ABSTRACT
This is the first study to report Chrysomya pinguis (Walker) and Lucilia porphyrina (Walker) (Diptera: Calliphoridae) as forensically important blow fly species from human cadavers in Thailand, in addition to Chrysomya villeneuvi (Patton) already known in Thailand. In 2016, a fully decomposed body of an unknown adult male was discovered in a high mountainous forest during winter in Chiang Mai province. The remains were infested heavily with thousands of blow fly larvae feeding simultaneously on them. Morphological identification of adults reared from the larvae, and molecular analysis based on sequencing of 1,247 bp partial mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene (CO1) of the larvae and puparia, confirmed the above mentioned 3 species. The approving forensic fly evidence by molecular approach was described for the first time in Thailand. Moreover, neighbor-joining phylogenetic analysis of the CO1 was performed to compare the relatedness of the species, thereby affirming the accuracy of identification. As species of entomofauna varies among cases in different geographic and climatic circumstances, C. pinguis and L. porphyrina were added to the list of Thai forensic entomology caseworks, including colonizers of human remains in open, high mountainous areas during winter. Further research should focus on these 3 species, for which no developmental data are currently available.
Subject(s)
Adult , Humans , Male , Asian People , Cadaver , Colon , Diptera , Electron Transport Complex IV , Entomology , Forests , Larva , ThailandABSTRACT
Benzodiazepines are among the most prescribed drugs for the treatment of a wide spectrum of clinical disorders. They have been used as anticonvulsants, anxiolytics, hypnotics or muscle relaxants with different durations of action. In this paper, the determination of six frequently used benzodiazepines and metabolites: flunitrazepam, oxazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, diazepam and desmethyldiazepam in serum was developed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with solid phase extraction (SPE). Quantification was performed with gradient elution of a C8 reversed- phase column, with an alkaline water-acetonitrile-methanol eluent, free of buffer salts. Carbamazepine was detected as an internal standard by ultraviolet absorbance at 239 nm. The determination of flunitrazepam, oxazepam, alprazolam, chlordiazepoxide, desmethyldiazepam and diazepam was possible in a concentration range of 250-4,000 ng/mL, and the mean recovery by this analysis was 91, 91, 93, 84, 110 and 92%, respectively. This method allows rapid detection, a purity check, identification, and quantitation of the eluting peaks. Sensitivity and specificity data are acceptable. The validated procedure has been applied routinely in forensic toxicological analysis.
ABSTRACT
In Thailand, poisoning by glyphosate (GLYP)-containing the herbicide, Roundup®, has been increasing. A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method with UV detector has been developed for quantitating glyphosate. The serum samples (0.2 mL) were precipitated with acetonitrile (0.2 mL), and the supernatant was then injected directly into the chromatographic system using a fixed volume loop. The glyphosate was eluted on an adsorbosphere XL SAX 90A 10μ column (25 cm x 4.6 mm, I.D.). The mobile phase consisted of 0.8437 g of KH2PO4 in 960 mL of H2O and 40 mL of MeOH, and the pH was adjusted to 2.1 with 85% H3PO4. The peak area response, as measured by a UV detector, was quantitated by the external standard technique at 195 nm. The retention time of glyphosate was 7.3 min. The concentration was detected between 0.25-4.0 g/L. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) were 0.27 and 0.44 g/L, respectively. The mean recovery was 92.1% and the coefficients of variation (CV) ranged from 6.7-12.9%. This analytical method is simple, and therefore appropriate for forensic purposes. Two fatal cases of glyphosate poisoning are presented, with a lethal serum concentration of 0.57 and 3.05 g/L, respectively.