11.   American officials tried to obtain a sample from Russia through a scientific exchange program to see whether the Russians had really created such a hybrid.

12.   Bones are sent to the Virginia labs of the Bode Technology Group, which specializes in obtaining DNA samples from bones.

13.   DNA samples can be obtained from blood, saliva, hair, skin or semen.

14.   Federal officials have not said whether they have obtained DNA samples from members of the prominent bin Laden family in Saudi Arabia.

15.   However, genetic research is often plodding because of the difficulty in obtaining tissue samples.

16.   If a blood sample cannot be obtained, members of the team remove a small piece of muscle for DNA testing.

17.   In addition, even after the most violent incidents investigators are generally able to obtain blood samples, and the blood is generally not heavily contaminated by environmental factors.

18.   In another case, a simple forged letter got anthrax into the hands of a white supremacist who had previously been convicted for fraudulently obtaining samples of bubonic plague.

19.   In most national surveys, Asian-Americans are simply left out because of difficulties in obtaining a sample that satisfies social-science research methods.

20.   In order to obtain samples of bubonic plague, Harris simply called the American Type Culture Collection in Maryland.