Knife Handle Research Articles

Transfer and persistence of microbiota markers from the human hand to the knife: A preliminary study

New scientific techniques and methods are always needed to link the perpetrators to the incident or the crime scene. Recent microbiota studies based on NGS (Next-generation sequencing) show that various biological samples from crime scenes have the potential to be used in forensic investigations. Especially when DNA traces belonging to more than one person are insufficient to fully determine the genetic profile, a secret sample, such as a microbiota sample created by the suspect's touch, can be used. In this preliminary study, a fictionalized experimental model was designed to investigate the transfer and persistence of the hand microbiome on the knife handle, which has a high potential to be used in criminal incidents, by metagenomic analysis methods. In addition, it was aimed to determine the transfer of specific bacterial species identified only to the person among the five participants onto the knife handle and their persistence over time. In the first stage of the research, samples were collected from the hands of 5 volunteer participants using the swap method, including their palms. Then, after each participant held a different knife, samples were collected from the knife handles via swabs from different angles of the knives at 4 and 24 h and analyzed by metagenomic methods. The findings of this preliminary study showed that the heatmap graphs generated after UniFrac distance analysis were not successful in establishing any similarity between the hand samples and the post-transfer knife handle samples. Nonetheless, it was observed that the transfer of bacterial species detected in the hand samples to knives differed according to the individuals and some bacterial species were transferred to the knife samples held by the participants. The number of bacterial species detected that are specific to each participant's hand sample was 302 in total, and it was determined that a total of 8.28 % of these bacterial species were transferred to the knife handle samples of the 4th hour and 6.95 % to the knife samples of the 24th hour. In the presented study, considering the transfer of some bacterial species in the hand microbiome, which are effective in the variation between individuals, onto the knife; It has been evaluated that some rare bacterial species can be important potential markers to associate the object with the perpetrator.

Hemothorax Due to Transdiaphragmat-ic Liver Penetrating Injury Caused by Broken Knife

Thoracic trauma is one of the most fatal cases of patients admitted to emergency departments. Thoracic trauma occurs in 20–25% of all trauma patients worldwide and is the third cause of trauma-related deaths. Approximately 5% of trauma admissions are liver injuries. In some blunt or penetrating injuries, both intrathoracic and intra-abdominal organs may be injured. It is aimed to present the case of a broken knife entering from the right paravertebral location, causing hemothorax as a result of diaphragm and liver injury without injuring the lungs, due to the importance of the multidisciplinary approach among surgical departments in the study.
 A 44-year-old male patient was admitted to the emergency department due to penetrating injury. An oblique injury of approximately 5 cm was seen in the posterior part of the right hemithorax. Radiologically, It was detected that the knife, which entered through the 10th intercostal space, was stuck inside and the knife handle was broken. It was observed that the broken blade entered from the paravertebral region, passed into the intrathoracic area, causing hemothorax, and passed from the edge of the inferior vena cava and embedded itself in the liver. Multidisciplinary operation planning was made among the departments. All department surgeons were present in the operating room at the same time. The paravertebral space was assessed and the embedded blade was slowly withdrawn by the neurosurgeon. Explorative laparotomy was done by the general surgeon and gastroenterology surgeon. Transdiaphragmatic injury was evaluated by the thoracic surgeon and major vascular structures were evaluated by the cardiovascular surgeon. In the postoperative period, the patient was discharged on the 5th postoperative day with full recovery without any complications.
 Penetrating trauma is one of the most fatal cases of patients admitted to emergency departments. In some cases, intrathoracic and intra-abdominal penetrating injury may occur together, rarely from a single entrance location. The timing of critical intervention varies depending on whether the patient's vitals are stable or unstable. If the hemodynamics are stable in penetrating injuries, all affected anatomical structures should be evaluated with radiological examinations. For successful, uncomplicated surgical treatments, controlled techniques, interdepartmental consensus and, when necessary, simultaneous presence of surgeons in the surgery are essential

Study on the Energy Release Law of Overburden Rock Breaking and Anti-Rockburst Technology in the Knife Handle Working Face of a Gently Inclined Coal Seam

This study aims at the problems of the difficulty in controlling the stability of the surrounding rock and the high-impact danger of knife handle-type working face mining. We take the I010206 working face of Kuangou Coal Mine in Xinjiang as the engineering background, establish the mechanical model of roof periodic fracture and the FLAC3D numerical model of a working face, and analyze the evolution characteristics of the surrounding rock stress and energy when the working face is widened, revealing the mechanism of induced impact caused by overburden fracture in the working face, putting forward the technology of hydraulic fracturing to relieve the danger in the roof area, and comparing the pressure relief effect. The research results show the following: (1) After the working face is widened, the overlying strata load is transferred to the coal seam in front of the working face and the upper and lower sides of the working face. after mining; the abutment pressure of the I010408 working face in the B4-1 coal seam is superimposed with the abutment pressure of the I010206 working face in the B2 coal seam, the stress concentration is higher, and the lateral support pressure of the goaf forms a high static load. The large-area roof caving forms a high dynamic load. All of them are more likely to induce rockburst. (2) In knife handle-type working face mining, the peak value of the advanced abutment pressure in working faces first decreases and then increases, and the advanced abutment pressure increases from 10.31 MPa to 14.62 MPa; the peak value and concentration degree of strain energy density increase with the increase in working face width. (3) Measures were proposed to weaken the hydraulic fracturing roof in advance. After using hydraulic fracturing technology, the pressure step distance of the working surface roof was reduced, and the microseismic energy frequency was significantly reduced. These measures reduced the impact risk of the working face and ensured the safe mining of the working face.

DNA transfer to placed, stored, and handled drug packaging and knives in houses

Forensic laboratories often sample weapons and clip-seal plastic bags (CSPB) used to package illicit material for the purpose of identifying the handler(s). However, there may be other explanations as to how a person’s DNA was transferred to such items. This may include an individual storing the item among their personal belongings for somebody else or the item being stored among their belongings without their knowledge. Here we investigate the direct transfer of DNA to knives and CSPB during handling and explore two feasible alternative explanations related to the indirect transfer of DNA to these items in residential environments. The handling of DNA-free items was performed by 10 individuals who were instructed, on separate occasions, to cut a foam board in half and fill a CSPB with a drug substitute. To explore indirect transfer, sets of these items were (a) placed on kitchen benches and coffee/dining tables for ∼1 min, or (b) stored for two days in kitchen and bedroom drawers within the homes of 10 individuals. After each of the three scenarios, samples were collected from the knife handle and blade, the body and seal of the CSPB, and the surface the items were placed on, the latter as a measure to gain insight into the presence of prevalent and/or background DNA. DNA transfer was observed under all three scenarios, though more frequently when items were handled or stored for 2 days, compared to when placed on a surface for ∼1 min. Under the latter scenario, DNA, if present, was below the level of detection in many samples and produced no profile, suggesting that detectable DNA transfer occurs to a lesser degree from static brief contacts. The study results and associated probabilities will assist forensic examiners with their interpretation of case circumstances regarding the transfer and recovery of DNA from these items.

Study on Mechanical Evolution Characteristics of Overburden Rock in “Knife Handle”-Type Fully Mechanized Top-Coal Caving Face

Compared with that of equal-length working faces, the mechanical evolution mechanism of overburden rocks in “knife handle”-type mining sites is more complex. The form of roof fracture of knife handle-type mines is more variable, and the stress distribution near the interface is more concentrated, thereby severely threatening the safety of mining. To elucidate the mechanical evolution characteristics of rocks in knife handle-type fully mechanized top-coal caving mining sites, the geological conditions of the 22401 fully mechanized top-coal caving face in Hanjiawa coal mine are investigated. FLAC3D software is used to numerically simulate the abutment pressure, horizontal stress, and vertical displacement of the fully mechanized knife handle top-coal caving face. This provides an effective theoretical and technical framework for subsequent problems, such as mine pressure control, roof management, and support withdrawal under similar mining conditions. The simulation results indicate that when the working face is mined within the range 20–30 m before and after the knife handle caving, the stress distribution is considerably asymmetric, the abutment pressure and horizontal stress are overconcentrated, the maximum vertical stress is 18.41 MPa, and the maximum horizontal stress is 16.45 MPa. Influenced by mining stress and self-weight, the roof subsides and the floor bulges. The maximum sinkage of the roof is 268.9 mm and the maximum bottom drum displacement is 10.01 mm.

Model Test Study on Overburden Failure and Fracture Evolution Characteristics of Deep Stope with Variable Length

Taking two typical stopes with variable length of working face inclined length from small to large and from large to small as the research object, the stope overburden structure model under different face length conditions is constructed through laboratory similar material simulation test, and the dynamic evolution laws of overburden instability deformation, unloading expansion, and collapse failure of forward and reverse knife handle stopes are analyzed. The three‐dimensional perspective technology of parallel network electrical method is used to study the spatial distribution range and fracture development characteristics of overburden internal failure. The research shows that the overburden fracture of stope with variable length has the “time‐pace‐scale” evolution effect of short‐time sudden change, zoning load transfer, and continuous extension. The evolution of roof fracture has experienced the development process of unloading expansion, tensile fracture instability, shrinkage deformation, and closure stability. The rise and fall of resistivity during mining in stope with variable length is closely related to the mining time step. When mining 40 cm, it is the position where the resistivity value changes suddenly. The rise of resistivity in the vertical direction makes the electric field show the transient response characteristics of dynamic expansion and rapid evolution. The development height of water conducting fracture zone of the reverse knife handle working face with the inclined length changing from large to small is slightly larger, the degree of overburden damage is high, and the fracture development is relatively sufficient.

Comparison and measurement of concentrations of heavy metals including cadmium and lead in oyster tissue of knife handle (Von Cosel, 1989) Solen dactylus in coastal waters of Hormozgan province (Tiab and Sirik)

This study aimed to measure the concentrations of lead and cadmium in the muscle tissue of Solen dactylus oyster in Tiab and Sirik areas located in Hormozgan province. To conduct this research, in the summer of 1397, 30 Solen dactylus oysters were collected from each of the mentioned areas and then bioassay operations were performed in the laboratory. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure the concentration of lead and cadmium. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to measure the concentration of lead and cadmium. The recorded results for the mean concentrations of lead and cadmium showed that there is a significant difference between Tiab and Siric stations (p≤0.05), And the highest mean concentrations of lead and cadmium were observed in oyster muscle tissue of knife handle, lead (0.761±0.065) and cadmium (0.506 ± 0.75) in the samples of Tiab station, respectively. The results show that factors such as the habitat of Solen dactylus affect the accumulation of heavy metals lead and cadmium, so that Tiab station shows higher pollution than Sirik station. On the other hand, the amount of these heavy metals in the oyster tissue of the knife handle at Tiab station is higher than the standard of the World Health Organization (WHO) and also in the Sirik region, the concentration of lead is lower and the concentration of cadmium is higher than the WHO. It turns out that the consumption of knife oysters both as shrimp food and by humans should be accompanied by health considerations.

Modeling of mechanical eye injury. Relevance. Background

The share of eye injuries in Russia is from 3 to 8% of the total number of injuries in peacetime. Eye trauma is one of the three main causes of vision disability and accounts for 22.8%. In wartime, the mass admission of wounded with damage to the organ of vision requires prompt decisions on their sorting, treatment, rehabilitation, dismissal, or return to duty. In peacetime, mechanical trauma to the eye is associated with the disability of the working population and large material costs. Considering the relevance of mechanical trauma to the eye, ophthalmologists around the world are constantly investigating the features of the pathogenetic mechanism, diagnosis, and treatment. Retrospective studies are based on the analysis of clinical cases, which are not always homogeneous. Experimental damage modeling has a long history. Attempts to simulate mechanical eye trauma have been made since the 40s of the XX century. Mathematical models are calculated based on known data: thickness, density, the elasticity of tissues, this makes it possible to predict the result of exposure to a wounding agent. Unfortunately, in these models, it is difficult to reproduce the entire complex of pathomorphological changes. The created models fulfilled the assigned tasks but had certain drawbacks. In each subsequent experiment, the reproducibility improved and the model approached the desired one as accurately as possible. Specialists of the Professor V.V. Volkov Ophthalmology Department S.M. Kirov Military Medical Academy since the 40s. are engaged in solving this problem. For the first time in an experiment, B.L. Pole proved that closure of eyeball wounds with corneal and scleral sutures has an advantage over conjunctival covering. B.V. Monakhov et al. created an installation for inflicting mine-explosive injury to the eye. In the experiment, M.M. Shishkin inflicted a combined eye injury by striking the sclera with a knife with a rectangular blade and firing an air rifle at the knife handle. B.A. Kanevsky et al. reproduced a D-type gunshot open eye injury shot from an air rifle with a multi-compression piston pump. The creation of models that reproduce the mechanical trauma of the eye made it possible to study it in an experiment, which improved the quality of diagnostics and reduced the proportion of disability in this pathology (bibliography: 24 refs).

Microscopic Re-Examination of an Unique Bone Artefact: The Figure of a Theatrical Actor Found at The Roman Fort Iža/Leányvár (Slovakia)

Abstract In 1955, a figure, representing a comic actor, was discovered on a spoil heal in the Roman Fort of Iža. It is a unique find without close parallels in the whole of the Roman Empire, making it difficult to determine from which object it was derived or what was its function. The results of new research are presented here and demonstrate the object is a fragment of a luxury, figural knife handle made from bone rather than ivory. It was probably produced in a provincial workshop under a Mediterranean influence where similar figures, though from different materials, occur throughout the second century.

A Unique Roman Folding Knife Handle with Eagle Ornament from Philadelphia in Cilicia

Numerous artefacts were discovered inside a pit located in the necropolis of ancient Philadelphia, which belonged to Cilicia from time to time. This study suggests that the pit might be a votive deposit of some kind with objects placed within it in a planned sequence. The folding knife, which is one of the many metal finds discovered in this pit and the subject of this study, is a unique find never recorded before in Asia Minor. Its handle bears an eagle figure, which also makes it unique. Folding knives are found at Roman garrison sites in Germania and Britannia, and the figures depicted on their handles vary. The Philadelphia folding knife is associated with military iconography and also with the cult of the dead.

Effect of Alcohol Disinfection on the Handle and Blade of Vegetables Knives by using ATP Inspection and Microbial Stamp Test

To prevent food poisoning, we focused on kitchen vegetable knives, which are likely to cause secondary contamination, and conducted hygiene inspections to obtain results. The values after cooking and after washing, and after washing and after 70%spraying alcohol compared using the ATP wiping test and the microbial stamp test (selective medium: general bacteria, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella, Vibrio parahaemolyticus). As a result, the ATP test value decreased statistically significantly and became 100 or less after 70%alcohol sprayings. However, not all of the bacterial counts in the selective medium were statistically significantly different even after 70%alcohol sprayings. The reason the data was not clear due to 70% alcohol spray conditions. It may be advisable to perform a microbiological stamp test after applying 70%alcohol spray multiple times instead of once to a fully moistened knife handle and blade. In the future, we would like to consider the handling of more hygienic cooking utensils by further changing the 70%alcohol spraying conditions and conducting, Microbiological tests using a selective medium.

Detection of Y-STR Touch DNA for Personal Identification on a Wooden Knife Handle Used as a Stabbing Weapon

Detection of Y-STR Touch DNA for Personal Identification on a Wooden Knife Handle Used as a Stabbing Weapon

The use of Bayesian Networks and simulation methods to identify the variables impacting the value of evidence assessed under activity level propositions in stabbing cases

This paper presents a methodology allowing identification of the variables associated with transfer, persistence or recovery of DNA traces that have the most significant impact on the result of an evaluation measured through a likelihood ratio (LR). It builds on a case scenario involving trace DNA recovered from knife handles where the prosecution alleges that the person of interest (POI) stabbed a victim whereas the defence claims that the POI has nothing to do with the incident and the victim was stabbed by an alternative offender (AO). The defence proposition will also be refined to account for the possibility of secondary transfer. The variables having a significant impact on the LR are identified taking advantage of a graphical probabilistic environment (using Bayesian Networks, BN), coupled with simulation techniques. The paper presents (a) a BN, based on previous work Taylor et al. [5]; (b) its parametrization based on the current literature that represents the current state of knowledge used to inform the conditional probability tables of the BN and; (c) the implementation of the simulation methods. Results show that, regardless of the DNA outcome obtained, the most impacting variable is the “DNA match probability” when the defence alleged that the POI has nothing to do with the incident. It means that, given the current state of knowledge, such cases can easily be interpreted considering activity level propositions as they would not require any further data acquisition. When secondary transfer is alleged under the defence’s perspective, the LRs are generally much lower than for the previous case. The DNA match probability has less impact and variables associated with the donor will take the lead on the ranges observed on the LRs. Overall, once extraction and sampling efficiency have been set, the remaining variables that have an impact on the value of the evidence are the DNA quantity on hands and the background. With the most impacting variables so identified, it becomes manageable to direct further data acquisition if so required. Generally, the background that could be present on the knife handle, the environmental conditions are not critical due to their limited impact on the LR value. We note, however, that this identification of the significant variables depends on the obtained DNA results and this selection may be refined on a case by case basis. To allow one to explore all possibilities a dedicated Shiny application has been designed (https://lydie-samie.shinyapps.io/DNA_Activity/).

Results of Hygiene Education of Kitchen Knife by using ATP Inspection - Comparison of Handle and Blade

In Japan, the number of food poisoning cases and the number of patients have been gradually decreasing in the last ten years. However, from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, the number of bacterial food poisoning cases has been approximately 41% of the total number in the past five years, which is still high. Therefore, in this study, to prevent food poisoning, we conducted hygiene education using the ATP test and confirmed the educational effect by comparing before and after education. ATP luminescence kit (Lumitester PD-10, LuciPac Pen) manufactured by Kikkoman Corporation used for the microbiological test. Before the hygiene education, the ATP of the knife handle, and the ATP of the knife blade measured before and after cooking. Twelve knives for vegetables and 12 knives for meat targeted. Before the hygiene education, the handle and the blade of the meat knife measured of ATP, that before cooking and washed after cooking. Further, the handle and blade of the kitchen knife for vegetables were also measured for ATP in the same manner as the knife for meat.

Stylized animal images in the bone inventory of Mesolithic Hunters-Fishers at Zamostje 2 (Volga-Oka region)

Relationship between the prehistoric human and the surrounding fauna has always been of a complex nature and consisted of material and non-material elements. Sculptural images of animals and birds made of various materials (bone, antler, flint, or wood) are a typical feature of the surviving evidence of the spiritual culture of Mesolithic and Neolithic population in Eastern Europe and the Urals. Realistic and stylized animal images were used to decorate ceremonial and everyday objects including weapons and knives, skis and paddles, axes and wooden utensils. This paper aims to evaluate some patterns in decorative activities and priorities in depicting certain zoomorphic images on an example of small series of Late Mesolithic artefacts from well-known site Zamostje 2, which is located in the Volga-Oka region. Unique preservation conditions in this wetland settlement contributed to accumulation of rich and diverse materials including a large set of decorated objects. This paper focuses on zoomorphic knife handle ends and stylized animal figurines made of bone and wood, which are brought together and considered in this perspective for the first time ever. All knives and pins were involved in production or domestic activities, while some figures carried a non-utilitarian magic function. The site area, obviously, served both for everyday life and for performance of some rites. For the first time for scope of Late Mesolithic settlements, a conclusion is drawn about a possible connection between the image of a duck and a snake.

Microbial contamination in food, food- handlers’ hands and surfaces and evaluation of contamination sources by the similarity between isolates

Food can be contaminated with surfaces and food workers during chopping, shredding and serving. Pathogenic microorganisms are transmitted by direct contact with food or indirectly with airborne particles. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and the relationship between pathogenic microorganisms isolated from food, kitchen equipment and foodhandler’s hands. A total of 212 microbiological samples were collected from surfaces, foods and food handlers’ hands at different six canteens inside of the Afyon Kocatepe University campus during the period 2017-2018. Following biochemical tests, identification of Staphylococcus species were performed from a specific region of 23S rRNA gene. The genetic relationships between totally 25 Staphylococcus spp. and Proteus mirabilis isolates were determined. S.epidermidis was detected in two samples from knife handle (5%), nine samples from hands (20%) and in one of food sample (1%), too. S.aureus was found to be existed in one sample from hands (2.2%), two samples of soujouk (2%) and in one sample pancakes (3%) obtained from the university canteens. Besides from one of food sample (1%) S.sciuri, from one of hand sample (2.2%) S.haemolyticus and one of the food samples (1%) S.saprophyticus bacteria were identified. As a result, foods, food preparation surfaces and foodhandler’s hands were contaminated with microorganisms in canteens and they were similar/same to each other. Also, considering the number of isolates, the highest of contamination is the hands of food-handler.

SwissKnife-Inspired Multifunctional Fluorescence Probes for Cellular Organelle Targeting Based on Simple AIEgens.

Facile, efficient, and mass production of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogens (AIEgens) with excited-state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) characteristics was achieved by a one-step condensation reaction of 2-(hydrazonomethyl)phenol with benzaldehydes. The function of as-prepared AIEgens could be tuned easily by varying the functional group being carried on the phenyl ring of benzaldehyde just like a Swiss knife handle. The suitable distance and angle of the intramolecular hydrogen bond in these AIEgens endowed them with ESIPT properties, intense solid-state luminescence, and large Stokes shifts (155-169 nm). These AIEgens could not only serve as biological probes showing specific targeting to lipid droplets, endoplasmic reticulum, and lysosomes, respectively, but also generate reactive oxygen species upon visible light irradiation to make them promise for photodynamic therapy.

WOODEN ARTEFACTS FROM RAIKY HILLFORT

The article deals with a timber used in the woodworking of the population of Raiky hillfort (now Berdychiv Region of Zhytomyr Oblast). Wooden artefacts preserved in the Scientific Repository of the Institute of Archaeology of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine also were introduced into scientific circulation. The work is based on two information blocks: archival data (the manuscript of T. M. Movchanivskyi) and data on the study of the materials of the Repository carried out by the author.
 Archival materials allow us to talk about wood used in construction. The main building material was oak (Quercus sp.), birch was also used (Betula sp.), and individual details could be made of lime tree (Tilia sp.).
 A knife handle, a fragmented spinning comb, fragments of carved and turned vessels, a handle of a tool (maybe of a shovel) represent the materials from the Repository. Such species of wood as alder (Alnus sp.) for turned and carved vessels and a knife handle, birch (Betula sp.) for a fragment of a thick-walled carved vessel, pear for a comb (Pyrus sp.), oak (Quercus sp.) for a shovel handle (?), and hazel (Corylus sp.) for a fragment of a cooperage hoop were identified.
 Thus, local resources were used in various areas of wood processing.
 The conducted research contribute to the expansion of the existing database on the archaeological wood. In the future, this will allow the use of the information obtained in the context of the study of palaeoeconomy and economic activity of the population of Ancient Rus.

Analysis of Rock Burst Risk of Roadway in Lower Seam “Knife Handle” Type Isolated Working Face

In order to determine the influence degree of the main factors in the rock burst risk of the lower seam of the “Knife handle” type isolated coal face rail roadway. In this text, the methods of theoretical analysis, numerical simulation and field measurement are mainly used to study the stress distribution laws during the working face is extending, front abutment pressure and plastic zone of isolated coal pillar, variation of surrounding rock pressure and roadway deformation laws of ore pillar under the isolated coal pillar before and during mining of working face. The results show that two stress concentration areas are formed at the edge of the isolated coal pillar when the working face is not retreating mining, and the stress concentration degree of the upper seam goafs near the 1304 working face is greater. As far as the change of vertical displacement during mining is concerned, the convergence of the rail haulage gateway that its side is much larger than the roof-to-floor, and the deformation near the coal pillar side is larger than that on the side of the isolated pillar, and the maximum displacement deformation is 11 m in front of the coal wall; the rock movement during the advancing of working face is very irregular, and the distance is within 20–40 m front and back the variable face, and the abutment pressure and displacement deformation of the rail haulage gateway change a lot. The value change is obvious and the pressure is intense. Therefore, the distance of advance support is at least 40 m. It is necessary to strengthen the support in the range of 20 m.

Knife handle making – the subsidiary trades in the Sheffield cutlery industry

This paper will explore the documentary evidence and surviving examples to understand the work practices, rates of pay and the supply of material for subsidiary trades associated with the Sheffield knife-making industry. Metal working has been well researched but little has been done to appreciate the details of the trades which used bone, ivory, horn, etc. to make the knife handles, where the use of these materials was governed by availability, price and fashion.