Parentage determination on aborted fetal material through deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) profiling.

After a rape, women who are pregnant often elect to abort the fetus. The authors describe ten cases in which deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) typing was performed on the aborted fetal material to provide evidence of the genetic constitution of the suspect. The problems encountered with this new technique are discussed.

PIP: The feasibility of using DNA typing to identify the probable biological father of the fetus is rape cases was assessed in 10 abortuses, 4 abortions by vacuum aspiration and 6 by prostaglandin. In 2 cases chorionic villus material, and in 6 cases fetal material such as lung, blood, muscle or ribs was used, but in 2 mixed maternal and fetal tissue had to be used. DNA typing was performed by standard techniques using purchased DNA probes (Lifecodes Corp, Valhalla, New York). After visual inspection of matching alleles, results were verified by computer-assisted image analysis. A randomly selected French population of 300 constituted the reference database. In Case 1, maternal and fetal tissue was mixed, but a definite paternal band was evident. In 8 other cases there was strong evidence of paternal DNA bands. In the last case, a paternal band was apparent, but no suspect was available at the time.

Determination of dextromoramide by capillary gas chromatography and electron impact mass spectrometry.

A sensitive and specific quantitative assay for the determination of dextromoramide in human fluids and tissues is described. Dextromoramide and an internal standard, SKF 525 A, are isolated by a basic extraction and back-extraction process. The final extract is separated on a 25-m capillary column B.P. 1 and drugs are detected by selected ion monitoring at m/z 100 and m/z 86 for dextromoramide and the internal standard, respectively. The minimum detectable quantities are 0.5 and 0.3 ng/mL, for dextromoramide in plasma and urine, respectively. Coefficients of variation for within-run data were less than 6%.

[The determination of ketamine in biological fluids]. / Dosage de la kétamine dans les liquides biologiques.

A method for the identification and quantification of ketamine in biological fluids by GC/NPD is presented. The procedure employs SKF 525 A as the internal standard and requires no derivatization. After a single-step extraction, analysis is achieved in 5 min. The lower limit of detection was found to be 1 microgram/1 for ketamine in plasma. This method appears to be rapid, sensitive and applicable to forensic and clinical toxicological analyses.

Fly larvae and their relevance in forensic toxicology.

Toxicological analyses on a putrefied cadaver are sometimes difficult to perform because of the absence of blood and urine. In this study, fly larvae, being living material, are proposed as a new medium of investigation in forensic toxicology. Bromazepam and levomepromazine were identified and assayed in the remains of cerebral tissue, in the clavicle of a putrefied cadaver, and in the fly larvae found on and in the corpse.

A rapid and sensitive gas chromatographic analysis of methadone and its primary metabolite.

A method for identification and quantification of methadone and its primary metabolite (1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenyl-2-2-ethylidene pyrrolidine) in plasma by GC/NPD is presented. The procedure employs SKF 525 A as the internal standard and requires no derivatization. After a single-step extraction, analysis is achieved in 10 min. The limit of detection was found to be 2 an 3 ng/ml for methadone and its metabolite, respectively. This method appears to be rapid, sensitive and applicable to forensic and clinical toxicological analyses.

Fly larvae: a new toxicological method of investigation in forensic medicine.

Toxicological analyses on a putrefied cadaver are sometimes difficult to achieve because of the absence of blood and urine. In this study, maggots, living material, are proposed as a new medium of investigation in forensic medicine. Five drugs (triazolam, oxazepam, phenobarbital, alimemazine, and clomipramine) were identified and assayed in some tissues of a putrefied cadaver and in the maggots found on and in the body.

Tissue distribution of dextromoramide in the rat.

The tissue distribution of dextromoramide was studied in rats after the intraperitoneal injection of 0.2 mg/kg of the drug. The pattern of distribution was similar at 15, 30, 60 and 90 min, with the highest concentrations being found in the liver and the myocardium, while other organs were not able to concentrate dextromoramide.

Simultaneous determination of pethidine (meperidine), phenoperidine, and norpethidine (normeperidine), their common metabolite, by gas chromatography with selective nitrogen detection.

This article describes a selective gas chromatographic method for the resolution and quantification of phenoperidine and its two metabolites, pethidine (meperidine) and norpethidine (normeperidine). Drugs and SKF 525 A, the internal standard, are separated from plasma by solvent extraction under alkaline conditions. They are chromatographed on a 3% OV-17 Chromosorb Q glass column and detected with a nitrogen-phosphorous detector. Linearity is observed in the study range (5-200 ng/ml). No interference by endogenous substances is noted.

Toxicological data after heroin overdose.

Capillary gas chromatography with selective nitrogen detection was employed to quantify morphine and 6-monoacetylmorphine in biological fluids and tissues in five deaths attributed to heroin injection overdose. The minimum lethal concentration found was 0.021 micrograms morphine per ml of blood. In all cases, 6-monoacetylmorphine was identified in urine, confirming heroin abuse.

Fatal intoxication by dextromoramide: a report on two cases.

Two cases involving an overdose resulting from the abuse of dextromoramide are presented. The drug was quantified with a gas chromatograph equipped with a nitrogen phosphorous detector (NPD). The whole blood dextromoramide concentrations were 984.3 ng/mL for case 1 and 871.1 ng/mL for case 2. No correlations could be established with the postmortem levels in blood and in bile.

A fatality involving secobarbital, nitrazepam, and codeine.

A fatal case involving the suicidal ingestion of secobarbital, nitrazepam, and codeine is presented. The drugs were quantified using gas chromatography for codeine and high-performance liquid chromatography for the two other drugs. The blood concentrations of secobarbital, nitrazepam, and codeine were found to be 11.48, 1.72, and 0.036 microgram/ml, respectively. Results are discussed in the light of the existing literature.

High-performance liquid chromatographic determination of bromazepam in human plasma.

An assay using high-performance liquid chromatography has been developed for the determination of bromazepam in plasma. After a single-step extraction from basified samples with dichloromethane, using decarboxyloflazepate as an internal standard, samples were analysed using a reversed-phase Nova Pak 5-microns column with a mobile phase of methanol - phosphate buffer (60 + 40) adjusted to pH 7.6. The drugs were detected at 239 nm and the limit of detection was found to be 3 micrograms l-1 for bromazepam. The method is simple, rapid and sensitive and permits bromazepam levels in clinical and pharmacokinetic studies to be monitored.

A simple gas chromatographic identification and determination of 11 CNS stimulants in biological samples. Application on a fatality involving phendimetrazine.

A method is presented for the simultaneous identification and quantification of several CNS stimulants, including amphetamine in plasma and urine by GC/FID using mephentermine as an internal standard. No derivation is necessary and after a single alkaline extraction, GC analysis for the 11 compounds tested is achieved in 23 min. The lower limit of detectability was found to be 4 ng/ml for amphetamine in plasma. This method is sensitive, reproducible, selective and applicable in forensic and clinical toxicological analyses. Toxicological findings, after a fatality involving phendimetrazine are presented as an application of the procedure.

A fatal ingestion of sparteine and meprobamate: medicolegal and toxicological data.

A case of suicidal overdose from the ingestion of Palpipax (meprobamate and sparteine) is presented. The drugs were quantified in biological fluids and tissues using gas chromatography. The blood concentrations of meprobamate and sparteine were found to be 88.2 and 40.4 micrograms/ml, respectively. Results are discussed in the light of the existing literature.