15 December 2018, Volume 43 Issue 6
    

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    Research Articles
  • Comparative Evaluation on Different RNA Extraction Methods
    LI Ranran, WANG Bing, HU Sheng, LI Yang, ZHAI Yongjie, LI Caixia, SUN Qifan, JI Anquan
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 431-435. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.001
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    Objective To compare the seven commonly-used commercially-available RNA extraction kits and relevant methods (six commercially available extraction kits plus Trizol organic extraction suite) so as to assess their relative effectiveness of yielding RNA/miRNA. Methods Dried peripheral bloods were taken as the samples for the RNA to extract respectively by the seven selected methods. RNA quality was evaluated with UV spectrophotometry, agar-gel electrophoresis and quantitative PCR expression analysis. Results It was showed that different methods exhibit considerable discrepancy for either the quality or expression levels. Both Trizol organic RNA extraction suite and RNeasy® Mini Kit can get RNA/miRNA of good quantity and quality (From 170µL peripheral blood, the total obtained RNA quantity >1353.50 ± 78.87ng, OD260/280 >1.84 ± 0.03), rendering the yielded RNA to be of good integrity as revealed by agar-gel electrophoresis. Conclusion From overall comprehension by the quantity, quality and quantitative PCR-based expression analysis, the RNeasy® Mini Kit and Trizol are more suitable for extracting RNA/miRNA from peripheral blood.
  • Weighing to Count the Quantity of Air Gun Pellets
    BAO Liyin, LI Yiyi, ZHANG Wen, CUI Bin, JIN Yifeng, MA Xinhe
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 436-440. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.002
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    Quantity determination is sometimes crucial for the gun-concerned evidence identification when a large amount of air-gun pellets are involved. Referred to the literature reports about quantity calculation by weighing and counting, a method is here set up for counting air-gun pellets through weighing. The total mass of air-gun pellets is weighed with an eligible electronic balance. Two batches of samples are randomly selected to have their respective 10 air-gun pellets measured so as to get the average weight of one air-gun pellet. The quantity of air gun pellets is calculated through division of the total mass by the average weight of one pellet. The error is also estimated through combination of the results from the two batches of randomly selected samples. Orienting to the actual requirements of identification, the above method is verified and discussed on its feasibility along with the operational procedure being put up, plus the three ways of result-expression being shown with either the pellet amount or the error range or the quantity span.
  • An Algorithm for Fast Detection of Video Target
    LIU Song, WANG Ziyiwen, WEI Dong, YANG Hongchen
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 441-444. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.003
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    An algorithm was explored for fast detection of video target in view of the current massive video retrieval problems for investigation. Firstly, the background-adaptive method based on background reconstruction was used to combine the background difference processing so that the tracked moving object can be targeted successfully. Then, every chaseable position of the target was located through the continuity of the tracked object’s video images, therefore making the target’s image intercepted for image matching. Finally, a comparison was made among the image-matching algorithms by both the color composition plus edge histogram feature and a/pHash to evaluate their matching accuracy and running efficiency. Thus, a multi-objective retrieval algorithm was proposed with the combination of multiple algorithms. The algorithm can be real time to adapt to the background changes in fixed camera, able to locate, analyze and compare the multi-moving targets in video, thereby realizing the fast retrieval of video target. The algorithm is superior to the traditional in matching accuracy and running efficiency.
  • A Novel Gel-lifter for Developing Overlapped Fingerprints Deposited at Different Time
    GAO Feng, ZHANG Jiamin, XU Xiao, WANG Zizheng, LIU Huan
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 445-448. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.004
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    Objective A new gel-lifter is homemade and firstly verified to develop overlapped fingerprints deposited at different time. Methods The gel-lifter was made of adhesive gelatin (Gel),polyurethane substrate (PU) and polyethylene terephthalate film (PET). Six sampling overlapped fingerprints were deposited onto glass slides with 0.5-24h interval. Then the samples were repeatedly lifted by the gel-lifter step by step. A time-interval coefficient, Td [Td = (t1-t2)· t2-e], was introduced to analyze the developing results of overlapped fingerprints deposited at different time. Results Good effects were shown on developing the overlapped fingerprints when lifted continuously by the gel-lifter. When the time-interval coefficient Td≥0.28, only 2 or 3 repetitious gel-lifter lifting can eliminate the interference between the overlapped fingerprints, leaving the fingerprint images of clear details and high-background contrast. Conclusions The new method of fingerprint-lifting by gel-lifter could effectively eliminate ridge interference and develop single fingerprint image from the overlapped fingerprints. This method is of simplicity, reliability, and good applicable prospect to be expected.
  • Genetic Analysis of 19 X-STR Loci in Zhejiang Han Population
    HAO Honglei, WU Weiwei, REN Wenyan, SU Yanjia, LÜ Dejian, CHEN Linli
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 449-453. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.005
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    Objective To analyze the genetic polymorphism of 19 X-STR loci of Han population in Zhejiang province so as to evaluate their forensic applicability. Methods With the 19 X-STR loci multiplex system set up before, the genotype profiling was carried out through 788 unrelated individuals from Zhejiang Han population, consisting of 399 males and 389 females. Statistical data were calculated on the allelic genetic parameters, power of discrimination and linkage disequilibrium for kinship identification. Results Of the 788 samples tested, 289 alleles were found and 12 highly polymorphic X-STR loci determined. There was no significant linkage disequilibrium among all the 19 X-STR loci, with the cumulative powers of discrimination being 1.0000000000000 for female and 0.9999999999998 for male in the investigated Zhejiang Han population. Conclusion The 19 X-STR assemblage is able to be used for forensic paternity testing and human personal identification.
  • Recognizing the Synthetic Route of Methamphetamine by Its Seizures from 11 Cases at Yunnan Border Area
    ZHANG Wenjing, LIAO Xuandong, XU Manman, LI Hong, ZHAO Haiqing, XIE Yanming
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 454-458. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.006
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    Objective To explore the synthetic route of methamphetamine (MA) by analyzing the characteristic impurities of its seizures from 11 cases that involved with “Golden Triangle” transboundary MA at the border area of Yunnan province, thereby establishing a computer retrieval method to recognize the synthesis pattern of MA so as to provide a basis for homology identification of MA samples. Methods The samples from 11 cases were tested by GC/MS after extracted with HS-SPME, and the correlation was analyzed by the percent content of impurity peak area. Results The tested MA is mainly derived from synthetic ephedrine and fabricated by Emde method. Except for the samples of No. 2 and 11, the other ones of MA were very likely to use gasoline as the organic solvent.Conclusions A reference can be here drawn to predict the correlation between the synthetic route of MA and characteristic impurities, therefore the technical support will enable the public security organizations to combat the illegal drug-making and trafficking.
  • Effect of Detection Time on Determining the Alcohol Content in Blood Samples in Identification of Driving with Alcohol Drunk
    LIU Dongxian, CHEN Zhiwei, HE Jiangnan
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 459-462. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.007
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    Objective To probe into the effect of detection time on determining the alcohol content in blood samples. Methods The blood samples, collected at 2 hours after the volunteers drank alcohol, were stored in six different types of disposable vacuum blood collection tubes kept under 4˚C in refrigerator. The alcohol was determined of its concentration in blood sample by headspace gas chromatography on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th, 12th, 15th day, respectively. Results It was shown that the almost equal alcohol concentrations were obtained from the same one blood sample kept in type-same tubes regardless of the different detection time. Conclusions One suggestion can be made that a disposable vacuum blood-collection tube (anticoagulant tube) should be used to load the blood sample collected from a driver who is suspected of drinking alcohol. The detection time has no significant effect on the ethanol content in the blood sample stored under 4˚C.
  • Acquiring Physical Dump-images from Android Phone without Root Authority
    JI Chaohao, WANG Jimo, PEI Hongqing
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 463-465. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.008
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    Among digital evidence examination, Android phones present high profile. Usually, examiners try to get root authority (highest in the system) to get physical dump-images from the Android phone so that the data can be fully extracted and recovered as many as possible. However, the constant updating of Android system make it even more difficult for the root authority to get, leading to high risk of damaging the data. Thus, it is getting imperative to acquire the physical dump-images from Android phones with no requirement of root warrant in digital forensics. In fact, there are available choices of third-party recovery, dedicated communication interface or Android special boot mode and others so as to effectively improve the success rate of dump-image acquisition from Android mobile phones.
    • Reviews
  • Review on Forensic Palynology
    ZHANG Qi, LU Kaiqing, LI Jinfeng, XIA Xiaofei, WANG Ping, HU Can, ZHU Jun, WANG Yufei, YAO Yifeng
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 466-470. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.009
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    Forensic palynology is able to play an important role in criminal investigation. In certain circumstances, it can help connect a suspect with the crime scene, deduce the death time, provide clues about source of the related drugs, and disprove alibis. Such a discipline has been already utilized in the countries of New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States and the others. This paper reviews the application of forensic palynology over the past 50 years, and discusses the progressing direction and research focuses.
  • Artificial Intelligence Assisting to Finding Facts of Criminal Cases
    WEI Bin, ZHENG Zhifeng
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 471-476. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.010
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    The emerging artificial intelligence (AI) is being applied to assist in finding facts of criminal cases for forensic investigation, initiating the forensic practice of AI into the expert’s system of criminal cases. From the early classical logic to the non-classical one, the foundation has been being enriched for AI’s logic to dig out the facts of cases. The ever-evolving Bayesian model is bringing the fact-finding of cases into quantitative determination from qualitative deduction. While computational argumentation model helps to clarify the structure of evidential argument for the facts of criminal cases, the revolution of big data, algorithms and block-chain correlation pulls the evidence approaching to the case facts into a more accurate, finer and more scientific course. AI is continuously overcoming its technical defects, getting closer to the thinking and umpirage by judges and juries to find the criminal facts, yet its role must be oriented at the assistant status for the judicial judgment to improve the accuracy of finding facts from cases and reduce the occurrence of wrong cases.
    • Applied Researches
  • Recent Applications of UAV into Crime Scene Investigation
    LU Xilong, LIU Guanhua, YAN Yuwen, SHI Yi, ZHAO Xiaohui, SUN Zhenwen, LI Zhigang, LIU Jin, WANG Mingzhi
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 477-480. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.011
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    With the continuously expanding applications, UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle, UAV) has been playing a more important role into China’s policing. However, UAV, as a flight platform, cannot fully meet the needs from the current crime scene investigation when it is only equipped with the aerial photographing and mapping equipment. The authors designed such one installation that UAV was respectively equipped with a mechanical arm, vacuum pump, light source or an infrared recording equipment while operated under the corresponding control program. Such installed UAVs have realized to discover and extract the evidential materials of solid, liquid and gas, successfully taking photographs and video-recording under low illumination. Through the applications of actual and simulated cases, UAV technology has proved that it can significantly improve the crime scene investigation on its quality, efficiency and safety under special conditions. Therefore, UAV provides new feasibilities for crime scene investigation to come forth novel initiatives and innovations, inspiring people to think of new ways for future researches to utilize UAV into forensic practice.
  • Review on Association Study of Tibetan High-altitude Adaptation and Its Forensic Applicability
    HUANG Meisha, JIANG Li, LIU Jing, TANG Guangfeng, XU Jie, WANG Ling, ZHAO Hui, LI Caixia
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 481-484. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.012
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    Tibetan people live in Himalayan plateau southwest of China, having well adapted to the extreme environment of such a high altitude. Recent studies showed that several candidate genes have led the Tibetan people to possess different mechanism from lowland-living Chinese to adapt to the high-altitude hypoxia environment. Two hypoxia-related genes, EPAS1 (endothelial PAS domain protein 1; also known as HIF2a) and EGLN1 (egl nine homolog 1; also known as HIF prolylhydroxylase 2, PHD2), have been identified to associate with the high-altitude hypoxia adaptation such that a large quantity of frequency-diverse SNPs have been found among them. In this paper, Tibetan people’s adaptation to high-altitude is reviewed from three aspects: their physiological characteristics and functional conversion, high-altitude adaptation genes, and the SNPs in EPAS1 and EGLN1. Accordingly, the forensic feasibility of high-altitude adaptation-associated SNPs is thereby discussed.
  • Status of Examination on Second Added Printing
    HAN Xingzhou, HAN Yuanli, QIN Da, HAO Hongguang
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 485-488. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.013
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    Printing document examination, an important item of questioned document identification, is frequently required to verify whether a document includes the content made by second added printing. Second printing document is the one that the document is formed through printing at least twice through same one or different printer. A survey was conducted about the status of second printing examination, with its emphasis placed onto the examination methods, selected characteristics and applicable values. In this maneuver, China’s 20 competency-high laboratories of questioned document examination were convened from the public security, procuratorate, the military and higher education. All the 20 laboratories answered correctly, leading the satisfaction rate being 100%. A summary was thereby made with the methods and characteristics chosen by the 20 labs so that 20 main aspects were focused on the items such as the layout, composition and morphology. Some features/methods are popular with the 20 laboratories, e.g., the morphology of toners being selected by 100%, while only one laboratory used such features as mass spectrometry, multi-spectral and quantitative analysis. Conclusively, the status of second printing examination is good although there are differences in their ability among laboratories. Based on the present techniques and current methods from this survey, the technical regulations and procedures were written for the second printing document examination.
  • Identification of the Victims from the Sinking of “Eastern Star” Passenger Ship
    WANG Haisheng, TIAN Xuemei, WANG Kun, ZHU Chuanhong, LI Shangxun, MIN Jianxiong
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 489-492. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.014
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    Occasionally, serious mass death and injury occur from the catastrophic event such as the traffic accident, fire disaster and/or production safety incident. How to tackle such an event properly and efficiently tends to be a great challenge for the technical departments and staffs of Chinese public security. A retrospective summarization was here put up about identifying victims from the sinking of “Eastern Star” passenger ship, one tragic event happened on June 1, 2015 in Jianli county, Hubei province so that some valuable experiences and references can be learnt for the required people. An organizational system is an urgent requisite in order to implement quick response by setting up a specific workgroup, coordinating the diverse operations by building up an efficiency-high commanding mechanism. The strong technical pillar should be provided from the standardized postmortem examination procedure, fully-covered specimen collection plan and the systematic individual-identifying scheme so that the disaster victim identification will be completely carried out smoothly. The other valuable references should be also learnt from our experience indicated in this article.
  • Discovery and Extraction of DNA Traces Left from the Burglaries of Technically Unlocking Security Door
    WANG Zhi, JIN Yifeng, LIN Xiang
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 493-496. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.015
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    Burglaries cause the losses of people’s wealth, sometimes even threatening the safety of life. Among all the cases, those by technically unlocking security door take up the largest proportion, yet are more difficult to investigate because many suspects keep strong anti-detection awareness. With the rapid development of DNA technology, an effective means has been brought forth to fight against such crimes. This paper introduces the tools and methods of DNA extraction, the success rate of DNA examination, and concludes seven key points in investigating the burglaries by technically unlocking security door.
    • Technical Notes
  • Large Pose 3D Obverse Facial Image Reconstructed from a Slanting-downside Face’s Photo in Video
    CHEN Jingzhou, Lin Jihuang, ZHANG Ning, XIE Lanchi, LI Zhihui, LI Zhigang
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 497-500. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.016
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    Objective Face recognition technology has been becoming even more widely used into case investigations, but face images captured in surveillance video are often non-frontal due to such factors as shot-person’s pose and video camera’s shooting angle, resulting in inaccurate or poor recognition by face retrieval system. Here the large pose three-dimensional (3D) face reconstruction technology is utilized to adjust the posture of one face image that was captured from video so that the conditions are met for face matching. Methods Toward to solving a real case, the 3D face-image reconstruction approach based on morphable model was used to perform a large-pose single-image face restoration. A non-frontal face image was to recover its frontal figure through manipulations such as face-extracting, key-point alignment and edge adjustment, with the result of each processing step being verified. Results Compared to the original non-frontal face image unable to identify the suspect, the reconstructed frontal face image has successfully made the suspect recognized. Conclusions The large pose 3D face reconstruction can effectively solve the recognition problem of non-frontal face image, improve the accuracy and efficiency of video investigation, therefore capable of enhancing the effectiveness into use of face images from surveillance video.
  • Analysis of Y-STR Mutation into Familial Searching
    LI Honglei, ZHANG Xu, SUN Hui, WANG Zhanhong, ZHANG Erwei, LI Wanshui, MO Xiaoting
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 501-504. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.017
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    The new-established ‘Y-STRs familial searching’, built upon the Y-STR test, has already become a powerful tool for criminal detection. However, the Y-STRs mutate frequently during their descending course, resulting in the discrepant Y-STR genotypes to be carried by the consanguineous male relatives of same kin. The more distant the related men are, the higher the chance they will have different Y-STR haplotypes. Therefore, even if there are similar Y-STR genotypes between the on-site evidence and one certain individual screened, the difficulty is still present to judge whether the matched man’s family is really the suspect’s. Here, the analytic strategy and principle are illuminated about the data from familial searching based on a typical case where four mutations of Y-STRs were found in pedigree screening.
  • Application of DNA Technology in Xiamen “6 • 7” Bus Arson
    LIN Yucai, TANG Weiwei, ZHANG Zhihong
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 505-507. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.018
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    Fatal catastrophes are characterized with large number of casualties and diverse scenes of complexity. Determining the identity of the victims is of great importance for the relevant event. Presently, DNA technology is commonly utilized as the conventional means to identify the victims who died from disasters or accidents. This article summarizes the DNA identification procedures that were applied in Xiamen “2013.6.7” Bus Arson, focusing on the sample collection, DNA extraction and DNA data analysis. Besides, discussions are also put up on the experience, problems and key technologies relating to the DNA test in order to provide reference for DNA identification of similar events in the future.
  • Autopsy of a Deceased Child Afflicted of Eosinophilic Myocarditis Complicated with Drowning
    WANG Jing, LI Jianing, LIANG Yue, LI Lianjie, CHEN Jianyi, ZHOU Yiwu
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 508-510. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.019
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    Here it is covered of a rare case that a child died from eosinophilic myocarditis complicated with drowning. Eosinophilic myocarditis is a myocardial inflammation characterized by eosinophil infiltration with myocardial necrosis and endomyocardial fibrosis, accounting for about 0.1% of the cases among a cohort of patients biopsied for suspected myocarditis. The disease symptoms are same and most of them are similar with “common cold”, yet the severe patients may lead to sudden cardiac death. When forensic identification to be performed about such a disease involved with drowning, the implementation should be taken into the aspects of systematic autopsy, histopathological examination, case investigations and medical-record review along with the essential diatom test to find out the death cause, thereby leaving the only correct analysis to be made.
  • Application and Optimization of National Database of Shoes’ Patterns
    JIN Yifeng, BAI Yanping, SHI Feng, LU Xilong, LIN Min, LIU Weiping
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 511-513. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.020
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    China’s national database of shoes’ patterns, built in 2011, has ever since been providing both local and remote comparisons about such specifics of shoe’s profiling pictures, outsole pattern, brand, producer, style, colors, materials and price. Presently, the database is being extensively used in all kinds of cases across China, making the shoeprints lifted from crime scenes be queried as far as possible and thus playing an important role in criminal investigation. With the development of technology and the demand of increased searching, the database has been always being further improved and optimized, and as such yielding more important roles in solving cases.
  • Forensic Identification about Four Cases of Death from Phosphine Poisoning
    LI Xinqiang, FANG Junjie
    Forensic Science And Technology. 2018, 43(6): 514-516. https://doi.org/10.16467/j.1008-3650.2018.06.021
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    Objective To investigate the key points of forensic identification about the death from phosphine poisoning. Methods Four cases of death from phosphine poisoning were perused on their identification with the literature review being made about the cases of such kind, therefore the elucidation was put forth from six aspects of phosphine about its physicochemical properties, poisoning cause and clinical symptoms, poisoning mechanism and resultant death, forensic examination, and the samples’ extraction as well. Results No specific pathological changes were found in the four cases of phosphine poisoning-caused death. The postmortem phenomenon mainly appeared dark red livor mortis, cyanosis on face and nail, blood’s non-coagulation. Histopathological examination mostly showed pulmonary edema, emphysema and focal myocardial necrosis. Conclusion Cases of death from phosphine poisoning must put their forensic identification into corpse examination, analysis of cases’ status and details, field investigation and comprehensive verification of the relevant samples and extracts.

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