A method validation for the hemoglobin chemical reagent test strip with the addition of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid to increase the selectivity of this presumptive test for residual blood

Tetramethylbenzidine based chemical reagent test strips are often used in forensic science as a presumptive test for blood. These tests are designed as urinalysis test strips and include brands such as Combur®, HENSOTest®, Hemastix®, MultiStix® and Chemstrip®. They are used because they are simple to apply, stable, temperature tolerant and cost effective. The addition of a chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid increases the selectivity of this presumptive test for blood. This is a method validation for the hemoglobin chemical reagent test strip with EDTA. A range of substances, metal compounds, chemical solutions, blood and mixtures were tested in this method validation. The chelation with EDTA successfully prevented non-blood (false) positive results from all the substances tested and consistently produced a positive result for blood on a variety of surfaces. This study has shown that this method is capable of discriminating a blood stain on copper metal surfaces and eliminate the positive results generated by clean-up solutions such as hydrogen peroxide, which usually produce a positive result for most other presumptive tests for blood. This modified method is a simple, effective and reliable test for blood stains. A variety of variations were evaluated in this study. The simplest method of application was spraying the surface of the stain with a 0.5 M EDTA solution and testing the surface of the stain, and only requires a spray bottle of 0.5 M EDTA and the chemical reagent test strip. This spray approach is rugged and can be applied to horizontal, vertical and underside surfaces and requires little additional training. Overall, this study provides the forensic science community with an improved method more easily used, stored, transported and selective for blood, than luminol and safer than TMB.

Reconstructing Asian faunal introductions to eastern Africa from multi-proxy biomolecular and archaeological datasets

Human-mediated biological exchange has had global social and ecological impacts. In sub-Saharan Africa, several domestic and commensal animals were introduced from Asia in the pre-modern period; however, the timing and nature of these introductions remain contentious. One model supports introduction to the eastern African coast after the mid-first millennium CE, while another posits introduction dating back to 3000 BCE. These distinct scenarios have implications for understanding the emergence of long-distance maritime connectivity, and the ecological and economic impacts of introduced species. Resolution of this longstanding debate requires new efforts, given the lack of well-dated fauna from high-precision excavations, and ambiguous osteomorphological identifications. We analysed faunal remains from 22 eastern African sites spanning a wide geographic and chronological range, and applied biomolecular techniques to confirm identifications of two Asian taxa: domestic chicken (Gallus gallus) and black rat (Rattus rattus). Our approach included ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis aided by BLAST-based bioinformatics, Zooarchaeology by Mass Spectrometry (ZooMS) collagen fingerprinting, and direct AMS (accelerator mass spectrometry) radiocarbon dating. Our results support a late, mid-first millennium CE introduction of these species. We discuss the implications of our findings for models of biological exchange, and emphasize the applicability of our approach to tropical areas with poor bone preservation.

Hominin dispersal into the Nefud Desert and Middle palaeolithic settlement along the Jubbah Palaeolake, Northern Arabia

The Arabian Peninsula is a key region for understanding hominin dispersals and the effect of climate change on prehistoric demography, although little information on these topics is presently available owing to the poor preservation of archaeological sites in this desert environment. Here, we describe the discovery of three stratified and buried archaeological sites in the Nefud Desert, which includes the oldest dated occupation for the region. The stone tool assemblages are identified as a Middle Palaeolithic industry that includes Levallois manufacturing methods and the production of tools on flakes. Hominin occupations correspond with humid periods, particularly Marine Isotope Stages 7 and 5 of the Late Pleistocene. The Middle Palaeolithic occupations were situated along the Jubbah palaeolake-shores, in a grassland setting with some trees. Populations procured different raw materials across the lake region to manufacture stone tools, using the implements to process plants and animals. To reach the Jubbah palaeolake, Middle Palaeolithic populations travelled into the ameliorated Nefud Desert interior, possibly gaining access from multiple directions, either using routes from the north and west (the Levant and the Sinai), the north (the Mesopotamian plains and the Euphrates basin), or the east (the Persian Gulf). The Jubbah stone tool assemblages have their own suite of technological characters, but have types reminiscent of both African Middle Stone Age and Levantine Middle Palaeolithic industries. Comparative inter-regional analysis of core technology indicates morphological similarities with the Levantine Tabun C assemblage, associated with human fossils controversially identified as either Neanderthals or Homo sapiens.