Identification performance of evidential value estimation for ridge-based biometrics

Law enforcement agencies around the world use ridge-based biometrics, especially fingerprints, to fight crime. Fingermarks that are left at a crime scene and identified as potentially having evidential value (EV) in a court of law are recorded for further forensic analysis. Here, we test our evidential value algorithm (EVA) which uses image features trained on forensic expert decisions for 1428 fingermarks to produce an EV score for an image. First, we study the relationship between whether a fingermark is assessed as having EV, either by a human expert or by EVA, and its correct and confident identification by an automatic identification system. In particular, how often does an automatic system achieve identification when the mark is assessed as not having evidential value? We show that when the marks are captured by a mobile phone, correct and confident automatic matching occurs for 257 of the 1428. Of these, 236 were marked as having sufficient EV by experts and 242 by EVA thresholded on equal error rate. Second, we test four relatively challenging ridge-based biometric databases and show that EVA can be successfully applied to give an EV score to all images. Using EV score as an image quality value, we show that in all databases, thresholding on EV improves performance in closed set identification. Our results suggest an EVA application that filters fingermarks meeting a minimum EV score could aid forensic experts at the point of collection, or by flagging difficult latents objectively, or by pre-filtering specimens before submission to an AFIS

Mutations of the ret protooncogene in German multiple endocrine neoplasia families: Relation between genotype and phenotype.

It has been suggested that not only the position but also the nature of the mutations of the ret protooncogene strongly correlate with the clinical manifestation of the multiple endocrine neoplasm type 2 (MEN 2) syndrome. In particular, individuals with a Cys634-Arg substitution should have a greater risk of developing parathyroid disease. We, therefore, analyzed 94 unrelated families from Germany with inherited medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) for mutation of the ret protooncogene. In all but 1 of 59 families with MEN 2A, germline mutations in the extracellular domain of the ret protein were found. Some 81% of the MEN 2A mutations affected codon 634. Phenotype-genotype correlations suggested that the prevalence of pheochromocytoma and hyperparathyroidism is significantly higher in families with codon 634 mutations, but there was no correlation with the nature of the mutation. In all but 1 of 27 familial MTC (FMTC) families, mutations were detected in 1 of 4 cysteines in the extracellular domain of the ret protooncogene. Half of the FMTC mutations affected codon 634. Mutations outside of codon 634 occurred more often in FMTC families than in MEN 2A families. In all but 1 of 8 MEN 2B patients, de novo mutations in codon 918 were found. These data confirm the preferential localization of MEN 2-associated mutations and the correlation between disease phenotype and the position of the ret mutation, but there was no correlation between the occurrence of hyperparathyroidism or pheochromocytoma and the nature of the mutation

Nuclear medicine procedures and the evaluation of male sexual organs: a short review

Sexuality consists of three aspects that are interrelated and inseparable, biological, physiological and social. The biological aspect considers the individual's capability to give and to receive pleasure. In consequence, it covers the functionality of the sexual organs and the physiology of human sexual response cycle. Diagnostic imaging modalities, such as single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET) have been used to evaluate clinical disorders of the male reproductive system. PET and SPECT procedures basically involve the administration of a radiopharmaceutical that has a higher uptake in a specific tumor or tissue. The aim of this brief review is to present some radiopharmaceuticals that have been used in the clinical evaluation of the male sexual organs (testes, prostate, seminal vesicles, penis) related with male sexuality. This information could be useful in better understanding the male sexual response cycle, as well as the sexual disorders, when considering the male sexual organs and the pelvic floor. Moreover, the findings obtained with PET and SPECT imaging could help to evaluate the efficacy of clinical results of therapeutic procedures. In conclusion, the knowledge from these images could aid in better understanding the physiology of the different organs related with sexuality. Furthermore, they could be important tools to evaluate the physiological integrity of the involved organs, to improve clinical strategies and to accompany the patients under treatment

Gastrin-releasing peptide receptor-based targeting using bombesin analogues is superior to metabolism-based targeting using choline for in vivo imaging of human prostate cancer xenografts

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PC) is a major health problem. Overexpression of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRPR) in PC, but not in the hyperplastic prostate, provides a promising target for staging and monitoring of PC. Based on the assumption that cancer cells have increased metabolic activity, metabolism-based tracers are also being used for PC imaging. We compared GRPR-based targeting using the68Ga-labelled bombesin analogue AMBA with metabolism-based tar

Sorption and Photodegradation Processes Govern Distribution and Fate of Sulfamethazine in Freshwater−Sediment Microcosms

The antibiotic sulfamethazine can be transported from manured fields to surface water bodies. We investigated the degradation and fate of sulfamethazine in pond water using 14C-phenyl-sulfamethazine in small pond water microcosms containing intact sediment and pond water. We found a 2.7-day half-life in pond water and 4.2-day half-life when sulfamethazine was added to the water (5 mg L–1 initial concentration) with swine manure diluted to simulate runoff. Sulfamethazine dissipated exponentially from the water column, with the majority of loss occurring via movement into the sediment phase. Extractable sulfamethazine in sediment accounted for 1.9–6.1% of the applied antibiotic within 14 days and then declined thereafter. Sulfamethazine was transformed mainly into nonextractable sediment-bound residue (40–60% of applied radioactivity) and smaller amounts of photoproducts. Biodegradation, as indicated by metabolite formation and 14CO2 evolution, was less significant than photodegradation. Two photoproducts accounted for 15–30% of radioactivity in the water column at the end of the 63-day study; the photoproducts were the major degradates in the aqueous and sediment phases. Other unidentified metabolites individually accounted for \u3c7% of radioactivity in the water or sediment. Less than 3% of applied radioactivity was mineralized to 14CO2. Manure input significantly increased sorption and binding of sulfamethazine residues to the sediment. These results show concurrent processes of photodegradation and sorption to sediment control aqueous concentrations and establish that sediment is a sink for sulfamethazine and sulfamethazine-related residues. Accumulation of the photoproducts and sulfamethazine in sediment may have important implications for benthic organisms

Shedding Light on The Role of Keratinocyte-Derived Extracellular Vesicles on Skin-Homing Cells

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are secretory lipid membranes with the ability to regulate cellular functions by exchanging biological components between different cells. Resident skin cells such as keratinocytes, fibroblasts, melanocytes, and inflammatory cells can secrete different types of EVs depending on their biological state. These vesicles can influence the physiological properties and pathological processes of skin, such as pigmentation, cutaneous immunity, and wound healing. Since keratinocytes constitute the majority of skin cells, secreted EVs from these cells may alter the pathophysiological behavior of other skin cells. This paper reviews the contents of keratinocyte-derived EVs and their impact on fibroblasts, melanocytes, and immune cells to provide an insight for better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of skin disorders and their use in related therapeutic approaches

FDG PET and PET/CT: EANM procedure guidelines for tumour PET imaging: version 1.0

The aim of this guideline is to provide a minimum standard for the acquisition and interpretation of PET and PET/CT scans with [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). This guideline will therefore address general information about [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET/CT) and is provided to help the physician and physicist to assist to carrying out, interpret, and document quantitative FDG PET/CT examinations, but will concentrate on the optimisation of diagnostic quality and quantitative information