Determinazione di residui di sparo in ferite d\u2019arma da fuoco putrefatte mediante Micro-TC

Introduzione: La Micro-TC \ue8 un mezzo rapido e preciso per la determinazione del gunshot-residue (GSR) su ferite d\u2019arma da fuoco ai fini della determinazione della distanza di sparo. \uc8 noto come la disepitelizzazione e la colliquazione della cute e del sottocute indotte dai fenomeni autolitici-putrefattivi rendano difficoltosa l\u2019analisi ispettiva delle ferite cutanee. Il presente studio si propone di testare l\u2019efficienza diagnostica della Micro-TC nell\u2019identificazione e quantificazione del GSR su ferite d\u2019arma da fuoco sottoposte a putrefazione standardizzata. Materiali e metodi: Previa autorizzazione del Comitato Etico, 10 gambe umane amputate chirurgicamente sono state sezionate in 3 segmenti di circa 6 cm (totale 30 segmenti) e sottoposte a prove di sparo da tre differenti distanze (5, 15 e 30 cm) mediante l\u2019utilizzo di una pistola semi-automatica calibro 7.65 mm fissata su un supporto rigido. I pezzi anatomici sono stati posti in cassette di legno, conservati all\u2019aria aperta per 10 giorni e successivamente fissati in formalina al 4%. Sono stati quindi ottenuti campioni cutanei di forma cubica (lato di cm 1) comprendenti il foro di ingresso o di uscita, il tramite e i tessuti molli circostanti. Ogni campione \ue8 stato sottoposto a esame con Micro-TC e ricostruito in 3D. La percentuale di GSR nella regione di interesse \ue8 stata calcolata mediante un software densitometrico analizzando solo particelle con densit\ue0 superiore a 1000 HU. La stima statistica del modello sulla base del campione rilevato \ue8 stata effettuata mediante la procedura PROC NLIN di SAS\uae. Risultati: L\u2019analisi ispettiva delle ferite immediatamente dopo le prove balistiche ha evidenziato una progressiva riduzione dell\u2019alone di affumicatura e del tatuaggio all\u2019aumentare della distanza di sparo. A distanza di 10 giorni le caratteristiche accessorie apparivano pi\uf9 sfumate a causa delle modificazioni post-mortali della cute associate alla presenza di larve e muffe. L\u2019analisi con micro-CT ha consentito di individuare residui di sparo sulla superficie cutanea, nel sottocute e lungo il tramite di tutte le ferite di ingresso. Tali residui erano invece sempre assenti a livello dei fori d\u2019uscita. La percentuale di GSR ha mostrato un decremento non lineare al crescere della distanza di sparo; nonostante ci\uf2, la variabilit\ue0 del fenomeno non ha permesso di evidenziare differenze statisticamente significative nella media e deviazione standard dei valori relativi alle diverse distanze testate. Conclusioni: L\u2019analisi con micro-TC di ferite d\u2019arma da fuoco prodotte da colpi esplosi a distanza medio-bassa (fino a 30 cm) consente di porre diagnosi differenziale tra foro di ingresso e di uscita. Le modificazioni cutanee indotte dai fenomeni autolitici e putrefattivi post-mortali inducono una tale variabilit\ue0 nei risultati tale da non permettere l\u2019utilizzo di tale tecnica nella determinazione della distanza di sparo

A review of bioanalytical techniques for evaluation of cannabis (Marijuana, weed, Hashish) in human hair

Cannabis products (marijuana, weed, hashish) are among the most widely abused psychoactive drugs in the world, due to their euphorigenic and anxiolytic properties. Recently, hair analysis is of great interest in analytical, clinical, and forensic sciences due to its non-invasiveness, negligible risk of infection and tampering, facile storage, and a wider window of detection. Hair analysis is now widely accepted as evidence in courts around the world. Hair analysis is very feasible to complement saliva, blood tests, and urinalysis. In this review, we have focused on state of the art in hair analysis of cannabis with particular attention to hair sample preparation for cannabis analysis involving pulverization, extraction and screening techniques followed by confirmatory tests (e.g., GC–MS and LC–MS/MS). We have reviewed the literature for the past 10 years’ period with special emphasis on cannabis quantification using mass spectrometry. The pros and cons of all the published methods have also been discussed along with the prospective future of cannabis analysis

Driving under the influence of drugs: Prevalence in road traffic accidents in Italy and considerations on per se limits legislation

Objective: The objective of this study was to present the prevalence and concentrations of drugs in blood samples of drivers involved in road traffic accidents (RTAs) and to discuss the effects of adopting different concentration cutoff values proposed or applied in other European countries on the number of driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) offenses. Methods: Blood samples from drivers involved in RTAs in Padova province from 2014 to 2017 were analyzed for the presence of alcohol and drugs. The prevalence of positive subjects was reported for each substance adopting the limits of quantification (LOQs) of our laboratory and the concentration cutoff values proposed and/or used in other European countries. The reduction of cases of driving under the influence of illicit drugs in applying different cutoffs was calculated. Results: Four thousand four hundred forty-three blood samples were analyzed: 23.7% were positive for alcohol and 19.9% for psychoactive drugs, with prevalences of polydrug and alcohol\u2013drug abuse of 4.5 and 6%, respectively. The most frequently detected drugs were cannabinoids (9.7%) and cocaine (7.2%), followed by benzodiazepines (4.1%), opiates (1.9%), and other opioids (1.7%). Barbiturates, amphetamines, and ketamine were identified in a much smaller number of cases. The overall decrease in DUID cases when adopting different cutoffs with respect to cases above the LOQs was between 8 and 84%. The adoption of high LOQs such as those used in the European Union\u2019s research project on Driving Under the Influence of Drugs, Alcohol and Medicines (DRUID) decreases the hypothetical number of DUID offenses by a quarter, and per se limits proposed as broadly equivalent to a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) between 0.2 and 0.8 g/L dramatically reduce the cases of DUID (cocaine 1281%, cannabis 1279%, opioids 1297%, opiates 1296%, and amphetamines 1277%); no ketamine-positive samples were above the cutoff. Conclusions: The implementation of high analytical limits or per se limits based on impairing concentrations in the Italian legislation could result in the prosecution of a much lower number of drugged drivers involved in RTAs, with a decrease from 25% to more than 80% depending on the limits

Nephrotoxicity of 1,3-dichloropropene in vitro and effects of metabolism modifiers

1,3-Dichloropropene (1,3-D) is largely used in agriculture as a soil fumigant. The few reports on toxicological effects show that liver and kidney are the main targets. The current research assesses the effects caused by 1,3-D dissolved in ethanol (0.2-1.6 mmoles/incubation) in male and female rats, related to metabolism modifiers, by means of renal cortical slice technique. The accumulation of the organic anion p-aminohippurate (PAH) was used as an index of toxicity. Groups of rats were also pretreated with DL-buthionine [S,R]-sulfoximine (BSO), inhibitor of GSH content, or f-naphthoflavone (NF), activator of the CYP-450 A family. After pretreatment with BSO (500 mg/kg b.w. 4 h before sacrifice), or NF (80 mg/kg b.w., once a day fro three days before sacrifice), renal cortical slices were prepared and treated in vitro with 1.2 mmoles/incubation (toxic dose for female also) of 1,3-D. A dose-dependent decrease in PAH accumulation was observed in male and female rats, but the female rats were susceptible to the higher dose only, and the decrease was significantly lower than males. NF ameliorates the loss of PAH uptake caused by 1,3-D in the male rat, whereas BSO had an additive effect on the loss of PAH uptake caused by 1,3-D in the female rat. These results show that PAH accumulation is more susceptible in male than in female rats to the effects of 1,3-D and induction of A subfamilies of CYP-450 significantly prevents the loss of PAH accumulation induced by 1,3-D in male rats, but not in female rats. On the contrary, GSH depletion increases 1,3-D toxicity in female, but not in male rats. In conclusion, sex differences of 1,3-D toxicity may be explained by difference in metabolic pathways where GSH appears to play a pivotal role in the detoxification of 1,3-D in female rats, but not in males

Inquinamento da percloroetilene nelle lavanderie a secco della provincia di Paodva: dati preliminari.

no abstract availabl

A Study on Photostability of Ethyl Glucuronide in Hair Irradiated under Artificial Sunlight

Drugs incorporated into hair are exposed to the environment, and cosmetic and chemical treatments, with possible decreases in their content. Knowledge concerning the effect of sunlight on drug content in hair can be helpful to forensic toxicologists, in particular, when investigating drug concentrations above or below pre-determined cut-offs. Twenty-eight authentic positive hair samples were selected which had previously tested positive for ethyl glucuronide (EtG). Washed hair were divided into two identical tufts, with the former exposed at 13,219 J/cm2 (300-800 nm spectrum of irradiance) for 48 h in a solar simulator, and the latter kept in the dark. Hair samples were extracted and analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The percentage of photodegradation was calculated for EtG. In parallel, photodegradation processes of standard molecule dissolved in aqueous and organic solutions were studied. In 28 hair samples, positive for the targeted analyte, exposure to artificial sunlight induced an appreciable increase in EtG concentrations. The concentration range in the non-irradiated hair samples was 6.0-772.0 pg/mg, and 64.3% of samples exhibited an increase in post-irradiation samples, ranging from 7% to 255%. In seven cases, a decrease was observed ranging from -5.0% to -36.0%. Thus, either a decrease or an increase of EtG may be observed post-irradiation, depending on hair color and/or hair thickness. Because the denaturation status of hair fibers and the thickness of hair before irradiation could play a role, a scanning electron microscope study should be envisaged