Author: Terri Sundquist

Hot, Hotter, Too Hot

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Dog waiting in a carHere in Wisconsin, spring had finally sprung, and warm weather is just around the corner…or so we hope—as little as two weeks ago, parts of Wisconsin were receiving 9 inches of snow, and as recently as last night, temperatures were still dipping below the freezing point. Maybe that’s why an article about heat, specifically the accumulation of heat, caught my attention while I was browsing the scientific literature recently.

Everyone knows that the internal temperature of a parked car can be significantly hotter than the external air temperature, especially on a sunny day. However, authors of a recent article in Forensic Science International quantified that temperature difference under various conditions and presented a mathematical model to predict temperature variations in a parked car based on solar radiation, vehicle orientation with respect to the sun, external air temperature and other factors (1).
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Virophages: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Algae and, quite possibly, some virophages
Algae and, quite possibly, some virophages

Viruses are small DNA- or RNA-based infectious agents that can replicate only inside living cells of a host organism. Most people know what a virus is, and many of us harbor at least one or two of them at some point during the cold and flu season. However, I would guess that many of us do not know what a virophage is, even though they seem to be more common than previously thought.

Virophages were first discovered and characterized by LaScola et al. in 2008 (1) during studies with Acanthamoeba polyphaga mimivirus (APMV), the largest known virus—so large that it is visible by optical microscopy. Continue reading “Virophages: The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend”

Was Dr. Crippen Innocent After All? New Forensic Evidence 100 Years After his Execution

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

The past few decades have seen amazing advances in forensic science that are instrumental in analyzing DNA evidence to put perpetrators of crimes behind bars and exonerate people convicted of crimes that they did not commit. [Read William Dillon’s story of wrongful conviction].

Unfortunately for some people, these techniques were developed too late. One of those people was Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen, who was accused and convicted of killing his wife Cora in 1910 using the forensic techniques available at the time. Until the very day of his execution, Dr. Crippen insisted that he was innocent, and now there is strong DNA evidence to support his claim. Recently, forensic scientists from Michigan State University analyzed DNA evidence in this case and published their results in the Journal of Forensic Science (1): The human remains that were so instrumental in Dr. Crippen’s conviction were not those of his wife.

Continue reading “Was Dr. Crippen Innocent After All? New Forensic Evidence 100 Years After his Execution”

Justice 27 Years Too Late: The William Dillon Story

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Balance of justiceWilliam (Bill) Dillon spent more than half of his life in a prison for a crime he did not commit. Now, after being exonerated by DNA testing, he is telling his story of injustice and, eventually, freedom. On Wednesday, January 12, he visited Promega Corporation in Madison, Wisconsin, to relate his story and his efforts as an advocate for exonerees who are released from prison with little support from the same justice system that failed them in the first place.

The events that lead to Dillon’s false imprisonment started on August 17, 1981, when a man was found beaten to death in the parking area of a beach in a Florida tourist town. On August 22, detectives were investigating the crime scene, when Dillon and his brother drove into the parking area. Little did Dillon know that his decision to drive to the beach that day would lead to a wrongful conviction and 27 years and 8 months in prison.

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Sailing: Relaxing Pastime or Dangerous Sport?

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

SailboatSailing has always struck me as a civilized, relaxing way to spend a beautiful summer day. I imagine sitting on the boat’s deck in a sundress with a big floppy hat to keep the sun off of my face, a cold beverage in hand and perhaps a picnic basket of sandwiches at my feet. What could be more tranquil than gently gliding along the water’s rippling surface, with just enough of a breeze to keep you cool on a hot sunny day?

That’s how I envision sailing, and it will be obvious to many of you from this description that I do not sail. However, my husband and many of my friends do, and they tell a very different account, especially during a race: Sailors quickly moving around the deck, tackling and subduing unruly spinnakers, dodging booms and other hazards, and in general just trying not to fall overboard, especially on those days when it is blowing 20 (translation for us nonsailors: days with 20-mile-per-hour winds). Thus, a recent paper in the December issue of the journal Wilderness & Environmental Medicine caught my attention (1). In it, the authors report the frequency and types of injuries sustained by sailors while sailing. Those of you who sail will not be surprised by the findings, but I was. Sailing is more dangerous than I imagined. Continue reading “Sailing: Relaxing Pastime or Dangerous Sport?”

Analyzing DNA to Determine a Person’s Age

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Birthday cakePeople have employed many methods to disguise their age: eating a healthy diet rich in antioxidants, exercising regularly, protecting their skin from the sun and, if all else fails, undergoing plastic surgery. However, a recent Current Biology paper may make it harder for us to hide our true age. The authors describe a real-time PCR assay that can provide an estimate of a person’s age based on a tiny blood sample (1). Continue reading “Analyzing DNA to Determine a Person’s Age”

The Chemistry of Autumn Colors

Posted on by Terri Sundquist
Trees and plants in full color demonstrating the chemistry of autumn colors

Here in Wisconsin, the leaves are starting to turn the characteristic reds, oranges and yellows of autumn. This is one of my favorite times of the year (not only because of Mother Nature’s impressive displays but also because we are nearing that magical time between the last lawn mowing and the first snow shoveling). This is the time of year that I try to take in as much color as I can before everything is covered in a blanket of white.

As I stroll around, enjoying the view, I think about the chemical changes within the leaves that cause such vibrant colors. I can’t help myself; I am a scientist.

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Lessons Learned From A Mediocre Résumé

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

A crumpled piece of paperWhen I think back to the résumé and cover letter that I submitted when I applied for my first real job, frankly, I am a bit surprised that I got an interview. I think I was qualified for the job as Promega Technical Services Scientist, but honestly, my résumé and cover letter were unequivocally and unapologetically mediocre. Looking back now, with eight years of editing experience under my belt, I can think of quite a few things that I would have done differently. Of course, I must have done a few things right too, or my résumé would have gone straight into the bin, and I would have never been interviewed. I am sharing my experiences so that you can learn from my mistakes.
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The Reality of Crime Scene Investigation. Part II: The CSI Effect in the Courtroom

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Judge talking to a lawerIn a recent paper, Evan Durnal from the Criminal Justice Department at the University of Central Missouri listed common myths that are created and perpetuated by crime scene investigation (CSI) television shows and summarized the effects of these shows on the judicial system (1). In part I of this two-part blog entry, I presented Durnal’s four categories of myths about crime scene investigation. In part II, I discuss the effects of these television shows on the judicial system, including jurors, prosecutors, defense attorneys, law enforcement officials and the criminals themselves.

In his paper, Durnal lists four main categories of myths: capabilities, roles and responsibilities, evidence and schedule. These myths all influence jurors’ expectations in the courtroom and affect the roles, responsibilities and tactics of judges, attorneys and law enforcement officials. Durnal describes it thusly “Nearly all definitions of the [CSI] effect stem from and refer to the impact that CSI and related shows have on the ability of trial juries to objectively hear testimony and make decisions without biasing those decisions on information obtained outside the courtroom proceedings”. He lists a number of examples demonstrating the CSI effect, originally published by Willing (2), including: Continue reading “The Reality of Crime Scene Investigation. Part II: The CSI Effect in the Courtroom”

Degrees of Silence

Posted on by Terri Sundquist

Listen carefully. Do you hear that?

“What am I trying to hear?” you might ask.

Nothing.

In life, there is constant noise. At home, there is the the hum of the refrigerator, furnace or air conditioner, the faint sounds of traffic outside and a dozen other sources of background noise. At my desk at work, I hear muffled voices of people in the hall, computer printers printing and the clicking of keyboards as people type. Noise is so pervasive that often I don’t notice it anymore. Continue reading “Degrees of Silence”