Forensic DNA Analysis Final

Analysts who examine the peaks that have been called by the genotyping software base their decision on

a. An understanding of biological or instrumental artifacts

b. Lab protocol

c. Analyst experience and training

d. All answers provided

All answers provided

What is necessary in order to size DNA fragment peaks?

a. Allelic ladders

b. Internal size standard

c. Peak detection threshold

d. None of the answers provided

Internal size standard

How are artifactual peaks produced by a CE instrument?

a. Bubbles

b. Voltage spikes

c. Urea crystals

d. All answers provided

All answers provided.

What is the accepted range for allele bins within the genotyping software?

a. +/- 50 bp

b. +/- 0.05

c. +/- 0.5

d. +/- 5

+/- 0.5

Which of the following is a biology-related artifact?

a. Microvariant alleles

b. Spike

c. Pull-up

d. All of the above

Microvariant alleles

Failure of an allele to amplify during PCR due to primer hybridization problems results in:

a. Tri-allelic pattern

b. A null allele

c. A complete locus dropout

d. None of the answers

A null allele

Statistics are calculated in a forensic case when:

a. Suspect excluded

b. Every time a DNA profile is generated

c. Suspect included (when there is an inclusion)

d. When the profile is inconclusive

Suspect included (when there is an inclusion)

Which stat can be used for mixtures?

a. RMP

b. CPE/CPI

c. LR

d. LR and CPE/CPI

LR and CPE/CPI

The relationship between PI and PE is defined as:

a. CPE = 1-CPI

b. CPE = 1-CPI and CPI = 1-CPE

c. CPI = 1-CPE

d. None Listed

CPE = 1-CPI and CPI = 1-CPE

What is LR?

a. The % of the population that can be excluded as potential contributors

b. The frequency an STR profile would be expected to occur

c. A comparison of probabilities under two alternative theories

d. None listed

A comparison of probabilities under two alternative theories

Establishment of an effective DNA database requires time and full cooperation between what agencies?

a. Forensic DNA labs

b. Government policy makers

c. Law Enforcement

d. All answers provided

All answers provided

A DNA database is:

a. A collection of computer files containing entries of DNA profiles

b. A collection of computer files AND DNA samples

c. A collection of blood samples, buccal swabs, and DNA extracts

d. None of the answers listed

A collection of computer files containing entries of DNA profiles

The U.S. Congress authorized the FBI Laboratory to establish and oversee a U.S. national DNA database through the:

a. DNA Analysis Backlog Elimination Act of 2000

b. DNA ID Act of 1994

c. Justice for All Act of 2004

d. DNA Fingerprint Act of 2005

DNA ID Act of 1994

After an NDIS match between crime scene evidence and a convicted offender, the laboratory:

a. Contacts NDIS for sample info

b. Must rerun the offender sample

c. Must verify the qualifying offense of the offender

d. Must verify the offense and rerun the sample

Must verify the offense and rerun the sample

Non-human DNA testing has been accomplished in what areas?

a. Domestic pets

b. Marijuana testing

c. Botanical specimens

d. All of the answers provided

All of the answers provided

MiniSTRs are:

a. Smaller versions of loci that work well with degraded & low-quantity DNA

b. Smaller versions of loci found on the Y-chromosome for genealogical testing

c. Loci are useful for determining phenotypical information

d. An STR kit that produces electropherograms with small peaks (<200 rfu)

Smaller versions of loci that work well with degraded & low-quantity DNA

How many copies of mtDNA are in a cell?

a. Tens

b. Millions

c. Thousands

d. Billions

Thousands

What types of individuals are included in the membership of SWGDAM?

a. Public lab scientists

b. Public and private lab scientists

c. Private lab scientists

d. None of the answers listed

Public lab scientists

Which of the following organizations have been involved with rendering an opinion regarding DNA analysis?

a. TWGDAM

b. DAB

c. NRC

d. All answers provided

All answers provided

How often does a laboratory have to reaccredited through ASCLD?

a. Every year

b. Every 3 years

c. Every other year

d. Every 5 years

Every 5 years

When generating a population database, it is ideal to have as many related individuals as possible (True/False)

False

A likelihood ratio can be calculated for both single source profiles and mixture profiles (True/False)

True

The combined probability of exclusion statistic requires assumptions to be made about the total number of contributors (True/False)

False

A statistic will vary for a given DNA profile depending on what population database was used to calculate the statistic. (True/False)

True

Private laboratories have the ability to upload DNA samples directly to CODIS (True/False)

False

Audits of forensic laboratories are conducted to endure compliance with the Quality Assurance Standards (True/False)

True

The Quality Assurance Standards must also be adhered to by vendor/private laboratories (True/False)

True

Prior to utilizing a new technology, analysts must first complete a competency test (True/False)

True

Y-STR loci are inherently less powerful for human identification than autosomal STR loci. (True/False)

True

_______________ alleles are not exact multiples of the basic repeat motif or sequence variants of the repeat motif or both.

a. Microvariant

b. Stutter

c. Spike

d. Pull-up

Microvariant

____________ is a biological artifact that is a result of the PCR process; result is peaks one repeat smaller than the main peak

a. Microvariant

b. Stutter

c. Spike

d. Pull-up

Stutter

__________ occurs when an excess amount of DNA template results in incomplete adenylation.

a. Microvariant alleles

b. Stutter

c. Non-template addition

d. Pull-up

Non-template addition

A _________ is an inheritable change in DNA sequence

a. Microvariant alleles

b. Stutter

c. Non-template addition

d. Mutation

Mutation

Dependent on instrument sensitivity (~75 RFU) and is impacted by instrument baseline noise

a. Analytical threshold

b. Stochastic threshold

Analytical threshold

Dependent on biological sensitivity (~150-200 RFU) and is important in mixture interpretation

a. Analytical threshold

b. Stochastic threshold

Stochastic threshold

A result of the analysis software failing to discriminate between different dyes used during the generation of data

a. Pull-up

b. Spikes

Pull-up

Results in sharp peaks of the same height in the same base pair size location in all color channels

a. Pull-up

b. Spikes

Spikes

The systematic overall quality plan that outlines how a laboratory will assure confidence in their analyses and results

a. Quality assurance

b. Quality control

Quality assurance

The day-to-day quality activities such as monitoring equipment or checking critical reagents prior to use

a. Quality assurance

b. Quality control

Quality control

The acquisition of test data and determination of conditions and limitations of a new or novel DNA methodology

a. Developmental validation

b. Internal validation

Developmental validation

An accumulation of data within a lab to demonstrate that the methods & procedures perform as expected

a. Developmental validation

b. Internal validation

Internal validation

What is the formula to calculate the genotype frequency at a homozygous locus?

a. p2

b. pq

c. 2pq

d. 2pq-p2

p2

What is the formula to calculate the genotype frequency at a heterozygous locus?

a. p2

b. pq

c. 2pq

d. 2pq-p2

2pq

When doing an RMP, after calculating the genotype frequency at each locus, what step comes next?

a. Add them all together

b. Add them and then divide them by 2

c. Multiply them

d. None of the answers listed

Multiply them

When doing an RMP, after calculating the genotype frequency at each locus and multiplying them together, what is next?

a. Nothing. You are done.

b. Multiply them by 2.

c. 1/product

d. None of the answers listed.

1/product

What are the steps to DNA Analysis?

1. Collection

2. Serology

3. Extraction

4. Quantitation

5. Multiplex PCR

6. Separation & Detection

7. STR genotyping & Data interpretation

8. CODIS