Life Sciences Commons^™

Stability Of Dna In Saliva Evidence Collected With Two Different Swabbing Solutions, Kuanwei Lu

Student Theses

As the significance of trace DNA has increased over time, it has become more important to optimize each process to avoid any loss of genetic material. Factors that could negatively affect the quality and quantity of DNA during transport or storage include environmental temperature, the DNA collection devices, the packaging, and possible contamination. This study compared the DNA stability of saliva stain swabs collected by moistening the swab with deionized water or Sample Keeper and stored at room temperature. Sample Keeper (Microread Genetics, Beijing) is a proprietary buffer marketed as a DNA stabilizing agent. We swabbed 110 saliva stains from …

The Method Development And Validation Of Designer Benzodiazepines In Oral Fluid Using Solid Phase Extraction And Lc-Ms/Ms, Jenna L. Monsell

Student Theses

Oral fluid is a useful biological matrix. Collection is non-invasive, quick, observable, and its correlation between oral fluid and blood drug concentration make oral fluid an important matrix to use as a roadside test. Designer benzodiazepines have become increasingly popular over the years, adversely affecting motor skills and leading to driving under the influence. Many previous studies have focused on the method development and validation of designer benzodiazepines in blood and hair but fail to validate a method to detect designer benzodiazepines in oral fluid. This study focuses on the method validation of 13 designer benzodiazepines in oral fluid using …

Hair And Drugs: The Impact Of Dry Shampoo And Gel On Cocaine-Contaminated Hair, Marialejandra Faure Betancourt

Student Theses

Hair is a biological sample used in forensic toxicology to identify and quantify drug exposure. However, when interpreting analytical results, hair can be challenging due to the presence of external contamination. Previous studies have shown that cosmetic treatments remove drugs within the hair shaft decreasing their concentration. Nevertheless, not enough information is available to explain this phenomenon. This study focused to determine whether cosmetic products such as dry shampoo and gel influence the concentration of externally deposited cocaine (COC) and benzoylecgonine (BE) in different hair types/colors. Hair samples from fifteen COC-free volunteers of various hair colors/types were collected and divided …

Extraction Of Challenging Forensic Samples Using The Microgem Dna Extraction Kit, Falyn R. Vega

Student Theses

In forensic science, DNA extraction can be a tedious and resource-intensive process. Extraction with Proteinase K is an industry standard but has its drawbacks, such as requiring multiple ionic detergents and washing steps. MicroGEM has developed a new enzyme called forensicGEM that is temperature-dependent and compatible with mesophilic enzymes, offering complete DNA extraction in about 20 minutes in a single tube, limiting contamination, loss of sample, and working time. ForensicGEM can extract DNA from highly degraded samples, potentially leading to more complete STR profiles. Highly degraded tissue and bone samples were collected and extracted with the forensicGEM …

The Impact Of Pharmacogenetics On Oral Fluid Steady State Drug Testing Results, Aliya D. Lewis

Student Theses

Pharmacogenetics refers to the relationship between phenotypic variation in metabolism and response to certain drugs. The interface of pharmacogenetics and forensic toxicology is not well explored. A major component of the opioid metabolic pathway has to do with a family of cytochromes called cytochrome P450 (CYP450). CYP450 refers to a general family of enzymes capable of catalyzing the oxidative biotransformation of lipophilic substances, CYPs are further categorized into families and sub-families (Roller, 2015; Zanger & Schwab, 2013). The gene CYP2D6 belongs to the CYP2 family which is responsible for the biotransformation of xenobiotics. This study looked at the effect of …

Using Direct Pcr For Disaster Victim Identification Reference Samples, Mary Habib

Student Theses

Forensic genetic testing is an important tool for the identification of victims after a mass fatality event but degradation of remains, presence of PCR inhibitors, and limited amounts of sample can make testing difficult. Standard protocols typically include extraction of genetic material from recovered post-mortem samples, and from ante-mortem reference samples or families of a missing person. This is a time-consuming and laborious process and may result in the loss of trace amounts of DNA available for amplification. Incorporating workflows that bypass the extraction step and directly amplify recovered DNA for short tandem repeat (STR) profile generation has the potential …

Signature Peptide Identification For Body Fluids In Sexual Assault Cases By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Kelci Somers

Student Theses

Body fluids contain proteins that perform functions specific to different types of body fluids. Therefore, the detection of signature peptides for these proteins can potentially identify a body fluid in a forensic investigation. This project aimed to validate a method to detect signature peptides in body fluids commonly found in sexual assault cases by LC-MS/MS. Signature peptides for semen and saliva fluids were combined with two signature peptides for vaginal fluids. Samples created using two donors each for saliva, semen, and vaginal fluids were extracted using a trypsin digest, with separation of the protein and DNA fractions. The LC-MS/MS was …

Lc-Ms/Ms Method For The Detection And Quantification Of Pharmaceuticals And Drugs Of Abuse In New York City Waterways, Natalie M. Fernandez

Student Theses

The use of licit and illicit drugs has been increasing significantly over the past few years within the United States. Due to this increase, these drugs are emerging as contaminants in surface and ground water. The presence of pharmacologically active compounds in this environment can be extremely harmful to aquatic life as they are continuously exposed to these substances. The goal of this study was two-fold: 1) Develop and validate an analytical method for 28 different drugs including cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, cannabis, and prescription medicines, in river water; 2) Identify and quantify drugs found in New York City waterways over …

Biological Factors Affecting Dna Shedding Propensity, Ines G. Cedillo-Cruz

Student Theses

Recovery of trace DNA is important in forensic casework because it is the main type of biological evidence found in both violent and non-violent crimes. Researchers have been trying to determine if there are individual differences in shedding propensity, or how much DNA an individual leaves behind. A model for determining this would benefit evidence interpretation if passive transfer scenarios are being considered, as it can affect the probative value of DNA evidence. This study compared the amount of DNA collected with adhesive D-Squame tape disks from the fingers of individual’s washed non-dominant and dominant hands after 30 minutes of …

Elisa Validation Method For The Detection Of Ketamine In Hair, Daria A. Centonza

Student Theses

An ELISA method was developed and validated to detect ketamine in human hair samples. Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that causes memory loss, dissociative sensations, and hallucinations. Due to these adverse effects, ketamine is a common drug used in drug facilitated sexual assaults (DFSAs). It is very important to be able to detect the substances used in DFSAs over a longer period of time due to the delayed reporting of these crimes. Victims, often out of fear and from the sedative/memory loss effects of the drugs, tend to report these crimes when it is too late to use urine and …

Chiral Analysis Of Methamphetamine In Hair Samples, Kristen Payes

Student Theses

Methamphetamine (MAMP) is a highly addictive illicit drug typically abused for its nervous system stimulating effects. Conversely, methamphetamine has therapeutic use treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, controlling appetite and assisting with weight loss, and is available as the pure l-isomer in over-the-counter (OTC) nasal inhalers due to its decongestant activity. Because l-methamphetamine (l-MAMP) is available in OTC form, forensic guidelines require a sample to contain greater than 20% d-methamphetamine (d-MAMP) when classifying results as consistent with illicit MAMP use. Chiral chromatographic analysis is capable of distinguishing between l-MAMP and d-MAMP. This …

Reproducibility Of Individual Dna Deposits Detected Through Cellular Fluorescence, Natalee Small-Davidson

Student Theses

Contact traces are an important part of DNA casework, but the probative value of any identified associations depends on the possibility of passive transfer. There is known individual variation in DNA left behind during contact, this DNA shedding propensity has an effect on whose DNA is detected. This study evaluated this variability using a cell staining approach. Volunteers were asked to deposit a fingerprint on a clean glass slide, then wash their hands and deposit a second fingerprint after a 30-minute wait without touching anything. Three sets of samples were collected over three consecutive weeks. Fingerprints were stained with a …

Evaluating A Test For Shedding Propensity Using Tape Lifts From Different Skin Locations, Xiao M. Chen

Student Theses

The shedding propensity of a person can assist data interpretation in casework when assessing the possibility of passive transfer for DNA analysis. Past studies on shedding propensity evaluated palmar skin (washed and unwashed) deposits. This study compared different skin locations with respect to shedding propensity, and explored the potential of tape-lifts as a skin surface collection method. Eight different skin types and samples were collected with adhesive tape disks from 28 participants over three non-consecutive days; the washed and unwashed fingers from both hands, toe, and arm, neck below ear, and nape. Samples were extracted, quantified, amplified, genotyped, and evaluated …

A Preliminary Investigation Into The Effects Of Lucilia Sericata (Meigen) Blow Fly Larval Feeding On Sharp Force Trauma (Sft) Wound Patterns In Decomposing Bones Of Sus Scrofa Domesticus, Erica L. Klafehn

Student Theses

An important aspect of forensic investigations involves the characterization and analysis of bone related trauma as this can provide valuable information regarding the manner and circumstances of death. Bone trauma can be classified into three main categories, which include Sharp Force Trauma (SFT), Blunt Force Trauma (BFT), and Gunshot Trauma. Previous experiments have explored SFT on flesh and bones, specifically made with knives or saws, coupled with various microscopic analytical methods. Minimal research has been done integrating both a forensic entomology and forensic anthropology approach, so it is imperative to understand previous literature detailing the behaviors of insects (blow flies), …

Impact Of Blood Collection Tubes In Cannabinoid Quantitative Analysis, Tega E. Obruche-Akponah

Student Theses

In forensic toxicological cases, sample stability and storage are pivotal for obtaining adequate analytical results. Currently, limited information is available about the impact of different preservatives and anticoagulants present in the blood tubes used in the collection of blood samples containing cannabinoids. This study investigated the impact of sodium fluoride (gray top) and sodium citrate (blue top) blood collection tubes on the concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN) and 5 THC metabolites (THC-OH, THC-COOH, THC-diOH, THC-glucuronide, THCCOOH-glucuronide) in whole blood samples, stored at room temperature, 4ºC and -20ºC for up to 3.5 months. The samples were extracted using …

Development And Validation Of A Method For The Determination Of Designer Benzodiazepines In Hair By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc-Ms/Ms), Laura C. Defreitas

Student Theses

In recent years, new designer benzodiazepines have become a challenge in forensic toxicology. These substances are analogues of the classic benzodiazepines, but their pharmacology is not well known, and many of them have been associated with overdoses and deaths. As a result, there has been a surge in efforts to develop ways to accurately test for these compounds in different biological matrices. This study focused to develop and validate a method for determining 17 new designer benzodiazepines in hair by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Hair samples were decontaminated, pulverized, and 20 mg of the sample was incubated in …

Cocaine, Cocaethylene And Ethanol In Postmortem Blood Submitted To The New York City Office Of Chief Medical Examiner, Jada T. Alexis

Student Theses

Cocaine overdose deaths are on the rise in the United States. This increase may be due to the co-consumption of cocaine with other drugs. When cocaine is ingested in conjunction with alcohol, a specific metabolite called cocaethylene forms. Information regarding cocaethylene, specifically its interpretive value in post-mortem cases, has not been widely studied. Data from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in New York City revealed that there were 195 cases in 2017 positive for cocaethylene. These cases were most likely to involve black (42.1%) males (79.5%) in Manhattan (28.2%) aged 50 - 59 (34.4%). Most of the cases …

Investigating Distribution Of Legionella Pneumophila In Urban And Suburban Watersheds, Azlan Maqbool

Student Theses

The presence of Legionella pneumophila was assessed using a cultivation-based approach in New York City waterways, a freshwater portion of the lower Hudson River Estuary near Kingston NY, and in urban and suburban street water. Legionella pneumophila was detected in 51% of brackish New York City Estuary samples, most with concentrations near minimum detection (=>1 organism/ mL). In contrast, it was detected in 22% of suburban freshwater Hudson River Estuary samples. Levels of the bacterium were found to be higher during wet weather compared to dry weather in the highly dense urban setting, but not in the less dense …

Determination Of Human Shedding Propensity Based On Str Results, Genevieve Trapani

Student Theses

Trace DNA evidence may be discovered at a crime scene after having been deposited by a person of interest via active or passive transfer. Based on previous studies, passive transfer of one’s DNA is influenced by their shedding propensity, or probability of depositing a detectable amount of DNA through touch. Determining the shedding propensity of a person of interest can aid in trace DNA interpretation in forensic casework. This study explored STR profile quality and the presence of a DNA mixture for different skin surface locations, including fingertips before and after handwashing. As expected, unwashed fingers showed a higher prevalence …

Performance Of A Dna And Protein Co-Extraction With Trypsin In Comparison To Two Proteinase K Based Dna Extraction Methods, Dinura A. Gunatilake

Student Theses

Effective DNA extraction methods are important for forensic applications. The main goal of this experiment was to determine if a newly developed trypsin based protein/DNA co-extraction method applied to contact traces would yield comparable results to a commercial Proteinase K method (QIAamp DNA Investigator Kit) and a Chelex extraction method with Tween 20 used in forensic laboratories. This was tested on 20 sets of sebaceous fingerprints on glass slides.

The results of this study demonstrate the trypsin co-extraction method yielded the highest amount of DNA. In the first comparison, the mean total DNA yields for the trypsin-co extraction method and …

Further Evaluation Of A Dry Vacuuming Technique For Recovery Of Dna From Handwritten Documents, Christian Hopkins

Student Theses

A previously developed, non-destructive, homemade vacuum method for collecting biological material from handwritten documents had promising DNA results for white copy paper, preserved indented writing, and latent prints. Prior to casework implementation, additional validation experiments are warranted and here the method was tested for different paper substrates. This work describes testing of notebook paper, bank deposit slips, magazine pages, and manila envelopes. The quantity of recovered DNA varied from donor to donor, but the mean quantities showed a trend that can be explained by the different sizes and surface properties of the tested paper types. The rougher paper type, like …

Method Development For Identifying Counterfeit Cigarettes Using Environmental Pollen Analysis, Tiffany Chan

Student Theses

Cigarette counterfeiting negatively impacts government revenue and undermines tobacco control policies. Tracking geographical origins and potential trade routes of counterfeit cigarettes is important for investigation illegal trade in tobacco products. Traditional pollen extraction techniques provide clear residues of pollen trapped on tobacco leaves and used for geographical identification; however, such methods are time-consuming and utilize concentrated chemicals. This study developed a simple, fast and environmentally friendly method for extraction of pollen grains used in differentiating genuine and counterfeit cigarettes. Experimental factors that may affect pollen recovery including number of cigarettes, extraction solution, and extraction temperature, were optimized. The optimum parameters …

Discrimination Of Monozygotic Twins Using Dna Methylation Levels Of One Cpg Site At Chromosome 3, Dino O. Robinson

Student Theses

Conventional STR typing, commonly used in forensics for human identification, poses a problem in criminal cases and paternity disputes involving monozygotic (MZ) twins because they share identical DNA sequences. To date, no routine method is available in forensics to differentiate between individuals of MZ pairs. Recently, epigenetic methods measuring differential DNA methylation patterns have been applied to MZ twin differentiation. In this study, we investigated the potential to identify MZ twins using a previously identified DNA methylation site in chromosome 3, cg18562578, in a sample of 129 MZ and 37 dizygotic (DZ) twin pairs. We used bisulfite converted saliva DNA …

Identification And Quantification Of Classic, Prescription, And Synthetic Opioids In Hair By Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (Lc/Ms/Ms), Natalia A. Platosz

Student Theses

The current use and misuse of synthetic and prescription opioids in the US has reached epidemic status. According to the US Department of Health and Human Services, every day more than 130 people in the US die after overdosing on opioids, and 2.1 million had an opioid use disorder in 2016. Hair is becoming an alternative matrix of increasing interest in forensic toxicology to investigate drug use and abuse patterns due to its long window of detection. The focus of this project was to develop and validate a method that simultaneously detects and quantifies 27 classic, prescription and synthetic opioids …

Analysis Of Cannabinoids In Serum By Gc-Ms/Ms, Christie Cannarozzi

Student Theses

Due to recent changes in federal and state legislations, the availability and consumption of cannabis products have increased in the United States. The expanded use of recreational and medicinal cannabis products increases the importance of implementing sensitive and selective instrumental methods in toxicological laboratories, as legal implications may arise in forensic cases, such as driving under the influence of drugs (DUID). The purpose of this study was to perform a cross-validation for the quantitative analysis of cannabinoids (Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, cannabidiol, cannabinol, 11-hydroxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 11-nor-9-carboxy-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol) in serum by gas chromatography coupled to triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (GCTQ). This method was fully …

Seeing Health: Examining The Association Between Hispanic Caribbean Restaurant Characteristics And Healthy Menu Images In New York City, Eddie N. Sakowitz

Student Theses

Hispanics experience more diet-related health disparities in comparison to non-Hispanic whites. Community nutrition environments can influence health outcomes, but restaurants are a largely untapped research area. This study examined how Hispanic Caribbean restaurants promote healthy eating through menu design, and which Hispanic Caribbean restaurants characteristics are associated with healthy menu images. We hypothesize that healthy menu images will be associated with more affluent neighborhoods. We examined the nutrition environment in a random sample of 89 Hispanic Caribbean restaurants in New York City. This analysis included a subsample of Hispanic Caribbean restaurants that had menus with images (n=51). Hispanic Caribbean restaurants …

Effects Of Mercury On The Dopamine Transporter Cell Surface Expression In Pc12 Cells, Christina Hui

Student Theses

Environmental factors, such as heavy metal exposures, have been suggested to have an impact not only on neurodegenerative disease, such as Parkinson’s disease, but also on psychostimulants abuse and their toxicity. In this study, two questions were addressed: 1) effects of mercuric chloride on parkinsonian toxicant 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP⁺) induced cytotoxicity and 2) effects of mercuric chloride on cell surface dopamine transporter. Pheochromocytorma cells (PC12) were treated with various concentrations of mercuric chloride (0.02~2.0 ppm) for 4 hours with and without 0.1 mM MPP⁺. Significant potentiation of toxicity was observed when there was co-treatment with 0.5 ppm …

Development Of Multiplex Pcr Assay As A Basis For Predicting Pigment Related Features, Stephanie A. Rodriguez

Student Theses

Currently, short tandem repeats are used in forensic DNA typing to identify the DNA profiles recovered from evidence samples and deceased individuals. Recently, SNPs that are related to pigmentation have been researched for their use in the identification of phenotypic traits. The development of a SNP panel that could successful identify the eye and skin color of an individual, would be immensely useful in missing person cases or mass disaster victim identification. Eight SNPs were selected into a SNaPshot assay that could accurately predict eye and skin color, five for eye color and six for skin color. Development of the …

An Exploration Of Protein And Dna Components In Fingerprint Residue, Ashley Borrego

Student Theses

The main focus of this project was to investigate the protein and DNA components in both sebaceous and eccrine fingerprints. This study investigated the relative content of DNA and proteins in eccrine fingerprints to sebaceous fingerprints. All volunteers were instructed to wash and dry their hands prior to depositing parallel thumbprints. Twenty volunteers were instructed to touch their face to produce sebaceous prints, and 5 volunteers were instructed to wear gloves over a heat source to produce sweaty or eccrine prints. Microscopy was used to score the cellular debris of the right fingerprint on a scale of 1-4 based on …

Method Development And Validation For The Determination Of Designer Benzodiazepines In Blood By Lc-Ms/Ms, Victoria Mei

Student Theses

The misuse of designer benzodiazepines, as an alternative to prescription benzodiazepines and for drug-facilitated sexual assaults, has emerged as a growing threat, due in part to the ease of purchasing these drugs on the internet at low prices. Causing concern for safety, is the lack of dosage information resulting in users self-medicating, often leading to unintended overdoses, coma, or death at higher doses. With limited published data regarding quantification of designer benzodiazepines in forensic cases, a method was validated for the determination of thirteen and screening for two designer benzodiazepines in blood, in addition to a limited number of common …