Miscellaneous Flashcards
What is the primary cause of death?
Conditions which explain the cessation of life, beginning with the most recent and moving backwards
What is the secondary cause of death?
Conditions not related to the cause of death but contribute substantially
What is determined in the study of molecular genetics?
The identification of DNA (genes), diagnosing certain diseases, prediction of prognosis and treatments
What is the cause of death?
Disease or injury that led to the death. May be underlying, intermediate and immediate
What is the mechanism of death?
Physiological, metabolic or anatomic alterations produced in the underlying cause of death that results in the fatal episode
What is the manner of death
Means or circumstance by which a death occurred. Natural, accidental, suicide, homicide or undetermined
What are satellite blood drops?
Smaller blood droplets that splash away when a larger drop hits a surface
What is indandione as a fingerprint detection method?
Reacts with amino acids to produce a fluorescent product
What is sudan black as a fingerprint detection method?
Reacts with fats and lipids from fingerprints
What are the four stages of droplet to bloodstain formation?
Contact and collapse, displacement, dispersion and retraction (equilibrium wetting)
What is surfactant drowning (dry drowning)?
Inhalation of water during near drowning causes surfactant in the lungs to be removed. The lungs sac stick together and gas exchange is inhibited. Results in fluid build up in lungs and pulmonary edema
What are the differences between a forensic and an independent photographer?
Forensic photographer produces evidence to be used in court. Independent photographer provides service to lawyers, insurance agencies and police
What factors affect the onset of postmortem changes?
Temperature, humidity, body weight, infection, drugs, wounds, clothing, artificial cooling
What can mtDNA be used to determine?
Maternal relatives
What can be determined about nDNA between individuals?
The sequences can be compared to determine if one set of DNA is derived from another, indicating paternal relationship
What region of the DNA does DNA profiling target?
The intron regions (non-coding DNA). Also the short tandem repeats, specifically the number of repeats at each region under analysis
What are the four types of trauma?
Mechanical, chemical, thermal and electrical
What are the two types of mechanical trauma and what is the result of each?
Sharp force which cuts or pierces tissue with a sharp object, incised wound. Blunt force which is a dull object producing lacerations or tears in tissues
What are the two types of thermal trauma?
Hypothermia, extreme cold. Hyperthermia, extreme heat
What does the NAFIS encode?
Ten print images by creating an algorithm analysing minutiae from fingerprints
What level of damage must be done to cause permanent alteration to ridge formation?
The dermis must be penetrated
What is blood composed of?
White blood cells, red blood cells and platelets
What does the ABACard Heme-Trace test detect?
The presence of human haemoglobin to screen for the presence of blood
What are the 2D and 3D considerations of analysing clothing in blood analysis?
2D - position of victim, proximity of victim and suspect. 3D considerations involve the body being a curved surface and movement of the body
