Construction of the time since deposition (TsD) model in saliva stains with 16S rRNA full-length sequencing technology and microbial markers.

Determining the time since deposition (TsD) and sex of saliva stains is crucial for revealing the time of the crime's occurrence and clarifying the nature of the crime. This process not only shortens the time required to solve the case but also helps narrow down the scope of investigation, thereby enhancing the efficiency of case resolution. Currently, the forensic study of the microbial composition in long-term saliva stains remains a relatively underexplored field.

Application of a newly constructed NGS panel with 45 X-linked microhaplotypes demonstrates the unique value of X-MH for kinship testing and mixture analysis.

X-linked microhaplotypes (X-MHs) have the potential to be a valuable supplementary tool in complex kinship identification or the resolution of DNA mixtures, because they bring together the distinctive genetic pattern of X chromosomal markers and the benefits of microhaplotypes (MHs). In this study, we used the 1000 Genome database to screen and select 63 X-MHs; 18 MHs were filtered out though a batch sequencing assessment of the DNA samples collected from 112 unrelated Chinese Han individuals. The resulting 45-plex panel performed well in comprehensive assessments including repeatability, sensitivity, species specificity, resistance to PCR inhibitors or degradation, mutation rate, and accuracy in detecting DNA mixture samples.

The association between DNA methylation and human height and a prospective model of DNA methylation-based height prediction.

As a vital anthropometric characteristic, human height information not only helps to understand overall developmental status and genetic risk factors, but is also important for forensic DNA phenotyping. We utilized linear regression analysis to test the association between each CpG probe and the height phenotype. Next, we designed a methylation sequencing panel targeting 959 CpGs and subsequent height inference models were constructed for the Chinese population.

Preliminary exploratory research on the application value of oral and intestinal meta-genomics in predicting subjects' occupations-A case study of the distinction between students and migrant workers.

Background: In the field of forensic science, accurately determining occupation of an individual can greatly assist in resolving cases such as criminal investigations or disaster victim identifications. However, estimating occupation can be challenging due to the intricate relationship between occupation and various factors, including gender, age, living environment, health status, medication use, and lifestyle habits such as alcohol consumption and smoking. All of these factors can impact the composition of oral or gut microbial community of an individual.

An approach to unified formulae for likelihood ratio calculation in pairwise kinship analysis.

The likelihood ratio (LR) can be an efficient means of distinguishing various relationships in forensic fields. However, traditional list-based methods for derivation and presentation of LRs in distant or complex relationships hinder code editing and software programming. This paper proposes an approach for a unified formula for LRs, in which differences in participants' genotype combinations can be ignored for specific identification.

Differences of circular RNA expression profiles between monozygotic twins' blood, with the forensic application in bloodstain and saliva.

Monozygotic twins (MZTs) possess identical genomic DNA sequences and are usually indistinguishable through routine forensic DNA typing methods, which can be relevant in criminal and paternity cases. Recently, novel epigenetic methods involving DNA methylation and microRNA analysis have been introduced to differentiate MZTs. In this study, we explore the potential of using epigenetic markers, specifically circular RNAs (circRNAs), a type of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), to identify MZTs, and investigate the unique expression patterns of circRNAs within pairs of MZTs, enabling effective differentiation.

Feature selection with a genetic algorithm can help improve the distinguishing power of microbiota information in monozygotic twins' identification.

Introduction: Personal identification of monozygotic twins (MZT) has been challenging in forensic genetics. Previous research has demonstrated that microbial markers have potential value due to their specificity and long-term stability. However, those studies would use the complete information of detected microbial communities, and low-value species would limit the performance of previous models.

Identification Strategy of Biological Half Sibling Relationship.

Objectives: To compare the application value of the likelihood ratio (LR) method and identity by state (IBS) method in the identification involving half sibling relationships, and to provide a reference for the setting of relevant standards for identification of half sibling relationship.

Methods: (1) Based on the same genetic marker combinations, the reliability of computer simulation method was verified by comparing the distributions of cumulated identity by state score (CIBS) and combined full sibling index in actual cases with the distributions in simulated cases. (2) In different numbers of three genetic marker combinations, the simulation of full sibling, half sibling and unrelated individual pairs, each 1 million pairs, was obtained; the CIBS, as well as the corresponding types of cumulative LR parameters, were calculated.

Development and evaluation of a novel panel containing 188 microhaplotypes for 2nd-degree kinship testing in the Hebei Han population.

Distant kinship identification is one of the critical problems in forensic genetics. As a new type of genetic marker defined and discussed in the last decade, the microhaplotype (MH) has drawn much attention in such identification owing to its specific advantages to traditional short tandem repeat (STR) or single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. In this study, MH markers were screened step by step from the 1000 Genomes Project database, and a novel multiplex panel containing 188 MHs (in which 181 are reported the first time, while 1 was reported in a previous study and the other 6 have partial overlaps with known markers) was constructed for application in 2nd- and 3rd-degree kinship identification.

BGISEQ-500RS sequencing of a 448-plex SNP panel for forensic individual identification and kinship analysis.

Next generation sequencing (NGS)-based single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping is widely used in the field of forensics. SNP genotyping data from several NGS platforms have been published, but forensic application trials of DNA nanoball sequencing platforms have been very limited. In this work, we developed a 448-plex SNP panel on the BGISEQ-500RS platform.

AUCP: An indicator for system effectiveness of panels in pairwise distant kinship identification.

Multiple studies have been done for the identification of pairwise distant kinship and several targeted panels have been constructed. For most of such constructions, pedigree analysis was applied to evaluate the system effectiveness of a certain panel. However, such analyses were hard to be compared to each other and could be affected by many factors, such as sample size and sampling randomness.

Development of an NGS panel containing 42 autosomal STR loci and the evaluation focusing on secondary kinship analysis.

High-throughput next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a feasible technique to detect considerably more markers and simultaneously obtain length and sequence information in a single reaction. In this study, we developed an NGS panel including 42 commonly used autosomal short tandem repeats (STRs) and amelogenin on the Illumina MiSeq FGx™. Sequencing accuracy was validated by the consistency of 2800M Control DNA detected using the ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit and Sanger sequencing.

A new strategy to confirm the identity of tumour tissues using single-nucleotide polymorphisms and next-generation sequencing.

With growing cancer morbidity, forensics cases in which archived tumour tissues can be used as biological samples are increasing, and an effective method to identify the body source of tumour tissues is needed. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) may be a promising biomarker to identify the source of tumour tissues because of their low mutation rate and small amplicon size. Next-generation sequencing techniques offers the ability to detect hundreds of SNPs in a single run.

Utility of ForenSeq™ DNA Signature Prep Kit in the research of pairwise 2nd-degree kinship identification.

The scope of forensic kinship analysis is being extended to more distant or complex relationships. However, current methods and standards in this field do not meet the needs of casework. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology may hold an advantage in this field to traditional methods due to its strong power to get much more genetic information.