Short tandem repeat (STR) analysis has been playing the most important role in forensic DNA examinations. The GlobalFiler kit recently developed by Life Technologies genotypes 21 autosomal STR, Amelogenin, DYS391 and Y indel loci using a novel 6 dye system. The electrophoresis of the GlobalFiler needs a new instrument of the 3500xL or the conventional 3130xl with the latest version of data collection software 4. A new feature of normalization can be used for the 3500xL, which corrects instrument, capillary and injection variability using the peak heights of GS600 Liz v2 size standard. In this study, the GlobalFiler was validated using the 3500xL with a threshold value of 175 RFU and the 3130xl with 150 RFU. We examined sensitivity, mixed DNA, pull up ratio, base line noise in electrophoresis, peak height ratios, stutter ratios, 20% cut-off filter, precision of electrophoresis, aged bloodstains, animal DNAs, and tolerance to PCR inhibitors. The run data obtained by the 3500xL were analyzed with and without normalization for comparison in the studies of sensitivity, mixed DNA, 20% cut-off filter and aged bloodstains.
  The normalization factor in total averaged 1.169±0.136 and ranged 0.869-1.729; therefore the normalization by our 3500xL tended to make peaks slightly higher in most samples. However, in one mixed sample, since the stutter ratio was decreased from 0.1628 to 0.1624 by normalization, the minor component peak in a stutter position of the major component peak was removed by the marker specific stutter ratio filter (0.1626) at D22S1045 locus. The use of normalization is not recommended in the analysis of evidence samples, since it could change the stutter ratio as well as the peak heights. Compared to the PowerPlex Fusion examined previously, the Global-Filer showed almost the same or slightly better values for the peak balance, slightly weaker tolerance to hematin and fumic acid, but almost the same tolerance to the denim extract, and provided genotype information at more loci from aged bloodstains. We concluded that the GlobalFiler is useful as a STR kit for forensic purposes.

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  The influences of typical methods for visualization and sampling of fingerprints on drug detection in latent fingerprints were examined and the feasibility of drug detection in a practical crime scene was evaluated. After fexofenadine, chlorpheniramine, and acetaminophen were spotted on drug-free latent fingerprints formed on various materials such as stainless steel, plastic, and glass, the drugs were extracted from the fingerprints using various methods. In all the drugs, the extraction by pipetting on a latent fingerprint (direct extraction method) yielded higher recovery rates than the extraction by pipetting on an adhesive tape with a latent fingerprint (transfer and extraction method). There were little influences of powder for fingerprint visualization for the recovery of drugs in the direct extraction method. Some of the combination between drugs and materials with fingerprints reduced the recovery rates in the transfer and extraction method. The drug analysis in latent fingerprints on paper was not practical in terms of the handling of drug extraction and the recovery of drugs. Based on a supposition of a practical crime scene, latent fingerprints after drug administration were taken using typical methods for visualization and sampling of fingerprints. Some drugs were detected from latent fingerprints even in case of drug administration at their single doses and even after the fingerprints and the adhesive tapes were stored for one week. Moreover, the detection of nicotine and its metabolite, cotinine, in latent fingerprints was effective to judge whether the person with the fingerprint was a smoker or not. Drug detection in latent fingerprints would be useful to elucidate the relationship between a specific person and drugs in criminal investigation.

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  Since we are always surrounded by ceramic products, it may be collected from the scene of the crime. In this study, we aimed to establish the discrimination methods for these samples. From the elemental mapping obtained by X-ray fluorescence analysis, Ca and Zn were recognized at the surface, Si, K, Ti and Fe were found inside. However, since scarce information was provided it was difficult to find a difference among samples by X-ray fluorescence analysis. We performed trace elements analysis using laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (LA-ICP-MS) for ceramic samples. Some elements such as Sc, Ti, V, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Zr, Cs, Ba, La, Ce, Pb, Bi were found from the inside of the ceramics. Among them, V, Co, Ga, Rb, Sr, Cs, Ba and Pb were selected to calculate index and didn't have mass spectral interference with other elements and uneven distribution. 23 kinds of commercially available samples were collected and analyzed by LA-ICP-MS. As the tendency that the signal intensity ratio differed among different samples was observed, forensic discrimination could be performed using this intensity ratio as an indicator. Discriminations between samples were performed by the threshold based on standard deviation called 2SD method. Moreover discrimination results were evaluated and the number of discriminated pairs among all were combinations. Only about 32-84% was discriminated when using single index, but they were improved to about 95% by the combination of multiple indices. When taking account the origin of the samples, 227 of 228 pairs (99.6%) which clearly originated differently were discriminated. This method shown in this paper is quite effective for the discrimination of ceramics.

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  The 3500xL Genetic Analyzer will be used for short tandem repeat (STR) analysis because 3130xl Genetic Analyzer has been discontinued. A validation study was performed for the 3500xL to carry out STR analysis of reference samples with Identifiler^® Kit.
  Sensitivity test was performed with 0.125 ng, 0.5 ng, 1 ng and 3 ng DNA as PCR template. All alleles were detected with 0.5 ng, 1 ng and 3 ng DNA input. Any off scale data and noise over 175 RFU that is threshold value of 3500xL recommended by the manufacturer were not observed from 0.5 ng of input DNA. Thus the optimum input DNA for PCR template was 0.5 ng. We also examined Intra-color peak height ratio and heterozygote peak height ratio at 0.5 ng of template DNA. These results obtained by 3500xL showed similar validations with 310 and 3130xl previously reported. Spectral pull-up was examined by inspections of 240 injections data about each 0.5 ng, 1 ng and 3 ng DNA samples in the sensitivity study with a threshold value of 50 RFU. 1,011, 3,210, and 7,056 pull-up peaks were observed in 0.5 ng, 1 ng, and 3 ng, respectively. It was possible to remove all pull-up peaks using a global cut-off filter of 20%. We compared the profiles generated by the 3500xL and 3130xl using 84 samples with 0.5 ng DNA as PCR template. Both 3500xL and 3130xl detected peaks of all alleles contained in them. However, 3500xL also detected noise peaks and genotyping success rate were 71.4-88.1%. When the 3500xL run data were re-analyzed using the 20% filter, the genotyping results showed 100% concordance.
  The 20% filter is useful to obtain STR profiles with Identifiler^® kit using 3500xL from reference samples because reference samples yield high-quality DNA and are collected from a single individual.

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  In this study, we developed a method for the detection of the herbicides paraquat (PQ) and diquat (DQ) in human urine and whole blood with an oxidative reaction followed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (LC/MS).
  Prior to the oxidative reaction, urine samples were cleaned up by dispersive solid phase extraction with Oasis^® WCX, and blood samples were deproteinized with sulfosalicylic acid. These pretreated samples were oxidized with 1 mg/mL potassium ferricyanide and 15 M sodium hydroxide. The oxidative products of PQ and DQ were extracted with high recovery rates by solid phase extraction with Oasis^® MAX. These extracted oxidative products were successfully separated and detected by LC/MS using a semi micro C18 column in the gradient solvent system of 10 mM ammonium formate (pH 3) and methanol.
  Quantitative analyses for blood samples were carried out using PQ-d₆ and ethyl PQ as internal standards. The calibration curves for PQ and DQ showed good linearity in the range of 10-5000 ng/mL. Precision (R.S.D.) was less than 5.8%, and accuracy was ranged from 99% to 112%.

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  This study has revealed the advantages of synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence analysis (SR-XRF) utilizing 12 keV X-rays concentrated with polycapillary x-ray optics for nondestructive discrimination of polyester white single fibers. Twenty kinds of polyester white single fibers collected from 11 automobile trunk mats and 9 clothes were used as analysis samples. Titanium derived from TiO₂ delustering agents, Ca derived from CaCO₃ fillers, Sb and Ge derived from polymerization catalysts, elements such as Mn, Co, Ni and Cu derived from transesterification catalysts could be detected from polyester white single fibers. The elements detected can be used as important indexes to characterize the samples. In order to discriminate single fibers for clothes in which Ti and Sb were only detected, it has been suggested that comparison of x-ray intensity ratios of Sb Lα,β/Ti Kβ is effective. This technique should provide an effective approach to nondestructive discrimination of polyester white single fibers.

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  In order to prove synthetic cannabinoid abuse, it is necessary to detect intact synthetic cannabinoids or their metabolites from such biological samples as urine or blood. Generally, blood is used as the biological sample because it is usually difficult to detect intact synthetic cannabinoids in urine. Furthermore, a rapid and accurate method for the detection of synthetic cannabinoids in the biological sample is required. Therefore, we examined the applicability of solid-phase dispersive extraction (SPDE)-GC/MS in the rapid detection of intact synthetic cannabinoids in blood. We chose seven synthetic cannabinoids designated as narcotics. To determine the optimum operating conditions for SPDE, we selected Oasis^® HLB as the solid-phase material for pre-treatment and filled it with 10 mg into the equipment, and acetone as the eluent. The pre-treatment resulted in 80-100% recovery. Furthermore, the pre-treatment time was significantly reduced in SPDE compared to solid-phase extraction (SPE). In addition, the pre-treatment protected operators from unnecessary exposure, reduced cross-contamination of chemicals, and decreased operation complexity. The limit of detection (S/N>3) of JWH-018, JWH-122, cannabicyclohexanol (CCH), XLR-11, and AM2201 was 2.5 ng/mL, and that of JWH-073 and MAM-2201 was 5 ng/mL. The limit of quantification (S/N>10) of JWH-018, JWH-122, CCH, XLR-11, and AM2201 was 5 ng/mL, and that of JWH-073 and MAM-2201 was 10 ng/mL. The average recoveries of the seven synthetic cannabinoids from pooled serum samples spiked at 25 and 450 ng/mL were 76.9-107.4% (SD: 6.4-10.7%) and 63.1-89.6% (SD: 3.9-8.2%), respectively. (SPDE)-GC/MS was proven to be a useful method for detecting intact synthetic cannabinoids in blood.

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  Respiratory movement is one of the indices for the concealed information test (CIT). This study examined incremental validity of the weighted average method (Matsuda & Ogawa, 2011) to analyze respiration speed (RS), respiration amplitude (RA), and respiration rate (RR). A simple average method of RS is known to be biased by analysis interval. But using the weighted average method can avoid this problem. In addition, it indicated higher detection efficiency of memorized participants compared to the simple average method. With examining time-series data, RS and RR could distinguish two groups in all 20 seconds, but RA could distinguish only in the first 10 seconds. Comparing distinguishability between 10-second average and 20-second average, RS and RR were better in 20 seconds than in 10 seconds, but RA was better in 10 seconds than in 20 seconds. This study showed that the best analysis interval for the weighted average method is different from each of respiration indexes.

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  Personal identification in facial photographs is becoming increasingly important in the field of forensic science. Thanks to a recent development of the three-dimensional (3D) digital imaging technologies, we have applied this technology for personal identification in actual cases for over a decade. Besides using the 3D scanner for caseworks, the anthropometric data collection for the Japanese population is now ongoing using the commercially available 3D shape analysis software.
  In this study, we validated this software from the views of a posture standardization of the 3D faces, a reproducibility of the landmark positioning and an accuracy of their distances calculated. The latter two issues were examined by using standard cubic shapes obtained by 3D modeling using a computer aided design (CAD) software and by the 3D scanning for an actual cube model as well as by using 3D facial images.
  The results showed that the measurements were correctly established both in the standard Cubes and the 3D facial data even with several kinds of angles of the objects. The dispersion of the measurements can be reduced by displaying additional guidelines on the 3D facial image. From the results obtained, it was shown that the software we are currently using for anthropometry for the 3D face is applicable to both the caseworks and the anthropometric population study on large numbers of the 3D facial images.

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