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Afonso Costa, Heloísa

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  • Forensic genetic analysis of South Portuguese population with the six dye Powerplex® Fusion 6C
    Publication . Vieira Da Silva, Cláudia; Afonso Costa, Heloísa; Porto, Maria João; Cunha, E; Corte Real, F.; Amorim, António
    As an improvement in efficiency and in Human Discrimination Power, the new six dye multiplex kit PowerPlex® Fusion 6C System, by Promega, available for human identification can co-amplify 27 loci, in a single reaction, have been introduced in the last years with great success. This kit allows the amplification and detection of autosomal loci included in the expanded Combined DNA Index System CODIS, plus the loci Penta D, PENTA E and SE33 as well as Amelogenin for gender determination. Furthermore, this kit includes three Y –STRs (DYS391, DYS576 and DYS570), allowing allelic attribution in a total of 27 loci. This genetic markers extension satisfies not only CODIS but also European Standard Set recommendations. Thinking about continuous human migration movements, especially in a very cosmopolitan region like Lisbon and south of Portugal, and also, in keeping population studies and actualized STR databases we decided to update our previous studies. Our sample is composed of 600 unrelated individuals, from paternity testing with laboratory identity anonymised. DNA was extracted by Prep-n-go BufferTM(Thermo-Fisher Scientific). PCR amplification was performed with PowerPlex® Fusion 6C System, according to manufacturer’s guidelines. Fragment analysis was carried out in an Applied Biosystems® 3500 Genetic Analyser. Electrophoresis results were analysed with GeneMapper® ID-X v1.4. Allele frequencies and population statistics, including Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium p-values from exact test probabilities and forensic parameters were calculated with adequate software. In conclusion, our population information was updated in order to apply most recent data in our casework weight of evidence.
  • The role of DNA concentrations in forensic casework results : regression models application
    Publication . Vieira Da Silva, Cláudia; Amorim, António; Afonso Costa, Heloísa; Porto, Maria João; Corte Real, F.; Antunes, Marilia
    In forensic DNA typing, short tandem repeats (STRs) are the most frequently genotyped markers in order to distinguish between individuals and to relate them to a crime or to exonerate the innocent. In recent years, new controversies have arisen with the advent of more sensitive techniques, allowing profiles to be recovered from minimum amounts of DNA, hence, bringing challenges to weight of evidence evaluation for forensic DNA profiles obtained from low template DNA samples. Introduction of interpretation models, or even new weight of evidence software should be accompanied by a measure of uncertainty that is part of any biological analysis. Specially, due to stochastic effects, the reliability of the obtained profiles might differ between machinery, workflow and also PCR settings in use in different laboratories. In this work we try to understand the relation between Peak Area, DNA concentration and also size marker, using adequate regression models. Buccal swabs from 180 individuals, with unknown identity, were selected for this study. DNA was extracted with prep-n-go™ buffer and quantified using Quantifiler® Trio DNA Quantification kit in a 7500 Real-Time PCR System (Applied Biosystems). STR amplification was performed with Powerplex Fusion 6C amplification kit (Promega). Amplified PCR products were separated and detected in an Applied Biosystems® 3500 Genetic Analyzer using manufacturer’s conditions. Electrophoresis results were analysed with GeneMapper® ID-X v1.4. Statistical analysis was performed with R Studio. Our results allow having an important overview about the relation between DNA concentrations, peak area, and size of the studied genetic markers.