Journal of Forensic Research

DETECHIP® is a novel molecular sensing array being developed for the detection and identification of a variety of compounds including controlled substances. This easy to use technology has the ability to produce a unique identifying binary code for each substance tested. Original analysis methodology relied on human vision to classify color and fluorescence changes within the array. New digital color image analysis techniques using Red-Green-Blue (RGB) color values provided a higher degree of specificity and greater consistency. This image analysis technique was able to detect more subtle changes in color and was therefore able to properly discriminate between substances that previously produced identical codes. This technique was also expanded to analyze changes in RGB color values individually, increasing the length of the code to 48 digits and therefore potentially providing a further increase in specificity. To show the applicability of this new method, a blind study was performed, correctly identifying two unknown analytes.

An estimated 1,95,000 deaths every year are caused by burns–the vast majority occurs in low- and middleincome countries. In India, over 10, 00,000 people are moderately or severely burnt every year. Women in the WHO South-East Asia Region have the highest rate of burns, accounting for 27% of global burn deaths and nearly 70% of burn deaths in the region. Adrenal haemorrhage occurs secondary to both traumatic conditions and atraumatic conditions. Burns accounts for maximum number of cases of traumatic haemorrhages. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of adrenal haemorrhage in non-surviving patients with burns by evaluating the compiled autopsy study data. During the period between 1st July 2009 to 31st June 2011, totally 51 burns cases were autopsied, among them, adrenal haemorrhage was seen in 14 cases, of which 10 cases showed bilateral haemorrhages and 04 cases showed unilateral haemorrhages. Extensive, bilateral adrenal haemorrhages were more commonly seen in males. Acute adrenal insufficiency is an uncommon but devastating complication of severe burn injury. The diagnosis is rarely made ante-mortem. The clinical importance of bilateral adrenal haemorrhage is that it may lead to acute adrenal insufficiency and possible death. Therefore, when a sudden deterioration in the patient with thermal injuries is encountered, adrenal insufficiency must be considered.

Transomental openings are usually congenital. Transomental hernia is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. A 36-year-old female was found to have a transomental hernia at autopsy. We report the case of the strangulated intestinal obstruction with no past history.

Clandestine laboratories [e.g., drug, explosive, or chemical warfare (CW)] can be processed for chemical evidence that identifies the synthetic targets and reaction paths. Further, trace impurities contained in the product constitute a fingerprint that can correlate laboratories, associate distributed product (i.e., a terrorist CW attack) with the production laboratory, or relate various attacks. This phenomenological study evaluates the field and laboratory emission cell (FLEC) for its suitability for sampling volatile attribution signatures. Dissipation of a wide range of attribution signature representatives was studied from a variety of typical building materials using FLEC sampling. Results showed rapid and near complete analyte evaporation from metal, intermediate permanence on Teflon, and strong retention on vinyl tiles. FLEC also proved useful for sampling residues left after dissipation of a sulfur mustard stimulant. In summary, preliminary evaluation of FLEC for forensic attribution applications looks promising. Advantages, practical considerations, and disadvantages of FLEC sampling are discussed.