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Sacco MA, Gualtieri S, Tarallo AP, Calanna L, La Russa R, Aquila I. The Role of Molecular Investigations in Estimating the Time since Deposition (TSD) of Bloodstains: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7469. [PMID: 39000576 PMCID: PMC11242220 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25137469] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/05/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
At many crime scenes, investigators are able to trace and find traces of blood. For many years, it was believed that such traces could only be subjected to genetic investigations, such as those aimed at comparing DNA profiling with a suspect to verify his identity, and that it was therefore not possible to backdate the traces. In recent years, various works have used experimental models to investigate the possibility of identifying markers and methodologies for estimating the time since deposition (TSD) of bloodstains. Despite the results, these methods are still not part of standard procedures, and there is no univocal analysis methodology. In this work we carried out a systematic literature review of all the papers published in the last ten years on this topic, comparing the experimental models created. This review demonstrates the potential that different molecular approaches, such as transcriptomics, metabolomics, proteomics, and spectrometry, can have in the analysis of TSD, with notable sensitivity and specificity. This paper also analyzes the intrinsic and extrinsic limits of these models and emphasizes the need to continue research work on this topic, considering the importance that this parameter can assume in forensic investigations against a suspect.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Antonio Sacco
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (A.P.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Saverio Gualtieri
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (A.P.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Alessandro Pasquale Tarallo
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (A.P.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Luca Calanna
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (A.P.T.); (L.C.)
| | - Raffaele La Russa
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Public Health, Life Sciences, and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy;
| | - Isabella Aquila
- Institute of Legal Medicine, Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences, “Magna Graecia” University, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy; (M.A.S.); (S.G.); (A.P.T.); (L.C.)
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2
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Chen H, Tian L, Sun X, Liu L, Ma R, Zhang M. Alkaline Phosphatase for Estimating the Time since Deposition of Blood Fingerprints by Scanning Electrochemical Microscopy. Anal Chem 2023; 95:18470-18478. [PMID: 38051701 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.3c03692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Blood is one of the most frequent and valuable traces encountered at crime scenes, where knowing the time since deposition (TSD) of bloodstains tremendously assists forensic experts to screen out crime-related evidence and aids in the reconstruction of the event sequence. Although increasing proof-of-concept methodologies for investigating the TSD of bloodstains have been reported, there is still no accepted strategy in forensic practice as the aging mechanism involves complex components, leading to the inaccuracy of the estimation results. Herein, an endogenous biomarker of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was chosen to investigate the TSD by scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM). Results demonstrate that the ALP activity acquired via SECM lateral scan assay exhibited a clear decrease over time, and a similar trend was observed on both poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) membrane and glass, with the aging kinetics on PVDF membrane being faster than glass. By means of quantitatively calculating the flux of generated p-aminophenol (PAP), we established the aging curve and realized the TSD estimation of blood fingerprints (BFPs) that was unable to be distinguished via optical measurements. Intriguingly, the as-obtained estimation accuracy ranged from 74.6 to 93.7%, proving the possibility of using an ALP biomarker and SECM. More appealingly, the predicted TSDs were capable of accurately differentiating the deposition sequence of overlapping BFPs, which was hardly achieved by optical means. Therefore, this proof-of-concept strategy demonstrates the value of SECM as a forensic tool and opens possibilities for revealing multidimensional information about crime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyu Chen
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lu Tian
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Xiangyu Sun
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Lu Liu
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
| | - Rongliang Ma
- Ministry of Public Security, Institute of Forensic Science, Beijing 100038, China
| | - Meiqin Zhang
- Beijing Key Laboratory for Bioengineering and Sensing Technology, School of Chemistry and Biological Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 30 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, China
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3
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Cano-Trujillo C, García-Ruiz C, Ortega-Ojeda FE, Romolo F, Montalvo G. Forensic analysis of biological fluid stains on substrates by spectroscopic approaches and chemometrics: A review. Anal Chim Acta 2023; 1282:341841. [PMID: 37923402 DOI: 10.1016/j.aca.2023.341841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bodily fluid stains are one of the most relevant evidence that can be found at the crime scene as it provides a wealth of information to the investigators. They help to report on the individuals involved in the crime, to check alibis, or to determine the type of crime that has been committed. They appear as stains in different types of substrates, some of them porous, which can interfere in the analysis. The spectroscopy techniques combined with chemometrics are showing increasing potential for their use in the analysis of such samples due to them being fast, sensitive, and non-destructive. FINDINGS This is a comprehensive review of the studies that used different spectroscopic techniques followed by chemometrics for analysing biological fluid stains on several surfaces, and under various conditions. It focuses on the bodily fluid stains and the most suitable spectroscopic techniques to study forensic scientific problems such as the substrate's characteristics, the influence of ambient conditions, the aging process of the bodily fluids, the presence of animal bodily fluids and non-biological fluids (interfering substances), and the bodily fluid mixtures. The most widely used techniques were Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR FTIR). Nonetheless, other non-destructive techniques have been also used, like near infrared hyperspectral imaging (HSI-NIR) or surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), among others. This work provides the criteria for the selection of the most promising non-destructive techniques for the effective in situ detection of biological fluid stains at crime scene investigations. SIGNIFICANCE AND NOVELTY The use of the proper spectroscopic and chemometric approaches on the crime scene is expected to improve the support of forensic sciences to criminal investigations. Evidence may be analysed in a non-destructive manner and kept intact for further analysis. They will also speed up forensic investigations by allowing the selection of relevant samples from occupational ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Cano-Trujillo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33,6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales, Libreros 27, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen García-Ruiz
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33,6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales, Libreros 27, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Fernando E Ortega-Ojeda
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33,6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales, Libreros 27, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Ciencias de la Computación, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33,6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francesco Romolo
- Università degli Studi di Bergamo, Dipartimento di Giurisprudenza, Via Moroni 255, 24127, Bergamo, Italy
| | - Gemma Montalvo
- Universidad de Alcalá, Departamento de Química Analítica, Química Física e Ingeniería Química, Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km 33,6, 28871, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain; Universidad de Alcalá, Instituto Universitario de Investigación en Ciencias Policiales, Libreros 27, 28801, Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.
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4
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Zhang R, Wang P, Chen J, Tian Y, Gao J. Age estimation of bloodstains based on Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. SPECTROCHIMICA ACTA. PART A, MOLECULAR AND BIOMOLECULAR SPECTROSCOPY 2023; 290:122284. [PMID: 36592590 DOI: 10.1016/j.saa.2022.122284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 12/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The accurate estimation of the bloodstain age, which is one of the important biological evidence of crime scene, can provide a lot of information related to crime. How to extract the information quickly and accurately from bloodstains without damage has been a focused problem. In this study, a bloodstains age estimation method based on Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics was developed. As many as 11 simulated environments based on different temperature and humidity were constructed in the method, and bloodstains of three species including human were studied. The influence of environmental factors such as temperature and humidity on the variation of Raman spectral peaks during the aging process of bloodstains was analyzed using the e-index fitting. When the humidity was kept constant, the increase of temperature generally promoted the changes of the spectral peaks. When the temperature was kept constant, the increase of humidity generally slowed the changes of spectral peaks. These works provide data support for the further development of Raman spectroscopy for bloodstain age estimation and could accelerate its application in actual scenes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Zhang
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Peng Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China.
| | - Jiansheng Chen
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Yubing Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China
| | - Jing Gao
- School of Biomedical Engineering (Suzhou), Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Medical Optics, Suzhou Institute of Biomedical Engineering and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215163, China.
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5
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A highly sensitive method for the detection of alkaline phosphatase based on thioflavin T/G-quadruplex and strand displacement amplification. Microchem J 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2022.107655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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6
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Unlocking the potential of forensic traces: Analytical approaches to generate investigative leads. Sci Justice 2022; 62:310-326. [PMID: 35598924 DOI: 10.1016/j.scijus.2022.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Forensic investigation involves gathering the information necessary to understand the criminal events as well as linking objects or individuals to an item, location or other individual(s) for investigative purposes. For years techniques such as presumptive chemical tests, DNA profiling or fingermark analysis have been of great value to this process. However, these techniques have their limitations, whether it is a lack of confidence in the results obtained due to cross-reactivity, subjectivity and low sensitivity; or because they are dependent on holding reference samples in a pre-existing database. There is currently a need to devise new ways to gather as much information as possible from a single trace, particularly from biological traces commonly encountered in forensic casework. This review outlines the most recent advancements in the forensic analysis of biological fluids, fingermarks and hair. Special emphasis is placed on analytical methods that can expand the information obtained from the trace beyond what is achieved in the usual practices. Special attention is paid to those methods that accurately determine the nature of the sample, as well as how long it has been at the crime scene, along with individualising information regarding the donor source of the trace.
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7
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Ravindra MK, Darshan GP, Lavanya DR, Mahadevan KM, Premkumar HB, Sharma SC, Adarsha H, Nagabhushana H. Aggregation induced emission based active conjugated imidazole luminogens for visualization of latent fingerprints and multiple anticounterfeiting applications. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16748. [PMID: 34408179 PMCID: PMC8373972 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-96011-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Aggregation-induced emission based organic heterocyclic luminogens bearing conjugated electronic structures showed much attention due to its excellent fluorescence in aggregation state. In this communication, a novel conjugated blue light emitting imidazole molecule is synthesized by one pot multicomponent reaction route is reported for the first time. The prepared molecule exhibits a strong fluorescence in aggregation state with exceptional properties, such as high purity, inexpensive, eco-friendly, large scale production, high photostability, etc. By considering these advantages, a new fluorescence based platform has been setup for in-situ visualization of latent fingerprints and its preservation by spray method followed by Poly(vinyl alcohol) masking. A clear and well defined fluorescence fingerprint images are noticed on variety of surfaces by revealing level 1-3 ridge features upon ultraviolet 365 nm light exposure. The dual nature of binding specificity as well as excellent fluorescence properties permits the visualization of latent fingerprints for longer durations (up to 365 days) with superior contrast, high sensitivity, efficiency, selectivity and minimal background hindrance. We further fabricated unclonable invisible security ink for various printing modes on valuable goods for protection against forging. The developed labels are displaying uniform distribution of ink and exceptional stability under various atmospheric environments. The development of long preservative information using aggregation-induced emission based luminogen opens up a new avenue in advanced forensic and data security applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- M K Ravindra
- Department of Chemistry, P. G. Centre, Kuvempu University, Kadur, 577 548, India
| | - G P Darshan
- Department of Physics, FMPS, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru, 560 054, India
| | - D R Lavanya
- Prof. C.N.R. Rao Centre for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur, 572 103, India
| | - K M Mahadevan
- Department of Chemistry, P. G. Centre, Kuvempu University, Kadur, 577 548, India
| | - H B Premkumar
- Department of Physics, FMPS, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru, 560 054, India
| | - S C Sharma
- National Assessment and Accreditation Council, Bengaluru, 560 072, India.,Jain University, Bengaluru, 562 112, India.,Centre for Energy, Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati, 781 039, India
| | - H Adarsha
- Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, Jain Global Campus, Bengaluru, 562 112, India
| | - H Nagabhushana
- Prof. C.N.R. Rao Centre for Advanced Materials, Tumkur University, Tumkur, 572 103, India.
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8
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Das T, Harshey A, Nigam K, Yadav VK, Srivastava A. Analytical approaches for bloodstain aging by vibrational spectroscopy: Current trends and future perspectives. Microchem J 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.microc.2020.105278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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9
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Giuliano S, Mistek-Morabito E, Lednev IK. Forensic Phenotype Profiling Based on the Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform-Infrared Spectroscopy of Blood: Chronological Age of the Donor. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:27026-27031. [PMID: 33134662 PMCID: PMC7593994 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Forensic chemistry is an important and rapidly growing branch of analytical chemistry. As a part of forensic practices, phenotype profiling is beneficial to help narrow down suspects. The goal of this study is to identify a person's age range using dried bloodstains. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform-infrared (ATR FT-IR) spectroscopy is the technique used to acquire information about the total (bio)chemical composition of a sample. For the purpose of this proof-of-concept study, a diverse pool of donors including those in newborn (<1), adolescent (11-13), and adult (43-68) age ranges was used. Different donor age groups were found to have different levels of lipids, glucose, and proteins in whole blood, although the corresponding spectral differences were minor. Therefore, the collected data set was analyzed using chemometrics to enhance discrepancy and assist in donors' classification. A partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLSDA) was used to classify ATR FT-IR spectra of blood from newborn, adolescent, and adult donors. The method showed a 92% correct classification of spectra in leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) of the model. Overall, ATR FT-IR spectroscopy is nondestructive and can be an infield method that can be used for a variety of forensic applications. In general, the developed approach combining ATR FT-IR spectroscopy and advanced statistics shows the great potential for classifying (bio)chemical samples exhibiting significant intra-class variations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha Giuliano
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United
States
| | - Ewelina Mistek-Morabito
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United
States
| | - Igor K. Lednev
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, SUNY, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United
States
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Recent Advances in Noninvasive Biosensors for Forensics, Biometrics, and Cybersecurity. SENSORS 2020; 20:s20215974. [PMID: 33105602 PMCID: PMC7659947 DOI: 10.3390/s20215974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 10/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Recently, biosensors have been used in an increasing number of different fields and disciplines due to their wide applicability, reproducibility, and selectivity. Three large disciplines in which this has become relevant has been the forensic, biometric, and cybersecurity fields. The call for novel noninvasive biosensors for these three applications has been a focus of research in these fields. Recent advances in these three areas has relied on the use of biosensors based on primarily colorimetric assays based on bioaffinity interactions utilizing enzymatic assays. In forensics, the use of different bodily fluids for metabolite analysis provides an alternative to the use of DNA to avoid the backlog that is currently the main issue with DNA analysis by providing worthwhile information about the originator. In biometrics, the use of sweat-based systems for user authentication has been developed as a proof-of-concept design utilizing the levels of different metabolites found in sweat. Lastly, biosensor assays have been developed as a proof-of-concept for combination with cybersecurity, primarily cryptography, for the encryption and protection of data and messages.
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12
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Wang H, Ma C, Li Z, Wu K. An exonuclease-assisted fluorescence sensor for assaying alkaline phosphatase based on SYBR Green I. Mol Cell Probes 2019; 45:26-30. [PMID: 30981621 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 04/08/2019] [Accepted: 04/08/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
In this report, we propose a fast, reliable and convenient approach to determine the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity based on a label-free fluorescence strategy. Upon catalysis of ALP, dephosphorylated dsDNA hampers the λ exonuclease (λexo) cleavage, shows high affinity to SYBR Green I (SG I), resulting in a strong fluorescence emission peak at 520 nm. In the absence of ALP, the dsDNA with 5'-phosphoryl-termini could be employed as a substrate of λexo. After cleavage, a weak fluorescence emission peaks at 520 nm could be observed. The assay was both selective and sensitive, and the detection limit was found to be as low as 3 U/L. This method was utilized to evaluate Na3VO4 as ALP inhibitor. The method was successfully applied to the determination of the activity of ALP in spiked human serum samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huiyu Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China; XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Changbei Ma
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China.
| | - Zekun Li
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China; XiangYa School of Medicine, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
| | - Kefeng Wu
- School of Life Sciences, Central South University, Changsha, 410013, China
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13
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A method to estimate the age of bloodstains using quantitative PCR. Forensic Sci Int Genet 2019; 39:103-108. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigen.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2018] [Revised: 10/10/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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14
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Doty KC, Lednev IK. Differentiating Donor Age Groups Based on Raman Spectroscopy of Bloodstains for Forensic Purposes. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2018; 4:862-867. [PMID: 30062114 PMCID: PMC6062834 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.8b00198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Developments in analytical chemistry technologies and portable instrumentation over the past decade have contributed significantly to a variety of applications ranging from point of care testing to industrial process control. In particular, Raman spectroscopy has advanced for analyzing various types of evidence for forensic purposes. Extracting phenotypic information (e.g., sex, race, age, etc.) from body fluid traces is highly desirable for criminal investigations. Identifying the chronological age (CA) of a blood donor can provide significant assistance to detectives. In this proof-of-concept study, Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics have been used to analyze blood from human donors, and differentiate between them based on their CA [i.e., newborns (CA of <1 year), adolescents (CA of 11-13 years), and adults (CA of 43-68 years)]. A support vector machines discriminant analysis (SVMDA) model was constructed, which demonstrated high accuracy in correctly predicting blood donors' age groups where the lowest cross-validated sensitivity and specificity values were 0.96 and 0.97, respectively. Overall, this preliminary study demonstrates the high selectivity of Raman spectroscopy for differentiating between blood donors based on their CA. The demonstrated capability completes our suite of phenotype profiling methodologies including the determination of sex and race. CA determination has particular importance since this characteristic cannot be determined through DNA profiling unlike sex and race. When completed, the developed methodology should allow for phenotype profiling based on dry traces of body fluids immediately at the scene of a crime. The availability of this information within the first few hours since the crime discovery could be invaluable for the investigation.
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15
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Tang Z, Zhang H, Ma C, Gu P, Zhang G, Wu K, Chen M, Wang K. Colorimetric determination of the activity of alkaline phosphatase based on the use of Cu(II)-modulated G-quadruplex-based DNAzymes. Mikrochim Acta 2018; 185:109. [DOI: 10.1007/s00604-017-2628-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
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16
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Brunelle E, Huynh C, Alin E, Eldridge M, Le AM, Halámková L, Halámek J. Fingerprint Analysis: Moving Toward Multiattribute Determination via Individual Markers. Anal Chem 2017; 90:980-987. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b04206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erica Brunelle
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Crystal Huynh
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Eden Alin
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Morgan Eldridge
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Anh Minh Le
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Lenka Halámková
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Jan Halámek
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany, State University of New York, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
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17
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Estimation of the age of human bloodstains under the simulated indoor and outdoor crime scene conditions by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13254. [PMID: 29038589 PMCID: PMC5643403 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13725-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Estimation of the age of human bloodstains is of great importance in forensic practices, but it is a challenging task because of the lack of a well-accepted, reliable, and established method. Here, the attenuated total reflection (ATR)-Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) technique combined with advanced chemometric methods was utilized to determine the age of indoor and outdoor bloodstains up to 107 days. The bloodstain storage conditions mimicked crime scene scenarios as closely as possible. Two partial least squares regression models—indoor and outdoor models with 7–85 days—exhibited good performance for external validation, with low values of predictive root mean squared error (5.83 and 4.77) and high R2 values (0.94 and 0.96) and residual predictive deviation (4.08 and 5.14), respectively. Two partial least squares–discriminant analysis classification models were built and demonstrated excellent distinction between fresh (age ≤1 d) and older (age >1 d) bloodstains, which is highly valuable for forensic investigations. These findings demonstrate that ATR-FTIR spectroscopy coupled with advanced chemometric methods can be employed as a rapid and non-destructive tool for age estimation of bloodstains in real-world forensic investigation.
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Agudelo J, Privman V, Halámek J. Promises and Challenges in Continuous Tracking Utilizing Amino Acids in Skin Secretions for Active Multi-Factor Biometric Authentication for Cybersecurity. Chemphyschem 2017; 18:1714-1720. [DOI: 10.1002/cphc.201700044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Agudelo
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany; State University of New York; Albany NY 12222 USA
| | - Vladimir Privman
- Department of Physics; Clarkson University; Potsdam NY 13699 USA
| | - Jan Halámek
- Department of Chemistry, University at Albany; State University of New York; Albany NY 12222 USA
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Muro CK, Lednev IK. Race Differentiation Based on Raman Spectroscopy of Semen Traces for Forensic Purposes. Anal Chem 2017; 89:4344-4348. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b00106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Claire K. Muro
- Chemistry Department, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
| | - Igor K. Lednev
- Chemistry Department, University at Albany, 1400 Washington Avenue, Albany, New York 12222, United States
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