Accurate measurement of telomeric 3'-overhang (G-tail) lengths is essential for investigation of the biological effects of telomere dysfunction. G-tail telomere hybridization protection assay (Gt-telomere HPA) has the advantages of being simple to perform, accurate and highly sensitive for G tails as short as 20 nucleotides. Furthermore, Gt-telomere HPA is specific and quantitative for human G tails, and can be used to assay cell lysates as well as genomic DNA.

Forensic laboratories are often faced with cases in which methamphetamine hydrochloride-mixed blood is unable to be identified as human blood by immunochromatography against human hemoglobin A0. The application of mRNA expression analysis to samples that showed a false-negative with immunochromatography was investigated as an alternative approach that did not depend on the antigen-antibody reaction. Real-time PCR was used to examine the expression levels of blood markers such as glycophorin A, spectrin beta, and hemoglobin beta. Hemoglobin beta was the only marker that was specifically detected in blood, while glycophorin A was useful for determining human specificity. Hemoglobin beta showed good detection sensitivity and was detectable in 37-year-old blood stains. Hemoglobin beta was exclusively detectable in methamphetamine hydrochloride-mixed blood stains. Detergents and disinfectants did not significantly influence mRNA markers. The proposed mRNA expression analysis was suitable for human blood identification as an alternative method to immunochromatography.

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The skeletal remains of five individuals with an unusual postmortem course were discovered in a house. According to the explanation of the putative bereaved family, the postmortem interval of the five remains was between five and 20 years. They also explained to the police that they and the dead family members believed that the dead can be resurrected, and they had kept the bodies indoors, so the bodies had followed an unusual postmortem course. The five dead were identified by kinship analysis using DNA typing. For DNA extraction, we used the DNA extraction method with ultrafiltration and a silica-based DNA extraction kit. As a result, complete amplification STR profiles were obtained from DNA from bone samples of all five skeletons and their identity was proven by kinship testing.

For forensic science, vomit identification is essential for crime scene reconstruction in various crimes, such as murder, abuse and drug poisoning. In order to develop a rapid and simple method for vomit identification, we modified the protocol for pepsinogen I (PGI) and pepsinogen II (PGII) detection kits based on latex agglutination turbidimetric immunoassay for clinical examination. Although these kits are assumed for using expensive automated biochemical analyzers, we examined the analysis on a general absorption spectrometer. As a result, PGI and PGII could be detected in up to 1000-fold diluted human gastric juices and mock casework samples by our modified method. However, crossreactions with urine for PGI and semen for PGII were observed. If urine and/or semen is considered to be mixed in the casework samples, urine and/or semen tests should be performed in addition to PGI and PGII tests. Aged gastric juices stored up to 12 months were also detected, suggesting that the present method could be applicable to aged samples. Because PGI and PGII can be detected within approximately 1 hour by simple operations using an absorption spectrometer, the present method has the potential to be applicable to forensic caseworks as a new tool for vomit identification.