The AAFS www.aafs.org was a very interesting conference in which progress has been made to form a digital evidence and multimedia section. After this conference I didn't have much time, due to backlogs. We had to write new and modified project proposa...
I’ve been asked a few times over the past weeks about making multiple copies of disk images. Specifically, if I were to make a copy of a copy of a disk image, would the “quality” degrade? The short answer is no. It boils down to the idea of copying information from a [...]
Abstract Cannabidiol (CBD), a nonpsychoactive cannabinoid, was found to be converted to 9α-hydroxyhexahydrocannabinol (9α-OH-HHC) and 8-hydroxy-iso-hexahydrocannabinol (8-OH-iso-HHC) together with Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), a psychoactive cannabinoid, and cannabinol in artificial gastric juice. These cannabinoids were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) by comparison with the spectral data of the authentic compounds. Pharmacological effects of 9α-OH-HHC and 8-OH-iso-HHC in mice were examined using catalepsy, hypothermia, pentobarbital-induced sleep prolongation, and antinociception against acetic acid-induced writhing as indices. The ED50values (effective dose producing a 50% reduction of control; mg/kg, i.v.) of 9α-OH-HHC and 8-OH-iso-HHC for the cataleptogenic effect were 8.0 and 30.4, respectively. 8-OH-iso-HHC (10 mg/kg, i.v.) produced a significant hypothermia from 15 to 90 min after administration, although 9α-OH-HHC failed to induce such an effect at the same dose. However, both HHCs (10 mg/kg, i.v.) significantly prolonged pentobarbital-induced sleeping time by 1.8 to 8.0 times as compared with the control solution with 1% Tween 80-saline. The ED50values (mg/kg, i.v.) of 9α-OH-HHC and 8-OH-iso-HHC for the antinociceptive effect were 14.1 and 39.4, respectively. The present study demonstrated that CBD can be converted to Δ9-THC and its related cannabinoids, 9α-OH-HHC and 8-OH-iso-HHC, in artificial gastric juice, and that these HHCs show Δ9-THC-like effects in mice, although their pharmacological effects were less potent than those of Δ9-THC.
Content TypeJournal Article
JournalForensic ToxicologyOnline ISSN 1860-8973Print ISSN 1860-8965 (Source: Forensic Toxicology)
Abstract We have previously reported basic data on the specificity of the color reaction of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and related drugs with chromotropic acid (CTA) and sulfuric acid. In this communication, we report an extended line of experiments that optimized reaction conditions, and we describe the application of this method to screening for MDMA or 3,4-methylendioxyamphetamine (MDA) in seized tablets. The optimal concentration of CTA and optimal reaction time at room temperature were 1.0 mM and 30 min, respectively. Final concentrations of MDMA of less than 100 μM should be used to avoid nonspecific color development. The CTA-dependent color reaction was also studied using aqueous extracts from seized tablets containing MDMA or MDA. On the basis of our results, we conclude that the present procedure is useful for screening for MDMA and MDA in seized tablets.
Content TypeJournal Article
JournalForensic ToxicologyOnline ISSN 1860-8973Print ISSN 1860-8965 (Source: Forensic Toxicology)
“The ubiquity of workplace drug testing is nothing new for my generation. Reflecting on my own work history, there were several times in which I was confronted with illicit drug screening and all but two employers required my signature on company drug-free policy agreements. In fact, the owner/proprietor of one of these latter [...]
At the AAFS conference in San Antonio, I had the pleasure to present my ongoing research on the CSI effect at a Breakfast Seminar. The session was well attended and I trust that our preliminary findings did not disappoint anyone. Unfortunately, the jury is still out on the validity of the CSI effect [...]
Abstract??An automated on-line method for simultaneous analysis of five phenothiazine drugs by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/sonic spray ionization mass spectrometry (SSI-MS) has been established, using backflush column switching. A 400-?l portion of serum sample diluted 81-fold with distilled water was subjected to the on-line system. In the system, an Oasis HLB cartridge was used as the precolumn for extraction; large molecules such as proteins in serum were discarded by use of distilled water containing 0.1% formic acid as a mobile phase. After switching a valve, the analytes trapped in the precolumn were eluted in the backflush mode and separated by a Chromolith Performance RP-18e column, which is composed of C18-bonded monolithic silica. The column effluents were then introduced into the SSI-MS. The present method provided successful separation and determination of six phenothiazines including an internal standard. Satisfactory linearities, reproducibility, and sensitivity were obtained at concentration levels that matched the toxic levels of phenothiazines. All drug peaks appeared within 18 min, and the system could be reequilibrated in only about 8 min for the next run. Because of the simplicity and rapidness of the method, it is likely to be useful in the fields of emergency medicine and forensic toxicology.
Content TypeJournal Article
JournalForensic ToxicologyOnline ISSN 1860-8973Print ISSN 1860-8965 (Source: Forensic Toxicology)
When I first went into this field, I was amazed at the number of deaths that occurred in certain categories. For example, I never knew more deaths were attributed to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome than to abuse. On one hand, it appears the media likes to focus more on the abuse cases because [...]
Updating the previous post, the exhibits from the deposition are available at:
Recording Industry vs The People blog.
In UMG v. Lindor, the RIAA’s expert was deposed on February 23rd 2007. A PDF copy of the transcript is available at ilrweb.com.
Source: Recording Industry vs The People blog.
