Over the past few years, the new psychoactive substances’ phenomenon has been continuously studied. Its dynamic context is characterized by a broad diversity of substances, including several groups, such as synthetic cathinones, synthetic opiates, and synthetic cannabinoids. However, and due both to this diversity and to the low number of detected cases, information on intoxication reports is always important, in order to understand their biological mechanisms. In this case, a male individual was found unresponsive, with some different powders and paraphernalia near him. After toxicological analysis to the powders, paraphernalia, and whole blood samples, five different compounds were identified. From these, two of them (3-MeO-PCP and o-desmethyltramadol) were identified and quantitated in the whole blood sample. The obtained results suggested that death was due to the presence and action of these two substances, in what may be considered an unusual mix of NPS. This case highlights the value of evaluating all the traces found in the scene investigation and the need of sending all the paraphernalia found for toxicological examination, together with all the possible information obtained on the scene, namely by relatives or witnesses. On the other hand, this case shows the significance of broad-spectrum analytical methods, in order to detect and identify, as specifically as possible, eventual substances present and used by victims.

A atividade farmacêutica pode ser bastante abrangente e por isso revelar-se muito importante para ajudar a esclarecer muitas questões de âmbito forense. A intervenção do farmacêutico pode assim abranger áreas tão diversas como seja o esclarecimento de situações de má-prática profissional, o estudo de reações adversas a drogas e medicamentos ou o impacto do consumo de álcool e substâncias psicotrópicas e estupefacientes na condução de veículos, entre muitos outros casos de carácter civil ou criminal. Contudo, devido ao facto de os farmacêuticos serem especialistas nas ciências relacionadas com a utilização de medicamentos ou drogas, seja para fins terapêuticos ou num contexto abusivo, bem como na utilização de meios instrumentais para as análises destas substâncias, a sua intervenção assume um particular relevo na área da toxicologia forense.

Introduction: Different extraction and cleanup procedures have been used to identify amphetamines in hair samples. The microextraction by packed sorbent (MEPS), a miniaturized approach of the classic solid-phase extraction (SPE), has only been used so far to determine the presence of amphetamine (AMP) and methamphetamine (MAMP) in hair. The aim of this work was to evaluate different hair sample extraction conditions, namely hydrolysis, to maximize the detection of AMP, MAMP, MDA, MDMA, MDE, and MBDB in combination with MEPS and GC-MS. Methodology: Pulverized authentic hair (50mg) was incubated with 500μL of NaOH 1M at 80ºC for 1H, 60ºC overnight and 45ºC overnight1. After incubation, the extracts were neutralized with 50μL of 10M HCl and subsequently centrifuged. The supernatant was tested with several conditions to access the most suitable when paired with MEPS clean-up. The studied conditions were as follows: the addition of 500μL of H2O; supernatant filtration followed by addition of H2O; and precipitation with cold ACN followed by centrifugation. After clean-up, 30μL of MBTFA were added for evaporation under nitrogen gas. After being fully dried, 50μL of MBTFA was added and derivatization was done with a microwave oven. Finally, the extract was injected into a GC-MS and analysed. Results: Results obtained from these tests indicated that the best hydrolysis for this purpose was obtained with 500μL NaOH 1M at 45ºC overnight, with the addition of H2O before MEPS clean-up. The clean-up procedure was previously optimized by design of experiments (not being the scope of this study). Furthermore, M1 and C18 MEPS sorbents were tested to check which one would provide cleaner extracts and greater analyte signals. A concentration of 2.00 ng/mg of AMP, MAMP, MDA, MDMA, MDE, and MBDB was used for this test. Discussion: Considering the results, both columns presented similar recoveries for each amphetamine, when using equal hydrolysis and MEPS conditions.

Nos últimos anos, o interesse no estudo do cromossoma Y tem aumentado continuamente, como aplicação forense e ao nível do estudo populacional. Os Y-STRs foram introduzidos no Serviço de Genética Forense para resolução de casos complexos, essencialmente de casos com ausência de pretenso pai.Inicialmente foi efectuado um estudo do haplotipo mínimo, constituído pelos sistemas DYS19, DYS389I, DYS389II, DYS390, DYS391, DYS392, DYS393 e DYS385. Posteriormente, foram introduzidos os sistemas DYS437, DYS438, DYS439, GATA A 7.1, GATA A 7.2, GATA C4, GATA A10 e GATA H4.Cada indivíduo apresenta a individualização única da sua linha paterna, tendo sido obtidos 71 haplotipos diferentes referentes às 71 amostras analisadas. Foram efectuadas comparações dos haplotipos mínimos (DYS19,389I/II,390,391,392,393,385) com a Base Internacional do Cromossoma Y, não se tendo detectado haplotipos idênticos a algumas das amostras da população portuguesa, o que lhes confere características próprias da sua localização geográfica Apesar da ocorrência de possíveis mutações ao nível dos Y-STRs, esta metodologia é muito útil para a resolução de casos complexos de investigação de paternidade

Even though we are living in an era of major technical-scientific advances and effective antimicrobial and antiviral therapy,dental infections are still the most important predisposing factors for head and neck infections. Odontogenic infections can cause severe complications, e.g. compromised airways, tissue necrosis, deep neck infections, mediastinitis, endocarditis and sepsis. These severe odontogenic infections can be potentially life-threatening. Usually odontogenic infections respond well to a combination of surgical treatment (incision, rainage) and antibiotic therapy. However, especially when the medico-surgical therapy is installed late, cases may evolve unfavourably and be fatal. The authors report a case of a 30-year-old man who was observed on three consecutive occasions by the General Practitioner in a District Hospital, for a decayed tooth with abscess and was, then, referred to a Central Hospital. There, he was examined for the fourth time, this one by a Stomatologist at the Emergency Department, where he died. The post mortem examination revealed bacterial (Gram +) acute neutrophilic (purulent) infection of soft tissues of the mandibular region and neck with para-tracheal extension, as well as thrombosis ofthe left jugular vein. Circumstantial clinical information, post mortem findings, pathophysiology (including complications andprogression of the disease to death) are discussed, highlighting the relevance of accurate and timely diagnosis and treatmentto avoid malpractice and mortality.

A Base de Dados de Perfis de ADN, criada com a publicação da Lei n.º 5/2008, de 12 de fevereiro, veio permitir a inserção de perfis de ADN de “arguido condenado por crime doloso com pena concreta de prisão igual ou superior a 3 anos” (art. 8º, nº 2), bem como de “arguido declarado inimputável a quem seja aplicada a medida de segurança de internamento” (art. 8º, nº 3). Desde a sua criação em 2010 e até dezembro de 2022, foram já inseridos um total de 14657 registos de arguidos condenados, a pedido das 22 Comarcas que constituem a Organização Judiciária Portuguesa. Ao longo dos anos, e até 2019, diversos trabalhos foram apresentados, no quais foram espelhados diversos dados que refletiam a caracterização da Base de Dados de Perfis de ADN portuguesa. Importa, por isso, dar continuidade ao trabalho que tem sido desenvolvido, fazendo uma análise retrospetiva dos três últimos anos (janeiro de 2020 a dezembro de 2022). Ao longo deste período foram inseridos 4244 registos de arguidos condenados, cujas condenações totalizam 7375 crimes. Tendo por base estes dados, considera-se relevante analisar a representatividade de cada Comarca no total das inserções realizadas no intervalo de tempo suprarreferido. Importa também fazer uma caracterização geral dos crimes associados aos arguidos condenados, que levaram à sua inclusão na Base de Dados de perfis de ADN, de forma a perceber quais os que têm uma maior expressão a nível nacional. Por último, e com o intuito de fazer um estudo conjunto destas variáveis, é feita uma análise dos crimes prevalecentes, em função das Comarcas avaliadas.

The use of psychoactive substances to improve social relations and increase body energy, in Rave Culture, has raised many legal and health public concerns, both for illicit trade and consumption. Therefore, forensic toxicology plays an important role in this area, mainly linked to the detection and quantitation of these substances, both in vivo and in post-mortem samples. In fact, at the moment, forensic sciences have been under public authorities’ scrutiny and critical look, due to the increasing attention of the media and public opinion, always applying for the use of scientific knowledge to help solving forensic cases. However, forensic toxicology results are only reliable to solve legal cases if all the analytical methodologies used are appropriately validated. In this work, a methodology for the extraction and analysis of 7-aminoflunitrazepam, buprenorphine, flunitrazepam, ketamine, methadone, phencyclidine (PCP) and d-propoxyphene was developed for whole blood samples, with Solid-Phase Extraction (SPE), using OASIS MCX SPE columns, and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The procedure presented here proved to be reliable, specific, selective and sensitive, with good LODs and LOQs and good precision.The adoption of a SPE procedure with an automatic SPE extraction device, allowed an increased level of automation in sample treatment, being contemporarily less time-consuming, increasing productiveness, and allowing good recovery and appropriate selectivity being, also, simple and reproducible. The simultaneous detection and quantitation of all compounds by the same extraction and detection methodology is crucial and has a great potential for forensic toxicology and clinical analysis.