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James F Carter

Publications and source records attributed to James F Carter.

14 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Factors influencing the contamination of UK banknotes with drugs of abuse.

Bank of England banknotes sampled from different locations in the UK have been analysed for the presence of cocaine, diamorphine (DAM), Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA). A database of the contamination detected is routinely used as a benchmark against which the contamination detected on seized banknotes can be compared. Evidence presented at court details how banknotes seized from a suspect may differ from banknotes in general circulation in terms of their contamination with controlled drugs. A question arising from such evidence is whether seized banknotes could have become contaminated through being in circulation in drug "hot spots". In order to address this issue, a Plackett-Burman experimental design was used to investigate the influence of source location and other factors on banknote contamination with drugs of abuse. Banknotes were drawn from banks in eight regions throughout the UK. Each location could be described by a unique combination of the factors under investigation, namely whether the location was rural or urban, in the North or South of the UK, and whether it was a port of entry. The socio-economic class and the proportion of drug offenders in the area and the denomination of the banknotes were also considered as potentially influential factors. Indices were calculated to describe the degree to which samples were contaminated with different drugs, and normal probability plots were used to identify the factors that could account for the contamination observed. Whilst some factors were more influential than others, it was shown that, at the 95% confidence level, none of the proposed factors were significant influences on the contamination. Cocaine contamination on banknotes has been shown to follow a log-normal distribution. It was, therefore, possible to calculate F- and t-statistics to compare the cocaine contamination on the entire sample set with that detected on a second sample set consisting of banknotes all drawn from a single bank branch. It was shown that both inter-bank samples and intra-bank samples had similar variance and similar contamination levels at the 95% confidence level. This suggests that there are no significant regional trends in the contamination of banknotes with drugs of abuse across the UK.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

The difference between drug money and a "lifetime's savings".

In many countries, monies suspected of being associated with drug trafficking can be seized by the authorities. One of the ways of investigating this association is through the analysis of seized banknotes for traces of controlled drugs. We report three studies which may assist the expert in assessing whether banknotes contaminated with diamorphine are part of the general population of notes in circulation or whether they show unusual contamination patterns which require explanation. Study 1 is based on three plausible contamination scenarios as they may occur during the various stages of an illicit drug transaction and seizure. It shows that notes which have been in direct contact with visible traces of diamorphine show significantly higher contamination to those in more indirect contact with the drug. Study 2 investigates the transfer of diamorphine from one highly contaminated note to other notes in a bundle over a period of 10 weeks with and without agitation. It was found that the total amount of drug transferred was smaller than 6% and no more than 4 out of a bundle of 10 previously clean notes became lightly contaminated. Based on extensive background data, study 3 proposes a probabilistic model to assess whether an observed proportion of diamorphine bearing banknotes is likely to have been contaminated by chance. The model predicts that there is only a 0.3% chance that a bundle of 100 notes from the general banknote population contains more than six contaminated specimens. Jointly, the three studies give useful indications for the spread of contamination throughout a sample and the amounts of heroin which may be expected given plausible contamination scenarios.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2006

Institution and validation of an observed structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) for obstetrics and gynecology residents and faculty.

OBJECTIVE: This study was undertaken to further evaluate the construct validity of the observed structured assessment of technical skills (OSATS) by comparing resident scores to faculty scores. STUDY DESIGN: This study is a prospective blinded observational study. Four residents from each year (1-4) and 5 faculty members were examined. The OSATS examination was in the form of a dry laboratory with 10 stations: 4 laparoscopic and 6 open surgical skills. The sessions were videotaped and graded by the senior authors who used a task-specific checklist. The scoring of the videos was performed by the 2 senior authors blinded to the other examiners results. The examinations were videotaped, and the identity of the participants was blinded. The scores for each station were determined by adding all the numbers from the skills rating with a time score. Higher scores denote superior performance. Statistical analysis was performed with a nonparametric test (Kruskal-Wallis) for a total score with resident years divided into junior residents (first and second year), senior residents (third and fourth year), and faculty status as the independent variable. To determine the interrelater reliability between the 2 scores, the Kendall tau beta statistic was used. RESULTS: The results show definite trends for 7 stations, with junior residents performing the worst and faculty performing the best. This trend was statistically significant for 6 of the 10 stations. CONCLUSION: The OSATS examination has good construct validity that extends beyond residency to faculty.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2005

Rapid comparison of diacetylmorphine on banknotes by tandem mass spectrometry.

A procedure is described for the determination of the distribution of the contamination of banknotes with controlled drugs using tandem mass spectrometry. The method is illustrated using diacetylmorphine, which is the major active component of heroin. A series of banknotes is introduced into the mass spectrometer and the intensities of two product ions (m/z 328 and 268) derived from the precursor protonated molecule (m/z 370) are recorded. A banknote is considered contaminated if it shows a significant peak for both product ions, and if the ratio of intensities of these two peaks falls within accepted limits. The distribution of diacetylmorphine on sterling banknotes taken from general circulation within the UK can be modelled by an arcsin (square root) transformation of the data or by a log transformation of the data with a higher proportion of contamination. The two models were found to be in close agreement, predicting an upper limit (at 99.9% confidence) of contamination on banknotes from general circulation between 9 and 10%. The percentage contamination in a case study was calculated and compared to the background distribution using the two models proposed. This comparison revealed that the contamination present in the case study was inconsistent with that present on banknotes in general circulation.

Forensic Sciences↗
PubMed2005

Bulk and compound-specific isotopic characterisation of illicit heroin and cling film.

Comparative analysis involves various but complementary methods and can be used for forensic intelligence purposes to group seizures of heroin into batches. Much forensic analysis now combines expertise in the traditional area of drugs investigation with a detailed understanding of supply, packaging, distribution, and drugs intelligence. It was the intention of this research to determine whether illicit heroin seizures and packaging material can be grouped according to isotopic compositions, and to explore factors that affect the isotopic compositions. In order to achieve these aims, 14 samples of seized heroin, thirteen provided by Avon and Somerset Constabulary (UK), were analysed by elemental analysis/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (EA/IRMS) and gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS) for carbon and hydrogen isotopes. These tests elucidated that a combination of the delta13C, delta15N, delta18O and delta2H results from EA/IRMS is able to distinguish between most samples of bulk heroin. We speculate that the delta13C values of the alkaloids, obtained by GC/C/IRMS, give indications of different geographical or temporal origins of some of the heroin samples. GC/C/IRMS of the cutting agent, caffeine, provides a means to link dilution events. Fifteen retail cling film samples and seven cling film samples from heroin seizures were analysed by EA/IRMS. A multivariate comparison of the carbon, hydrogen and oxygen isotope ratios was able to distinguish between most of the samples. This technique enabled the cling films from the heroin to be grouped according to seizure. Three solvents were tested on two samples of cling film of known composition. Methanol and chloroform were both found to extract material from PVC and from non-PVC cling films. Water-treated PVC was indistinguishable from the untreated PVC and thus water was found to be the most suitable solvent when washing cling film prior to IRMS analysis.

Forensic Sciences↗
PubMed2004

Forensic isotope ratio mass spectrometry of packaging tapes.

Pressure sensitive adhesive tape (brown parcel tape) is employed in a great many criminal activities such as the restraint of individuals during robbery and offences against the person, the enclosure of explosive devices and the packaging and concealment of controlled drugs. Packaging materials are ubiquitous in modern society and are produced in such vast quantities that it is increasingly difficult to distinguish between different products or to link materials to a common source. This study demonstrates the potential of stable isotope ratio mass spectrometry to characterise parcel tapes based on a number of properties. The carbon isotopic signature, derived from the substrate polymer, associated additives and adhesive is highly characteristic of a particular tape and allows samples from different sources to be readily distinguished. Further discrimination may be achieved by the incorporation of deuterium and oxygen isotopic data and by analysis of the isolated backing polymer. Recovery of intact tape from simulated forensic samples proved straightforward and the isotopic signature of the tape did not appear to be affected by adverse storage conditions.

Forensic Sciences↗
PubMed2003

The distribution of controlled drugs on banknotes via counting machines.

Bundles of paper, similar to sterling banknotes, were counted in banks in England and Wales. Subsequent analysis showed that the counting process, both by machine and by hand, transferred nanogram amounts of cocaine to the paper. Crystalline material, similar to cocaine hydrochloride, could be observed on the surface of the paper following counting. The geographical distribution of contamination broadly followed Government statistics for cocaine usage within the UK. Diacetylmorphine, Delta(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (MDMA) were not detected during this study.

Automation↗
PubMed2003

Discrimination between tablet production methods using pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and pattern recognition.

Wet granulation and direct compression are two processes employed in tablet preparation. In this paper, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) is used to discriminate these processes with the help of chemometric techniques. The data analysis procedure is as follows. First, deconvolute the Py-GC-MS data of each sample into concentration profiles and spectra, and then construct a matrix with each compound corresponding to one column; those contained only in a small number of samples are then removed. Second, the main principal components are kept after excluding three variables and one sample, and further processed by Fisher discriminant analysis. Third, the resultant data are assigned to classes using unsupervised and supervised classification methods. Results from cross-validation show that only 3 of 20 samples are misclassified by the Mahalanobis distance measure.

Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry↗
PubMed2002

Isotopic characterisation of 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine and 3,4-methylenedioxymethylamphetamine (ecstasy).

Combined delta2H, delta13C and delta15N isotopic analysis of MDA and MDMA extracted from seized "ecstasy" tablets provides an isotopic "fingerprint" of the active ingredient allowing individual tablets to be linked to a common batch. Correlating these data with 2H NMR analysis of the extracts has the potential to study both the natural precursor materials and synthetic pathways used in the preparation of MDA and N-substituted homologues.

3,4-Methylenedioxyamphetamine↗
PubMedDate not supplied

A comparative study of hysteroscopic sterilization performed in-office versus a hospital operating room.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: To compare hysteroscopic female sterilization procedures performed in-office versus a hospital operating room (OR) among newly trained physicians. DESIGN: Multisite hospital operating rooms and physician offices. PATIENTS: Women desiring permanent hysteroscopic sterilization. INTERVENTION: Hysteroscopic female sterilization with the Essure system. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Procedure time (scope in/scope out time), device placement rates, and incidence of complications and adverse events were compared. There was no significant difference in scope time between the 2 settings. There was no significant difference in placement rates, although the placement rate was somewhat higher in-office (91% vs 88%). There were no complications among any of the procedures, and the incidence of minor adverse events was extremely low in both settings (OR=2%, in-office=1%). CONCLUSION: There is no clear advantage to performing hysteroscopic sterilization in a hospital OR. Hysteroscopic sterilization can be performed safely and efficiently in an office setting.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry as a tool for forensic investigation (examples from recent studies).

The versatility of isotope ratio mass spectrometry is demonstrated by reference to diverse case studies. Variations in the natural isotopic composition of non-biological, organic materials are compared as a means by which samples may be associated or discriminated. These techniques may be used to augment or compliment conventional forensic methodologies. delta13C analysis was used to demonstrate that different masking tape had been recovered in two, apparently similar cases, involving the smuggling of money. Visually similar ecstasy tablets were compared by consideration of the delta13C and delta15N composition of MDMA extracted from the tablets. Although only a limited number of tablets were analysed, the isotopic similarity between two different seizures was sufficient to induce a guilty plea from a person suspected of possessing both. A combination of delta2H, delta13C, delta15N and delta18O together with GC-MS analyses were applied to small samples of seized heroin. Although GC-MS analysis indicated differences between the chemical composition of two of the heroin samples, isotopic analysis suggested similarities, which were confirmed by further delta2H, delta13C and delta18O isotopic analysis of the clingfilm in which the samples were wrapped.

Drug Packaging↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Operative laparoscopy in pregnancy.

OBJECTIVE: We compared the surgical outcomes of pregnant women undergoing laparotomy in the first 2 trimesters of pregnancy with those undergoing laparoscopy for the management of acute pelvic pain. METHODS: We performed a systematic retrospective chart review of patients whose discharge diagnosis included intrauterine pregnancy with exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy from August 1, 1993 to October 31, 1999. The following factors were assessed: preoperative diagnosis, postoperative diagnosis, gestational age at the time of surgery, operative time, hospital stay, pathology, gestational age at delivery, complications, and outcome of the pregnancy in both groups. RESULTS: Sixteen pregnant patients underwent surgery during the study period. All but one had abdominopelvic pain, and all patients had an associated adnexal mass. The mean gestation age at the time of surgery was 15+/-6 weeks versus 13+/-4 weeks in the laparoscopic and laparotomy groups, respectively (P=NS). All patients undergoing laparoscopy remained in the hospital for one day compared with a mean of 4.4+/-1.1 days in the laparotomy group (P<0.0001). Pregnancy outcomes were similar and uniformly good. CONCLUSION: Laparotomy can be avoided and pregnant patients managed safely by operative laparoscopy, with shorter hospital stays.

Adnexal Diseases↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Laparoscopic abdominal cerclage.

Abdominal cerclages are necessary when the standard transvaginal cerclages fail or anatomical abnormalities preclude the vaginal placement. The disadvantage of the transabdominal approach is that it requires at least 2 laparotomies with significant morbidity and hospital stays. We discuss a case of abdominal cerclage performed laparoscopically. We feel it offers less morbidity and in the proper hands eliminates or significantly shortens hospital stays.

Adult↗