Assessing the strengths and limitations of quantitative micromorphometry for the forensic examination of small arms propellant towards brand identification.

Smalls arms propellants (SAP) also known as canister powders are readily accessible and cost-effective materials that firearms enthusiasts can acquire for the legitimate assembly of ammunition. These attributes also make SAPs advantageous for the construction of improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Thus, there is a need to develop robust metrics for the characterization of propellants to provide investigative leads as well as for comparisons between known and recovered residues.

Death by paint thinner.

A 38-year-old Caucasian male, reportedly missing for four days, was found dead 40 feet down a steep ravine, apparently after jumping down the cliff. Two rectangular cans of paint thinner, 1-qt and 1-gal sizes, were found in his vehicle at the top of the cliff. The autopsy report indicated that the decedent was normal except for the heart and myocardium, the lung parenchyma, and the gastric and esophageal mucosa.

Epidemic and endemic seroprevalence of antibodies to Cryptosporidium and Giardia in residents of three communities with different drinking water supplies.

This study was carried out to compare cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis seroprevalence rates in residents of three communities. Community (Com 1) uses drinking water from deep wells, community 2 (Com 2) uses surface water from a protected watershed, and community 3 (Com 3) uses surface water frequently containing Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts. Unfiltered drinking water from each community was collected at the tap and tested for Cryptosporidium oocysts and Giardia cysts during the 12 months in which sera were collected for testing.

Studies of Giardia spp. and Cryptosporidium spp. in two adjacent watersheds.

Two adjacent British Columbia, Canada, watersheds with similar topographical features were studied. Both the Black Mountain Irrigation District (BMID) and the Vernon Irrigation District (VID) serve rural agricultural communities which are active in cattle ranching. The present study was carried out in five phases, during which a total of 249 surface water samples were tested in the study watersheds.

Longitudinal studies of Giardia contamination in two community drinking water supplies: cyst levels, parasite viability, and health impact.

Giardia cyst concentrations were determined in an inventory of 153 raw and 91 chlorinated drinking water samples collected at 86 sites from throughout the western Canadian province of British Columbia. Sixty-four percent of raw water samples were cyst positive (69% of sites). Cyst concentrations were lower in chlorinated than in raw water.