Prevalence of Pores in Latent Fingerprints

Of the many biometric traits recognized today, fingerprints are the most prevalent and familiar. The analysis of fingerprints involves level 1, level 2, and/or level 3 detail in the identification of a potential match. Traditionally, fingerprint matching was completely performed by hand, utilizing the ACE-V method. Thanks to the development of rapidly evolving technology, fingerprint matching has become an automated procedure through the use of fingerprint matching algorithms. In the literature, there has been an increase in the interest of developing Automatic Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) algorithms that include level 3 details in the matching process. These studies have utilized live scanned and/or inked fingerprints, rather than latent fingerprints. However, practical use of AFIS algorithms involves unknown fingerprints, such as those collected at crime scenes, which are often latent in nature. In addition, research has also found that there is a wide variety in size and shape of pore structure, making automatic detection of pores difficult. The resultant quality of latent fingerprints is subject to various factors at the time of deposition, such as the deposition surface, environmental conditions, and composition of the fingerprint itself. Consequently, these factors, in addition to the inherent variance in pore structure, may very well affect the observance and use of level 3 details within a fingerprint. If the prevalence of pores proves to be unreliable and inconsistent in latent fingerprints, the push for including level 3 detail in the AFIS matching process may all be for nothing. For this reason, the effects of latent fingerprint deposition factors on pore identification needs to be considered and currently appears to be greatly under studied. In effort to begin to fill this gap in the current research, newly deposited latent fingerprints were collected and developed using both black fingerprint powder and cyanoacrylate fuming. Developed fingerprints were subsequently imaged via digital scan or digital camera, and enhanced using either Image J or Adobe\textsuperscript{\textregistered} Photoshop\textsuperscript{\textregistered}. Following image enhancement, pores were manually identified and marked using the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) developed Universal Latent Workstation (ULW) software. Qualitative assessment of the 633 fingerprints collected resulted in 380 usable fingerprints for the remainder of the study. Observations regarding pore count within the replicate fingerprint sets indicated that total pore count/presence was not consistent. The Mann Whitney U test indicated that neither development method, black fingerprint powder nor cyanoacrylate fuming, produced pore data any better or worse than the other. Lastly, assessment of pore location resulted in a greater number of similarity scores being lower than the established threshold, indicating that pore location is not as easily assessed nor interpreted as hoped

Genetic markers validate using the natural phenotypic characteristics of shed feathers to identify individual northern goshawks Accipiter gentilis

Acknowledgements We are grateful to S. Piertney for allowing access to laboratory facilities and to M. Wenzel, R. Ogden and G. Murray-Dickson for their advice on genetic methods. This research was partly funded by a Natural Environment Research Council studentship NE/J500148/1 to SH and by Natural Research Limited.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Abnormal neuromuscular transmission in an infantile myasthenic syndrome

A term infant required intubation for respiratory depression. Examination revealed hypotonia and areflexia with intact extraocular movements. Electrodiagnostic studies demonstrated defective neuromuscular transmission characterized by borderline low motor evoked amplitudes, profound decremental responses at all stimulation rates, and moderate facilitation (50 to 740%) 15 seconds after 5 seconds of 50 Hz stimulation. Repetitive muscle action potential responses were not recorded following stimulation of nerves by single shocks. Sensory evoked responses and needle electromyographic findings were normal, as were acetylcholine receptor antibody levels. Results of muscle histochemical analyses, including acetylcholinesterase stains, were normal. End-plate histometric analyses demonstrated only a slight reduction in mean synaptic vesicle diameter compared with that in an adult control subject. In vitro muscle contractile properties, stimulating the muscle directly, were normal. Anticholinesterase medications were ineffective. Guanidine produced clinical deterioration. The amplitude of motor evoked responses progressively declined, whereas the percentage of decrement and amount of post-tetanic facilitation increased. Although the nature of the transmission defect was not identified, the data are consistent with abnormal acetylcholine resynthesis, mobilization, or storage without abnormality of release or receptors.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50308/1/410160107_ftp.pd

Crumpling a Thin Sheet

Crumpled sheets have a surprisingly large resistance to further compression. We have studied the crumpling of thin sheets of Mylar under different loading conditions. When placed under a fixed compressive force, the size of a crumpled material decreases logarithmically in time for periods up to three weeks. We also find hysteretic behavior when measuring the compression as a function of applied force. By using a pre-treating protocol, we control this hysteresis and find reproducible scaling behavior for the size of the crumpled material as a function of the applied force.Comment: revtex 4 pages, 6 eps figures submitted to Phys Rev. let

Clinicopathological and prognostic significance of RECQL5 helicase expression in breast cancers

RECQL5 is a member of the RecQ family of DNA helicases and has key roles in homologous recombination, base excision repair, replication and transcription. The clinicopathological significance of RECQL5 expression in breast cancer is unknown. In the current study we have evaluated RECQL5 mRNA expression in 1977 breast cancers, and RECQL5 protein level in 1902 breast cancers [Nottingham Tenovus series (n=1650) and ER- cohort (n=252)]. Expression levels were correlated to aggressive phenotypes and survival outcomes. High RECQL5 mRNA expression was significantly associated with high histological grade (p=0.007), HER2 overexpression (p=0.032), ER+/HER2-/high proliferation genefu subtype, integrative molecular clusters (intClust 1and 9) and poor breast cancer specific survival (BCSS) (ps<0.0001). In sub-group analysis, high RECQL5 mRNA level remains significantly associated with poor BCSS in ER+ cohort (p<0.0001) but not in ER- cohort (p=0.116). At the protein level, in tumours with low RAD51, high RECQL5 level was significantly associated with high histological grade (p<0.0001), higher mitotic index (p=0.008), de-differentiation (p=0.025), pleomorphism (p=0.027) and poor BCSS (P=0.003). In sub-group analysis, high RECQL5/low RAD51 remains significantly associated with poor BCSS in ER+ cohort (p=0.010), but not in ER- cohort (p=0.628). In multivariate analysis, high RECQL5 mRNA and high RECQL5/low RAD51 nuclear protein co-expression independently influenced BCSS (p=0.022) in whole cohort and in the ER+ sub-group. Pre-clinically, we show that exogenous expression of RECQL5 in MCF10A cells can drive proliferation supporting an oncogenic function for RECQL5 in breast cancer. We conclude that RECQL5 is a promising biomarker in breast cancer

Accuracy of GE digital breast tomosynthesis vs supplementary mammographic views for diagnosis of screen-detected soft-tissue breast lesions

Objective: To compare the accuracy of standard supplementary views and GE digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) for assessment of soft-tissue mammographic abnormalities. Methods: Women recalled for further assessment of soft-tissue abnormalities were recruited and received standard supplementary views (typically spot compression views) and two-view GE DBT. The added value of DBT in the assessment process was determined by analysing data collected prospectively by radiologists working up the cases. Following anonymization of cases, there was also a retrospective multireader review. The readers first read bilateral standard two-view digital mammography (DM) together with the supplementary mammographic views and gave a combined score for suspicion of malignancy on a five-point scale. The same readers then read bilateral standard two-view DM together with two-view DBT. Pathology data were obtained. Differences were assessed using receiver operating characteristic analysis. Results: The study population was 342 lesions in 322 patients. The final diagnosis was malignant in 113 cases (33%) and benign/normal in 229 cases (67%). In the prospective analysis, the performance of two-view DM plus DBT was at least equivalent to the performance of two-view DM and standard mammographic supplementary views—the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.946 and 0.922, respectively, which did not reach statistical significance. Similar results were obtained for the retrospective review—AUC was 0.900 (DBT) and 0.873 (supplementary views), which did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: The accuracy of GE DBT in the assessment of screen detected soft-tissue abnormalities is equivalent to the use of standard supplementary mammographic views. Advances in knowledge: The vast majority of evidence relating to the use of DBT has been gathered from research using Hologic equipment. This study provides evidence for the use of the commercially available GE DBT system demonstrating that it is at least equivalent to supplementary mammographic views in the assessment of soft-tissue screen-detected abnormalities

Multi-Society Guideline for Reprocessing Flexible Gastrointestinal Endoscopes

Flexible gastrointestinal endoscopy is a valuable diagnostic and therapeutic tool for the care of patients with gastrointestinal and pancreaticobiliary disorders. Compliance with accepted guidelines for the reprocessing of gastrointestinal endoscopes between patients is critical to the safety and success of their use. When these guidelines are followed, pathogen transmission can be effectively prevented. Increased efforts and resources should be directed to improve compliance with these guidelines. Further research in the area of gastrointestinal endoscope reprocessing should be encouraged. The organizations that endorsed this guideline are committed to assisting the FDA and manufacturers in addressing critical infection control issues in gastrointestinal device reprocessing

Resolving taxonomic uncertainty in vulnerable elasmobranchs : are the Madeira skate (Raja maderensis) and the thornback ray (Raja clavata) distinct species?

Skates and rays constitute the most speciose group of chondrichthyan fishes, yet are characterised by remarkable levels of morphological and ecological conservatism. They can be challenging to identify, which makes monitoring species compositions for fisheries management purposes problematic. Owing to their slow growth and low fecundity, skates are vulnerable to exploitation and species exhibiting endemism or limited ranges are considered to be the most at risk. The Madeira skate Raja maderensis is endemic and classified as ‘Data Deficient’ by the IUCN, yet its taxonomic distinctiveness from the morphologically similar and more wide-ranging thornback ray Raja clavate is unresolved. This study evaluated the sequence divergence of both the variable control region and cytochrome oxidase I ‘DNA barcode’ gene of the mitochondrial genome to elucidate the genetic differentiation of specimens identified as R. maderensis and R. clavate collected across much of their geographic ranges. Genetic evidence was insufficient to support the different species designations. However regardless of putative species identification, individuals occupying waters around the Azores and North African Seamounts represent an evolutionarily significant unit worthy of special consideration for conservation management