Enantioseparation of methamphetamine by supercritical fluid chromatography with cellulose-based packed column.

The enantiomers of methamphetamine were differentiated by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) with an enantioselective cellulose-based packed column. The optimization of the chromatographic conditions was achieved by changing column temperature, co-solvent proportion, additive concentration, flow rate and back pressure. In particular, the additive concentration crucially changed the resolution between the enantiomers.

Long-term accumulation of diphenylarsinic acid in the central nervous system of cynomolgus monkeys.

Diphenylarsinic acid (DPAA) is an organic arsenic compound used for the synthesis of chemical weapons. We previously found that the residents of Kamisu city in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, were exposed to DPAA through contaminated well water in 2003. Although mounting evidence strongly suggests that their neurological symptoms were caused by DPAA, the dynamics of DPAA distribution and metabolism after ingestion by humans remain to be elucidated.

Advanced forensic validation for human spermatozoa identification using SPERM HY-LITER™ Express with quantitative image analysis.

Identification of human semen is indispensable for the investigation of sexual assaults. Fluorescence staining methods using commercial kits, such as the series of SPERM HY-LITER™ kits, have been useful to detect human sperm via strong fluorescence. These kits have been examined from various forensic aspects.

MEPROCS framework for Craniofacial Superimposition: Validation study.

Craniofacial Superimposition (CFS) involves the process of overlaying a skull with a number of ante-mortem images of an individual and the analysis of their morphological correspondence. The lack of unified working protocols and the absence of commonly accepted standards, led to contradictory consensus regarding its reliability. One of the more important aims of 'New Methodologies and Protocols of Forensic Identification by Craniofacial Superimposition (MEPROCS)' project was to propose a common framework for CFS, what can be considered the first international standard in the field.

Synthesis and Analysis of Glucuronic Acid-Conjugated Metabolites of 4-Bromo-2,5-Dimethoxyphenethylamine.

In the study reported here, two glucuronic acid-conjugated metabolites of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine (2C-B)-a ring-substituted psychoactive phenethylamine-were chemically synthesized for the first time and a method for analyzing them in urine was developed. β-D-Glucuronide of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylethylalcohol was successfully synthesized using methyl 2,3,4-tri-Ο-acetyl-1-O-(trichloroacetimidoyl)-α-D-glucuronate as a glucuronyl donor and boron trifluoride diethylether complex as a Lewis acid catalyst. β-D-Glucuronide of 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylacetic acid was synthesized by condensing 4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylacetic acid and benzyl D-glucuronate followed by benzyl group deprotection based on catalytic hydrogenation.

Three-step drug extraction from a single sub-millimeter segment of hair and nail to determine the exact day of drug intake.

Hair and nails are often used to prove drug intake over several months. However, it is impossible to determine the day of drug intake by conventional segmental analysis of bulk samples. To improve this segmental analysis, we prepared accurate 0.

Development of a new field-test procedure for cocaine.

The Scott test, widely used as the field test for cocaine, is performed in three steps. If a sample contains cocaine, blue precipitates appear in step 1, the precipitates are dissolved and the solution turns pink in step 2, and the lower layer turns blue in step 3. However, some pyrrolidine-type cathinones produce cocaine-like results when tested, necessitating modification of the test procedure.

Improved Polymerase Chain Reaction-restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism Genotyping of Toxic Pufferfish by Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry.

An improved version of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method for genotyping toxic pufferfish species by liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) is described. DNA extraction is carried out using a silica membrane-based DNA extraction kit. After the PCR amplification using a detergent-free PCR buffer, restriction enzymes are added to the solution without purifying the reaction solution.

Next-generation sequencing analysis of off-ladder alleles due to migration shift caused by sequence variation at D12S391 locus.

In short tandem repeat (STR) analysis, length polymorphisms are detected by capillary electrophoresis (CE). At most STR loci, mobility shift due to sequence variation in the repeat region was thought not to affect the typing results. In our recent population studies of 1501 Japanese individuals, off-ladder calls were observed at the D12S391 locus using PowerPlex Fusion in nine samples for allele 22, one sample for allele 25, and one sample for allele 26.

Evaluation of a blood-specific DNA methylated region and trial for allele-specific blood identification from mixed body fluid DNA.

The identification of blood samples obtained from crime scenes has been an important step in forensic investigation. Recently, a novel approach using the blood-specific methylated CpG site cg06379435 has been reported. In this study, we developed a real-time polymerase-chain-reaction-based method that can simply and rapidly quantitate the methylation ratio of cg06379435 and its neighboring CpGs and set the threshold ratios for blood identification by analyzing various body fluid samples.

Approaching over 10 000-fold sensitivity increase in chiral capillary electrophoresis: Cation-selective exhaustive injection and sweeping cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography.

A novel and simple method that combines an online concentration technique with an enantioseparation technique for capillary electrophoresis-namely, cation-selective exhaustive injection and sweeping cyclodextrin-modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CSEI-sweeping CD-modified MEKC)-realizes the effective enantioseparation of cationic analytes while keeping a significant increase of detection sensitivity. This technique consists of a slight modification of the basic CSEI-sweeping MEKC. The main idea is to simply add an anionic CD as a chiral selector into the micellar buffer including sodium dodecyl sulfate, but not to change any other buffers in order to preserve the online concentration mechanism.

Development of a novel immunoassay for herbal cannabis using a new fluorescent antibody probe, "Ultra Quenchbody".

We developed a novel immunoassay for herbal cannabis based on a new immunoassay principle that uses Ultra Quenchbody ("UQ-body"), a recombinant antibody Fab fragment fluorolabeled at the N-terminal regions. When the antigen binds to anti-Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) UQ-body, the fluorescence intensity (FI) decreases. The analytical conditions of the immunoassay were optimized based on the FI reduction rate (FIRR).

Differentiation of ring-substituted regioisomers of amphetamine and methamphetamine by supercritical fluid chromatography.

Chromatographic differentiation of the ring-substituted regioisomers of amphetamine (AMP) and methamphetamine (MA) was performed by supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC). The behaviour of the retention against the changes of column temperature and co-solvent proportion was studied. The obtained information facilitated the optimization of the each regioisomer.

Development of a Library Search-Based Screening System for 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine in Ecstasy Tablets Using a Portable Near-Infrared Spectrometer.

This is the first report on development of a library search-based screening system for 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) in ecstasy tablets using a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer. The spectrum library consisted of spectra originating from standard substances as well as mixtures of MDMA hydrochloride (MDMA-HCl) and diluents. The raw NIR spectra were mathematically pretreated, and then, a library search was performed using correlation coefficient.

The applicability of ELISA detection of gastric mucosa-expressing proteins for the identification of vomit.

The identification of vomit stains may be helpful for crime scene reconstruction. However, there is no specific and convenient method for identifying vomit stain. Therefore, to establish the procedure for forensic identification of vomit stains, we focused on four gastric mucosa-expressing proteins, pepsinogen I (PGA), pepsinogen II (PGC), gastrin (GAST), and mucin 5AC (MUC5AC).

Time-course measurements of drug concentrations in hair and toenails after single administrations of pharmaceutical products.

Hair and nails are often used to prove long-term intake of drugs in forensic drug testing. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of drug testing using hair and nails and the feasibility of determining when drugs were ingested by measuring the time-courses of drug concentrations in hair and toenails after single administrations of various drugs. Healthy subjects ingested four pharmaceutical products containing eight active ingredients in single doses.

Identification of canine saliva using mRNA-based assay.

A dog saliva analysis in addition to a bite-mark analysis may be important for evidence when a crime involves a dog bite. In this study, the utility of detecting canine saliva-specific mRNAs to identify canine saliva was evaluated. Canine saliva swabs (n = 20), urine swabs (n = 20), body surface swabs (n = 20), whole blood samples (n = 10), human saliva (n = 20), human skin surface swabs (n = 20), and human whole blood (n = 20) were tested.

Development of a quantitative validation method for forensic investigation of human spermatozoa using a commercial fluorescence staining kit (SPERM HY-LITER™ Express).

In investigations of sexual assaults, as well as in identifying a suspect, the detection of human sperm is important. Recently, a kit for fluorescent staining of human spermatozoa, SPERM HY-LITER™, has become available. This kit allows for microscopic observation of the heads of human sperm using an antibody tagged with a fluorescent dye.

Urinary Excretion Profiles of 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-alkylthiophenethylamine Analogs in Rats.

The urinary metabolic profiles of three hallucinogenic 2,5-dimethoxy-4-alkylthiophenethylamine analogs: 2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-2), 2,5-dimethoxy-4-isopropylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-4), and 2,5-dimethoxy-4-propylthiophenethylamine (2C-T-7), were investigated in rats. For each drug, four male Sprague-Dawley rats were orally administered 10 mg/kg of 2C-T-2, 2C-T-4, or 2C-T-7, and urine was collected 0-24 and 24-48 h after administration. The urine samples were processed by liquid-liquid extraction, and the extracts were analyzed by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry to quantify the metabolites.

The forgotten or underestimated relevance of biopharmaceutical-based assessments for the oral absorption studies of oxime reactivators.

Introduction: The absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADME(T)) of oxime reactivators have been assessed with respect to their polarity, a fundamental requirement for their specific mechanism of action in the intoxication with organophosphorous compounds. The limitations of the therapeutic outcome have been associated not only with the severity of intoxication and to particularities of the toxicants, but also to the reduced lipophilicity and consequent restricted permeability across biological barriers.

Areas Covered: This article inventories the plethora of mnemotic rules developed throughout the years for defining chemical spaces where drugs share one or more structural and ADME(T) characteristics.

D5S818 Typing Discrepancy Between PowerPlex(®) Fusion and Other STR Kits Including GlobalFiler(®) Caused by a One-base Deletion in 31 Nucleotides Upstream of the Repeat Region.

Short tandem repeat (STR) typing is widely used in forensic investigation. When the same DNA sample is analyzed with different STR typing kits, a typing discrepancy is occasionally observed. In this study, we examined the cause of a typing discrepancy in a sample at D5S818 locus.

Screening Test for Shed Skin Cells by Measuring the Ratio of Human DNA to Staphylococcus epidermidis DNA.

A novel screening method for shed skin cells by detecting Staphylococcus epidermidis (S. epidermidis), which is a resident bacterium on skin, was developed. Staphylococcus epidermidis was detected using real-time PCR.