Forensic Sciences
[Abbr: Acd. Jr. AJFSc]Recognizing Suicidal Tendencies through Hand Analysis
by Dr. Kanchana Kohombange, Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Singh
Suicide indicates the main category of avoidable death in many countries and communities. Suicide is dramatically different, as its causes. In most cases, there's no single cause, but rather a large number of contributing factors. Suicide, addiction, and depression have an in-depth and interconnected relationship with one another. Depression and drug abuse associate to make a spiteful circle that each one too often ends up in suicide. Many of them who experience such severe depression commonly address drugs, alcohol, gambling, and other risky behaviors to numb their pain and/or alleviate their adverse feelings. The key objective of this research was to provide the prior identification of suicide tendencies of a person through hand analysis. Obtaining two types of clear handprints who already attempt suicide several times. Also studied the hands of people who fall victim to suicide. Examined the handprints. Their numerous aspects were observed under four main streams. Findings can help to speculate about how the death occurred. For example, murders are often made to resemble suicides. Sometimes if the antagonist is shrewd enough, suicide can be staged to look like a homicide. Hands of people who fall victim to suicide denote drooping headlines or abnormal headlines, many crisscross lines over the palm area, dark spots, and abnormal finger lengths very commonly. Dermatoglyphic results and the elemental texture of the friction ridge skin show a major connection between preferred suicide methods. Results showed that suicide completers had considerably higher scores on the personality dimension of introversion. Also, those with a drug abuse disorder are most expected to aim suicide at some point in their life. The results will help mental health professionals to more accurately assess and diagnose any underlying mental health concerns so that they can be properly treated. Keywords: Chirognomy, Chiromancy, Dermatoglyphics, hand gestures, hand analyzing
A Case Report of Death Due To Choking Mimicking Café Coronary
by Dr. Molly Banerjee
Choking is defined as complete obstruction of the airway by a foreign body large enough to obstruct the lumen of the trachea beyond the carina-leading to Violent Mechanical Asphyxial Death. It mostly occurs accidentally, very rarely homicidal. A 23 year old, male subject, a habitual drunkard, was taken to R G Kar Medical College and Hospital where he was declared brought dead by the on-duty medical officer, the latter advised post-mortem examination to determine the actual cause and manner of death of death. The procedure followed to arrive at the conclusion included acquisition of meticulous history , perusal of all relevant documents including police inquest, postmortem examination findings , chemical and histo-pathological reports. Presence of the black seed like substance beyond the bifurcation of trachea led to the final opinion. Keywords: Choking, Cafe Coronary, Tracheaa, Asphyxia, Seed.
Metabolomics: An Aid in Cyanide Toxicity
by Harshitha J Y, Nithyashree S, Supraja OD, Rida Tabassum, Dr. Prashanth Kumar HP
Any chemical can be harmful when taken in large quantity or in certain conditions. Toxicity is the magnitude to which an organism can be damaged or harmed by a particular substance. For the forensic toxicology, the toxicity mechanism provides perception as to how a physical or chemical substance can cause death or incapacitation. To know the working of such toxic compounds, metabolomics plays a major role. Metabolomics is the field of "omics" which deals with the analysis of small molecules/ metabolites within the living cells, tissues or organisms. It is influenced by genetic and environmental factors providing in depth analysis of altered metabolic pathways that are targeted by harmful chemicals in forensic toxicology. Acute toxicity may harm an organism in short term exposure. A true poison like arsenic and cyanide is lethal even if it is consumed in minute amounts. Cyanide refers to a chemical containing carbon- nitrogen bond (C-N bond) having negatively charged ion. It causes arrest of aerobic metabolism in living beings as CN attaches to the iron atom in Cytochrome C Oxidase [CCO] in mitochondria of cells. Its exposure most often occurs through consumption or inhalation. Metabolomics helps in the understanding of cyanide pathway in ETC and the concentration of cyanide can be detected in the human by separation/ detection techniques like HPLC and GC-MS chromatographic techniques. In this context, Cyanide toxicity is explained with the help of a case study. The metabolite concentrations, physical characteristics, phenotypic changes and the postmortem appearance are reviewed in detail. Keywords: Metabolomics, Forensic toxicology, Metabolite, Phenotype, Chromatography.
Currency Note Examination “Bank of Jamaica Five Thousand Dollar Currency Note”
by Zadia-Kay Smith, Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Singh
In many different areas of society, counterfeit products circulation is on the rise. Currency note is no exception. Over the last decade, the Questioned Document Section of the Jamaica Constabulary Force has seen a significant increase in cases related to counterfeit currency notes. This study aims to investigate the methodology of detecting counterfeit notes in Jamaica. This paper highlights various security features of the Bank of Jamaica currency note specifically the $5000 denomination. This paper analyse methodology used to investigate counterfeit currency notes. The video spectral comparator (VSC40 & 80), Bausch and Lomb Microscope and a Hand Held Magnifier were used in this analysis which took place in the Questioned Documents Laboratory of the Jamaica Constabulary Force. Bank of Jamaica currency notes are issued in Five (5) denominations namely $50, $100, $500, $1000, and $5000. The front of these notes carries either a National Hero of Jamaica or a former Prime Minister whilst the back of the notes carries a local scenery or popular landmarks. These currency notes are the same size measuring (143 X 68 mm) and has a watermark portrait that is unique to each of these notes. They also carry unique security features that are visible only under ultraviolet light source. They contain serial numbers that can be seen at the front of each note running both vertically and horizontally to the left and right, respectively. No two note carries the same serial number. The printing date as well as the signature of the Governor of the Bank of Jamaica can also be seen at the front of each note. The $5000 note bears the portrait of The Rt. Honourable Hugh Lawson Shearer. If after an examination is conducted and one of the features from any of the above-mentioned currency note is found to be missing, then such note is deemed to be a counterfeit of the genuine Bank of Jamaica currency note. Keywords: Bank of Jamaica, Denominations, Security Features, Video Spectral Comparator (VSC40 & 80), Bausch and Lomb Microscope, Hand Held Magnifier, Counterfeit.
Metabolomics in Methanol Toxicity
by Rida Tabassum, Supraja OD, Harshitha J Y, Nithyashree S, Dr. Prashanth Kumar HP
The domain of "omics" is about the metabolite (small molecule) analysis within the living cells, tissues or organisms is called as Metabolomics. These metabolites are still able to interact with biological system and such interaction is understood as Metabolome. The product of metabolism are affected by genes and environmental factors. Metabolomics best represents the molecular phenotype. This field studies small molecules at the range of 50-1500 Da. It is evaluated that, in plants there are approximately 200,000 metabolites while in humans it is evaluated that there are 3,000 common metabolites. These evaluations are approximates since it is laborious to work out the low-abundance molecules. Overall, it provides, valuable information about what causes changes in our health. Metabolomics plays an important role in forensic toxicology, since it provides an in-depth analysis of altered metabolic pathways that are targeted by harmful chemicals. One such chemical is discussed here is methanol toxicity. Methanol is an extremely weak base and it exists in all life forms starting from bacteria to humans. The metabolites of methanol such as, formic acid and formaldehyde are responsible for toxicity, rather than methanol itself. It is potentially toxic when the concentration is more than 340 mg/L. The blood methanol concentration in sober condition is around 3mgL-1, which is 400-1000x < lethal concentration. Metabolomics plays a vital role in identifying these metabolites through a number of the methods of detection which includes, NMR, GC-MS, HPLC, etc. The methanol toxicity shows visible signs during a postmortem. Thus, metabolomics is involved in toxicology testing, drug compliance, genetic disorder tests, drug phenotyping and eventually, it also facilitates the understanding of direct cellular phenotypes that are induced by the toxic chemicals such as methanol, arsenic, cyanide, etc. Keywords: Omics, Metabolomics, Metabolites, Methanol Toxicity, Postmortem Appearances.