Increasing the accessibility and impact of justice-related student and practitioner research.

Much good quality research by pre-doctoral students and case-work focused practitioners remains unpublished. However, their findings could contribute to the evidence base underpinning science and practice within international justice system contexts. There are two main challenges to making findings accessible: reaching all criminal justice stakeholders, and encouraging collaborative efforts in research addressing 'real world' problems. This article presents the rationale for a new, open access repository. The aim is to share good quality pre-doctoral and practitioner criminal justice research across traditional disciplinary and international borders. Such a repository should be easy to use, well maintained and sustainable. Its reach, value and impact also need to be measurable. We present the major considerations relating to the operation and workflow of such a repository, and outline the potential value, benefits and limitations. Our research suggests that the proposed repository could foster interdisciplinary and collaborative work to benefit global justice systems and societies.

Ferrocenyl chalcone derivatives as possible antimicrobial agents.

The swift spread of infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), has quickly become a worldwide concern as infections spread from healthcare settings to the wider community. While ferrocenyl chalcones, which are chalcone derivatives with antimicrobial activity, have gained attention from researchers, further study is needed to assess their cytotoxicity. Ten newly developed chalcones, in which ring A was replaced with a ferrocenyl moiety and ring B contained increasing alkyl chain lengths from 1 to 10 carbons, were assessed. Using twofold broth microdilution, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of five of the ten compounds were lower against Gram-positive organisms (MICs from 0.008 mg ml-1 to 0.063 mg ml-1) than Gram-negative organisms (MICs = 0.125 mg ml-1). These novel ferrocenyl chalcone compounds were effective against three types of clinically isolated drug-resistant S. aureus, including an MRSA, and against other non-resistant clinically isolated and laboratory-adapted Gram-positive bacteria. The same compounds inhibited growth in non-resistant bacteria by potentially obstructing cellular respiration in Gram-positive bacteria. Images obtained through scanning electron microscopy revealed fully lysed bacterial cells once exposed to a selected compound that showed activity. The results indicate that these newly developed compounds could be important antimicrobial agents in the treatment of infections from clinically resistant bacteria.

COL1A1 C-propeptide mutations cause ER mislocalization of procollagen and impair C-terminal procollagen processing.

Mutations in the type I procollagen C-propeptide occur in ~6.5% of Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) patients. They are of special interest because this region of procollagen is involved in α chain selection and folding, but is processed prior to fibril assembly and is absent in mature collagen fibrils in tissue. We investigated the consequences of seven COL1A1 C-propeptide mutations for collagen biochemistry in comparison to three probands with classical glycine substitutions in the collagen helix near the C-propeptide and a normal control. Procollagens with C-propeptide defects showed the expected delayed chain incorporation, slow folding and overmodification. Immunofluorescence microscopy indicated that procollagen with C-propeptide defects was mislocalized to the ER lumen, in contrast to the ER membrane localization of normal procollagen and procollagen with helical substitutions. Notably, pericellular processing of procollagen with C-propeptide mutations was defective, with accumulation of pC-collagen and/or reduced production of mature collagen. In vitro cleavage assays with BMP-1 ±â€¯PCPE-1 confirmed impaired C-propeptide processing of procollagens containing mutant proα1(I) chains. Overmodified collagens were incorporated into the matrix in culture. Dermal fibrils showed alterations in average diameter and diameter variability and bone fibrils were disorganized. Altered ER-localization and reduced pericellular processing of defective C-propeptides are expected to contribute to abnormal osteoblast differentiation and matrix function, respectively.

The adaptation of a 360° camera utilising an alternate light source (ALS) for the detection of biological fluids at crime scenes.

One of the most important and commonly encountered evidence types that can be recovered at crime scenes are biological fluids. Due to the ephemeral nature of biological fluids and the valuable DNA that they can contain, it is fundamental that these are documented extensively and recovered rapidly. Locating and identifying biological fluids can prove a challenging task but can aid in reconstructing a sequence of events. Alternate light sources (ALS) offer powerful non-invasive methods for locating and enhancing biological fluids utilising different wavelengths of light. Current methods for locating biological fluids using ALS's may be time consuming, as they often require close range searching of potentially large crime scenes. Subsequent documentation using digital cameras and alternate light sources can increase the investigation time and due to the cameras low dynamic range, photographs can appear under or over exposed. This study presents a technique, which allows the simultaneous detection and visualisation of semen and saliva utilising a SceneCam 360° camera (Spheron VR AG), which was adapted to integrate a blue Crime Lite XL (Foster+Freeman). This technique was investigated using different volumes of semen and saliva, on porous and non-porous substrates, and the ability to detect these at incremental distances from the substrate. Substrate type and colour had a significant effect on the detection of the biological fluid, with limited fluid detection on darker substrates. The unique real-time High Dynamic range (HDR) ability of the SceneCam significantly enhanced the detection of biological fluids where background fluorescence masked target fluorescence. These preliminary results are presented as a proof of concept for combining 360° photography using HDR and an ALS for the detection of biological stains, within a scene, in real time, whilst conveying spatial relationships of staining to other evidence. This technique presents the opportunity to presumptively screen a crime scene for biological fluids and will facilitate simultaneous location and visualisation of biological evidence.

A comparative study of photogrammetric methods using panoramic photography in a forensic context.

Taking measurements of a scene is an integral aspect of the crime scene documentation process, and accepted limits of accuracy for taking measurements at a crime scene vary throughout the world. In the UK, there is no published accepted limit of accuracy, whereas the United States has an accepted limit of accuracy of 0.25 inch. As part of the International organisation for Standardisation 17020 accreditation competency testing is required for all work conducted at the crime scene. As part of this, all measuring devices need to be calibrated within known tolerances in order to meet the required standard, and measurements will be required to have a clearly defined limit of accuracy. This investigation sought to compare measurement capabilities of two different methods for measuring crime scenes; using a tape measure, and a 360° camera with complimentary photogrammetry software application. Participants measured ten fixed and non-fixed items using both methods and these were compared to control measurements taken using a laser distance measure. Statistical analysis using a Wilcoxon Signed Rank test demonstrated statistically significant differences between the tape, software and control measurements. The majority of the differences were negligible, amounting to millimetre differences. The tape measure was found to be more accurate than the software application, which offered greater precision. Measurement errors were attributed to human error in understanding the operation of the software, suggesting that training be given before using the software to take measurements. Transcription errors were present with the tape measure approach. Measurements taken using the photogrammetry software were more reproducible than the tape measure approach, and offered flexibility with regards to the time and location of the documentation process, unlike manual tape measuring.

Long-term Geophysical Monitoring of Simulated Clandestine Graves using Electrical and Ground Penetrating Radar Methods: 4-6 Years After Burial.

This ongoing monitoring study provides forensic search teams with systematic geophysical data over simulated clandestine graves for comparison to active cases. Simulated "wrapped," "naked," and "control" burials were created. Multiple geophysical surveys were collected over 6 years, here showing data from 4 to 6 years after burial. Electrical resistivity (twin electrode and ERI), multifrequency GPR, grave and background soil water were collected. Resistivity surveys revealed that the naked burial had low-resistivity anomalies up to year four but then difficult to image, whereas the wrapped burial had consistent large high-resistivity anomalies. GPR 110- to 900-MHz frequency surveys showed that the wrapped burial could be detected throughout, but the naked burial was either not detectable or poorly resolved. 225-MHz frequency GPR data were optimal. Soil water analyses showed decreasing (years 4 to 5) to background (year 6) conductivity values. Results suggest both resistivity and GPR surveying if burial style unknown, with winter to spring surveys optimal and increasingly important as time increases.

Soilwater Conductivity Analysis to Date and Locate Clandestine Graves of Homicide Victims.

In homicide investigations, it is critically important that postmortem interval and postburial interval (PBI) of buried victims are determined accurately. However, clandestine graves can be difficult to locate; and the detection rates for a variety of search methods (ranging from simple ground probing through to remote imaging and near-surface geophysics) can be very low. In this study, simulated graves of homicide victims were emplaced in three sites with contrasting soil types, bedrock, and depositional environments. The long-term monthly in situ monitoring of grave soil water revealed rapid increases in conductivity up to 2 years after burial, with the longest study evidencing declining values to background levels after 4.25 years. Results were corrected for site temperatures and rainfall to produce generic models of fluid conductivity as a function of time. The research suggests soilwater conductivity can give reliable PBI estimates for clandestine burials and therefore be used as a grave detection method.

Geophysical monitoring of simulated clandestine graves using electrical and ground-penetrating radar methods: 0-3 years after burial.

This study provides forensic search teams with systematic geophysical monitoring data over simulated clandestine graves for comparison to active cases. Simulated "wrapped" and "naked" burials were created. Multigeophysical surveys were collected over a 3-year monitoring period. Bulk ground resistivity, electrical resistivity imaging, multifrequency ground-penetrating radar (GPR), and grave and background "soil-water" conductivity data were collected. Resistivity surveys revealed the naked burial had consistently low-resistivity anomalies, whereas the wrapped burial had small, varying high-resistivity anomalies. GPR 110- to 900-MHz frequency surveys showed the wrapped burial could be detected throughout, with the "naked" burial mostly resolved. Two hundred and twenty-five megahertz frequency GPR data were optimal. "Soil-water" analyses showed rapidly increasing (year 1), slowly increasing (year 2), and decreasing (year 3) conductivity values. Results suggest resistivity and GPR surveys should be collected if target "wrapping" is unknown, with winter to spring surveys optimal. Resistivity surveys should be collected in clay-rich soils.

Preliminary soilwater conductivity analysis to date clandestine burials of homicide victims.

This study reports on a new geoscientific method to estimate the post-burial interval (PBI) and potential post-mortem interval (PMI) date of homicide victims in clandestine graves by measuring decomposition fluid conductivities. Establishing PBI/PMI dates may be critical for forensic investigators to establish time-lines to link or indeed rule out suspects to a crime. Regular in situ soilwater analysis from a simulated clandestine grave (which contained a domestic buried pig carcass) in a semi-rural environment had significantly elevated conductivity measurements when compared to background values. A temporal rapid increase of the conductivity of burial fluids was observed until one-year post-burial, after this values slowly increased until two years (end of the current study period). Conversion of x-axis from post-burial days to 'accumulated degree days' (ADDs) corrected for both local temperature variations and associated depth of burial and resulted in an improved fit for multiple linear regression analyses. ADD correction also allowed comparison with a previous conductivity grave study on a different site with a different soil type and environment; this showed comparable results with a similar trend observed. A separate simulated discovered burial had a conductivity estimated PBI date that showed 12% error from its actual burial date. Research is also applicable in examining illegal animal burials; time of burial and waste deposition. Further research is required to extend the monitoring period, to use human cadavers and to repeat this with other soil types and depositional environments.

Time-lapse geophysical investigations over a simulated urban clandestine grave.

A simulated clandestine shallow grave was created within a heterogeneous, made-ground, urban environment where a clothed, plastic resin, human skeleton, animal products, and physiological saline were placed in anatomically correct positions and re-covered to ground level. A series of repeat (time-lapse), near-surface geophysical surveys were undertaken: (1) prior to burial (to act as control), (2) 1 month, and (3) 3 months post-burial. A range of different geophysical techniques was employed including: bulk ground resistivity and conductivity, fluxgate gradiometry and high-frequency ground penetrating radar (GPR), soil magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT), and self potential (SP). Bulk ground resistivity and SP proved optimal for initial grave location whilst ERT profiles and GPR horizontal "time-slices" showed the best spatial resolutions. Research suggests that in complex urban made-ground environments, initial resistivity surveys be collected before GPR and ERT follow-up surveys are collected over the identified geophysical anomalies.

Ultrastructural localization of proteoglycans in bone in osteogenesis imperfecta as demonstrated by Cuprolinic Blue staining.

The role of proteoglycans in bone in osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) has been examined. Using Cuprolinic Blue staining of whole fetal bone tissue and examining the tissue in the transmission electron microscope, the presence of proteoglycans was observed. Quantitative comparative image-analysis of the proteoglycans from electron micrographs was performed, with measurement of sizes and number of proteoglycan particles. A significant increase in the total number of proteoglycan particles in OI bone osteoid was observed when compared with normal, matched controls. The area of the proteoglycan particles, as measured by pixel-area, using image analysis, was also increased in OI bone osteoid. These findings further suggest a role for proteoglycans in mineral formation by the possible inhibition of mineral growth and alteration of collagen nucleation sites. The increased number and size of proteoglycan particles may be a contributing factor to the previously reported poor mineral formation with subsequent loss of bone strength, making it more prone to fracture, in OI.