Development of artificial latent fingerprint solution using a novel lipid composition and printing.

Comparison of different lipid staining methods in human meibomian gland epithelial cells

Most of the fingerprints found at crime scenes are in latent fingerprint forms, and it is difficult to observe those fingerprints with the naked eye. Even if it is assumed that a latent fingerprint is remaining on an object, the method of developing the latent fingerprint differs depending on the surface type of the object. Therefore, a study must be performed by imprinting a latent fingerprint on an object, which is similar to the evidence found at a crime scene, to find an appropriate latent fingerprint development method. To do this, time and costs occur to recruit research participants, and these may cause disruption on arresting a suspect in a short time. Lothar Schwarz’s artificial latent fingerprint printing method, using an artificial sweat solution and an inkjet printer, can be used in a latent fingerprint research instead of using real human fingerprints. Although the major purpose of Schwarz’s method is to print out uniform fingerprint images on an A4 paper. Therefore, this approach has a limitation that it can only make imprints of fingerprints on thin and flexible materials such as copy papers and PVC films. To address this shortcoming, a Synthetic Fingerprint Generator(SFinGe, University of Bologna) computer program, a Printed Circuit Board(PCB) technique, and liquid latex are used to create an artificial fingerprint cast. With this new method, artificial latent fingerprint can be made on any surface types of material to find an appropriate latent fingerprint development method quickly during police investigations.

The ability to stain lipid stores in vivo allows for the facile assessment of metabolic status in individuals of a population following genetic and environmental manipulation or pharmacological treatment. In the animal model Caenorhabditis elegans, lipids are stored in and mobilized from intracellular lipid droplets in the intestinal and hypodermal tissues. The abundance, size, and distribution of these lipids can be readily assessed by two staining methods for neutral lipids: Oil Red O (ORO) and Nile Red (NR). ORO and NR can be used to quantitatively measure lipid droplet abundance, while ORO can also define tissue distribution and lipid droplet size. C. elegans are a useful animal model in studying pathways relating to aging, fat storage, and metabolism, as their transparent nature allows for easy microscopic assessment of lipid droplets. This is done by fixation and permeabilization, staining with NR or ORO, image capture on a microscope, and computational identification and quantification of lipid droplets in individuals within a cohort. To ensure reproducibility in lipid measurements, we provide a detailed protocol to measure intracellular lipid dynamics in C. elegans. Graphic abstract: Flow chart depicting the preparation of C. elegans for fat staining protocols.

more susceptible to oxidation than are untreated fuels [1-3], since the treating removes not only the undesirable components, but also natural oxidation inhibitors. Comparative studies are therefore needed on the oxidizability of such fuels, with a view toward finding means to improve oxidation stability. Here we are reporting on a study of oxidizability under artificial aging conditions, with samples of new types of jet fuels produced by means of hydrogenation andhydrotreating ; we also investigated the effectiveness of commercial antioxidants in chemical stabilization of these fuels. The hydrotreated fuels were commercial materials meeting the appropriate specifications. These studies were performed by means of repetitive oxidation of the same fuel sample at 120~ [4]. The tests were run in apparatus used to determine fuel corrosivity (GOST 20449-75). The fuel sample (110 ml) was placed in the beaker of this apparatus and heated to 120~ with the beaker connected to a reflux condenser through a ground glass joint. Four beakers were placed in the apparatus at the same time, with identical fuel samples. The fuel was held at this temperature for four heating periods of 6 h each, the apparatus being shut down between heating periods. After each heating period, the degree of fuel oxidation was rated by determining the peroxide number, optical density, acidity, and existent gtun content. The peroxide number was determined by potentiometric titration (with 0.1 N Na2S203 solution) of a fuel sample in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol and glacial acetic acid, plus a saturated solution of NaI in absolute isopropyl alcohol. The optical density was determined in a photoelectric colorimeter/neph elometer (Model FEK-56) in a cuvette with a light path of 30.085 ram, with a No. 4 filter (maximum transmission of filter at 434 nm) in comparison with an isooctane standard. The acidity was determined by a modernized ASTM D-974 method. In these determinations, the sample was dissolved in a mixture of toluene and isopropyl alcohol containing a small amount of water, and the resulting single-phase solution was titrated at room temperature with 0.1 N KOH solution in the presence of phenol red indicator up to the color change from yellow to rose-red. The existent gum contentwas determined in accordance with GOST 1567-56. The oxidation of the fuel samples was further characterized by IR spectroscopy, through which the kinetics of end-product accumulation could be observed on the basis of the absorption bands for the C-----O, C-O, and O-H bonds [5-7]. The conditions for recording the spectra were described in [7]. Results from these studies are shown in Table 1 and Fig. 1. The severely hydrogenated fuel (T-6 type) and the hydrotreated fuels (T-8 and RT types) are oxidized significantly under these particular conditions. In the first period of oxidation, active oxygen is found in the T-6 and T-8 fuels (respective peroxide numbers 119.6 and 135.4 mg O2/kg); in the subsequent heating periods, the peroxide compounds are transformed into other products, resulting in increases in optical density and in the quantities of organic acids in the fuel. This transformation is indicated both by the results of the chemical analysis (see Table 1) and by the IR spectra of the oxidation products. Under these particular conditions, no insoluble products (sludge) are formed in the fuels. After 24 h of oxidation at 120~ the fuel is oxidized quite severely. The increases in optical density are 1.08 for the T-6, 0.49 for the T-8, and 0.24 for the RT; the respective acidities are 14.8, 6.0, and 8.8 rag KOH/100 ml. The kinetic curves shown in Fig. 1 for the accumulation of the oxidation end-products in the bulk fuel RT or T-6 were obtained by measuring the optical density (log I0/I) of the bands at 1720 cm -1 ( v C ~O ), 1100 cm-1 (VC-O, SO-H *), and 3570 cm -1 (vO_ H) in the IR spectra of samples that had been oxidized at 120~ These data indicate that the course of the fuel oxidation is not the same in the two fuels. In the RT fuel, during the first 6 h of oxidation, hydroperoxides accumulate; by the end of this period, alcohols have appeared, and *As in Russian original - Translator.

The article is devoted to the preparation of Na, K, NH4 salts of alkylarylsulfonic and oligoal-kylarylsulfonic acids synthesized on the basis of the light gas oil fraction obtained from the cata-lytic cracking process, the preparation of solutions of these salts in a mixture of ethyl alco-hol+water and isopropyl alcohol+water, and the application of the synthesized samples as bacteri-cide against sulfate-reducing bacteria. As a result of the research, it was determined that the bacte-ricidal effect of the solutions of Na, K, NH4 salts of alkylarylsulfonic acid in a micture of ethyl alcohol+water at a concentration of 150 mg/l was 95%, 91.7%, 93%, respectively. While the solu-tion of potassium salt prepared in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol+water at a concentration of 150 mg/l showed a lower result of 78.8% bactericidal effect, the solutions of sodium and ammonium salts taken at the same concentration in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol+water showed a bactericid-al effect of 92% and 91%, respectively, and the number of bacteria minimized. The bactericidal effect of solutions of Na, K, NH4 salts of oligoalkylarylsulfonic acid in a mixture of ethyl alco-hol+water at a concentration of 150 mg/l was 90.5%, 83%, 92.4%, accordingly. The solution of sodium salt prepared in a mixture of isopropyl alcohol+water showed a 94% bactericidal effect at a concentration of 150 mg/l and significantly reduced the number of bacteria. Also, it was deter-mined that many samples of solutions of both alkylarylsulfonates and oligoalkylarylsulfonates prepared in a micture of alcohol+water at a relatively low concentration of 75 mg/l show an effect of more than 80%. Keywords: microbiological corrosion, sulfate-reducing bacteria, bactericide, alkylarylsulfonate, oligoalkylarylsulfonate.

Semi-quantification of lipids in human meibomian gland epithelial cells using dual staining microplate assays

Second level dactyloscopic markants (minutiae) are irregularities in the course of the friction ridge skin used for personal identification because of their high variability. Individual uniqueness is affected by the high number of minutiae and their random distribution within the friction ridge skin. The combination of various environmental factors, e.g., snow, soil environment, and direct sunlight, can affect the quality of fingerprints. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of snow under two different conditions (natural snowfall and immersion in the snow) within various time intervals on fingerprints. A total of 265 groomed latent distal fingerprints were taken from a Caucasian male from Slovakia. Latent fingerprints were taken only from one participant, as the composition of sweat, i.e., the sweat-fat substance, varies from person to person, which could influence the results. Subsequently, obtained latent fingerprints were developed using small particle reagent. We evaluated the decrease in the number of minutiae on latent fingerprints exposed to the destructive influence of snow. The results confirmed that snow has a significant effect on the quality of latent fingerprints, as a decrease in the average number of minutiae on latent prints was observed after only 2 h of exposure to snow conditions. After snow exposure, usable fingerprints for identification decreased, whilst non-usable ones increased, with 53.33% of non-usable fingerprints resulting from natural snowfall exposure. After exposure of latent fingerprints to snow immersion, 98.13% of non-usable fingerprints were found. The results can help improving personal identification efficiency.Key Points Fingerprints exposed to various environmental factors are recommended to be evaluated.Visual quality of latent prints decreases with the length of exposure to snow conditions.The average number of minutiae decreases significantly after the influence of snow conditions.Snowfall has a less negative influence on the average number of minutiae than forcible immersion.Latent fingerprints exposed to snowfall have better identification potential.

In this work, binary mixtures from Tertiary-Butyl alcohol (TBA), Toluene (TOL) and Iso-Propyl alcohol (IPA) were prepared at 298K. The mixtures physical properties which includes densities of mixtures (ρ) and pure components (ρI) and mole fractions of components (x) were equally measured at 298K. Excess molar volumes (VE) were subsequently determined for each mixtures using the Ideal Association Model of the type A + B + A2. The results from the Tables and Figure showed positive excess molar volumes for the binary mixtures of Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) and Tertiary- Butyl Alcohol (TBA), and Tertiary-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) and Toluene (TOL), while negative excess molar volumes were observed at some points in the Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) and Toluene (TOL) binary mixtures at 298K. Consequently, strong self association and weak dipole-induced-dipole interaction were probably evident in the Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) and Tertiary-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) Binary Mixture, and Tertiary-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) and Toluene (TOL) mixture, while weak self association and strong dipole-induced-dipole interaction was characteristic of the Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) and Toluene (TOL) mixture. However, the Ideal Association Model of the type A + B + A2 were observed to be adequate for interpreting the behaviours of the Tertiary-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) and Toluene (TOL) mixture, and Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) and Tertiary-Butyl Alcohol (TBA) mixture. KEY WORDS: Binary Mixture, Excess Molar Volume, Mole Fraction, Non-Ideal Behaviour, Temperature Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences Vol.11(1) 2005: 107-111

Cyclohex-3-enyl(5-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)methanol (MSDRT 12) is a novel triazole-based antitubercular compound with two chiral centres. Evaluation of the enantio-specific antitubercular activity has established that the stereoisomer 3 of MSDRT12 (Isomer 3) was the most potent isomer with a minimum inhibitory concentration of 0.78 μg/mL. The other stereoisomers show negligible or no activity. A sensitive, simple, specific, precise and accurate chiral chromatographic method for the direct analysis of the four stereoisomers of MSDRT 12 and the active Isomer 3 has been developed and validated. The method has also been validated for analysing the stereoisomeric impurities Isomer 1, Isomer 2 and Isomer 4 in the active Isomer 3. The separation of the four stereoisomers of MSDRT 12 was achieved using an immobilized polysaccharide-based column, Chiralpak ID with amylose tris(3-chlorophenylcarbamate) as the chiral selector. The separation was performed using a mixture of n-hexane, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol and diethylamine (60:35:5:0.1 v/v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. The method offers excellent separation of the four stereoisomers with resolution more than 1.5 and tailing factor <1.5. The standard curves were linear over the concentration range 5–500 μg/mL and 0.40–505 μg/mL for MSDRT 12 and Isomer 3, respectively. Excellent linearity in the range 0.4–5 μg/mL was obtained for Isomer 1, Isomer 2 and Isomer 4 and these stereoisomeric impurities could be accurately and precisely quantified at a level of 0.1 % of the active isomer.

Objective: This study evaluated the physicochemical properties, fatty acid (FA) and phytochemical compositions, and free radical–scavenging potentials of oils from the bagasses: Costus afer stem (CA) and Saccharum officinarum stem (SB); agricultural residues; corn cobs (CC); tigernut chaff (TB); peanut hulls (GH); medicinal plants: Sphenocentrum jollyanum leaves (SJ) and Senna alata leaves (CS); and fodders: Pennisetum purpureum (PP), Panicum maximum (PM), and Chloris gayana stalks (CG).Method: Oils from the samples were extracted using a mixture of n-hexane and isopropyl alcohol (3:2). The oils were analyzed for physicochemical properties using standard procedures, phytochemicals and FAs contents using gas chromatography-fluorescent ionization detection, and free radical–scavenging potentials using spectrophotometric methods of determination.Results: The bagasse and residue oils contained lower moisture contents (1.13%–2.38%) and acid values (1.89–9.20 mg/KOH/g), while the GH oil produced the least refractive indices, saponification value, and oil yield. CA oil contained 78% saturated FA, while SB oils contained 73.65% saturated FA and an abundance of lignoceric, palmitoleic, oleic, and arachidic acid. CC oil contained mostly behenic acid (19.65%), and GH oil produced 87.04% saturated FA, while TB oil produced 56% unsaturated FA. Oils from SJ, CS, PP, PM, and CG contained between 48.34% and 57.09% unsaturated FA. The phytochemical composition showed that ribalinidine and sapogenin were most abundant in PM oil, while lunamarine, kaempferol, and catechin were most abundant in SJ oil. GH oil produced the highest amounts of phytate (53.81 µg/ml) and oxalate (39.47 µg/ml). TB oil and oils from SJ and CS, especially at higher concentrations, matched the scavenging potentials of the standards used.Conclusions: Due to the thermal stability and amount of short chain fatty acids (SFAs) of the SB, CA, CC, and GH oils, they are more suitable for non-food industrial purposes, while TB, SJ, and CS oil properties are recommendable for therapeutic purposes, especially for relief of oxidative stress.

A new optimized laboratory synthesis of tetraalkyl thiuram disulfides, starting from dialkyl amines and carbon disulfide in presence of three oxidants (hydrogen peroxide, potassium peroxodisulfate and sodium hypochlorite) and appropriate reaction medium: two mixtures of isopropyl alcohol - water used in two consecutive syntheses, was presented in this work. First synthesis was performed in a recycled azeotropic mixture of isopropyl alcohol - water 87.7% - 12.3%, and second in a filtrate obtained after first synthesis, which was a mixture of isopropyl alcohol - water 70.4% - 29.6%. After the second synthesis and filtration, recycled azeotropic mixture isopropyl alcohol - water 87.7% - 12.3% was regenerated from the filtrate by rectification. Considering this, the technology for beneficial use of recycling isopropyl alcohol - water mixture as reaction medium for tetraalkyl thiuram disulfides synthesis was developed. Such concept contributes to extraordinary economical benefit of implemented optimal laboratory synthesis at semi-industrial level. High yields of tetraalkyl thiuram disulfides syntheses were obtained at both laboratory and semiindustrial level. Structure and purity of synthesized compounds were confirmed by elemental analysis, as well as FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, and MS spectral data.

A liquid chromatography mass-spectrometric method is described for the simultaneous estimation of 9-cisretinoic acid and 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid in human plasma using 13-cis-retinoic acid-d5 as an internal standard. Chromatographic separation of these retinoids was achieved on Chromolith Performance RP18 (100 × 4.6 mm) column using binary flow program of two mobile phase. 9-cis-retinoic acid and 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid were extracted from human plasma by liquid-liquid extraction with a mixture of ethyl acetate, n-hexane and iso propyl alcohol (30:65:5, v/v/v). Quantification was achieved by monitoring transitions of m/z 299.4→255.2 for 9-cisretinoic acid, m/z 313.4→269.3 for 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid and 304.4→260.2 for isotretinoin-d5 in multiple reaction monitoring, using turbo ion source in negative polarity. The linearity was established over a dynamic range of 2.85- 450.51 ng/mL and 2.33-180.57 ng/mL for 9-cis-retinoic acid and 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid, respectively. At the lower limit of quantification level, the intra-and inter-day precision values of 9-cis-retinoic acid were within 5.9% and 6.0%, respectively, whereas that of 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid were within 13.8% and 11.3%, respectively. The method was successfully applied for the simultaneous estimation of 9-cis-retinoic acid and 4-oxo-9-cis-retinoic acid in healthy volunteers, after oral administration of 30 mg alitretinoin capsule for bioequivalence study.

Biofiltration of isopropyl alcohol and acetone mixtures by a trickle-bed air biofilter

Small particle reagent (SPR) technique is a method used for detecting latent fingerprints on wet, non-porous surfaces by suspending nanoparticles in a reagent that binds with fatty acid residues on fingerprints. The small particle reagent technique is particularly effective for detecting latent fingerprints on evidence that has been submerged underwater for prolonged periods. However, due to its reliance on imported reagents, SPR is often expensive and involves a lengthy waiting period. Consequently, many researchers have attempted to develop SPR formulations using easily obtainable, cost-effective, and safe chemicals. In this study, we prepared two new SPR formulations containing zinc oxide nanoparticles mixed with diethylene glycol monoethyl ether. Both formulations used a surfactant composed of two types (sodium tetradecyl sulfate and Tergitol NP-9) for the development of latent fingerprints on wet surfaces. Latent fingerprints were deposited on four different non-porous surfaces, including stainless-steel spoons, glass slides, aluminum foil, and plastic slides. These surfaces were immersed in tap water for 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days. The resulting latent fingerprints were analyzed using the Mini Automated Fingerprint Identification System and were shown to produce clear, sharp, and detailed fingerprints on the non-porous surfaces. The best results were found on the surfaces of stainless-steel spoons with both formulations, where minutiae were detectable at more than 40 points even after the surfaces had been immersed in water for up to 30 days. This study provides forensic scientists and crime scene investigators with a faster and safer method for developing latent fingerprints using non-hazardous materials, which could serve as an alternative to conventional formulations.

Latent fingermarks contain precise information about the identities of individuals present at the crime scene. Cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming is a popular and effective technique for fingermark development on non-porous surfaces, but few approaches have been proposed for processing vehicles. We report the use of a large CA fuming chamber for latent fingermark development in vehicles related to serious crimes in Brasilia, Brazil. The chamber consists of a fuming compartment with a stainless-steel structure and is supplied with movable heating trays, air circulation fans, humidifying system, gas evacuation system, and an integrated control unit for process monitoring. Processing an entire regular vehicle requires 16 g of liquid CA and ~2 h. Identifiable fingermarks were recognized on the exterior and interior of the examined vehicles, including the door handles and the seat belt metallic tongue. Detected fingermarks were positively matched to individuals whose involvement in criminal activities was confirmed. The results support the efficiency of the CA fuming technique for fingermark development in the interior and exterior of vehicles and indicate certain parts of vehicles as being of potential interest. Considering the efficiency of the CA polymerization reaction for fingermark development in vehicles involved in crimes, large-scale chambers may offer important advantages.