In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double ... more In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape‐lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock® swabs, BVDA Gellifters®, and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alternative swabs and adhesive lifters can be effective for nondestructive DNA collection from various substrates.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ... Annual Meeting, Sep 1, 2022
Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should b... more Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should be designed to support public safety operations. Virtual environments can be used to simulate the tasks, demands, and conditions of emergency response events while providing a controlled and safe environment for testing and developing new user interface capabilities. This paper presents an evaluation of a prototype AR-based heads-up display (HUD) that was integrated in a desktop-based virtual environment that simulated an emergency response scenario. Members of the first responder community (N = 90) completed a series of emergency response tasks and responded to a series of usability and user experience questions and workload ratings. The study used a 2 (Condition: HUD vs. No HUD) x 2 (Task Load: Radio monitoring task vs. No radio monitoring task) mixed experimental design. Participants provided very positive feedback on the utility of the prototype HUD for supporting task performance. Results and future research plans are discussed.
Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling c... more Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling can be performed on the same area of an evidence item and, if only one is possible, which examination offers the best chance for identification. Latent fingerprints can be enhanced by targeting different components of fingerprint residues with sequential chemical treatments. This study investigated the effects of single‐reagent and sequential latent fingerprint development processes on downstream DNA analysis to determine the point at which latent fingerprint development should be stopped to allow for DNA recovery. Latent fingerprints deposited on copy paper by one donor were developed using three sequential processes: 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO) → ninhydrin → physical developer (PD); 1,2‐indanedione‐zinc (IND‐Zn) → ninhydrin → PD; and IND‐Zn → ninhydrin → Oil Red O (ORO) → PD. Samples were examined after the addition of each chemical treatment. DNA was collected with cotton swabs, extracted, quantified, and amplified. DNA yields, peak heights, number of alleles obtained, and percentage of DNA profiles eligible for CODIS upload were examined. DNA profiles were obtained with varying degrees of success, depending on the number and type of treatments used for latent fingerprint development. The treatments that were found to be the least harmful to downstream DNA analysis were IND‐Zn and IND‐Zn/laser, and the most detrimental treatments were DFO, DFO/laser, and PD. In general, as the number of treatments increase, the opportunities for DNA loss or damage also increase, and it is preferable to use fewer treatments when developing latent fingerprints prior to downstream DNA processing.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should b... more Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should be designed to support public safety operations. Virtual environments can be used to simulate the tasks, demands, and conditions of emergency response events while providing a controlled and safe environment for testing and developing new user interface capabilities. This paper presents an evaluation of a prototype AR-based heads-up display (HUD) that was integrated in a desktop-based virtual environment that simulated an emergency response scenario. Members of the first responder community (N = 90) completed a series of emergency response tasks and responded to a series of usability and user experience questions and workload ratings. The study used a 2 (Condition: HUD vs. No HUD) x 2 (Task Load: Radio monitoring task vs. No radio monitoring task) mixed experimental design. Participants provided very positive feedback on the utility of the prototype HUD for supporting task performance. Re...
Each year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHR) cases are reported in the U.S. Technolog... more Each year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHR) cases are reported in the U.S. Technological advances have greatly enhanced the forensic community's capacity and capability to solve UHR cases, but little is known about the extent to which these resources are used by medical examiners and coroners (MECs). Using public datasets, the study purpose is to describe the current state MEC system with respect to UHR cases, the resources used to investigate these cases, and the evidence retention polices in place. There was an overall decline in UHR cases reported between 2004 and 2018. Less than half of MECs in both study years reported having established written final disposition and evidence retention policies for UHR cases. National missing persons databases were underused. This study provides an important window into the present state of UHRs being handled by our Nation's MEC offices and the resources available to solve these difficult cases.
51 THE SCREENING OF BUCCAL COLLECTOR SAMPLES WITH NINHYDRIN SOLUTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED CELL COL... more 51 THE SCREENING OF BUCCAL COLLECTOR SAMPLES WITH NINHYDRIN SOLUTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED CELL COLLECTION AND STR SUCCESS RATES Robert Driscoll M.F.S, Dane Plaza B.S, Donia Slack M.S., and Robert Bever Ph.D. Bode Technology, 10430 Furnace Road, Suite 107, Lorton, VA 22079, USA Based on the use of ninhydrin solution, we present a method to rapidly screen and locate the highest concentration of buccal cells on the Bode buccal collector. The occasional failure of buccal collector samples to amplify and generate complete STR profiles is a commonly encountered problem for forensic DNA databanking laboratories. One reason for buccal collector samples to fail is due to incorrect collection from the inner cheek, which results in a non-uniform cell collection and lack of DNA sample. Another reason for the buccal collector sample to fail is the punching of buccal collectors from areas that do not contain any or very few buccal cells because areas of high concentration of cells cannot be seen. ...
Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling c... more Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling can be performed on the same area of an evidence item and, if only one is possible, which examination offers the best chance for identification. Latent fingerprints can be enhanced by targeting different components of fingerprint residues with sequential chemical treatments. This study investigated the effects of single‐reagent and sequential latent fingerprint development processes on downstream DNA analysis to determine the point at which latent fingerprint development should be stopped to allow for DNA recovery. Latent fingerprints deposited on copy paper by one donor were developed using three sequential processes: 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO) → ninhydrin → physical developer (PD); 1,2‐indanedione‐zinc (IND‐Zn) → ninhydrin → PD; and IND‐Zn → ninhydrin → Oil Red O (ORO) → PD. Samples were examined after the addition of each chemical treatment. DNA was collected with cotton swabs, extracted, quantified, and amplified. DNA yields, peak heights, number of alleles obtained, and percentage of DNA profiles eligible for CODIS upload were examined. DNA profiles were obtained with varying degrees of success, depending on the number and type of treatments used for latent fingerprint development. The treatments that were found to be the least harmful to downstream DNA analysis were IND‐Zn and IND‐Zn/laser, and the most detrimental treatments were DFO, DFO/laser, and PD. In general, as the number of treatments increase, the opportunities for DNA loss or damage also increase, and it is preferable to use fewer treatments when developing latent fingerprints prior to downstream DNA processing.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 2020
Because advances in broadband capabilities will soon allow first responders to access and use man... more Because advances in broadband capabilities will soon allow first responders to access and use many forms of data when responding to emergencies, it is becoming critically important to design heads-up displays to present first responders with information in a manner that does not induce extraneous mental workload or cause undue interaction errors. Virtual reality offers a unique medium for envisioning and testing user interface concepts in a realistic and controlled environment. In this paper, we describe a virtual reality-based emergency response scenario that was designed to support user experience research for evaluating the efficacy of intelligent user interfaces for firefighters. We describe the results of a usability test that captured firefighters’ feedback and reactions to the VR scenario and the prototype intelligent user interface that presented them with task critical information through the VR headset. The paper concludes with lessons learned from our development process ...
In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double ... more In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape‐lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock® swabs, BVDA Gellifters®, and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alt...
To conceal criminal activity of a bioterrorist or agroterrorist, the site of pathogen generation ... more To conceal criminal activity of a bioterrorist or agroterrorist, the site of pathogen generation is often treated with sterilants to kill the organisms and remove evidence. As dead organisms cannot be analyzed by culture, this study examined whether DNA from sterilant-treated Bacillus cereus spores was viable for amplification. The spores were exposed to five common sterilants: bleach, Sterilox®, oxidizer foam (L-Gel), a peroxyacid (Actril®), and formaldehyde vapor. The spores were inoculated on typical surfaces found in offices and laboratories to test for environmental effects. It was found that the surface influenced the efficiency of recovery of the organisms. The DNA isolated from the recovered spores was successfully detected using RT-qPCR for all treatments except for formaldehyde, by amplifying the phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C and sphingomyelinase genes. The results demonstrated that evidence from sites treated with sterilants can still provide information on the unc...
In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double ... more In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape‐lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock® swabs, BVDA Gellifters®, and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alternative swabs and adhesive lifters can be effective for nondestructive DNA collection from various substrates.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ... Annual Meeting, Sep 1, 2022
Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should b... more Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should be designed to support public safety operations. Virtual environments can be used to simulate the tasks, demands, and conditions of emergency response events while providing a controlled and safe environment for testing and developing new user interface capabilities. This paper presents an evaluation of a prototype AR-based heads-up display (HUD) that was integrated in a desktop-based virtual environment that simulated an emergency response scenario. Members of the first responder community (N = 90) completed a series of emergency response tasks and responded to a series of usability and user experience questions and workload ratings. The study used a 2 (Condition: HUD vs. No HUD) x 2 (Task Load: Radio monitoring task vs. No radio monitoring task) mixed experimental design. Participants provided very positive feedback on the utility of the prototype HUD for supporting task performance. Results and future research plans are discussed.
Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling c... more Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling can be performed on the same area of an evidence item and, if only one is possible, which examination offers the best chance for identification. Latent fingerprints can be enhanced by targeting different components of fingerprint residues with sequential chemical treatments. This study investigated the effects of single‐reagent and sequential latent fingerprint development processes on downstream DNA analysis to determine the point at which latent fingerprint development should be stopped to allow for DNA recovery. Latent fingerprints deposited on copy paper by one donor were developed using three sequential processes: 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO) → ninhydrin → physical developer (PD); 1,2‐indanedione‐zinc (IND‐Zn) → ninhydrin → PD; and IND‐Zn → ninhydrin → Oil Red O (ORO) → PD. Samples were examined after the addition of each chemical treatment. DNA was collected with cotton swabs, extracted, quantified, and amplified. DNA yields, peak heights, number of alleles obtained, and percentage of DNA profiles eligible for CODIS upload were examined. DNA profiles were obtained with varying degrees of success, depending on the number and type of treatments used for latent fingerprint development. The treatments that were found to be the least harmful to downstream DNA analysis were IND‐Zn and IND‐Zn/laser, and the most detrimental treatments were DFO, DFO/laser, and PD. In general, as the number of treatments increase, the opportunities for DNA loss or damage also increase, and it is preferable to use fewer treatments when developing latent fingerprints prior to downstream DNA processing.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting
Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should b... more Virtual environments provide a rich and immersive platform to investigate how interfaces should be designed to support public safety operations. Virtual environments can be used to simulate the tasks, demands, and conditions of emergency response events while providing a controlled and safe environment for testing and developing new user interface capabilities. This paper presents an evaluation of a prototype AR-based heads-up display (HUD) that was integrated in a desktop-based virtual environment that simulated an emergency response scenario. Members of the first responder community (N = 90) completed a series of emergency response tasks and responded to a series of usability and user experience questions and workload ratings. The study used a 2 (Condition: HUD vs. No HUD) x 2 (Task Load: Radio monitoring task vs. No radio monitoring task) mixed experimental design. Participants provided very positive feedback on the utility of the prototype HUD for supporting task performance. Re...
Each year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHR) cases are reported in the U.S. Technolog... more Each year, thousands of unidentified human remains (UHR) cases are reported in the U.S. Technological advances have greatly enhanced the forensic community's capacity and capability to solve UHR cases, but little is known about the extent to which these resources are used by medical examiners and coroners (MECs). Using public datasets, the study purpose is to describe the current state MEC system with respect to UHR cases, the resources used to investigate these cases, and the evidence retention polices in place. There was an overall decline in UHR cases reported between 2004 and 2018. Less than half of MECs in both study years reported having established written final disposition and evidence retention policies for UHR cases. National missing persons databases were underused. This study provides an important window into the present state of UHRs being handled by our Nation's MEC offices and the resources available to solve these difficult cases.
51 THE SCREENING OF BUCCAL COLLECTOR SAMPLES WITH NINHYDRIN SOLUTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED CELL COL... more 51 THE SCREENING OF BUCCAL COLLECTOR SAMPLES WITH NINHYDRIN SOLUTION RESULTS IN IMPROVED CELL COLLECTION AND STR SUCCESS RATES Robert Driscoll M.F.S, Dane Plaza B.S, Donia Slack M.S., and Robert Bever Ph.D. Bode Technology, 10430 Furnace Road, Suite 107, Lorton, VA 22079, USA Based on the use of ninhydrin solution, we present a method to rapidly screen and locate the highest concentration of buccal cells on the Bode buccal collector. The occasional failure of buccal collector samples to amplify and generate complete STR profiles is a commonly encountered problem for forensic DNA databanking laboratories. One reason for buccal collector samples to fail is due to incorrect collection from the inner cheek, which results in a non-uniform cell collection and lack of DNA sample. Another reason for the buccal collector sample to fail is the punching of buccal collectors from areas that do not contain any or very few buccal cells because areas of high concentration of cells cannot be seen. ...
Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling c... more Forensic examiners must determine whether both latent fingerprint development and DNA profiling can be performed on the same area of an evidence item and, if only one is possible, which examination offers the best chance for identification. Latent fingerprints can be enhanced by targeting different components of fingerprint residues with sequential chemical treatments. This study investigated the effects of single‐reagent and sequential latent fingerprint development processes on downstream DNA analysis to determine the point at which latent fingerprint development should be stopped to allow for DNA recovery. Latent fingerprints deposited on copy paper by one donor were developed using three sequential processes: 1,8‐diazafluoren‐9‐one (DFO) → ninhydrin → physical developer (PD); 1,2‐indanedione‐zinc (IND‐Zn) → ninhydrin → PD; and IND‐Zn → ninhydrin → Oil Red O (ORO) → PD. Samples were examined after the addition of each chemical treatment. DNA was collected with cotton swabs, extracted, quantified, and amplified. DNA yields, peak heights, number of alleles obtained, and percentage of DNA profiles eligible for CODIS upload were examined. DNA profiles were obtained with varying degrees of success, depending on the number and type of treatments used for latent fingerprint development. The treatments that were found to be the least harmful to downstream DNA analysis were IND‐Zn and IND‐Zn/laser, and the most detrimental treatments were DFO, DFO/laser, and PD. In general, as the number of treatments increase, the opportunities for DNA loss or damage also increase, and it is preferable to use fewer treatments when developing latent fingerprints prior to downstream DNA processing.
Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting, 2020
Because advances in broadband capabilities will soon allow first responders to access and use man... more Because advances in broadband capabilities will soon allow first responders to access and use many forms of data when responding to emergencies, it is becoming critically important to design heads-up displays to present first responders with information in a manner that does not induce extraneous mental workload or cause undue interaction errors. Virtual reality offers a unique medium for envisioning and testing user interface concepts in a realistic and controlled environment. In this paper, we describe a virtual reality-based emergency response scenario that was designed to support user experience research for evaluating the efficacy of intelligent user interfaces for firefighters. We describe the results of a usability test that captured firefighters’ feedback and reactions to the VR scenario and the prototype intelligent user interface that presented them with task critical information through the VR headset. The paper concludes with lessons learned from our development process ...
In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double ... more In forensic science, biological material is typically collected from evidence via wet/dry double swabbing with cotton swabs, which is effective but can visibly damage an item's surface. When an item's appearance must be maintained, dry swabbing and tape‐lifting may be employed as collection techniques that are visually nondestructive to substrates' surfaces. This study examined the efficacy of alternative swab matrices and adhesive lifters when collecting blood and fingerprints from glass, painted drywall, 100% cotton, and copy paper. Data were evaluated by determining the percent profile and quality score for each STR profile generated. Hydraflock® swabs, BVDA Gellifters®, and Scenesafe FAST™ tape performed as well as or better than cotton swabs when collecting fingerprints from painted drywall and 100% cotton. Collection success was also dependent on the type of biological material sampled and the substrate on which it was deposited. These results demonstrated that alt...
To conceal criminal activity of a bioterrorist or agroterrorist, the site of pathogen generation ... more To conceal criminal activity of a bioterrorist or agroterrorist, the site of pathogen generation is often treated with sterilants to kill the organisms and remove evidence. As dead organisms cannot be analyzed by culture, this study examined whether DNA from sterilant-treated Bacillus cereus spores was viable for amplification. The spores were exposed to five common sterilants: bleach, Sterilox®, oxidizer foam (L-Gel), a peroxyacid (Actril®), and formaldehyde vapor. The spores were inoculated on typical surfaces found in offices and laboratories to test for environmental effects. It was found that the surface influenced the efficiency of recovery of the organisms. The DNA isolated from the recovered spores was successfully detected using RT-qPCR for all treatments except for formaldehyde, by amplifying the phosphatidylinositol phospholipase C and sphingomyelinase genes. The results demonstrated that evidence from sites treated with sterilants can still provide information on the unc...
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