 2 and 8 miles per hour. This information has further implications in the field of forensic science, specifically dealing with wildlife forensics, pathogen distributions, and can help to improve accuracy in regards to postmortem interval (PMI) estimations.