Chapter 10: Serology and Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Fluorescein

the chemical that is used to check for the presence of blood and is prepared much in the same way as luminol except that the commercial preparation contains a thickener.

Satellite droplets

are small amounts of blood that detach from the parent stain and "splash "onto a surface.

Electrophoresis methods

based on the diffusion of antibodies and antigens on an electrically charged gel- coated plate.

Wipe Stain

created when an object moves through a pre-existing bloodstain.

Erythrocytes

________ are produced in the bone marrow and have about a 4-month life span.

Acid phosphatase

A common enzyme in nature that occurs at a very high level in semen.

Luminol

Reacts in the presence of hemoglobin, much like phenolphthalein, when an oxidizer is applied.

Arterial spurts gushes

Can vary due to the pumping action and variable pressure of the blood as it exits the wound, producing a zig- zag, up- and- down pattern.

Spermatozoa

A specialized structure approximately 55μm in length with a head containing DNA and a tail that wiggles, or flagellates, to produce movement.

Motile sperm

________ can survive in the vagina for about 3h, ranging from 1 to 8h; they survive longer in the cervix, up to several days in some cases.

Spatter

A technical term in BPA that describes a stain that results from blood hitting a target.

Directionality

________- demonstrates the vector of a droplet when it hits the target; the tail points in the direction of travel.

Neutrophils

Are part of the first line of defense and offer up a complicated response to invaders: the immune response.

Semen

A complex gelatinous mixture of cells, amino acids, sugars, salts, ions, and other materials produced by postpubescent males and is ejaculated following sexual stimulation.

Voids

An indicator that some secondary object came between a blood spatter and the final target; this leaves an outline or "shadow "on the final target.

heme group

The ________- contain iron and have the ability to bind with oxygen; this association is reversible, allowing for respiration.

Lymphocytes

________ produce antibodies - which are protein molecules that can bind to foreign molecules.

edges

As a stain dries, the ________ and borders dry first due to surface effects.

Karl Landsteiner

ABO blood group- discovered in 1900 by ________.

Platelets

________ are involved in the clotting process.

Document

________ patterns with "establishing "photographs that show the patterns relationship to landmarks or other items of evidence.

Blood group

A class of antigens produced by allelic genes at one or more loci and inherited independently of other genes.

Christmas tree stain

Turns the tip of the sperms head pink, the bottom of the head dark red, the middle portion blue, and the tail yellowish- green; skin cells stain green to blue- green and are easily distinguished.

Hemoglobin

The respiratory pigment of many animals, is a conjugated protein consisting of four polypeptides, each of which contains a heme group.

idea of presumptive tests

The ________ is that some false positive results are acceptable as long as no false negative results are obtained.

Urine

The excreted fluid and waste products filtered by the kidneys, can be presumptively tested for through the presence of urea or creatine.

Plasma

________ consists of about 90 % water and 10 % of a long list of other substances (7 % protein, 3 % urea, amino acids, carbohydrates, organic acids, fats, steroid hormones, and other inorganic ions)

Fly spots

Stains resulting from fly activity- and may mimic other relevant BPA patterns.

Proteome

The set of proteins coded in the genetic makeup of an individual, the genome.

Direction Angle

The angle between the long axis of the stain and a standard reference point, usually 0° vertical.

point of origin

Determining the ________ of one or more bloodstains is central to the reconstruction of a blood- related event.

Back Spatter

Caused by droplets being projected toward the item.

Lymphocytes

Produced in the bone marrow and the thymus gland, to engender the immune response.

Platelets

Are only fragments of cells and contain no nuclei; they number around 15- 300, 000 per milliliter of blood.

Proteomics

The study of proteome; covers all the proteins in any given cell, their various forms and modifications, interactions, structure, the higher order complexes they form, and pretty much everything that happens "post- genome ..

Erythrocytes

Are legion in the blood- roughly 5 million per milliliter of blood.

Forward spatter

Results when blood droplets are projected away from the item creating the impact, such as a hammer.

Confirmatory Test

which tests positive for the substance in question and only that substance

Hemoglobin

the respiratory pigment of many animals, is a conjugated protein consisting of four polypeptides, each of which contains a heme group

Leukocytes

Are active in the immune system, about 10-15,000 per milliliter of blood

ABO blood group

discovered in 1900 by Karl Landsteiner

Luminol

reacts in the presence of hemoglobin, much like phenolphthalein, when an oxidizer is applied

Fluorescein

the chemical that is used to check for the presence of blood and is prepared much in the same way as luminol except that the commercial preparation contains a thickener

Takayama Test

also known as the hemochromogen test; is performed by taking a small sample of the presumptive stain and placing it under a coverslip

Ouchterlony test

a common diffusion reaction test; is based on an antibody-antigen reaction between human blood and human antiserum

Human antiserum

typically produced by injecting rabbits with human blood

Electrophoresis methods

based on the diffusion of antibodies and antigens on an electrically charged gel-coated plate

Semen

a complex gelatinous mixture of cells, amino acids, sugars, salts, ions, and other materials produced by postpubescent males and is ejaculated following sexual stimulation

Spermatozoa

a specialized structure approximately 55μm in length with a head containing DNA and a tail that wiggles, or flagellates, to produce movement

Acid phosphatase

a common enzyme in nature that occurs at a very high level in semen

Brentamine Fast Blue B

most common semen test;  applied to the sample on an alpha-naphthyl phosphate substrate

Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

used to detect p30 at levels as low as 0.005 ng/mL

Radial diffusion test

an old test used to be employed to confirm the presence of saliva, but now the sample is considered presumptively positive for saliva and simply sent on for DNA analysis

Urine

the excreted fluid and waste products filtered by the kidneys, can be presumptively tested for through the presence of urea or creatine

Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA)

the analysis and interpretation of the dispersion, shape characteristics, volume, pattern, number, and relationship of bloodstains at a crime scene to reconstruct a process of events

Cast-off stains

the result of blood being flung or projected from a bloody object in motion or one that stops suddenly

Arterial spurts/gushes

can vary due to the pumping action and variable pressure of the blood as it exits the wound, producing a zig-zag, up-and-down pattern

Direction Angle

the angle between the long axis of the stain and a standard reference point, usually 0° vertical

Satellite droplets

are small amounts of blood that detach from the parent stain and "splash" onto a surface