This paper reviewed recent advances in facial image identification from the forensic aspects. Although literatures reviewed included mathematics and computer engineering fields, anthropological techniques were mainly described. Facial image identification is generally attempted using three methods: morphological comparison of facial features, facial image anthropometry and face-to-face superimposition. The most commonly employed method in actual caseworks is morphological comparison based on surface anatomy, followed by anthropometrical analysis and then face-to-face superimposition. The current technique using a 2D/3D facial image superimposition was introduced and its advantage and disadvantage were described. The evaluation of reliability in facial image identification including expert opinions was discussed, along with some problems of facial images submitted as evidential samples.

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  A method for the simultaneous detection of anionic toxic substances and related compounds (azide, cyanide, thiocyanate, sulfide, ethyl methylphosphonate, isopropyl methylphosphonate, pinacoryl methylphosphonate (PMPA), methylphosphonate (MPA), nitrate, nitrite) has been developed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry after pentafluorobenzyl (PFB) derivatization. The PFB derivatives of the analyte anions separated on a HP-5 capillary column were identified by the characteristic electron impact ionization mass spectra (EI-MS). Cyanide gave three kinds of derivatives, and two PMPA diastereomers were separated. The PFB derivative of nitrite could be clearly identified because of the poor resolution from that of nitrate and the absence of distinctive fragmentation ions on EI-MS. The effect of reaction conditions on the yield of the PFB derivatives was investigated. As catalysts, tetradecyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride (TDMBA) and polymer bound tributylmethylphosphonium chloride (TC) were examined. The effect of phosphate (pH 7.0) and borate (pH 9.3) buffer were examined. The pentafluorobenzylation with TC in borate buffer gave the best degree of efficiency except for thiocyanate. The highest yields of PFB derivatives in beverages and blood samples were also given using TC and borate buffer just the same as when tested in water. The derivatization values were 75-100% in the tea sample and 12-100% in the canned coffee sample. For the blood sample, five fold dilution was proved to be necessary in order to avoid coagulation. The derivatization efficiency values were 6-93% in the blood sample. The derivatization yield of MPA was considerably low in the coffee and blood samples.

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  When toxic metal ions are mixed with a beverage in a criminal case, it is required to make accurate identification and determination of these ions. In this study, the application of inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES) was investigated to determine the toxic metal ions of Cu, Cd, Tl and Pb in beverages. Samples were prepared by dissolving the salts of these ions in oolong tea, orange juice and canned coffee. Considering the human LDLo, mouse LD₅₀ and guinea pig LDLo, concentration of each ion was adjusted to one tenth of these values corresponding to 229, 492, 40.5 and 5630 μg/ml, respectively. Some of these samples produced the precipitate and the metal ions in the supernatant and the precipitate of oolong tea were determined separately after centrifuging. As the result, 87.2%, 94.5% and 91.1% of Cu, Cd and Pb were found in the supernatant while 12.5%, 2.2% and 8.3% were in the precipitate. Each metal ion in the oolong tea could be recovered quantitatively after the dissolution of the precipitate by the addition of 1 ml of concentrated nitric acid. Sample solutions made of orange juice and canned coffee were centrifuged and then the precipitates were vigorously washed three times with diluted nitric acid (2+98). The supernatants and the eluents of the precipitates with the diluted nitric acid were subjected to ICP-AES. Each metal ion in any of the tested beverages could be determined with a satisfactory recovery rate except for Pb in the canned coffee. The recovery rate in the canned coffee could be improved from 92.4% to 96.0% by adding concentrated nitric acid before centrifugation. It was concluded that the toxic metal ions of Cu, Cd, Tl and Pb in the beverages could be accurately analyzed with ICP-AES by using the appropriate pretreatment.

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  Latent fingerprint images visualized with ninhydrin can be enhanced by treatment with indium chloride (InCl₃) followed by blue-green light excitation of formed fluorescent Ruhemann's Purple (RP)-InCl₃ complex. The RP-InCl₃ complex showed stronger fluorescence than the well-known RP-zinc complex.
  A Crime Scope filtered lamp, an Ar-laser (6 W), a CW green laser (532 nm, 5 W and 10 W) and a pulsed green laser (532 nm, pulse width: 10 ns, pulse repetition rate: 20 kHz , average power: 1 W) were evaluated as light sources for excitation of the fluorescent RP-InCl₃ complex, and the pulsed green laser gave the strongest fluorescence on latent fingerprint detection.
  By using this ninhydrin-InCl₃-pulsed green laser method, latent fingerprints on some kinds of colored paper, the black- printed part of newspaper and the black-toner-printed part of photocopied paper were well-detected with enough fluorescence utilizing an adequate liquid nitrogen temperature. The pulsed green laser was also suitable for a light source for excitation under liquid nitrogen cooling, since it gave very little rise in temperature on the surface of the sample paper.
  On the basis of these results, a fluorescence detection system comprised of pulsed green laser, CCD camera, sample chiller and computer has been constructed.

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  Liquid chromatography (LC) with a column-switching system connected to electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was developed for the determination of phenethylamines and their metabolites in urinary and serum samples. After filteration, the sample was directly injected, and drugs were concentrated onto a strong cation-exchange (SCX) precolumn with an eluate of 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5). After 5 min elution, a six-port valve was switched, and drugs were introduced to a reversed-phase analytical column with an elution by 10 mM ammonium acetate (pH 5)-acetonitrile (80:20). Analytes eluted were introduced directly into the ESI source connected to an ion-trap detector. Linearity of quantification was obtained over the concentration range of 50-500 ng/ml for 2C-B and 20-500 ng/ml for the other compounds. The detection limit of each compound in urine samples ranged 5-50 ng/ml under scan mode. This method appeared rapid and sensitive for the determination of phenethylamines and their metabolites in biological samples.

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  A highly sensitive method for forensic ABO blood grouping using monoclonal antibodies was developed in combination with an absorption-elution test and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In this method, monoclonal antibodies eluted from bloodstains with the absorption-elution, were determined by ELISA, for detection of ABO blood group substances in bloodstains. This method enabled us to determine blood group substances in bloodstains with high sensitivity about 10 times greater than a usual absorption-elution test and also to handle many samples (32 samples per a ELISA plate) at the same time. Furthermore, changing the heat elution of antibodies to the acid elution permitted automated analysis for ABO blood grouping using BIOMEK 1000 apparatus (Beckman Instrument, California, U. S. A.).

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  A new database and software for the study of writer recognition was created. The database of handwritten characters is based on 100 character types written 50 times by 100 writers. The software, called Characom Imager 100 (Character data Computer-processing Imager 100), is capable of displaying the collected characters on the computer screen and comparing character forms while conducting basic image processing.
  Previously, such an enormous database of handwritten characters that could be used for writer recognition study did not exist. This common, large-scale database will facilitate comparison and evaluation based on data from other studies and will contribute to the improvement of writer recognition technique and reliability.
  Characom Imager 100 is capable of quickly searching out a character from a vast database and displaying it on the computer screen under prescribed conditions, with the center of the character pattern placed on the center line of the display screen. The software carries out a comparative analysis of characters while conducting seven types of image processing: sampling, border following, distance transformation, labeling, thinning, projection profiling and feature extraction. This software adds new dimensions to the comparison of character patterns. The characteristics of characters obtained through image processing can be used to analyze character forms and can be translated into graphs or figures for analysis. Application of this software could produce new character-identification methods not only in terms of writer recognition, but also in terms of handwriting identification.

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  Commercially available monoclonal antibodies and animal immune serums for ABO blood-typing, were evaluated in a Mixed Cell Agglutination Reaction (MCAR)test. Eighteen kinds of the monoclonal antibodies and five kinds of animal immune serums were examined in this study.
  Non-specific agglutinations were observed in all of the monoclonal antibodies. These non-specific agglutinations were reduced by blocking using 1% and 10% skim milk solution or by using monoclonal antibodies mixed with skim milk (1% and 10% final concentration).
  No antibodies and/or immune serums of an anti-A and anti-B set had strong and specific agglutination reactions in such forensic specimens as bloodstains, vaginal stains, salivary stains and seminal stains, even if using monoclonal antibodies mixed with skim milk (1% final concentration). In order to apply the MCAR test for these samples, we equally mixed two kinds of antibodies out of three kinds of antibodies which showed strong and specific agglutination in either secretor or non-secretor samples. As the result of the examinations of the six combinations, we found that the equal mixed antibody of Kokusai's and Immucor's products was applicable to ABO typing of forensic specimens. The reactivity of this mixture was similar to that of the human polyclonal antibody.
  The result of the blind test of ABO blood grouping of human salivary stains obtained from 100 people corresponded to the donor's type using this method. These results suggested that the mixture of antibodies is useful to detect ABO blood typing in MCAR test.

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  The well-established method of gunshot residue (GSR) particle detection by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) is generally employed in both the examination of the suspect and the target area. In this study, we would like to introduce a simple and rapid technique as a new strategy for collecting of GSR particles for detection by SEM/EDX. This method involved sucking the GSRs by a suction apparatus and trapping them on small areas of double-sided adhesive tape in a novel GSR collector. Collection of GSR particles using a suction method with this novel GSR collector was compared to the direct tape-lift technique from a practical point of view. The direct tape-lift technique is difficult in concentrating GSR particles as a result of an accumulation of extraneous material. This new method proved more efficient than using the tape-lift technique. From the findings in this study, it seemed that the most efficient way of collecting GSR particles is by using the newly suction method with a novel GSR collector.

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