• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 2007

Sweat contents were investigated for using those data to forensic purpose. The experiments of identifying sweat contents were as follow: 1) measurement of amino acids (aspartic acid, serine, glycine etc) by HPLC, 2) anions ($Cl^-$, $F^-$, and $SO{_4}^{2-}$) by IC and 3) trace elements (Cu, Zn, Li, B, etc.) by ICP-MS. Amino acid contents in sweat are varied with individual samples and glycine, threonine, alanine, valine and histidine are detected as the prime one. The detected anions are $Cl^-$(2167~4073 ppm) and $F^-$(454~582 ppm) mostly. Trace elements of Rb, Zn and Cu are detected and those concentrations are relatively very high. The compositions of sweat can be influenced by various factors (diet, anthropometric, characteristics, physical fitness, age, gender and the state of the health).

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.108-113
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• 2017

A sudden cardiac death (SCD) is defined as an unnatural sudden death caused by heart disease. To determine the cause of death, observation of the microscopic change in cardiac muscle tissue is suggested, rather than visual postmortem examination. However, this suggestion is time consuming to be applied in the field, is cost-ineffective, and is inconvenient. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to understand whether temporary inspection used to examine the cardiac marker (Myoglobin, CK-MB, cTn I) in postmortem blood via rapid cardiac triple test kit (which is used by clinics to diagnose patients with acute myocardial infarction) can effectively be utilized for the paragnosis of sudden, unnatural cardiac death. The results of postmortem examination and temporary investigation found that 23 groups (76.7%), among the 30 experimental groups, were assumed to be non-traumatic sudden cardiac deaths, which indicated a positive response (according to comparison with forensic autopsy); 4 groups, among the 10 control groups, were assumed to be cerebrovascular disease, which indicated a negative response; 1 group was assumed to be alcoholic and drug poisoning, indicating a positive response; and 1 group was assumed to be oxygen deficiency due to suffocation, indicating a positive response. Hence, it was found that the level of sensitivity and specificity of cardiac marker's temporary inspection showed significant result, 76.7% and 80% respectively. Given this, temporary inspection can be effectively used for the paragnosis of sudden cardiac death when the medical history, situation of the site, and postmortem interval are considered together. With the result of precedent research on time of first revelation and extinction in blood, and difference in concentration over time progress according to the characteristic of cardiac marker's (myoglobin, CK-MB, cTn I) individual material, further research on concentration of cardiac marker per each post time needs to be conducted in order to estimate time science death (which is required to identify the cause of death and investigation).

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.571-576
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• 1999

Screening method for NSAIDs (Hon-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) in urine was developed using GC/NCI-MS. Derivatized six fenamates with pentafluoropropionic anhydride showed high sensitivity in NCI-MS. The conditions of the derivatization reaction and chromatographic conditions were established for screening with a trace analysis. Limit of detection was in the range of 4-25 pg/mL. This method may be used to the equine doping analysis for NSAIDs and forensic analysis.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.787-791
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• 2017

Americium-beryllium (Am-Be; n, ${\gamma}$) is a neutron emitting source used in various research fields such as chemistry, physics, geology, archaeology, medicine, and environmental monitoring, as well as in the forensic sciences. It is a mobile source of neutron activity (20 Ci), yielding a small thermal neutron flux that is water moderated. The aim of this study is to develop a model to increase the neutron thermal flux of a source such as Am-Be. This study achieved multiple advantageous results: primarily, it will help us perform neutron activation analysis. Next, it will give us the opportunity to produce radio-elements with short half-lives. Am-Be single and multisource (5 sources) experiments were performed within an irradiation facility with a paraffin moderator. The resulting models mainly increase the thermal neutron flux compared to the traditional method with water moderator.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.187-195
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• 2014

It is very important to minimize the damage of latent fingerprints at enhancing the contrast. This study proves the enhancement effects of cyanoacrylate-fumed latent fingerprints using p-dimethylaminobenzealdehyde (DMAB) on semi-porous surfaces and the influence factors. The latent fingerprints in experiment were developed for cyanoacrylate treatment in a vacuum chamber and used after drying at room temperature for 24 hours. For fluorescence staining, the cyanoacrylate-developed marks using DMAB were sublimated during 48 hours under the different conditions of surface area, temperature, atmospheric pressure. First experiment showed how surface area effects on the sublimation rate and fluorescence intensity by DMAB of particle size and container size. In addition, the fluorescence staining using DMAB with solvent-free contact method had the greatest fluorescence intensity after 36 hours and a low fluorescence intensity over a certain size of surface area. Second experiment showed that the evaporation of DMAB solid crystals got a satisfying result in a temperature of $20^{\circ}C$ and reduced time to get the greatest fluorescence intensity. It took a long time to get a optimum level of fluorescence intensity at $30^{\circ}C$ or more and it was less effective in fluorescence intensity. Third experiment on the pressure indicated that the fluorescence intensity of vacuum was weaker than nonvacuum but it was inapplicable to very high variations in pressure.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2015

The consistency and homogeneity of repetitive printing of artificial fingerprint were evaluated using a visual minutiae comparison method and an Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS). The standard latent fingerprint pattern was prepared by the printing of a master digital fingerprint pattern with an inkjet printer cartridge case filled with artificial sweat. The master digital fingerprint pattern was prepared with a scanning of an inked fingerprint pattern of a living subject. The intensities of the master digital fingerprint pattern were adjusted by changing the 'output level' values of the Adobe Photoshop CS 5 software. Number of standard latent fingerprint patterns were printed and then developed with conventional latent fingerprint developing methods; ninhydrin treatment method and 1,2-indandion(1,2-IND)/$ZnCl_2$ treatment method. The ridge details of the latent fingerprint patterns developed with the reagents were visually compared with the inked fingerprint pattern and could confirm that the minutiae of both patterns are visually identical. The ridge detail of the inked fingerprint and reagent developed standard latent fingerprint patterns were compared with an AFIS. The average number of minutiae searched by the AFIS was $52.4{\pm}2.4$ (range = 48~56) for 50 ninhydrin developed latent fingerprint patterns, and $50.2{\pm}1.9$ (range = 47~53) for 50 1,2-IND/$ZnCl_2$ developed latent fingerprint patterns. These low standard deviation values over 50 repetitive printing demonstrated that the 50 standard latent patterns were printed with consistent and homogeneous manner.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.161-170
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• 2018

The epidemic of disorders associated with synthetic stimulants, such as methamphetamine (MA) and amphetamine (AP), is a health, social, legal, and financial problem. Owing to the high potential of their abuse and addiction, reliable analytical methods are required to detect and identify MA, AP, and their metabolites in biological samples. Thus, a dilute-and-shoot liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrophotometry (LC-MS/MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of MA, 4-hydroxymethamphetamine (4HMA), AP, and 4-hydroxyamphetamine (4HA) in urine. Urine sample ($100{\mu}L$) was mixed with $50{\mu}L$ of mobile phase consisting of 0.4 % formic acid and methanol and $50{\mu}L$ of working internal-standard solution. Aliquots of $8{\mu}L$ diluted urine was injected into the LC-MS/MS system. For all analytes, chromatographic separation was performed using a C18 reversed-phase column with gradient elution and a total run time of 5 min. The identification and quantification were performed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM). Linear least-squares regression was conducted to generate a calibration curve, with $1/x^2$ as the weighting factor. The linear ranges were 2.0-200, 1.0-800, and 10-2500 ng/mL for 4HA and 4HMA, AP, and MA, respectively. The inter- and intraday precisions were within 6.6 %, whereas the inter- and intraday accuracies ranged from -14.9 to 11.3 %. The low limits of quantification were 2.0 ng/mL (4HA and 4HMA), 1.0 ng/mL (AP), and 10 ng/mL (MA). The proposed method exhibited satisfactory selectivity, dilution integrity, matrix effect, and stability, which are required for validation. Moreover, the purification efficiency of high-speed centrifugation was clearly higher than 6-15 % for QC samples (n=5), which was higher than that of the membrane-filtration method. The applicability of the proposed method was tested by forensic analysis of urine samples from drug abusers.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.398-408
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• 2015

Carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication, arising from CO from an ignited charcoal briquette (ICB), is a popular means of committing suicide in Korea. Most CO intoxications are related to suicide attempts; however, the possibility of a homicide disguised as a suicide cannot be ruled out. Therefore, forensic investigation of the deceased and the crime scene is crucial to confirm that the deceased committed suicide. Detection of the components of an ICB on the objects suspected of being contacted by the deceased, such as the hands, nostrils, and doorknobs, is essential for linking the crime scene to the victim in the case of suicides by ignited ICBs. The traces from an ICB were analyzed by investigating the morphological characteristics and obtaining elemental compositions. The ICBs were completely different from blackened wood, as detected by discriminant analysis with the elements of carbon and oxygen. We analyzed one case of CO intoxication to demonstrate an excellent procedure for verifying whether a suicide occurred with an ICB. We employed SEM-EDX for the analysis of an ICB, microscope-FT/IR and pyrolysis-GC/MS for a partly burnt resin-type substance, GC/MS for diphenhydramine (a sleeping drug), and GC/TCD for the CO-Hb level. We detected traces of an ICB on the hands, nostrils, and doorknobs, which were all discriminated into an ICB group. Detection of ICB traces from the nostrils could indicate that the deceased started the fire themselves to commit suicide. The partially burnt black material was analyzed as an acrylronitrilestyrene polymer, which is normally used to make bags for carrying or wrapping and could be assumed to have been used to transport the ICB. Diphenhydramine, a sleeping drug, was detected at a level of 2.3 mg/L in the blood, which was lower than that in fatal cases (8-31 mg/L; mean 16 mg/L). A CO-Hb level of 79% was found in the blood, which means that the cause of death was CO intoxication. The steps shown here could represent an ideal method for reaching a verdict of suicide by CO intoxication produced by burning an ICB in a sealed room or a car.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.3-4
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• 2010

Purpose: Education provided in many Korean medical colleges still isn't free from the contents of the "2+4 year program." Korean medical colleges especially holds onto the belief that humanities must be taught to the lower grades. Methods: I introduced the six-year integrated program and reversed the order of the existing education program. The new program assigned anatomy, physiology, and biochemistry to the 1st years, and humanities subjects such as forensic medicine and medical ethics to the 4th, 5th, and 6th years. Results: Increased participation and interests among students. Conclusion: Occupational and Environmental Medicine (OEM) at the level of pre-medicine brings harm rather than good.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2013

Metabolomics is the study which detects the changes of metabolites level. Metabolomics is a terminal view of the biological system. The end products of the metabolism, metabolites, reflect the responses to external environment. Therefore metabolomics gives the additional information about understanding the metabolic pathways. These metabolites can be used as biomarkers that indicate the disease or external stresses such as exposure to toxicant. Many kinds of biological samples are used in metabolomics, for example, cell, tissue, and bio fluids. NMR spectroscopy is one of the tools of metabolomics. NMR data are analyzed by multivariate statistical analysis and target profiling technique. Recently, NMR-based metabolomics is a growing field in various studies such as disease diagnosis, forensic science, and toxicity assessment.