Comparison of Micellar Electrokinetic Chromatography, Liquid Chromatography, and Microbiologic Assay for Analysis of Cephalexin in Oral Suspensions

Two well-accepted methodologies, based on a microbiologic assay (MA) and liquid chromatography (LC), and a novel methodology using micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC), were compared for the determination of cephalexin in commercially available and simulated samples of oral suspensions. The MA, described in the Brazilian Pharmacopeia, was performed with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 as the test organism, following the cylinder-plate method. The LC analysis followed the European Pharmacopoeia, 3rd Ed., and was used with minor modifications. The MEKC analysis was based on a previous work of the group. Estimates of the repeatability relative standard deviations of the MA, LC, and MEKC methods in the analysis of a commercial sample were 0.34, 0.42, and 0.37%, respectively. The recovery obtained with LC was 99.90 ± 1.11%; for MEKC, it was 100.09 ± 0.56%. Although the 3 methodologies were statistically equivalent for the determination of cephalexin in oral suspensions, MA gave suitable repeatability despite being nonspecific and time-consuming. MEKC provided faster analysis and higher column efficiency, whereas LC presented superior sensitivity. The results indicated that MEKC can be used as an alternative method to MA and LC in routine quality control laboratories

Mitteilungen : Amtsblatt der BTU Cottbus, 2011,10 (05.10.2011)

Prüfungs- und Studienordnung für den weiterbildenden Master-Studiengang Forensic Sciences and Engineering vom 07. April 2011 Ordnung zur Festsetzung der Gebühren im weiterbildenden Master-Studiengang Forensic Sciences and Engineering vom 07. April 201

Confirmation Bias: The Pitfall of Forensic Science

As it stands, forensic science and its practitioners are held in high regard in criminal court proceedings due to their ability to discover irrefutable facts that would otherwise go unnoticed. Nevertheless, forensic scientists can fall victim to natural logical fallacies. More specifically, confirmation bias is “a proclivity to search for or interpret additional information to confirm beliefs and to steer clear of information that may disagree with those prior beliefs” (Budlowe et al., 2009, p. 803). To restore the integrity of the forensic sciences, the sources of confirmation bias need to be identified and eliminated. Accordingly, empirical studies have given substance to a subject that is intangible and thus difficult to recognize. Inherent and external sources of confirmation bias include the dependence and association of crime labs upon police agencies and the amount of extraneous information made available to verifying examiners. Potentially effective solutions offered to minimize its influence upon the conclusions made by forensic scientists include the privatization of crime labs, the establishment of educational requirements for forensic examiners, the separation of testing and interpretation, and the institution of double blind testing. This effort must be undertaken as the justice system relies on forensic sciences to provide meaningful evidence that can play a prominent role in the fate of those who stand trial

Determination of Chondroitin Sulfate in Raw Materials by Liquid Chromatography

A rapid method for the determination of chondroitin sulfate in raw materials was developed. The samples were finely powdered, dissolved in water, and injected directly into the liquid chromatograph. The method used a C 18 column, a wavelength of 195 nm, and a mobile phase containing octane sulfonic acid. The method gave results that were slightly different from those generated by a titrimetric method using cetylpyridinium chloride. C hondroitin sulfate is a highly water-soluble polymer with a molecular weight varying from 23 000 to 45 000 daltons. It is a mucopolysaccharide for which each monomer is a disaccharide containing one sulfate group. Different forms of chondroitin sulfate have the sulfate group in different positions. Chondroitin sulfate A is sulfated over the hydroxylic group in the 4-position and is the predominant form for chondroitin sulfate from bovine sources. Chondroitin sulfate C is sulfated over the hydroxylic group in the 6-position and is the predominant form for chondroitin sulfate from shark sources. Chondroitin sulfate is negatively charged because of the presence of these sulfate groups. Chondroitin sulfate, along with glucosamine and methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), is currently being sold as a product to promote healthy joint function. The finished product is usually in the form of tablets containing 400 mg chondroitin sulfate and 500 mg glucosamine sulfate 2KCl. Other products may contain approximately 500 mg MSM in addition to the chondroitin and the glucosamine. Many methods with biomedical applications are available (1-9) for determining chondroitin sulfate. Most of these methods involve enzyme digestion of the polymer into the individual disaccharide monomers. These disaccharides are then quantitated by liquid chromatography (LC). Few methods are available for assaying raw materials and tablets with good precision. Recently, a method was proposed for determination of chondroitin sulfate in nutritional supplements (10). The method used UV detection at 207 nm after separation by size exclusion chromatography. Quantitation was by peak height to increase analytical precision. The current USP proposed method (11) uses a cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) titration with turbidimetric end point detection. The method has good specificity because there are few molecules that will bind with the CPC to form precipitates other than large, negatively charged polymers. The proposed LC method uses octane sulfonic acid in an acidic mobile phase. Chondroitin sulfate is excluded from the column and elutes considerably before the solvent front. Other molecules, such as glucosamine and proteins, elute near or considerably after the solvent front. Thus, the LC method, like the CPC method, shows good specificity. An LC scan of a sample containing chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine HCl is shown in METHOD Reagents (a) LC buffer concentrate.-Dilute 100 mL LC triethylamine to ca 900 mL with water in 1000 mL solvent reservoir. Add 80 mL reagent-grade 85% phosphoric acid, and mix cautiously. Cool to room temperature, bring to 1000 mL with water, and mix well. (b) Mobile phase.-Weigh 0.50 g LC quality octanesulfonic acid sodium salt into small beaker and quantitatively transfer to 1000 mL solvent reservoir with water. Add 5.0 mL LC buffer concentrate, 40 mL acetonitrile, dilute to volume with water, mix well, and de-gas by sparging or by filtration through 0.45 µm filter. (c) Chondroitin sulfate standard.-Chondroitrin Sulfate (A; Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO). Apparatus (a) Liquid chromatograph.-A Waters Associates (Milford, MA) Millennium 32 system with a Waters Xterra column, C 18 , 250 × 4.6 mm, was used. The system was operated at room temperature, the injection volume was 5.00 µL, the flow rate was 0.6 mL/min, and the run time was ca 6 min. (b) Titrimetric method.-A Metrohm (Westbury, NY) 751 GPD Titrino equipped with Metrohm 730 Sample Changer and 759 Swing Head, along with a Brinkmann (Westbury, NY) PC 700 colorimeter, was used to study the CPC titration at room temperature

Impact of training in forensic sciences

INTRODUÇÃO A violência e o trauma subsequente, constituem na atualidade um grave problema de saúde pública em todo o mundo, donde emerge a necessidade dos profissionais que os assistem possuírem conhecimentos atualizados de suporte às boas práticas, entre outros, no âmbito da Proteção e apoio à vítima, Avaliação e/ou assistência ao agressor, Recolha e preservação de vestígios forenses, Comunicação, documentação e cadeia de custódia. Para o efeito, as ciências forenses que englobam um conjunto de disciplinas científicas trabalham em uníssono e unindo o seu corpo de conhecimentos auxiliam a justiça na resolução de situações de carácter médico-legal. Daí decorre a necessidade de implementar programas de formação inicial e contínua em ciências forenses. OBJETIVO Avaliar impacto da frequência de um curso breve em ciências forenses no nível de conhecimentos sobre práticas forenses (PF); Determinar a variabilidade do nível de conhecimentos sobre práticas forenses (PF) em função do género e da idade. MÉTODOS O estudo descritivo com foco transversal, foi realizado numa amostra não probabilística por conveniência, constituída por 72 participantes no primeiro momento de avaliação e por 51 participantes no segundo momento de avaliação. As amostras ficaram constituídas maioritariamente por mulheres 84,7% e 82,4% respetivamente, com uma média de idades de 28.62 anos e de 30.23 anos, no segundo momento de avaliação. Aplicou-se o Questionário de Conhecimentos sobre Práticas Forenses adaptado do QCPEF de Cunha & Libório (2012) cit in Libório (2012) e Cunha, Libório & Coelho (2016). RESULTADOS Após frequentarem o curso breve em ciências forenses, os formandos aumentaram, em média, os conhecimentos relativos às práticas forenses, designadamente nas dimensões conceitos forenses, situações forenses, vestígios forenses, comunicação e documentação em ciências forenses, cuidados de gerais e preservação de vestígios forenses. Verificou-se melhor nível de conhecimentos nas dimensões Preservação de Vestígios (Antes: M=15,94 vs Após: M=18,55), e Conceito Forenses (Antes: M= 6,93 vs Após: M=8,20). Os formandos após realização da formação também aumentaram globalmente os seus saberes (Score Global dos Conhecimentos sobre Práticas Forenses - Antes: M=62,61 vs Após: M=68,59), sendo as diferenças entre os dois momentos de avaliação significativas (teste t para amostras emparelhadas t=-7,628; p=0,000). CONCLUSÕES Inferiu-se que os formandos após receberem formação denotaram melhores conhecimentos sobre práticas forenses. Daí se considerar que o curso teve impacto positivo que se traduziu no aumento e aporte de conhecimentos. Os resultados denotam a importância da frequência de formação específica para o aporte de conhecimentos na área das ciências forenses. Assim, com vista à melhoria da qualidade na prestação de cuidados às vítimas e ou perpetuadores de crimes e melhor auxílio a prestar à justiça na preservação de provas de carater forense, os cursos académicos na área da enfermagem, deverão incluir conteúdos que dotem os profissionais de conhecimentos/ competências atualizados/as.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Duquesne Duke 1965-10-20

The Duquesne Duke is the student newspaper of Duquesne University. In this issue: Announcement of \u27Medical-Legal Aspects of Cranial-Cerebral Injuries\u27, a 2 day symposium sponsored by the Institute of Forensic Sciences, in association with the Pittsburgh Institute of Legal Medicine. The Institute of Forensic Sciences was created in 1963 by Cyril H. Wecht M.D, LL.B, research professor of law, also the institute\u27s director. It was the first such medical-legal center in Pennsylvania.https://dsc.duq.edu/jfk-documents/1012/thumbnail.jp

Forensic Sciences at 50: Past, Present and Future?

In this article delivered originally as an address to the Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences on its fiftieth anniversary the author a past President reflects on the past present and future of the Academy In the review of the past he recalls the personality of Dr O R Schmalzbach who founded the Academy and initiated the successful mix of topics and members in the first 25 years He then reviews the changes that came about producing the present Academy with more women members scientists and less ceremony Looking to the future he concludes that there will be no going back to the old ways However he suggests initiatives to broaden the definition of forensic sciences beyond primary attention to bench science He also encourages the revival to some degree of the participation of the leaders of the medical and legal professions and their engagement with the issues of science and society or forensic sciences broadly envisage

Safety from Flawed Forensic Sciences Evidence

This article addresses the way to safety in the context of forensic sciences evidence. After presenting the current lack of safety, which I term “unsafety,” I raise some possible safety measures to contend with this. My suggestions are grounded on two bases: first, the specific analysis of each type of evidence in line with the most recent research on the subject; and second, modern safety theory and its application to the criminal justice system. It is important to stress that my proposals represent only some of the conceivable safety measures. Developing a comprehensive safety theory for the criminal justice system will require considerable additional cross-disciplinary research work, which I recommend be undertaken within the framework of a Safety in the Criminal Justice System Institute (SCJSI). I have chosen, for discussion purposes, to analyze the two central types of forensic sciences evidence currently predominating criminal law: DNA testing and fingerprint comparisons. For each of these, I will review the most up-to-date research on the topic. I will demonstrate why present use of these types of evidence is not error-free and fails to ensure safety from false convictions and then offer different ways of improving safety in these contexts. I will propose a general solution regarding all types of forensic evidence, based on an earlier proposition I developed with Dr. Mordechai Halpert, namely, that the legislature must enact a rule that precludes the admissibility of forensic evidence in court unless it has been developed as a “safety-critical system.” The knowledge and solutions for developing safety-critical devices already exists in other engineering fields, such as medical devices and aviation devices. Thus, all that is needed is the willingness and reasonable resources to carry this out. Later in this article, I will offer some additional general solutions. This article also addresses what is known as “junk science,” which refers to evidence that is presented, inaccurately and misleadingly, as scientific evidence when it has, at best, a flimsy connection to science. Despite studies clearly pointing out this lack of scientific grounding, including the 2009 National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Report, some courts still admit such evidence as scientific evidence. This is proof in itself of just how far the criminal justice system is from being a safe system

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Practice of Forensic Medicine: An Overview

During the COVID-19 pandemic, forensic sciences, on the one hand, contributed to gaining knowledge about different aspects of the pandemic, while on the other hand, forensic professionals were called on to quickly adapt their activities to respond adequately to the changes imposed by the pandemic. This review aims to clarify the state of the art in forensic medicine at the time of COVID-19, discussing the following: the influence of external factors on forensic activities, the impact of autopsy practice on COVID-19 and vice-versa, the persistence of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in post-mortem samples, forensic personnel activities during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, the global vaccination program and forensic sciences, forensic undergraduate education during and after the imposed COVID-19 lockdown, and the medico-legal implications in medical malpractice claims during the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has greatly influenced different aspects of human life, and, accordingly, the practical activities of forensic sciences that are defined as multidisciplinary, involving different expertise. Indeed, the activities are very different, including crime scene investigation (CSI), external examination, autopsy, and genetic and toxicological examinations of tissues and/or biological fluids. At the same time, forensic professionals may have direct contact with subjects in life, such as in the case of abuse victims (in some cases involving children), collecting biological samples from suspects, or visiting subjects in the case of physical examinations. In this scenario, forensic professionals are called on to implement methods to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 infection risk, wearing adequate PPE, and working in environments with a reduced risk of infection. Consequently, in the pandemic era, the costs involved for forensic sciences were substantially increased