Publications

Biber, K 2019, In Crime's Archive: The Cultural Afterlife of Evidence, Routledge, Abingdon UK.
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This book investigates what happens to criminal evidence after the conclusion of legal proceedings. During the criminal trial, evidentiary material is tightly regulated; it is formally regarded as part of the court record, and subject to the rules of evidence and criminal procedure. However, these rules and procedures cannot govern or control this material after proceedings have ended. In its ‘afterlife’, criminal evidence continues to proliferate in cultural contexts. It might be photographic or video evidence, private diaries and correspondence, weapons, physical objects or forensic data, and it arouses the interest of journalists, scholars, curators, writers or artists. Building on a growing cultural interest in criminal archival materials, this book shows how in its afterlife, criminal evidence gives rise to new uses and interpretations, new concepts and questions, many of which are creative and transformative of crime and evidence, and some of which are transgressive, dangerous or insensitive. It takes the judicial principle of open justice – the assumption that justice must be seen to be done – and investigates instances in which we might see too much, too little or from a distorted angle. It centres upon a series of case studies, including those of Lindy Chamberlain and, more recently, Oscar Pistorius, in which criminal evidence has re-appeared outside of the criminal process. Traversing museums, libraries, galleries and other repositories, and drawing on extensive interviews with cultural practitioners and legal professionals, this book probes the legal, ethical, affective and aesthetic implications of the cultural afterlife of evidence.

Biber, K 2019, 'Dark Archive: The Afterlife of Forensic Photographs' in Brett, DW & Lusty, N (eds), Photography and Ontology: Unsettling Images, Routledge, New York, pp. 41-55.
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This edited collection explores the complex ways in which photography is used and interpreted: as a record of evidence, as a form of communication, as a means of social and political provocation, as a mode of surveillance, as a narrative of the self, and as an art form. What makes photographic images unsettling and how do the re-uses and interpretations of photographic images unsettle the self-evident reality of the visual field? Taking up these themes, this book examines the role of photography as a revelatory medium underscored by its complex association with history, memory, experience, and identity.

Sidavong, L, Lal, S & Sztynda, T 2019, 'Spontaneous Facial Expression Analysis Using Optical Flow Technique' in Smart Sensors, Measurement and Instrumentation, pp. 83-101.
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© 2019, Springer Nature Switzerland AG. Investigation of emotions manifested through facial expressions has valuable applications in predictive behavioural studies. A potential application may be to impart intelligence to surveillance systems such as Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) systems for recognition of emotional facial expressions. A facial recognition program tailored to evaluating facial behaviour for real time application can be met if patterns of emotions can be detected. An exploratory analysis of optical flow data was conducted with an aim to detect patterns and trends to differentiate between the emotional facial expressions: amusement, sadness and fear from the frontal and profile facial orientations. Analysis was in the form of emotion maps constructed from feature vectors obtained by using the Lucas-Kanade implementation of optical flow. Classification of individual emotions showed recognition of amusement was much greater in comparison to the recognition of the negative emotions, sadness and fear. Recognition was not negatively affected using reduced set of feature vectors derived from the emotion maps. Further investigation is necessary to assess the utility of emotion maps to visualise feature representations of emotional expression.

Angeloski, A, Cortie, MB, Scott, JA, Bordin, DM & McDonagh, AM 2019, 'Conversion of single crystals of a nickel(II) dithiocarbamate complex to nickel sulfide crystals', INORGANICA CHIMICA ACTA, vol. 487, pp. 228-233.
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Angeloski, A, Rawal, A, Bhadbhade, M, Hook, JM, Schurko, RW & Mcdonagh, AM 2019, 'An Unusual Mercury(II) Diisopropyldithiocarbamate Coordination Polymer', CRYSTAL GROWTH & DESIGN, vol. 19, no. 2, pp. 1125-1133.
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Bannwarth, A, Morelato, M, Benaglia, L, Been, F, Esseiva, P, Delemont, O & Roux, C 2019, 'The use of wastewater analysis in forensic intelligence: drug consumption comparison between Sydney and different European cities', Forensic Sciences Research, pp. 1-11.
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Bedward, TM, Xiao, L & Fu, S 2019, 'Application of Raman spectroscopy in the detection of cocaine in food matrices', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 51, no. 2, pp. 209-219.
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© 2017 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences While modern methodologies for the smuggling of illicit substances often tend towards more elaborate inventions, the simple practice of concealing cocaine hydrochloride within food matrices is becoming increasingly popular. This study was conducted to develop and optimize a Raman spectroscopic method capable of identifying and quantifying cocaine hydrochloride concealed within food matrices. Samples of cocaine hydrochloride were concealed within baking powder, cake mix and white rum, with identification of the drug achieved through a combination of manual and automated detection methods and comparison with a digital spectral library. Principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares regression (PLSR) were employed to qualitatively and quantitatively examine the collected spectra, allowing for traces of cocaine hydrochloride found within each matrix to be identified and quantified. For each of the solid matrices, Raman spectroscopy enabled rapid, non-invasive, and unambiguous identification of the concealed drug. For the white rum samples, due to strong matrix interference, full spectrum matching was not possible, but presumptive identification of cocaine in the samples was achieved at 100%. No false positives or miss-identified samples were recorded, Results of the PLSR analysis showed potential, however difficulties in obtaining accurate concentrations served to limit the method’s use in quantitative analysis.

Biber, K 2019, 'Dignity in the digital age: Broadcasting the Oscar Pistorius trial', Crime, Media, Culture, pp. 1-22.
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Oscar Pistorius was tried for the murder of Reeva Steenkamp in South Africa in 2014. His trial was broadcast live, after media agencies applied to the court for comprehensive access to the courtroom. The decision to broadcast the trial followed a careful and deliberative court ruling about the constitutional principles of human dignity, freedom and equality. South Africa’s post-apartheid Constitution provides a framework for achieving social transformation, and open justice plays an important role in it. Despite concerns about sensationalism and voyeurism, the broadcast of the Pistorius trial functioned as a constitutional experiment. This article evaluates the principles and practices of open justice in South Africa through the broadcast of the Pistorius trial, and the roles played by the media, the courts and the public. It identifies significant events during the trial, including its reporting, which had the effect of testing the compatibility of open justice, on the one hand, and the proper administration of justice, on the other. The right of an accused to a fair trial, at times, confronted the sensitivities of the victim’s family, the rights of the media and the demands of the public to witness justice being done. This article examines the tangled relationship between dignity and justice, compounded by the technologies of digital media, in the unique context of post-apartheid South Africa.

Billings, JL, Gordon, SL, Rawling, T, Doble, PA, Bush, AI, Adlard, PA, Finkelstein, DI & Hare, DJ 2019, 'l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) modulates brain iron, dopaminergic neurodegeneration and motor dysfunction in iron overload and mutant alpha-synuclein mouse models of Parkinson's disease', Journal of Neurochemistry.
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© 2019 International Society for Neurochemistry Treatment with the dopamine (DA) precursor l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (l-DOPA) provides symptomatic relief arising from DA denervation in Parkinson's disease. Mounting evidence that DA autooxidation to neurotoxic quinones is involved in Parkinson's disease pathogenesis has raised concern about potentiation of oxidative stress by l-DOPA. The rate of DA quinone formation increases in the presence of excess redox-active iron (Fe), which is a pathological hallmark of Parkinson's disease. Conversely, l-DOPA has pH-dependent Fe-chelating properties, and may act to ‘redox silence’ Fe and partially allay DA autoxidation. We examined the effects of l-DOPA in three murine models of parkinsonian neurodegeneration: early-life Fe overexposure in wild-type mice, transgenic human (h)A53T mutant α-synuclein (α-syn) over-expression, and a combined ‘multi-hit’ model of Fe-overload in hA53T mice. We found that l-DOPA was neuroprotective and prevented age-related Fe accumulation in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), similar to the mild-affinity Fe chelator clioquinol. Chronic l-DOPA treatment showed no evidence of increased oxidative stress in wild-type midbrain and normalized motor performance, when excess Fe was present. Similarly, l-DOPA also did not exacerbate protein oxidation levels in hA53T mice, with or without excess nigral Fe, and showed evidence of neuroprotection. The effects of l-DOPA in Fe-fed hA53T mice were somewhat muted, suggesting that Fe-chelation alone is insufficient to attenuate neuron loss in an animal model also recapitulating altered DA metabolism. In summary, we found no evidence in any of our model systems that l-DOPA treatment accentuated neurodegeneration, suggesting DA replacement therapy does not contribute to oxidative stress in the Parkinson's disease brain. (Figure presented.).

Bowman, S, McNevin, D, Venables, SJ, Roffey, P, Richardson, A & Gahan, ME 2019, 'Species identification using high resolution melting (HRM) analysis with random forest classification', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, pp. 1-16.
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© 2017 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences Species identification is an important facet of forensic investigation. In this study, human and non-human species (cow, chicken, pig, sheep, cat, dog, rabbit, fox, kangaroo and wombat) were assayed on the ViiA 7 Real-Time PCR System (Thermo Fisher Scientific) to rapidly screen for their species of origin using the high resolution melt (HRM) analysis targeting the 16S rRNA gene. Classification of HRM difference profiles using the onboard ViiA 7 software resulted in a classification accuracy of  < 20%. Derivative profiles (temperature versus negative first derivative of fluorescence, –dF/dT) were classified using random forest algorithms supplemented by bagging and boosting, with either a randomly partitioned test set or a variety of folds of cross-classification, in addition to a range of trees and variables. Random forest classification with bagging conditions (constructed over 500 trees) was found to considerably outperform the ViiA 7 software for species differentiation with 100% classification accuracy for biological material from humans, domestic pets (cat and dog) and consumable meats (chicken and sheep) with an average classification accuracy of 70% across all species.

Buckleton, JS, Bright, JA, Gittelson, S, Moretti, TR, Onorato, AJ, Bieber, FR, Budowle, B & Taylor, DA 2019, 'The Probabilistic Genotyping Software STRmix: Utility and Evidence for its Validity', Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 64, no. 2, pp. 393-405.
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© 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences Forensic DNA interpretation is transitioning from manual interpretation based usually on binary decision-making toward computer-based systems that model the probability of the profile given different explanations for it, termed probabilistic genotyping (PG). Decision-making by laboratories to implement probability-based interpretation should be based on scientific principles for validity and information that supports its utility, such as criteria to support admissibility. The principles behind STRmix™ are outlined in this study and include standard mathematics and modeling of peak heights and variability in those heights. All PG methods generate a likelihood ratio (LR) and require the formulation of propositions. Principles underpinning formulations of propositions include the identification of reasonably assumed contributors. Substantial data have been produced that support precision, error rate, and reliability of PG, and in particular, STRmix™. A current issue is access to the code and quality processes used while coding. There are substantial data that describe the performance, strengths, and limitations of STRmix™, one of the available PG software.

Casey, E, Ribaux, O & Roux, C 2019, 'The Kodak Syndrome: Risks and Opportunities Created by Decentralization of Forensic Capabilities.', Journal of Forensic Sciences, vol. 64, no. 1, pp. 127-136.
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Forensic science laboratories are being challenged by the expanding decentralization of forensic capabilities, particularly for digital traces. This study recommends laboratories undertake digital transformations to capitalize on the decentralization movement, develop a more comprehensive understanding of crime and security-relevant problems, and play a more central role in problem-solving collaboratively with law enforcement organizations and other stakeholders. A framework for the bilateral transfer of information and knowledge is proposed to magnify the impact of forensic science laboratories on abating crime, strengthening security, and reinforcing the criminal justice system. To accomplish digital transformations, laboratories require personnel with different expertise, including investigative reasoning, knowledge codification, data analytics, and forensic intelligence. Ultimately, this study encourages managers, educators, researchers, and policymakers to look beyond the usefulness of forensic results for solving individual investigations, and to realize the value of combined forensic knowledge and intelligence for developing broader strategies to deal with crime in digitalized society.

Clases, D, de Vega, RG, Adlard, PA & Doble, PA 2019, 'On-line reverse isotope dilution analysis for spatial quantification of elemental labels used in immunohistochemical assisted imaging mass spectrometry via LA-ICP-MS', JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL ATOMIC SPECTROMETRY, vol. 34, no. 2, pp. 407-412.
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Clases, D, Fingerhut, S, Jeibmann, A, Sperling, M, Doble, P & Karst, U 2019, 'LA-ICP-MS/MS improves limits of detection in elemental bioimaging of gadolinium deposition originating from MRI contrast agents in skin and brain tissues', JOURNAL OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY, vol. 51, pp. 212-218.
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Collins, S, Stuart, B & Ueland, M 2019, 'Monitoring human decomposition products collected in clothing: an infrared spectroscopy study', AUSTRALIAN JOURNAL OF FORENSIC SCIENCES.
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Gahan, ME, Bowman, S, Chevalier, R, Rossi, R, Nelson, M, Roffey, P, Xu, B, Power, D & McNevin, D 2019, 'Bacillus species at the Canberra Airport: A comparison of real-time polymerase chain reaction and massively parallel sequencing for identification', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 295, pp. 169-178.
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Gonzalez de Vega, R, Clases, D, Luisa Fernandez-Sanchez, M, Eiro, N, Gonzalez, LO, Vizoso, FJ, Doble, PA & Sanz-Medel, A 2019, 'MMP-11 as a biomarker for metastatic breast cancer by immunohistochemical-assisted imaging mass spectrometry', ANALYTICAL AND BIOANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, vol. 411, no. 3, pp. 639-646.
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Iqbal, MA, Ueland, M & Forbes, SL 2019, 'Recent advances in the estimation of post-mortem interval in forensic taphonomy', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, pp. 1-17.
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One of the key elements in a criminal death investigation is the estimation of time since death, as this information can assist with identifying the victim and prosecuting an offender. Estimating post-mortem interval (PMI) is a challenging task given the many variables that act on the rate and process of decomposition. This review presents current advances in estimating PMI in forensic taphonomy. The use of scoring systems based on visual observations and the development of empirical formulas have been proposed for soft tissue analysis. In the absence of soft tissue, the citrate content of bone and radiometric dating are recommended for PMI estimations of hard tissue. Recent studies have shown an increased focus on associated evidence found on or near the remains. This includes botanical and mycological evidence such as vegetation changes, the presence or absence of certain plant species, and fungal succession. Decomposition chemistry represents an emerging discipline where biomarkers can be analysed within different mediums such as tissue, soil associated with decomposing remains and decomposition fluid. Although advances are being made in these many taphonomic disciplines, the field still has a long way to go in terms of finding the elusive formula for accurately estimating PMI of decomposed remains

Lee, PLT, Kanodarwala, FK, Lennard, C, Spindler, X, Spikmans, V, Roux, C & Moret, S 2019, 'Latent fingermark detection using functionalised silicon oxide nanoparticles: Method optimisation and evaluation', Forensic Science International, vol. 298, pp. 372-383.
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© 2019 Elsevier B.V. The application of nanoparticles for latent fingermark detection has been reported in the literature over the past two decades. One of the nanoparticles that shows promise to become a routine technique is functionalised silicon oxide nanoparticles (SiO 2 NPs). In a recent optimisation of the technique, the use of carboxyl-functionalised SiO 2 NPs doped with luminescent ruthenium complex was proposed as a breakthrough for latent fingermark detection. In this study, the aforementioned functionalised SiO 2 NPs were extensively evaluated. Modification and optimisation of the original detection parameters were performed to enhance detection quality and improve applicability. Various detection parameters were evaluated and assessed. A lower concentration of the functionalised nanoparticles used in the colloidal dispersion was determined to offer improved detection effectiveness. A combination of increased bath temperature and reduced immersion time was found to produce good overall results. A set of modified detection parameters was suggested for the use of the functionalised SiO 2 NPs to detect latent fingermarks. Performance of the modified detection parameters was compared against that of the published detection method. Comparison experiments were carried out on fingermark specimens deposited on aluminium foil, transparent polypropylene plastic and green polyethylene plastic. Three donors (weak, average and strong) and two age intervals (ten days and three months) were considered in the comparison study. Evaluation of the results suggested that the overall performance of the modified method for latent fingermark detection was superior to that obtained using the previously published detection parameters.

Maitre, M, Chadwick, S, Kirkbride, KP, Gassner, AL, Weyermann, C, Beavis, A & Roux, C 2019, 'An investigation on the secondary transfer of organic gunshot residues', Science and Justice, vol. 59, no. 3, pp. 248-255.
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© 2019 The Chartered Society of Forensic Sciences Gunshot residues (GSR) are an important forensic trace in firearm-related events. Currently, routine GSR analyses focus on the detection and characterisation of the inorganic components (IGSR). The increasing prevalence of heavy metal-free ammunition challenges these current protocols and there is an increasing interest in how the organic components of GSR (OGSR) can provide complementary information. Similar to the situation with IGSR, OGSR compounds originally deposited on the shooter during the firing process may further be transferred onto another individual or surface. Hence, the aim of this study was to provide additional information regarding the risk of a secondary transfer of OGSR. Two scenarios were investigated, the first one related to the arrest process and the possibilities of a secondary transfer arising between a shooter onto a non-shooter (e.g. between a police officer and a person of interest (POI)). The second scenario concerned the transfer of OGSR onto the non-shooter after handling a firearm for few minutes without discharging it. One calibre was chosen, the .40 S&W calibre, used by several Australian State police forces. A secondary transfer was observed in all cases for the two scenarios investigated, for three compounds of interest: ethylcentralite (EC), diphenylamine (DPA), N-nitrosodiphenylamine (N-nDPA). The firearm handling scenario resulted in a larger secondary transfer to that of the arrest scenario. Overall, the amounts of OGSR detected on the non-shooter were generally lower than that detected on the shooter and controls after the arrest scenario. The results of this study provide complementary knowledge about OGSR, which can be further used to improve the current practice and the interpretation of OGSR evidence. In particular, it highlights that the secondary transfer proposition must be considered during the interpretation of forensic findings, especially when small amounts of O...

Maynard, PJ, Skinner, K, Bolton, M & Moret, S 2019, 'Potential application of liquid dye penetrants for serial number restoration on firearms', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences.
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McNevin, D 2019, 'Response to: Biedermann & Hicks (2019), Commentary on "Dennis McNevin, Bayesian interpretation of discrete class characteristics, Forensic Science International, 292 (2018) 125-130".', Forensic science international.
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McNevin, D, Wright, K, Chaseling, J & Barash, M 2019, 'Commentary on: Bright et al. (2018) Internal validation of STRmix™ - a multi laboratory response to PCAST, Forensic Science International: Genetics, 34: 11-24.', Forensic science international. Genetics.
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Meng, L, Ren, Y, Zhou, Z, Li, C, Wang, C & Fu, S 2019, 'Monodisperse silica nanoparticle suspension for developing latent blood fingermarks', Forensic Sciences Research, pp. 1-9.
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Moret, S 2019, 'Paper characteristics and their influence on the ability of Single Metal Deposition to detect fingermarks', Forensic Chemistry, vol. 12, pp. 8-24.
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Moret, S, Lee, PLT, de la Hunty, M, Spindler, X, Lennard, C & Roux, C 2019, 'Single metal deposition versus physical developer: A comparison between two advanced fingermark detection techniques', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 294, pp. 103-112.
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Prasad, E, Van der Walt, L, Cole, A, van Oorschot, RAH, Barash, M, Gunn, P & Raymond, J 2019, 'The effects of soaking for DNA recovery on the striation patterns of fired cartridge cases', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences.
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© 2019, © 2019 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. The recovery of trace DNA from fired cartridge cases has recently gained increased interest throughout the literature, with a variety of methods currently being explored. Soaking fired cartridge cases in a lysis buffer holds potential in producing meaningful DNA profiles; however, chemical interactions between the lysis buffer and brass cartridge cases may limit the efficacy of this method. This preliminary study examines the effects of soaking on the microscopic striation detail of brass and nickel 9 mm Parabellum (9 mmP) calibre and.22 Long Rifle (.22LR) calibre fired cartridge cases. Headstamp and coarse striation patterns on 9 mmP fired cartridge cases and finer striation patterns along the outer wall of.22LR fired cartridge cases were microscopically examined prior to and following soaking. Soaking was performed by submerging the fired cartridge cases in 380 µl of ATL buffer (Qiagen, Germany) for 20 minutes. Microscopic analysis of brass and nickel 9 mmP and.22LR fired cartridge cases showed that coarse and fine striation detail remain unaffected following soaking. These results indicate that comparative ballistics examinations may be performed following DNA recovery using the soaking method.

Rhumorbarbe, D, Morelato, M, Staehli, L, Roux, C, Jaquet-Chiffelle, DO, Rossy, Q & Esseiva, P 2019, 'Monitoring new psychoactive substances: Exploring the contribution of an online discussion forum', International Journal of Drug Policy.
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© 2019 Elsevier B.V. Background: The rapid emergence of new psychoactive substances (NPS) is a challenge for public health authorities and law enforcement. The phenomenon is strengthened since the increase of the Internet usage. Not only used to trade NPS, the Web is an important source of information for both potential drug consumers and experienced users. Discussion forums are among these sources of information. They are meeting points for different groups of users and include a wide range of trip reports, questions and consumption tips. Since the discussions are archived over a long period, they can be used to monitor the interest of consumers for particular substances over time. This research aims at understanding the contribution of data extracted from a major online discussion forum within a systematic monitoring process. Method: Data were collected from a discussion forum (i.e. Drugs-forum). Within the sections of the forum, the titles, content of discussion, number of replies, and the date of the first discussion were crawled and stored in a dedicated database. The intensity of the discussions related to 42 substances considered as NPS was measured through an indicator allowing to assess the popularity of substances. Furthermore, the appearance of 15 substances on the forum was compared to the date of formal notification to the EU early warning system. Results: An evolution of the different classes of substances, as well as an evolution of specific substances within a class were highlighted. Some substances were discussed for a long period of time (e.g. Kratom, 25i-NBOMe, MDPV) while others were discussed very briefly (e.g. 5-MeO-DPT, NM-2AI). Out of the fifteen substances subjected to a risk assessment from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (EMCDDA), nine of them appeared on the forum before or at the same time as their first date of notification to the EU early warning system. Conclusion: In line with previous research on dopin...

Scudder, N, Robertson, J, Kelty, SF, Walsh, SJ & McNevin, D 2019, 'A law enforcement intelligence framework for use in predictive DNA phenotyping', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences.
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© 2019, © 2019 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. Analysis of information about physical characteristics, biogeographical ancestry or common genetic ancestors from crime scene DNA is a technique aimed at informing an intelligence process, rather than obtaining evidence for a criminal trial. This intelligence supports tactical or operational decision-making. Like other forms of intelligence there is a risk for it to be misconstrued or for its investigative value to be misunderstood. The potential for intelligence derived from DNA to divert investigative resources or result in unnecessary intrusions into individual privacy can be mitigated by applying an appropriate intelligence doctrine. Establishing an appropriate framework could reduce the need for government regulation of these emerging capabilities in the context of law enforcement use.

Seckiner, D, Mallett, X, Maynard, P, Meuwly, D & Roux, C 2019, 'Forensic gait analysis - Morphometric assessment from surveillance footage', FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL, vol. 296, pp. 57-66.
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Stuart, BH, Maynard-Casely, HE, Booth, N, Leung, AE & Thomas, PS 2019, 'Neutron diffraction of deuterated tripalmitin and the influence of shear on its crystallisation.', Chemistry and physics of lipids, vol. 221, pp. 108-113.
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This neutron diffraction study of deuterated tripalmitin has provided further insight into a forensic observation of the crystallisation of lipids under high-shear conditions. To achieve this, an experimental set up was designed to enable simultaneous rheological data from a Couette cell to be recorded with neutron powder diffraction, enabling the influence of shear on the polymorph transformation on cooling to be monitored in real time. Tripalmitin was observed to directly transform from a liquid phase to a β polymorph under the influence of shear. Although the liquid to β transition was not observed to be influenced by shear rate, the degree of crystallinity, qualitatively denoted by an increase in the sharpness of the diffraction peaks, was observed at higher shear rates. Evidence is also presented that the rate of cooling influences the ordering in the β-polymorph produced in zero shear conditions.

Summerell, AE, Frankham, GJ, Gunn, P & Johnson, RN 2019, 'DNA based method for determining source country of the short beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) in the illegal wildlife trade', Forensic Science International, vol. 295, pp. 46-53.
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© 2018 The Authors The illegal trade in wild animals being sold as ‘captive bred’ is an emerging issue in the pet and zoo industry and has both animal welfare and conservation implications. DNA based methods can be a quick, inexpensive, and definitive way to determine the source of these animals, thereby assisting efforts to combat this trade. The short beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is currently one of the species suspected to be targeted in this trade. As this species is distributed throughout Australia and in New Guinea (currently comprising of five recognised sub-species), this project aimed to develop a DNA based method to definitively determine the source country of an echidna and explore the use of non-invasive sampling techniques. Here we use non-invasively sampled echidna quills and demonstrate the extraction of mitochondrial DNA and amplification of a region of the mitochondrial genome. Phylogenetically informative markers for analysis of a 322 bp segment of the D-loop region were developed, and subsequently validated, using animals with known source locations allowing us to reliably distinguish between echidnas from New Guinea, and Australia. This research presents the first validated forensic protocols for short beaked echidnas and will be an integral tool in understanding the movement of animals in this emerging trade.

Thomas, P, Aldrige, L & Smallwood, A 2019, 'Water in opal – what can it tell us?', InColor Magazine, no. 41, pp. 62-69.
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Opal is a hydrous silica composed of predominantly silicon dioxide and water. The chemical composition of opal is normally described by the general formula SiO2.nH2O. The formula indicates that opal contains water and the value of ‘n’ is variable so the water content is variable and is known to range widely. Such a simple formula hides much of the important characteristics of how water is contained in opal and the variability in the water content and states of water is intricately involved in the formation of opal and may influence properties of the opal as a gemstone. The understanding of the states of water in opal is therefore of importance. The way in which the water is contained provides clues to the mechanisms of formation of opal. The water contained may also be used as a probe to help elucidate the complex microstructure beyond the sphere array structure in which precious opal, in particular, is described. This article will outline the types of water present in opal that displays play-of colour (POC) and how these types have been determined using chemical and physical laboratory characterisation techniques.

Ueland, M, Forbes, SL & Stuart, BH 2019, 'Understanding clothed buried remains: the analysis of decomposition fluids and their influence on clothing in model burial environments', FORENSIC SCIENCE MEDICINE AND PATHOLOGY, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 3-12.
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Wai, KT, Gunn, P & Barash, M 2019, 'Development of the MitoQ assay as a real-time quantification of mitochondrial DNA in degraded samples', International Journal of Legal Medicine, vol. 133, no. 2, pp. 411-417.
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© 2018, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature. Mitochondrial DNA is a reliable genetic material for estimating maternally related haplogroups and ancestries. Exploring maternal DNA inheritance is particularly useful when nuclear DNA is degraded or limited, as the copy number of mitochondrial DNA is far greater than the copy number of nuclear DNA. Normal mitochondrial DNA copy number has been estimated to 100 copies per buccal epithelial cell, 4000 copies in skeletal cells and 7000 copies in myocardial cells. This estimation is usually performed via extrapolation from the nuclear DNA quantitation. It is essential to reduce this variability and accurately quantify the exact number of copies of mitochondrial DNA, especially in compromised samples of a forensic or ancient nature. While useful, the testing of mitochondrial DNA is often long and costly and comes with limited success. The accurate quantification of mitochondrial DNA using specific quantitative PCR assays can be used to make better decisions on the downstream testing and success of amplification. As a result, this study develops a real-time assay for the quantification of mitochondrial DNA copy number and assesses its performance on a set of degraded DNA samples. The developed MitoQ assay has been shown to be highly specific to the human mitochondrial genome with no amplification of nuclear pseudogenes being observed and outperformed a previously published concordant assay. Additionally, a high sensitivity was measured to 280 copies of mitochondrial DNA. Minimal variation was observed between each replication cycle, indicating the assay to be robust and repeatable. Overall, this study presents a real-time assay that is sensitive and robust to quantifying mitochondrial DNA copy number in degraded samples. Furthermore, there is potential to incorporate the assay as an additional target in current qPCR assays which use a six-dye chemistry and provide a complete overview of a sample’s quality...

Walton, A, Moret, S, Barash, M & Gunn, P 2019, 'The frequency of fingerprint patterns separated by ethnicity and sex in a general population from Sydney, Australia', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences, pp. 1-6.
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Watherston, J, Bruce, D, Ward, J, Gahan, ME & McNevin, D 2019, 'Automating direct-to-PCR for disaster victim identification', Australian Journal of Forensic Sciences.
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© 2019, © 2019 Australian Academy of Forensic Sciences. Direct-to-PCR methodology adds samples directly to PCR tubes offering gains in efficiency and sensitivity. The approach has been applied to a variety of biological sources including blood, saliva, tissue, hair and nail. We added various preservative solutions to a range of biological samples to leech DNA into solution, whilst preserving at room temperature. Tubes containing ‘free DNA’ then followed automated workflows for amplification and capillary electrophoresis. Routine FASS-automated workflows (including DNA extraction and quantification) were compared with published direct-to-PCR methodology and automated amplification of an aliquot of preservative solution. Applying preservative solutions to ~30-year-old blood stains stored at room temperature resulted in recovery of a larger quantity of DNA and more alleles (using PowerPlex 21) when compared with routine automated typing. Trials were extended to blood, saliva, hair and nail, mimicking ante-mortem samples collected in a disaster victim identification effort. Despite slightly lower allelic recovery, the faster processing times, lower costs and storage potential offers advantages for the processing of ante-mortem samples.

Xing, J, Adnan, A, Rakha, A, Kasim, K, Noor, A, Xuan, J, Zhang, X, Yao, J, McNevin, D & Wang, B 2019, 'Genetic analysis of 12 X-STRs for forensic purposes in Liaoning Manchu population from China.', Gene, vol. 683, pp. 153-158.
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X-chromosomal short tandem repeats (X-STRs) have been widely used in forensic practice involving complicated cases of kinship and also play an increasingly important role in population genetics. X-STRs have been studied in regional populations of China but there is a lack of data for the Manchu population. In this study, we have investigated the forensic genetic properties of 12 X-STRs in the Investigator Argus X-12 Kit (QIAGEN, Hilden, Germany) in 772 Manchu (male = 514, female = 258) individuals from the Xiuyan and Huanren Manchu autonomous counties of Liaoning province. We observed a total of 166 alleles at 12 X-STR loci with allele frequencies ranging from 0.001295to 0.615285. The most polymorphic locus was DXS10135 with 24 alleles while DXS7423 was the least polymorphic locus with 5 alleles. We found significant linkage disequilibrium (LD) between the following pairs of markers for males: DXS10103/DXS10101, DXS10135/DXS10146, DXS10101/DXS10148, DXS10135/DXS10148, DXS7423/DXS10148 and DXS10079/DXS10148. For females, LD was only observed for DXS10103/DXS10101. The combined power of discrimination was 0.9999999979699 for males and 0.999999999999998 for females. The numbers of observed haplotypes in Manchu males were 310, 172, 182 and 172 in four linkage groups; LG1, LG2, LG3 and LG4, respectively, however, these linkage groups did not form stable haplotypes as indicated by linkage equilibrium (LE) of STRs within the groups and significant LD between the groups. This study represents an extensive report on X-STR marker variation in the Manchu population for forensic applications and population genetic studies.

Zhang, J, Sun, B, Zhao, Y, Tkacheva, A, Liu, Z, Yan, K, Guo, X, McDonagh, AM, Shanmukaraj, D, Wang, C, Rojo, T, Armand, M, Peng, Z & Wang, G 2019, 'A versatile functionalized ionic liquid to boost the solution-mediated performances of lithium-oxygen batteries', NATURE COMMUNICATIONS, vol. 10.
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Zhang, W, Liu, T, Ye, L, Ueland, M, Forbes, SL & Su, SW 2019, 'A novel data pre-processing method for odour detection and identification system', SENSORS AND ACTUATORS A-PHYSICAL, vol. 287, pp. 113-120.
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