OSAC Lexicon

The determination that two samples are not distinguishable from each other given available data and/or information. When used in a DNA testing report, a match refers to genetic profiles that show the same types at all loci tested in common; a match statement does not confirm that an individual is the source of the DNA.

A mathematical value that indicates the degree of similarity between an unknown spectrum and a reference spectrum.

A mathematical value that indicates the degree of similarity between an unknown spectrum and a reference spectrum.

A pathway laid by a human subject whose scent matches the scent on the article presented to the canine.

A procedure where upon presentation of a comparison stimulus, an animal chooses the same stimulus amongst an array of stimuli. For example, a canine is presented with scent of Person X and then identifies the scent contributor amongst an array of persons.

The fuel that is first set on fire by the heat of ignition; to be meaningful, both a type of material and a form of material should be identified.

Any genetic information passed from the mother to the offspring.

A specific biological fluid or tissue. Examples include blood, plasma, serum, urine, vitreous fluid, hair, and tissue.

A positive or negative control that is prepared in the same or similar matrix as the case sample(s) or material

Megabyte (of digital storage) this normally refers to 1024*1024 (1,048,576) bytes in digital applications thoughothers may intend 1000*1000 or 1,000,000 bytes.

A widely used cryptographic hash function producing a 16-byte hash value, typically expressed in text format as a32-digit hexadecimal number. MD5 is commonly used to verify data integrity.

Quantity intended to be measured. VIMa

quantity intended to be measured

A physical quantity or property which is measured.

Quantity intended to be measured

Make a measurement.

quantity value representing a measurement result^h

^{h:  Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology (JCGM), International vocabulary of metrology - Basic and general concepts and associated terms (VIM) (Sèvres, France: International Bureau of Weights and Measures [BIPM]- JCGM 200) available at https://www.bipm.org/en/publications/guides.}

Process of experimentally obtaining one or more quantity values that can reasonably be attributed to a quantity.

process of monitoring the validity of the calibrations performed

System of coordinates that represent the geometry of the measured surface.NOTE If the nominal surface is a plane (or portion of a plane), it is common to use a rectangular coordinatesystem in which the axes form a right-handed Cartesian set, the X-axis being the direction of tracing co-linearwith the mean line, the Y-axis also lying on the nominal surface, and the Z-axis being in an outward direction(from the material to the surrounding medium).

Reference, with a stated value and associated measurement uncertainty, used to calibrate or verify measuring instruments or measuring systems

The middle segment of the finger. The thumb does not have a medial segment.

An appointed forensic pathologist whose duty is to oversee medicolegal death investigations, perform postmortem examinations, and certify cause and manner of death. In some jurisdictions, individuals with other qualifications hold the title 'Medical Examiner', but for purposes of this document those individuals are considered medicolegal death investigators.

Appointed forensic pathologist whose duty is to oversee medicolegal death investigations, perform postmortem examinations, and certify cause and manner of death. In some jurisdictions, individuals with other qualifications hold the title “Medical Examiner,” but for purposes of this document those individuals are considered medicolegal death investigators.

A person or agency charged by law with conducting death investigations for the purpose of certifying deaths.

A formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a human being; investigative information is considered with autopsy findings and adjunctive studies (if performed) to determine the cause and manner of death.

Formal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a human being; investigative information is considered with autopsy findings and adjunctive studies (if performed) to determine the cause and manner of death.

Person or persons whose duty it is to perform medicolegal death investigations for a designated jurisdiction and ensure certification of cause and manner of death; duties vary based on local enabling statutes.

Physical location of an agency (usually a medical examiner or coroner office) with the authority to perform medicolegal death investigations.

Medicolegal death investigation office (usually medical examiner or coroner office) within a state or district that is a jurisdictional unit and, which may have a single chief medicolegal officer.

The statutorily established infrastructure (e.g., county coroner or state medical examiner) that exists to conduct medicolegal death investigations within a defined geographic area.

An individual who performs medicolegal death investigations.

Individual who performs medicolegal death investigations and includes those who have not completed the requirements for certification and is not certified.

The medicolegal investigation includes the collection of data, photographs, evidence, witness interviews, external examination of the body at the scene, and other forensic information and analysis that will contribute to the identification of decedent, determination of cause and manner of death, reconstruction of the accident or crime scene, and support the provision of survivability factors.

Relevant to the medicolegal death investigation system; anthropologically, this term typically refers to human skeletal material of recent origin.

A reference to the basic principles that govern the transmission of genetic traits from parents to offspring discovered by Gregor Mendel in the late 19th century.

The level of awareness and response to the environment.