Terutaka Inoue

Distribution of Hp, Tf, Gc and Pi polymorphisms in a Nepalese population

Hp typing and Tf, Gc and Pi subtypings were performed on 144 serum samples from a Nepalese population in the Katmandu Valley, Nepal. The obtained allele frequencies are as follows: Hp1 = 0.1771, Hp2 = 0.8229; TfC1 = 0.7222, TfC2 = 0.2500, TfC3 = 0.0174, TfCnepal (TfC9) = 0.0104; Gc1F = 0.2448, Gc1S = 0.4825, Gc2 = 0.2727; PiM1 = 0.6076, PiM2 = 0.2118, PiM3 = 0.1806. The relationship between this sample population and the Indian population is discussed.

Sex determination by discriminant function analysis of lateral cranial form

To sex the cranium, morphological features of cranial specimens were quantified with a personal computer that automatically measures distance and gradient for 39 craniometric points in the lateral contour line of the skull, which were digitized by a tablet digitizer connected to the computer. Specimens used for discriminant analysis were 50 male and 50 female adult Japanese skulls. The lateral contour showed sex differences in the nasal bone, supraorbital ridge, forehead and vertex. The nasal bone and supraorbital ridge were more developed in male contour line, and the forehead was more rounded in female contour line. But compared with the supraorbital ridge and forehead, the vertex had a wide variety of contour lines in both sexes. The vertex seemed to be less reliable as the indicator of sex. The sex differences were better reflected by gradient than distance. From variables of the gradient and distance showing significant sex differences, the discriminant function was derived and tested in 21 other specimens (13 male and 8 female skulls). The mean ratio of correct sexing of the human skull by the discriminant function was 86%.

Esterase D phenotyping of bloodstains and hair roots by low voltage isoelectric focusing

A new isoelectric focusing method is described for phenotyping of esterase D in blood stains and hair roots. It permitted easy and rapid discrimination of six phenotypes determined by ESD*1, ESD*2 and ESD*7. Experiments showed it to be practicable in forensic stain work. In addition, this technique was also usable in phenotyping of ESD 5.

Development of an instrument to measure postmortem lividity and its preliminary application to estimate the time since death

A degree of postmortem lividity was related to a subcutaneous hemoglobin concentration, which can be measured by using light absorption. On the basis of this theory, the authors have developed an instrument utilizing a light to measure the degree of postmortem lividity. By using 42 corpses whose postmortem intervals were known, the authors examined the relationship between the actual postmortem intervals and the measurements, and found that there was significant correlation between them.