Disaster victim identification traditionally relies on the combined efforts of police, dentists and pathologists, comparing ante motem(AM) information from the missing persons with posts mortem(PM) data from the dead bodies. Victim identification by DNA typing was then followed by comparisons of traditional AM and PM data. DNA typing is a useful tool for determining the identity of human remains. However, the DNA, extracted from the human remains - all tissue including blood, semen, hair follicles, bone and soft tissue - is often partially or severely degraded. Samples containing limited amounts of degraded DNA are more suitable for analysis by DNA-amplification methods. DNA-amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was first described 10 years ago, PCR has significantly extended the possibilities of DNA typing of human remains. But DNA analysis, which is far more expensive and time-consuming than conventional means of identifying human remains, is not likely to become the primary tool for identifications in aviation disasters.
Ants ; Aviation ; Dentists ; Disaster Victims* ; Disasters* ; DNA Fingerprinting* ; DNA* ; Hair Follicle ; Humans ; Police ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Semen

Dogs have long shared close relationships with many humans. Due to the large number of dogs in human populations, they are often involved in crimes. Occasionally, canine biological evidence such as saliva, bloodstains and hairs can be found at crime scenes. Accordingly, canine DNA can be used as forensic evidence. The use of short tandem repeat (STR) loci from biological evidence is valuable for forensic investigations. In Korea, canine STR profiling-related crimes are being successfully analyzed, leading to diverse crimes such as animal cruelty, dog-attacks, murder, robbery, and missing and abandoned dogs being solved. However, the probability of random DNA profile matches cannot be analyzed because of a lack of canine STR data. Therefore, in this study, 10 STR loci were analyzed in 600 dogs in Korea (344 dogs belonging to 30 different purebreds and 256 crossbred dogs) to estimate canine forensic genetic parameters. Among purebred dogs, a separate statistical analysis was conducted for five major subgroups, 97 Maltese, 47 Poodles, 31 Shih Tzus, 32 Yorkshire Terriers, and 25 Pomeranians. Allele frequencies, expected (Hexp) and observed heterozygosity (Hobs), fixation index (F), probability of identity (P(ID)), probability of sibling identity (P(ID)(sib)) and probability of exclusion (PE) were then calculated. The Hexp values ranged from 0.901 (PEZ12) to 0.634 (FHC2079), while the P(ID)(sib) values were between 0.481 (FHC2079) and 0.304 (PEZ12) and the P(ID)(sib) was about 3.35 × 10⁻⁵ for the combination of all 10 loci. The results presented herein will strengthen the value of canine DNA to solving dog-related crimes.
Animal Welfare ; Animals ; Crime ; DNA ; Dogs* ; Forensic Genetics ; Gene Frequency ; Hair ; Homicide ; Humans ; Korea* ; Microsatellite Repeats* ; Saliva ; Siblings

No abstract available.
Antibodies, Monoclonal* ; Borrelia burgdorferi* ; Borrelia* ; Lyme Disease*

The Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (STR) systems including DYS391, DYS389I/II, DYS439, DYS438, DYS437, DYS19, DYS392, DYS393, DYS390 and DYS385 (PowerPlex Y System, Promega) were investigated in 569 Korean males (the Central region). A total of 473 haplotypes were observed in the 569 individuals studied, of which 426 (90.06%) were unique. The overall haplotype diversity for the 12 Y-STR loci was 0.9985, and the discrimination capacity was 0.8313. The gene diversity varied from 0.2586 at DYS391 to 0.9558 at DYS385. We scrutinized for the presence of non-standard (intermediate and duplicated) alleles among Y chromosome STR haplotypes. Three mutations were identified in three short tandem repeat (STR) loci DYS439, DYS19 and DYS385. In DYS439, we found a new mutant allele that added an A at upstream of the first GATA motif of the repeat region. The allele was designated 11.1 according to the sequence structure. We also detected a duplicate allele in DYS19 and a triplicate allele at DYS385 locus.
Alleles ; Asian Continental Ancestry Group ; Discrimination (Psychology) ; Haplotypes* ; Humans ; Male ; Microsatellite Repeats ; Y Chromosome

BACKGROUND: This study is to suggest the optimal method as a treatment for the patent ductus arteriosus in the premature infants. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Between April 1994 and April 1997, 45 premature infants with evidence of a hemodynamically significant patent ductus arteriosus associated with cardiopulmonary compromise underwent indomethacin therapy, surgical treatment, or both. Thirty-nine infants received indomethacin and twelve infants among them were surgically ligated because of indomethacin failure(5) or complications(7). Six infants, who weighed less than 1,500 gm at birth, were referred for primary surgical ligation because of contraindication to indomethacin therapy. RESULT: The failure rate of indomethacin therapy was 43%(17/39) and the complications(13/39, 33%) to the indomethacin were associated with a high morbidity and mortality. Among the infants who underwent ligation, there were no failures and complications related to the operation. This data suggests that in the premature neonate with a hemodynamically significant PDA, (1) indomethacin therapy is associated with a high failure rate and significant complications, (2) surgical duct closure is associated with minimal morbidity. CONCLUSION: Although the results of this study cannot suggest the optimal management for PDA in premature infants, primary surgical ligation may be considered. However, long-term studies will be needed to confirm this later.
Ductus Arteriosus, Patent* ; Humans ; Indomethacin ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Premature* ; Ligation ; Mortality ; Parturition

Specimens from sexual crimes are generally mixed stains consisted of sperm cells(from suspect) and virginal cells(from victim). We have combined two new methods - Differex(TM) system and FTA(R) technology- to overcome shortcomings of method that has been used before to separate sperm DNA from mixed stains. This methods have shown additional benefits and similar quality than using the only Differex(TM) system to the experiment. The result of our experiment represents the possibility that Differex(TM) system and FTA(R) technology would be useful methods for DNA analysis related to sexual crimes because this system can save time, labor and contamination for experiments.
Coloring Agents* ; Crime ; DNA* ; Spermatozoa*

A lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma is a tumor with morphological features identical to an undifferentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma that occurs outside the nasopharynx. This kind of tumor has been found in the salivary gland, stomach, lung, thymus, bladder, prostate, vagina and skin, but is particularly rare in the urinary tract. We report a case of a lymphoepithelioma-like carcinoma, which are usually found simultaneously in the kidneys and ureter. This is the first case of multiorgan involvement of this tumor.
Kidney* ; Lung ; Nasopharynx ; Prostate ; Salivary Glands ; Skin ; Stomach ; Thymus Gland ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder ; Urinary Tract ; Vagina

This paper described a collaborative exercise intended to see what kinds of short tandem repeat (STR) loci are used in different DNA typing laboratories in Korea and to compare their results for the demonstration whether uniformity of DNA profiling results from different laboratory could be achieved in Korea. Laboratories were asked to test five tissue DNAs using methods routinely used in each laboratory and to report the results to the coordinating laboratory. The exercise demonstrated that each laboratory was using different STR loci for the typing with different STR numbers, 2 VNTRs, 36 STRs and amelogenin in total, and the direct comparison of the results from all the laboratory for the 18 loci could not be done as only one laboratory submitted typing results. Among 21 loci for which several laboratories submitted typing results, results for 14 loci were the same and results for the other 7 loci were different depending on the participating laboratory. D1S80, F13A01, D16S539, D21S11, D18S51, D3S1744 were the loci with different typing results. Even in the cases where commercial kits were used, the results were not the same depending on the machines used, that is the capillary electrophoresis or the gel based electrophoresis. The reason for the different results, points about the standardization of the methods and the profiling data were described.
Amelogenin ; DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Electrophoresis ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Korea ; Microsatellite Repeats

This paper described a collaborative exercise intended to see what kinds of short tandem repeat (STR) loci are used in different DNA typing laboratories in Korea and to compare their results for the demonstration whether uniformity of DNA profiling results from different laboratory could be achieved in Korea. Laboratories were asked to test five tissue DNAs using methods routinely used in each laboratory and to report the results to the coordinating laboratory. The exercise demonstrated that each laboratory was using different STR loci for the typing with different STR numbers, 2 VNTRs, 36 STRs and amelogenin in total, and the direct comparison of the results from all the laboratory for the 18 loci could not be done as only one laboratory submitted typing results. Among 21 loci for which several laboratories submitted typing results, results for 14 loci were the same and results for the other 7 loci were different depending on the participating laboratory. D1S80, F13A01, D16S539, D21S11, D18S51, D3S1744 were the loci with different typing results. Even in the cases where commercial kits were used, the results were not the same depending on the machines used, that is the capillary electrophoresis or the gel based electrophoresis. The reason for the different results, points about the standardization of the methods and the profiling data were described.
Amelogenin ; DNA ; DNA Fingerprinting ; Electrophoresis ; Electrophoresis, Capillary ; Korea ; Microsatellite Repeats

Since localized amyloid deposits of the ureter were first described by Lehmann in 1937, approximately 90 cases have been reported. Isolated primary amyloidosis of the ureter is a rare disease, and its diagnosis cannot be made by radiologic findings. Because of radiographic similarity to transitional cell carcinoma, these lesions are often clinically mistaken for malignancies, and nephroureterectomy is usually performed. Here, we report a case of localized ureteral amyloidosis with osseous metaplasia, which was managed successfully by renal sparing segmental resection with the bladder Boari flap.
Amyloidosis* ; Carcinoma, Transitional Cell ; Diagnosis ; Metaplasia* ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Rare Diseases ; Ureter* ; Urinary Bladder