How the forensic multidisciplinary approach can solve a fatal dog pack attack.

The authors present the case of a 61-year-old man found dead in an agricultural plot. The first investigation of the scene revealed the corpse laid face up in a spot of partially dried blood, next to an olive tree. His face, arms, legs, and abdomen showed signs of severe contusion and laceration of dogs' bite wounds. Next to the victim, an olives bin had been found overturned on the ground. A multi-disciplinary approach, including crime scene analysis, autopsy findings, veterinary animals review, odontologist bite mark study, and forensic genetics DNA correlations, was performed. The present case is a documented watchdogs lethal pack attack and provides an example of how to recognize the more active participants thanks to their odontological alterations. It could be considered the first described dog pack attack case solved by dysgnathia alteration. Comparisons between the dental casts obtained from the dogs and the inflicted wounds were made, resulting in positive correlations between the injuries and the dental arches from two of the six involved dogs, thanks to dental abnormalities and DNA founding. The victim's clothes were also compared with the dogs' dental casts, confirming that they were the most active participants during the pack attack. Dogs' DNA was finally matched with saliva traces found on victim's clothes and skin bite marks.

A Ge.F.I. - ISFG European collaborative study on DNA identification of Cannabis sativa samples using a 13-locus multiplex STR method.

Cannabis sativa is the most used controlled substance in Europe. With the advent of new and less restrictive European laws on cannabis sale for recreational use (including in Italy), an increase in indoor cannabis crops were observed. This increase was possible due to the availability of cannabis seeds through the internet market. Genetic identification of cannabis can link seizures and if in possession then might aid in an investigation. A 13-locus multiplex STR method was previously developed and validated by Houston et al. A collaborative exercise was organized by the Italian Forensic Geneticists - International Society of Forensic Genetics (Ge.F.I. - ISFG) Working Group with the aim to test the reproducibility, reliability and robustness of this multiplex cannabis STR kit. Twenty-one laboratories from three European countries participated in the collaborative exercise and were asked to perform STR typing of two cannabis samples. Cannabis DNA samples and the multiplex STR kit were provided by the University of Barcelona and Sam Houston State University. Different platforms for PCR amplification, capillary electrophoresis (CE) and genotyping software were selected at the discretion of the participating laboratories. Although the participating laboratories used different PCR equipment, CE platforms and genotyping software, concordant results were obtained from the majority of the samples. The overall genotyping success ratio was 96%. Only minor artifacts were observed. The mean peak height ratio was estimated to be 76.3% and 78.1% for sample 1 and sample 2, respectively. The lowest amount of -1 / + 1 stutter percentage produced, when the height of the parent allele was higher than 8000 RFU, resulted to be less than 10% of the parent allele height. Few common issues were observed such as a minor peak imbalance in some heterozygous loci, some artifact peaks and few instances of allelic drop-out. The results of this collaborative exercise demonstrated the robustness and applicability of the 13-locus system for cannabis DNA profiling for forensic purposes.

Virtopsy versus autopsy in unusual case of asphyxia: case report.

We report the case of a 70-year-old woman found dead in her apartment in the South of Italy in February 2011. The detailed data showed that the victim was affected by familiar-type paranoid schizophrenia. This finding was confirmed by the discovery of antipsychotic and tricyclic antidepressant drugs in the house and the deposition of her psychiatric therapist. Before the autopsy, a multislice computed tomography (MSCT) scanning of the thoracic and facial maxillo-cervical area was performed that has allowed anatomical identification and diagnosis of a mechanical obstruction as the cause of death. The autopsy has showed the presence of materials obstructing the trachea totally. Histological and toxicological investigations were carried out on the victim. The toxicological investigation has shown the presence of metabolites of tricyclic antidepressants and antipsychotics in the blood and urine. The histology showed the presence of foreign-origin materials (starch fibres) inside the pulmonary alveolus. The cause of death was asphyxia due to obstruction by food-origin material. In this case the radiological data have been compared with the autopsy and toxicological and histological data. The comparison of results has shown that MSCT scanning may aid in identification of occlusion and then in determination of the cause of death. In conclusion, MSCT scanning can be proposed in the cases of suspected asphyxia, as the screening procedure of first instance to produce preliminary information useful to rapidly develop the successive autopsy performance.

Biomarker discovery by plasma proteomics in familial Brugada Syndrome.

Brugada Syndrome (BS) is a polygenic inherited cardiac disease characterized by life-threatening arrhythmias and high incidence of sudden death. In this study, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) coupled to mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to investigate specific changes in the plasma proteome of BS patients and family members sharing the same gene mutation (SCN5AQ1118X), with the aim to identify novel disease biomarkers. Our data demonstrate that the levels of several proteins were significantly altered in BS patients compared with controls. In particular, apolipoprotein E, prothrombin, vitronectin, complement-factor H, vitamin-D-binding protein, voltage-dependent anion-selective channel protein 3 and clusterin were considerably increased in plasma sample of BS patients, whereas alpha-1-antitrypsin, fibrinogen and angiotensinogen were considerably decreased; moreover, post-translational modifications of antithrombin-III were detected in all affected individuals. On the light of these results, we hypothesize that these proteins might be considered as potential markers for the identification of disease status in BS.

Determination of trazodone and its metabolite, m-CPP, in serum and urine by HPLC.

A sensitive and rapid method for the analysis of trazodone (TZD) and its metabolite, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)piperazine (m-CPP), in the serum and urine of rabbits treated with the drug was developed. The assay requires extraction from the biological fluids with adequately buffered organic solvents followed by HPLC. The assay allows good reproducibility, fair recovery, and excellent linearity in the range of 0.6 to 10 micrograms/mL for TZD and 1.2 to 20 micrograms/mL for m-CPP.

A new method for the determination in blood and urine of a novel triazolobenzodiazepine (estazolam) by HPLC.

In this study the authors report a new method to determine estazolam in blood and urine by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). This compound is a triazolobenzodiazepine and shows an interesting psychopharmacological activity. The extraction from biological fluids was carried out using a mixture of ethylenechloride, methylenechloride, and ethylacetate (1:1:8). The HPLC analysis was carried out with a C18 column, using methanol:phosphate buffer (pH 7.5, 0.011M):acetonitrile (65:33:2) as mobile phase. The detector was set at lambda = 240 nm. The method shows good repeatability and a linear response in the range of 0.6 to 10 micrograms estazolam/mL both in serum and urine. A case of non-lethal acute intoxication in which the method was applied is also reported.