A study on the discrimination of human skeletons using X-ray fluorescence and chemometric tools in chemical anthropology

Forensic anthropological investigations are often restricted in their outcomes by the resources allocated to them, especially in terms of positively identifying the victims exhumed from commingled mass graves. Commingled mass graves can be defined as those graves that contain a number of disarticulated human remains from different individuals that have been mixed by either natural processes or human interventions. The research developed aimed to apply the technique of non-destructive XRF analysis to test whether there is substantial differentiation within the trace elemental composition and their ratios of individuals to separate them using chemometric analysis. The results of the different atomic spectroscopic analyses combined with the use of multivariate analysis on a set of 5 skeletons produced a series of plots using Principal Component Analysis that helped to separate them with a high percentage of accuracy when two, three or four skeletons needed to be separated. Also, two new elemental ratios, Zn/Fe related to metabolic activities and K/Fe related to blood flow into the bone, have been defined for their use in forensic anthropology for the first time to aid in the separation. © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd

Variation de la masse et des caractères morphologiques des lémuriens nocturnes dans les forêts primaires et dégradées de Menabe Sud, Belo sur Mer, Madagascar

Forest structure effects primate morphology because it determines the availability and characteristics of resources, such as substrates for locomotion, sleeping trees, and trees food. However, forest degradation may alter environmental condition of habitats and influence lemur behavior and morphology. We evaluated the links between forest degradation, lemur body mass, and lemur morphometric. We surveyed red-tailed sportive lemurs (Lepilemur ruficaudatus) and gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) in the dry, deciduous forest of southern Menabe, Morondava, Madagascar. The study was conducted in the dry season in 2014 (November–December) and 2015 (July–September). Lemur captures were conducted in five forest sites: two primary forest and three disturbed forest. Sherman and Tomahawk style traps were used to capture mouse lemurs. We conducted three capture sessions in site B in 2014 and three capture sessions for each site in 2015, for a total of 5616 night traps. During each capture session, 80 Sherman traps and 24 Tomahawk traps were installed for three consecutive nights. To capture the red-tailed sportive lemur, we used a gun (Dan Inject Model JM air rifle) with a tranquillizer dart to immobilize the animal. We collected morphometric measurements from 232 mouse lemurs and 31 red-tailed sportive lemurs. Botanic plots (5m x 5m) allowed us to characterize the forest characteristics: tree diameter at breast height (DBH), tree height, tree abundance, tree crown height and diameter. Tree abundance with DBH ≥ 5 cm and trees diversity varied significantly between sites (P < 0.001). Mouse lemur body mass did not vary with seasonality of the capture (P > 0.05). For mouse lemurs, all morphometric from two populations in the pristine forest were similar (P > 0.05). Mouse lemurs in one disturbed habitat had greater body length and body mass than mouse lemurs in the pristine forest (P < 0.05). The difference may be linked with fruit abundance of two trees species (Tamarindus indica and Ziziphus mauritiana) and more insect availability in the disturbed site. In the altered habitat, mouse lemur females had longest body size and heavier than males (P < 0.05). Red-tailed sportive lemur body mass and length did not change between sites (P > 0.05). Our study is consistent with the hypothesis that lemur morphometric and body mass may change with forest degradation in southern forest of Menabe. Additionally, the range of the response varies between species and sex: mouse lemurs had a wider reaction norm to the habitat disturbance than did red-tailed sportive lemurs. Mouse lemurs may have higher ecological flexibility and tolerance for forest changes, specifically the alteration of forest habitats. Understanding how lemur morphology responds to habitat disturbance may be used as a tool to prioritize lemur conservation.   Résumé La perte d’habitat due à l’activité humaine est une menace qui affecte tous les primates à Madagascar. Les lémuriens, primates arboricoles, ont des réponses variées face au changement de leur habitat. La présente recherche vise à déterminer le lien entre la dégradation forestière, la masse et les caractères morphologiques des lémuriens nocturnes de Menabe Sud : Lepilemur ruficaudatus et Microcebus murinus. L’étude a été effectuée dans cinq sites dont deux sites sont des forêts primaires et trois autres sont des forêts perturbées. La capture et la mesure des caractères morphologiques des lémuriens ont été réalisées entre novembre et décembre 2014, puis entre juillet et septembre 2015. Des parcelles botaniques (5m x 5m) ont été utilisées pour décrire les caractéristiques des sites dont l’abondance des arbres, le diamètre à hauteur de poitrine ou la hauteur et le diamètre de la couronne. La masse de M. murinus n’était pas influencée par la saison de capture (P > 0,05), mais elle variait avec le sexe (P < 0,005) et le site (P < 0,001). Tous les caractères morphologiques de M. murinus dans les deux forêts primaires étaient similaires (P > 0,05). Par contre, dans les forêts perturbées, les femelles de M. murinus étaient plus lourdes et avaient des corps plus longs que les mâles (P < 0,05). La masse et la longueur du corps de L. ruficaudatus entre les différents sites étaient similaires (P > 0,05). Comparé à L. ruficaudatus, M. murinus répondrait davantage à la dégradation forestière. Comprendre l’étendue de la réponse morphologique des lémuriens face à la dégradation de leur habitat pourrait être utilisé comme outil pour prioriser leur conservation

Fire debris analysis by Raman spectroscopy and chemometrics

A paper reporting the use of Raman Spectroscopy in fire debris analysis is presented. Five polymer based samples, namely carpet (polypropylene), nylon stockings (nylon), foam packaging (polystyrene), CD cases (polystyrene) and DVD cases (polypropylene) were burnt with each one of the following ignitable liquids: petrol, diesel, kerosene and ethanol. Raman shifts were obtained and, in some cases, peaks were identified to correspond to pyrolysis products in the form of alkanes, aromatic or polyaromatic compounds. All pyrolysis peaks were used to produce a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) of the burned samples with the different ignitable liquids. The change in the Raman spectra made it possible to identify some of the pyrolysis products produced in the combustion and also to identify the different plastic materials in fire debris, even when different fuels have been used and the chemical and structural identity of the plastic has been altered in the fire

Pattern of Reaction Diffusion Front in Laminar Flows

Autocatalytic reaction between reacted and unreacted species may propagate as solitary waves, namely at a constant front velocity and with a stationary concentration profile, resulting from a balance between molecular diffusion and chemical reaction. The effect of advective flow on the autocatalytic reaction between iodate and arsenous acid in cylindrical tubes and Hele-Shaw cells is analyzed experimentally and numerically using lattice BGK simulations. We do observe the existence of solitary waves with concentration profiles exhibiting a cusp and we delineate the eikonal and mixing regimes recently predicted.Comment: 4 pages, 3 figures. This paper report on experiments and simulations in different geometries which test the theory of Boyd Edwards on flow advection of chemical reaction front which just appears in PRL (PRL Vol 89,104501, sept2002

Comparison of the efficiency of the nebulization of salbutamol, epinephrine and normal saline on treatment of bronchiolitis

Background: Bronchiolitis is a frequent cause of hospitalization. Despite the frequency of this pathology, there is not a single, widely practiced evidence-driven treatment especially using of nebulization. Present purpose was to compare which is efficient: nebulized salbutamol, epinephrine or normal saline.Methods: We have preceded to a prospective study from January 1st 2011 to March 31st 2012 including children between 29 days old and 2 years old.Results: We have included 90 patients divided in three groups and received nebulized salbutamol, epinephrine or normal saline. There was no real difference in the variables of the groups: clinical score, oxygen saturation, heart rate, temperature and weight but the hospitalization duration was shorter in the group who have been cured by normal salineConclusions: This study shows that salbutamol, epinephrine and normal saline can be used in the same situation but the normal saline has more advantages because of his low coast and the absence of risk of side effects

Place of the antenatal care in the prevention of a premature delivery

Background: Prematurity constitutes a source of morbidity and mortality neonatal. The objective of this study is to determine the place of the antenatal care in the prevention of a premature delivery. Methods: It is an analytical retrospective study, type “cases-controls” realized at CHU GOB, on 01 January to 31 December 2014. Results: The frequency of the premature delivery during the time of study was 6%. The risk factors significantly associated with the premature delivery were the primigestity, the primiparity and the antecedents of miscarriage. About the antenatal care, not followed pregnancy (p=0.01; OR=6.2; [IC 95% 1.3-29]), insufficient antenatal care (p<10-10; OR=6.7; [IC 95% 4.0-15]) and the antenatal care carried out in the basic health center (p=0.00002; OR=3,5; [IC 95% 1.8-6.5] influenced significantly with occurred of a premature delivery. While the realization of antenatal care 4 times and more and the realization of antenatal care at Universities Hospital Center protected the patients in occurred of a premature delivery. Conclusions: The improvement of antenatal care’s quality and the medical infrastructures at basic health center, as well as the sensibilization to the population on the importance of antenatal care constitutes a priority in order to prevent effectively occurred of a premature delivery

Lessons from the pandemic: new best practices in selecting molecular diagnostics for point-of-care testing of infectious diseases in sub-Saharan Africa

Introduction: Point-of-care molecular diagnostics offer solutions to the limited diagnostic availability and accessibility in resource-limited settings. During the COVID-19 pandemic, molecular diagnostics became essential tools for accurate detection and monitoring of SARS-CoV-2. The unprecedented demand for molecular diagnostics presented challenges and catalyzed innovations which may provide lessons for the future selection of point-of-care molecular diagnostics. Areas Covered: We searched PubMed from January 2020 to August 2023 to identify lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic which may impact the selection of point-of-care molecular diagnostics for future use in sub-Saharan Africa. We evaluated this in the context of REASSURED criteria (Real-time connectivity; Ease of specimen collection; Affordable; Sensitive; Specific; User-friendly; Rapid and robust; Equipment free; and Deliverable to users at the point of need) for point-of-care diagnostics for resource-limited settings. Expert Opinion: The diagnostic challenges and successes during the COVID-19 pandemic affirmed the importance of the REASSURED criteria but demonstrated that these are not sufficient to ensure new diagnostics will be appropriate for public health emergencies. Capacity for rapid scale-up of diagnostic testing and transferability of assays, data, and technology are also important, resulting in updated REST-ASSURED criteria. Few diagnostics will meet all criteria, and trade-offs between criteria will need to be context-specific