Assessment of some problematic factors in facial image identification using a 2D/3D superimposition technique.

The number of criminal cases requiring facial image identification of a suspect has been increasing because a surveillance camera is installed everywhere in the city and furthermore, the intercom with the recording function is installed in the home. In this study, we aimed to analyze the usefulness of a 2D/3D facial image superimposition system for image identification when facial aging, facial expression, and twins are under consideration. As a result, the mean values of the average distances calculated from the 16 anatomical landmarks between the 3D facial images of the 50s groups and the 2D facial images of the 20s, 30s, and 40s groups were 2.

Discriminant functions for sex estimation of modern Japanese skulls.

The purpose of this study is to generate a set of discriminant functions in order to estimate the sex of modern Japanese skulls. To conduct the analysis, the anthropological measurement data of 113 individuals (73 males and 40 females) were collected from recent forensic anthropological test records at the National Research Institute of Police Science, Japan. Birth years of the individuals ranged from 1926 to 1979, and age at death was over 19 years for all individuals.

Identification of nasal blood by real-time RT-PCR.

A new approach for the identification of body fluid stains by comparing specific mRNA expression levels has been extensively studied in recent years. Here, we examine whether nasal blood, which is regarded as one of the most difficult types of blood to identify, can be identified by comparing mRNA expression levels of target genes specific to saliva, nasal secretion, and blood. The saliva-specific statherin gene (STATH) was found to be expressed at high levels in not only saliva (dCt value: 1.

Expression of statherin mRNA and protein in nasal and vaginal secretions.

Nasal secretion has been regarded as one of the most difficult body fluids to identify and is especially difficult to discriminate from vaginal secretions and saliva. At present, few specific markers are known for nasal secretions. The aim of this study is to find a new approach for the identification of nasal secretions.

Rapid discrimination of Legionella by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Molecular typing is an important tool in the surveillance and investigation of human Legionella infection outbreaks. In this study, two molecular typing methods, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF-MS), were used to discriminate 23 Legionella pneumophila strains. The usefulness of MALDI-TOF-MS was demonstrated.

Facial soft tissue thickness in Japanese children.

Facial reconstruction techniques used in forensic anthropology are based on mean soft tissue thickness measurements. Numerous studies of facial tissue thickness in adults have been published on a range of subjects from different ancestral backgrounds. Data on facial thickness in children derive primarily from Caucasoid, African-American, and Hispanic subjects.

Pilot study of facial soft tissue thickness differences among three skeletal classes in Japanese females.

Facial reconstruction is a technique used in forensic anthropology to estimate the appearance of the antemortem face from unknown human skeletal remains. This requires accurate skull assessment (for variables such as age, sex, and race) and soft tissue thickness data. However, the skull can provide only limited information, and further data are needed to reconstruct the face.

Detection of dermcidin for sweat identification by real-time RT-PCR and ELISA.

We evaluated the performance of real-time RT-PCR and ELISA assays for detection of dermcidin (DCD) in sweat and body-fluid stains. DCD, a small antibiotic peptide secreted into human sweat, was detected by real-time RT-PCR in 7-day-old stains containing as small as 10 microL of sweat, and the assay showed high specificity when testing 7-day-old stains containing 30 microL of other body-fluid. ELISA using anti-human dermcidin mouse monoclonal antibody detected DCD sweat diluted up to approximately 10,000-fold and could specifically detect DCD in 10 microL of body-fluid stains.

JC viral DNA chip allows geographical localization of unidentified cadavers for rapid identification.

To narrow down the geographical origins of unidentified cadavers, a rapid and simple method to detect JC virus (JCV) genotypes using a DNA chip was developed. Fifty-four probes on a 3mm silicon DNA chip were designed to distinguish 12 JCV genotypes. The detection limit of the DNA chip was 0.

Evaluation of mRNA-based approach for identification of saliva and semen.

Multiplex mRNA profiling by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been reported in the last few years as a new approach for the identification of body fluids. We have also demonstrated the feasibility of identifying body fluids by using a real-time RT-PCR assay. Statherin (STATH) and histatin (HTN3), the selected genes for saliva, and protamin 2 (PRM2) and semenogelin 1 (SEMG1), those selected for semen, showed high specificity to these body fluids.

Forensic application of Epstein-Barr virus genotype: correlation between viral genotype and geographical area.

Using 50 forensic blood samples, the latent membrane protein 2A (LMP-2A) gene of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) DNA was amplified to find a geographic correlation among the EBV genotypes. EBV DNA was detected in nine samples. From a phylogenetic analysis using 18 reported sequences as a reference, six EBV subtypes (Ia, Ib, Ic IIa, IIb, and IIc) were found.

Sensitive detection of Bacillus anthracis using a binding protein originating from gamma-phage.

Detection of biological weapons is a primary concern in force protection, treaty verification, and safeguarding civilian populations against domestic terrorism. One great concern is the detection of Bacillus anthracis, the causative agent of anthrax. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop novel methods for rapid, simple, and precise detection of B.

Facial soft tissue thickness in skeletal type I Japanese children.

Facial reconstruction techniques used in forensic anthropology require knowledge of the facial soft tissue thickness of each race if facial features are to be reconstructed correctly. If this is inaccurate, so also will be the reconstructed face. Knowledge of differences by age and sex are also required.

Development of species identification tests targeting the 16S ribosomal RNA coding region in mitochondrial DNA.

This report describes the development of a species testing system based on the diversity of nucleotide sequences in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) among species. Five species, human, cow, pig, dog, and cat, were considered. The partial nucleotide sequences in 16S ribosomal RNA coding region were chosen as the target for discriminating the species.

Facial soft tissue thickness in Japanese female children.

Facial reconstruction techniques used in forensic anthropology are based on soft tissue thickness measurements. Many studies of facial tissue thickness in adults have been published that take racial background into account. However, the only data on facial thickness in children are derived from studies of American, British, and Hispanic children.

A new retrieval system for a database of 3D facial images.

A new retrieval system for a 3D facial image database was designed and its reliability was experimentally examined. This system has two steps, firstly to automatically adjust the orientation of all 3D facial images in a database to that of the 2D facial image of a target person, and then to identify the facial image of the target person from the adjusted 3D facial images in the database using a graph-matching method. From the experimental study [M.

DNA typing of bone specimens--the potential use of the profiler test as a tool for bone identification.

Twenty-six bone DNA identification cases are described. The postmortem periods of the studied remains ranged from three days to over 30 years, and the locations where the remains were found varied resulting in a variety of postmortem conditions. Nuclear DNA typing using an AmpFLSTR Profiler kit and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) typing of hypervariable regions 1 and 2 (HV1 and HV2) in a control region were performed both with decalcified and non-treated bone powder samples.

Detecting hemifacial asymmetries in emotional expression with three-dimensional computerized image analysis.

Emotions are expressed more clearly on the left side of the face than the right: an asymmetry that probably stems from right hemisphere dominance for emotional expression (right hemisphere model). More controversially, it has been suggested that the left hemiface bias is stronger for negative emotions and weaker or reversed for positive emotions (valence model). We examined the veracity of the right hemisphere and valence models by measuring asymmetries in: (i) movement of the face; and (ii) observer's rating of emotionality.

Pralidoxime iodide (2-pAM) penetrates across the blood-brain barrier.

The in vivo rat brain microdialysis technique with HPLC/UV was used to determine the blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration of pralidoxime iodide (2-PAM), which is a component of the current nerve agent antidote therapy. After intravenous dosage of 2-PAM (10, 50, 100 mg/kg), 2-PAM appeared dose-dependently in the dialysate; the striatal extracellular/blood concentration ratio at 1 h after 50 mg/kg dosage was 0.093 +/- 0.

Identification of fragmented bones based on anthropological and DNA analyses: case report.

This report describes a forensic case work where both the anthropological analyses and the DNA analysis contributed to establish a link between the fragmented bones and a victim. A total of 54 bone fragments were excavated from a crime scene. The gender and stature of the bone fragments were estimated anthropometrically from the radius discovered.

A Japanese computer-assisted facial identification system successfully identifies non-Japanese faces.

The method developed by Yoshino et al. in [Forensic Sci. Int.

Individual identification of disguised faces by morphometrical matching.

The reliability of a morphometrical matching method for identifying disguised faces was examined experimentally using a computer-assisted facial image identification system. The 2D right oblique facial images of three target persons disguised with sunglasses, cap and gauze mask were each compared with each of the 3D facial images of 100 subjects, yielding 900 face-to-face superimpositions. The average perpendicular distance between the facial outlines and the average point-to-point distance of the corresponding landmarks in the 2D image of the disguised face and the 3D facial image, were calculated.

Production of gamma-hydroxybutyric acid in postmortem liver increases with time after death.

Gamma-hydroxybutyric (GHB) acid, which is becoming popular as a drug of abuse, was shown by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to increase in mouse liver with time after death. The amount detected was 0.8 +/- 1.

Sexual dimorphism in modern Japanese crania.

The Japanese population has gone through significant micro-evolutionary changes during the last half century. One approach to quantify these changes is an osteometric analysis of sexual variation in the skeleton. The present study evaluates sexual dimorphism in modern Japanese cranial dimensions.