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Discrimination Between Human And Non-Human Blood Using Raman Spectroscopy And A Self-Reference Algorithm For Forensic Purposes : Method Expansion And Validation, Harrison Dickler
Discrimination Between Human And Non-Human Blood Using Raman Spectroscopy And A Self-Reference Algorithm For Forensic Purposes : Method Expansion And Validation, Harrison Dickler
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Determining whether the origin of a bloodstain is human or non-human is an important capability of a forensic investigation. In their pioneering work, Bian et al. (Journal of biomedical optics, 2017) introduced a self-reference peak algorithm for the analysis of bloodstain Raman spectra and demonstrated a great potential of this approach for differentiating human and nonhuman blood. However, this work only used three non-human species in the creation of their model. This study investigates the capability of a self-referencing peak algorithm to discriminate between human and 18 non-human species based on the Raman spectra of blood samples. The intensity ratios …
A Novel Phase And Spectroscopic Imaging Technique To Evaluate Cellular Functions, Ting Chean Khoo
A Novel Phase And Spectroscopic Imaging Technique To Evaluate Cellular Functions, Ting Chean Khoo
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This thesis presents the application of Raman spectroscopy, digital holographic microscope (DHM) and transport intensity equation (TIE) in imaging biological samples. Raman spectroscopy is a non-destructive technique that can provide chemical structure, concentration, temperature, and molecular interactions. On the other hand, DHM and TIE provide physical measurements such as height, width, area and volume.We applied Raman spectroscopy to study iron-bound transferrin (Tf) in intact human breast cancer cells. Iron is an essential element required for human life and is highly regulated in the body. As the exact mechanisms of iron-bound Tf in cells are not well known, we developed a …
Raman Spectroscopy For Forensic Identification Of Body Fluid Traces: Method Validation For Potential False Negatives Caused By Blood-Affecting Diseases, Niara Nichols
Chemistry
Two critical issues in forensic science are identifying body fluid traces found at crime scenes and preserving them for DNA analysis. However, the majority of current biochemical tests for body fluid identification, which are applicable at the crime scene, are presumptive and destructive to the sample. Raman Spectroscopy provides a suitable alternative to current methods as a nondestructive, confirmatory, and potentially in field method. Our laboratory has developed a chemometric model for the identification of five main body fluids using Raman spectroscopy. This model was developed using samples obtained from healthy donors. Thus, it is of most importance for the …
The Detection And Identification Of Blood On Interfering Substrates Using Raman Spectroscopy And Hamand For Forensic Purposes, Jalissa M. Thomas
The Detection And Identification Of Blood On Interfering Substrates Using Raman Spectroscopy And Hamand For Forensic Purposes, Jalissa M. Thomas
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Body fluids, such as blood and semen, can provide invaluable information to a criminal investigation. As such, it is imperative that body fluid evidence is properly detected and identified. Our laboratory has developed a methodology to universally detect and identify body fluids using Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics. This methodology was developed under ideal conditions, which are rare in the field. Body fluid evidence can be found on substrates that produce a large Raman signal that can hinder detection of body fluid traces, which produce a weak signal. This project proposes the use of a statistical program called HAMAND (Hypothetical Addition …
Utilizing Raman Spectroscopy To Determine The Time Since Deposition Of Heated Bloodstains, Alexis Pearl Barber
Utilizing Raman Spectroscopy To Determine The Time Since Deposition Of Heated Bloodstains, Alexis Pearl Barber
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The development of novel forensic methods is a rapidly growing area within analytical chemistry. Analytical chemistry is well suited for forensic analyses as a plethora of information can be ascertained from utilizing a wide variety of techniques. At the scene of violent crimes, bloodstain evidence is one of the most frequently found and valuable types of evidence. This is because blood is a complex biological fluid which can provide crucial information during a forensic investigation including DNA evidence. The most informative form of analysis is DNA profiling, which potentially allows for the identification of an individual. However, there is more …
Resolution Of Portable Raman Spectrometers And Its Effect On The Analysis Of Biological Specimens, Jalissa Thomas
Resolution Of Portable Raman Spectrometers And Its Effect On The Analysis Of Biological Specimens, Jalissa Thomas
Chemistry
Body fluid traces are a common and a major form of evidence that can be found at a crime scene, as it is a good source of DNA. As such, it is vital that body fluid evidence is properly detected and identified. Issues with the current methods of identifying body fluids and the large backlog of evidence in most forensic labs call for more accurate on-scene (in situ) body fluid identification. Past research has demonstrated that Raman spectroscopy is an advantageous tool for accurately and quickly identifying body fluids, namely in the laboratory. Portable Raman instruments have been …
Utilizing Raman Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For Novel Medical Diagnostic Purposes, Nicole M. Ralbovsky
Utilizing Raman Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For Novel Medical Diagnostic Purposes, Nicole M. Ralbovsky
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Many problems exist within the myriad of currently employed diagnostic techniques. Further, an incredibly wide variety of procedures are used to identify an even greater number of diseases which exist in the world. There is a definite unmet clinical need to improve the diagnostic capabilities of these methods, including improving test sensitivity and specificity, objectivity and definitiveness, and reducing cost and how invasive a test is, with an interest in replacing multiple diagnostic methods with one powerful tool. That is, the development of a singular technique which can accurately and objectively diagnose a wide variety of diseases in a cost-effective …
Optimal Excitation Wavelength For Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Organic Gunshot Residue Evidence, Ashley Hull
Optimal Excitation Wavelength For Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Organic Gunshot Residue Evidence, Ashley Hull
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Gunshot residue (GSR) is a type of trace evidence that can often be recovered at violent crime scenes. There are two major types of GSR, organic gunshot residue (OGSR), and inorganic gunshot residue (IGSR). Traditional forensic analysis of GSR focuses on IGSR, although with the movement towards lead-free, or non-toxic ammunition, IGSR analysis has become less informative, as lead is a major component of IGSR analysis. Because of this, OGSR has been investigated to supplement the standard IGSR analysis methods. Previous work has shown Raman spectroscopy to be effective at identifying OGSR as well as a minimally destructive and specific …
Identification And Analysis Of Body Fluid Traces For Forensic Purposes Using Vibrational Spectroscopy And Chemometrics, Ewelina M. Mistek-Morabito
Identification And Analysis Of Body Fluid Traces For Forensic Purposes Using Vibrational Spectroscopy And Chemometrics, Ewelina M. Mistek-Morabito
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Recent years have seen a large expansion in the forensic field due to the introduction of novel analytical techniques. Body fluids are an extremely important type of evidence at crime scenes and the main source of DNA. Most current methods for the identification and examination of body fluid traces require chemical treatment and are therefore destructive to the sample. Thus, new methods that are nondestructive and provide rapid results with statistical confidence are desirable. Such methods could eliminate noninformative traces and allow investigators to focus on more valuable pieces of evidence. The ultimate goal of this research is to develop …
Raman Spectroscopic Examination Of Bloodstains For Forensic Purposes : Background And Race Determination, Ewelina M. Mistek
Raman Spectroscopic Examination Of Bloodstains For Forensic Purposes : Background And Race Determination, Ewelina M. Mistek
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Chapter 1 of this thesis critically overviews recent developments in forensic trace evidence analysis since 2016. It covers improvements to existing techniques as well as new methods for the analysis of fibers, hair, paint, glass, gunshot residue (GSR), and explosives.
Sers For Protein Detection At A Single Molecule Level For Developing A New Medical Diagnostics Platform, Lamyaa Almehmadi
Sers For Protein Detection At A Single Molecule Level For Developing A New Medical Diagnostics Platform, Lamyaa Almehmadi
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
A two-step process of protein detection at a single molecule level using Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS) was developed as a new platform for medical diagnostics in this proof-of-concept study. First, a protein molecule was bound to a linker in the bulk solution and then this adduct was chemically reacted with the SERS substrate. Traut’s Reagent (TR) was used to thiolate Bovine serum albumin (BSA) in solution followed by chemical cross linking to a gold surface through a sulfhydryl group. A Glycine-TR adduct was used as a control sample to identify the protein contribution to the SER spectra. Gold SERS …
Characterizing Body Fluids With Raman Spectroscopy : Towards Real World Application, Marisia Ann Fikiet
Characterizing Body Fluids With Raman Spectroscopy : Towards Real World Application, Marisia Ann Fikiet
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This project continues the research on a new method of body fluid identification and furthers its field capabilities. This method of identification uses Raman spectroscopy and advanced chemometrics to distinguish between body fluids. It is an improvement on current methods because it is confirmatory, non-destructive, and has simple sample preparation. The first objective of this research is to create a model for differentiating body fluids for a new desktop instrument. It was determined that due to resolution differences from a research grade instrument, a new model needed to be made for this the desktop instrument. This model will be able …
The Detection Of Cocaine In Oral Fluid Using Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy, Yasmine Ahmed
The Detection Of Cocaine In Oral Fluid Using Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy, Yasmine Ahmed
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Drug abuse has become a worldwide epidemic and is correlated to various serious health problems as well as increased rates of crime; thus, detecting and quantifying cocaine in oral fluid is of significant importance for practical forensics. To date, mainly destructive methods or biochemical tests have been used, while spectroscopic methods were only applied to pretreated samples. In this study, the possibility of using Raman spectroscopy to detect cocaine in oral fluid without pretreatment of samples was investigated. It was found that normal Raman spectroscopy at an excitation wavelength of 407 nm produced no cocaine signal while use of Raman …
Differentiation Of Potential False Positives From Human Saliva Using Raman Spectroscopy For Forensic Purposes, Selina Casadei
Differentiation Of Potential False Positives From Human Saliva Using Raman Spectroscopy For Forensic Purposes, Selina Casadei
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Traces of body fluids can be found at a crime scene. Being able to identify and differentiate the body fluids while preserving DNA is fundamentally important for forensic applications. Saliva is an important body fluid that can be found on bite marks, cigarette butts, and more, being an excellent source for DNA extraction. Current tests for saliva and other body fluids are destructive and body fluid specific, and are prone to false positives. Our laboratory has developed a universal method for identification of all main body fluids; saliva, semen, sweat, peripheral blood, and vaginal fluid, using Raman spectroscopy combined with …
Raman Spectroscopy Capabilities Of The Cbex Handheld Raman Instrument, Samantha Ingenito
Raman Spectroscopy Capabilities Of The Cbex Handheld Raman Instrument, Samantha Ingenito
Chemistry
Raman spectroscopy is a reliable, nondestructive method of identifying and distinguishing between different types of biological fluids. However, forensic studies have been restricted to indoor desktop Raman instruments when it would be optimal if Raman spectroscopic analysis could be performed at a crime scene. The CBex Handheld Raman Instrument was developed as a portable tool that could perform Raman spectroscopy outside the lab. Unfortunately, the CBex cannot obtain viable spectra of biological fluids. The handheld was compared to the Renishaw invia Raman Microscope by quantifying the signal-to-noise ratio of each by acquiring Scotch tape spectra. The handheld has a significantly …
Further Development Of Raman Spectroscopy For Body Fluid Investigation : Forensic Identification, Limit Of Detection, And Donor Characterization, Claire K. Muro
Further Development Of Raman Spectroscopy For Body Fluid Investigation : Forensic Identification, Limit Of Detection, And Donor Characterization, Claire K. Muro
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The challenges to forensic body fluid analysis have placed limitations on the type of information that investigators can acquire and how that information can be collected. In recent years, Raman spectroscopy has proven itself useful for characterizing body fluids. In 2008, a large-scale investigation was undertaken to explore the use of Raman spectroscopy as a means of identifying body fluids. This work resulted in multidimensional Raman spectroscopic signatures for the five main body fluids: semen, peripheral blood, saliva, vaginal fluid, and sweat. These studies were incredibly successful and created the foundation for years of continued research. Accordingly, the studies included …
Raman Spectroscopy And Chemometrics For Forensic Bloodstain Analysis : Species Differentiation, Donor Age Estimation, And Dating Of Bloodstains, Kyle C. Doty
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The field of forensic science is constantly growing, so the advancement of old and unreliable techniques is at the forefront of what will lead to future progress and improvement. Current methods for identification and analysis of bloodstains are underwhelming due to the insignificant amount of information provided in a destructive, unreliable, and unsafe manner. As is the purpose of this research, creating new methodologies that are rapid, nondestructive, robust, statistically reliable, and safe would significantly advance the way bloodstains are currently analyzed, while providing more useful and relevant information for investigations and criminal proceedings. Raman spectroscopy, along with advanced statistical …
Degradation And Exciton Energy Transfer Studies In Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles, Abhishek Gottipati
Degradation And Exciton Energy Transfer Studies In Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Bundles, Abhishek Gottipati
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) due to their unique optical behavior, large surface area, robust mechanical strength and electrical properties make them one of the ideal candidates for sensing and opto-electronic applications. In this work, we explore the energy transfer (exciton energy transfer-EET) phenomena occurring between nanotubes in bundles, using resonance Raman spectroscopy.
Advanced Raman Spectroscopic Methods For Structural Characterization Of Amyloid Fibrils And Bionanotubes, Valentin Sereda
Advanced Raman Spectroscopic Methods For Structural Characterization Of Amyloid Fibrils And Bionanotubes, Valentin Sereda
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Amyloid aggregation is a specific form of protein misfolding and self-assembly related to several degenerative pathologies like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, type-II diabetes, etc. This association with deadly diseases has made amyloid fibrils the focus of intensive research for many decades. Most recently, a significant interest to protein fibrils was also due to the application of the remarkable self-assembling capabilities to form well-structured nano-biomaterials. Self-assembly of short peptide sequences into well-organized structures is another important strategy for bottom-up fabrications of nano-biomaterials. One of the most commonly used building blocks is diphenylalanine, a short dipeptide that has been identified as playing …
Raman Spectroscopy Of Blood Serum And Cerebrospinal Fluid And Multivariate Data Analysis For Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostics, Elena Ryzhikova
Raman Spectroscopy Of Blood Serum And Cerebrospinal Fluid And Multivariate Data Analysis For Alzheimer's Disease Diagnostics, Elena Ryzhikova
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The efficient and accurate diagnosis at the early stages of dementia is a key moment for effective treatment and productive research to find a new ways to combat the disease. It is especially true for Alzheimer's disease (AD) for which there is no effective cure, but several treatments are known to allow slowing down the degenerative processes. Alzheimer's disease (AD) displays only non-specific clinical symptoms of mental decline for decades after the initiation and is very challenging to differentiate even at the later stages when it becomes very aggressive. Despite the great need, current diagnostic tests are unable to diagnose …
Metal Oxide Growth, Spin Precession Measurements And Raman Spectroscopy Of Cvd Graphene, Akitomo Matsubayashi
Metal Oxide Growth, Spin Precession Measurements And Raman Spectroscopy Of Cvd Graphene, Akitomo Matsubayashi
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The focus of this dissertation is to explore the possibility of wafer scale graphene-based spintronics. Graphene is a single atomic layer of sp2 bonded carbon atoms that has attracted much attention as a new type of electronic material due to its high carrier mobilities, superior mechanical properties and extremely high thermal conductivity. In addition, it has become an attractive material for use in spintronic devices owing to its long electron spin relaxation time at room temperature. This arises in part from its low spin-orbit coupling and negligible nuclear hyperfine interaction. In order to realize wafer scale graphene spintronics, utilization of …
Vibrational Spectroscopic Analysis Of Gunshot Residue : A Novel Approach For Detection And Characterization, Justin J. Bueno
Vibrational Spectroscopic Analysis Of Gunshot Residue : A Novel Approach For Detection And Characterization, Justin J. Bueno
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Due to the increasing prevalence of firearm related crimes, there is a need for an all-encompassing analytical technique which can rapidly detect and analyze trace crime scene firearm evidence. There are several forms of ballistics and trace evidence associated with firearm offenses. Historically, the most neglected piece of evidence has ironically been the most prevalent. Each firearm discharge produces a so called gunshot residue (GSR) sample, expelling dust and particles numbering from hundreds to thousands throughout the shooting environment. The detection of GSR at a crime scene or on a suspect is critical for determining what actually happened during a …
Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Body Fluids : Species Differentiation And The Effect Of Substrate Interference And Laser Power, Gregory Keith Mclaughlin
Raman Spectroscopic Analysis Of Body Fluids : Species Differentiation And The Effect Of Substrate Interference And Laser Power, Gregory Keith Mclaughlin
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Several recent discoveries demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy has a unique capability to characterize body fluid traces in a forensic capacity. This approach has thus garnered interest in the forensic community since 2008, when a proof of concept experiment established that blood, semen, vaginal fluid, sweat and saliva are easily differentiable through their Raman spectra. Several possible methods of identification have been described in the literature, one approach uses chemometrical models, and another applies recently formulated multidimensional Raman signatures. The analytical sampling method and the identification procedure provide several desirable traits for the field of forensic science. In particular, Raman spectroscopy …
Raman Spectroscopy For The Identification Of Body Fluid Traces : Mixtures And Contaminations, Race And Gender Differentation, Aliaksandra Sikirzhytskaya
Raman Spectroscopy For The Identification Of Body Fluid Traces : Mixtures And Contaminations, Race And Gender Differentation, Aliaksandra Sikirzhytskaya
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Body fluid traces are an important type of forensic evidence, which play a significant role in the reconstruction of a violent crime and often help to identify a victim or suspect based on DNA analysis. Despite a great need, there is no a single method, which could identify multiple body fluids. In addition, majority of current methods are destructive for the evidence. For about eight years, our laboratory has been working on the development of a new nondestructive method for identification of body fluid traces based on Raman microspectroscopy combined with advanced statistics. High differentiation power of the method has …
The Application Of Raman Spectroscopy As A Confirmatory Blood Test In The Presence Of Sodium Hypochlorite Cleaners In In Comparison With Presumptive Blood Tests, Aliea Anoshaa Afnan
The Application Of Raman Spectroscopy As A Confirmatory Blood Test In The Presence Of Sodium Hypochlorite Cleaners In In Comparison With Presumptive Blood Tests, Aliea Anoshaa Afnan
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Popular presumptive tests for blood include: Luminol, tetramethylbenzidine (TMB), leucomalachite green (LMG), phenolphthalein, and Hemastix® [3]. These presumptive tests have been reviewed with respect to their sensitivity, specificity, and DNA degradation. In this study, the aforementioned presumptive tests were subjected to bloodstains deposited on cotton contaminated with all-purpose bleach and compared with Raman spectroscopy as an application of a confirmatory blood test. Samples were tested for interference with the all-purpose bleach to determine the selectivity of the presumptive tests. Tetramethylbenzidine, leucomalachite green, and phenolphthalein all yielded inconclusive results when applied to a contaminated sample. Luminol and Hemastix® yielded a positive …
Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy For Characterization Of Rna Structure And Thermodynamics, Joseph Dustin Handen
Ultraviolet Resonance Raman Spectroscopy For Characterization Of Rna Structure And Thermodynamics, Joseph Dustin Handen
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Raman spectroscopy is a technique well suited for the study of biological molecules such as proteins, peptides, or RNAs. By utilizing an ultraviolet resonance Raman (UVRR) instrument, we are afforded a tremendous increase in sensitivity because of resonance enhancement. Additionally, this technique does not require any labeling. Moreover, this technique is better suited for studying biological systems than infrared absorption due to reduced interference from water. In this study, we apply techniques we have developed for the study of protein and peptide fibrillation to a model RNA homodimer. We demonstrate that UVRR spectroscopy is uniquely suited to monitoring the free …
Amyloid Fibril Polymorphism : Structure, Supramolecular Chiraliy And Spontaneous Interconversion, Dzmitry Kurouski
Amyloid Fibril Polymorphism : Structure, Supramolecular Chiraliy And Spontaneous Interconversion, Dzmitry Kurouski
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
Specific protein aggregation has been linked to more than 25 severe human maladies including prion, Alzheimer's, and Parkinson's diseases. These important malfunctions are often referred to as 'conformational' disorders and result from the conversion of a normal isoform of a protein into a specific b-sheet rich polymeric amyloid form. This work elaborates a comprehensive characterization of amyloids and dedicated to the investigation of the fibril polymorphism using advanced microscopic tools, such as Atomic Force and Scanning Electron microcopies, together with several vibrational spectroscopy techniques, such as Raman, Infrared and Vibrational Circular Dichroism. A new type of protein folding-aggregation phenomenon, spontaneous …
Advanced Statistical Methods For Biochemical And Forensic Applications Of Raman Spectroscopy, Vitali Sikirzhytski
Advanced Statistical Methods For Biochemical And Forensic Applications Of Raman Spectroscopy, Vitali Sikirzhytski
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
This work is dedicated to the development and application of advanced statistical methods for biochemical and forensic applications of Raman spectroscopy. We developed a new concept of multidimensional Raman signatures for forensic identification of body fluid traces, which was successfully applied to the study of dried blood, semen, saliva, sweat and vaginal fluid stains. Several alternative advanced chemometric techniques were also successfully tested for the problems of pure body fluids discrimination and mixture analysis. Studies of body fluid mixtures with low blood and semen concentrations indicated that the detection limit of a minor contributor was as low as a few …
Elucidating The Structure Of Protein Aggregates By Raman Spectroscopy, Ludmila A. Popova
Elucidating The Structure Of Protein Aggregates By Raman Spectroscopy, Ludmila A. Popova
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The structures and properties of amyloid fibrils are of considerable interest due to their associations with numerous neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopaties (prion diseases). Understanding fibrillogenesis at a molecular level requires detailed structural characterization of amyloid fibrils. However amyloid fibrils are difficult objects to study due to their non-crystalline and insoluble nature. These properties make the application of classical tools of structural biology, such as X-Ray crystallography and solution Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy, impractical for structural characterization of protein fibrils.
Raman Spectroscopy Of Body Fluids : A Nondestructive Identification Technique For Forensic Applications, Kelly Virkler
Raman Spectroscopy Of Body Fluids : A Nondestructive Identification Technique For Forensic Applications, Kelly Virkler
Legacy Theses & Dissertations (2009 - 2024)
The analysis of body fluid evidence during forensic investigations is a complicated process, yet it is a critical step in determining the key facts of a crime. There is no doubt that DNA analysis is an extremely useful tool that can identify a suspect or victim, but crime scene investigators must first locate and identify potential body fluid stains that can be collected for DNA analysis. Current screening tests are destructive to the sample and can give false positive results, so a nondestructive technique such as Raman spectroscopy, that can possibly confirm the presence of a particular fluid, could lend …