Intelligence-led crime scene processing. Part II : Intelligence and crime scene examination.

A better integration of the information conveyed by traces within intelligence-led framework would allow forensic science to participate more intensively to security assessments through forensic intelligence (part I). In this view, the collection of data by examining crime scenes is an entire part of intelligence processes. This conception frames our proposal for a model that promotes to better use knowledge available in the organisation for driving and supporting crime scene examination. The suggested model also clarifies the uncomfortable situation of crime scene examiners who must simultaneously comply with justice needs and expectations, and serve organisations that are mostly driven by broader security objectives. It also opens new perspective for forensic science and crime scene investigation, by the proposal to follow other directions than the traditional path suggested by dominant movements in these fields.

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Iowa Pavements Phase 2: Development of a Fully Automated Software System for Rapid Analysis/Processing of the Falling Weight Deflectometer Data, 2009

The Office of Special Investigations at Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) collects FWD data on regular basis to evaluate pavement structural conditions. The primary objective of this study was to develop a fully-automated software system for rapid processing of the FWD data along with a user manual. The software system automatically reads the FWD raw data collected by the JILS-20 type FWD machine that Iowa DOT owns, processes and analyzes the collected data with the rapid prediction algorithms developed during the phase I study. This system smoothly integrates the FWD data analysis algorithms and the computer program being used to collect the pavement deflection data. This system can be used to assess pavement condition, estimate remaining pavement life, and eventually help assess pavement rehabilitation strategies by the Iowa DOT pavement management team. This report describes the developed software in detail and can also be used as a user-manual for conducting simulation studies and detailed analyses. *********************** Large File ***********************

Monitoring network optimisation for spatial data classification using support vector machines

The paper presents a novel method for monitoring network optimisation, based on a recent machine learning technique known as support vector machine. It is problem-oriented in the sense that it directly answers the question of whether the advised spatial location is important for the classification model. The method can be used to increase the accuracy of classification models by taking a small number of additional measurements. Traditionally, network optimisation is performed by means of the analysis of the kriging variances. The comparison of the method with the traditional approach is presented on a real case study with climate data.

Role of prohormone convertases in pro-neuropeptide Y processing: coexpression and in vitro kinetic investigations.

Proneuropeptide Y (ProNPY) undergoes cleavage at a single dibasic site Lys38-Arg39 resulting in the formation of 1-39 amino acid NPY which is further processed successively by carboxypeptidase-like and peptidylglycine alpha-amidating monooxygenase enzymes. To investigate whether prohormone convertases are involved in ProNPY processing, a vaccinia virus derived expression system was used to coexpress recombinant ProNPY with each of the prohormone convertases PC1/3, PC2, furin, and PACE4 in Neuro2A and NIH 3T3 cell lines as regulated neuroendocrine and constitutive prototype cell lines, respectively. The analysis of processed products shows that only PC1/3 generates NPY in NIH 3T3 cells while both PC1/3 and PC2 are able to generate NPY in Neuro2A cells. The convertases furin and PACE4 are unable to process ProNPY in either cell line. Moreover, comparative in vitro cleavage of recombinant NPY precursor by the enzymes PC1/3, PC2 and furin shows that only PC1/3 and PC2 are involved in specific cleavage of the dibasic site. Kinetic studies demonstrate that PC1/3 cleaves ProNPY more efficiently than PC2. The main difference between the cleavage efficiency is observed in the Vmax values whereas no major difference is observed in Km values. In addition the cleavage by PC1/3 and PC2 of two peptides reproducing the dibasic cleavage site with different amino acid sequence lengths namely (20-49)-ProNPY and (28-43)-ProNPY was studied. These shortened ProNPY substrates, when recognized by the enzymes, are more efficiently cleaved than ProNPY itself. The shortest peptide is not cleaved by PC2 while it is by PC1/3. On the basis of these observations it is proposed, first, that the constitutive secreted NPY does not result from the cleavage carried out by ubiquitously expressed enzymes furin and PACE4; second, that PC1/3 and PC2 are not equipotent in the cleavage of ProNPY; and third, substrate peptide length might discriminate PC1/3 and PC2 processing activity.

Individual prediction of cognitive decline in mild cognitive impairment using support vector machine-based analysis of diffusion tensor imaging data.

Although cross-sectional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies revealed significant white matter changes in mild cognitive impairment (MCI), the utility of this technique in predicting further cognitive decline is debated. Thirty-five healthy controls (HC) and 67 MCI subjects with DTI baseline data were neuropsychologically assessed at one year. Among them, there were 40 stable (sMCI; 9 single domain amnestic, 7 single domain frontal, 24 multiple domain) and 27 were progressive (pMCI; 7 single domain amnestic, 4 single domain frontal, 16 multiple domain). Fractional anisotropy (FA) and longitudinal, radial, and mean diffusivity were measured using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics. Statistics included group comparisons and individual classification of MCI cases using support vector machines (SVM). FA was significantly higher in HC compared to MCI in a distributed network including the ventral part of the corpus callosum, right temporal and frontal pathways. There were no significant group-level differences between sMCI versus pMCI or between MCI subtypes after correction for multiple comparisons. However, SVM analysis allowed for an individual classification with accuracies up to 91.4% (HC versus MCI) and 98.4% (sMCI versus pMCI). When considering the MCI subgroups separately, the minimum SVM classification accuracy for stable versus progressive cognitive decline was 97.5% in the multiple domain MCI group. SVM analysis of DTI data provided highly accurate individual classification of stable versus progressive MCI regardless of MCI subtype, indicating that this method may become an easily applicable tool for early individual detection of MCI subjects evolving to dementia.

Intelligence-led crime scene processing. Part I : Forensic intelligence.

Forensic science is generally defined as the application of science to address questions related to the law. Too often, this view restricts the contribution of science to one single process which eventually aims at bringing individuals to court while minimising risk of miscarriage of justice. In order to go beyond this paradigm, we propose to refocus the attention towards traces themselves, as remnants of a criminal activity, and their information content. We postulate that traces contribute effectively to a wide variety of other informational processes that support decision making inmany situations. In particular, they inform actors of new policing strategies who place the treatment of information and intelligence at the centre of their systems. This contribution of forensic science to these security oriented models is still not well identified and captured. In order to create the best condition for the development of forensic intelligence, we suggest a framework that connects forensic science to intelligence-led policing (part I). Crime scene attendance and processing can be envisaged within this view. This approach gives indications abouthowto structure knowledge used by crime scene examiners in their effective practice (part II).

Optimal priming of poxvirus vector (NYVAC)-based HIV vaccine regimens requires 3 DNA injections. Results of the EV03/ANRS Vac20 Phase I/II Trial

Background: Two or three DNA primes have been used in previous smaller clinical trials, but the number required for optimal priming of viral vectors has never been assessed in adequately powered clinical trials. The EV03/ANRS Vac20 phase I/II trial investigated this issue using the DNA prime/poxvirus NYVAC boost combination, both expressing a common HIV-1 clade C immunogen consisting of Env and Gag-Pol-Nef polypeptide. Methods: 147 healthy volunteers were randomly allocated through 8 European centres to either 3xDNA plus 1xNYVAC (weeks 0, 4, 8 plus 24; n¼74) or to 2xDNA plus 2xNYVAC (weeks 0, 4 plus 20, 24; n¼73), stratified by geographical region and sex. T cell responses were quantified using the interferon g Elispot assay and 8 peptide pools; samples from weeks 0, 26 and 28 (time points for primary immunogenicity endpoint), 48 and 72 were considered for this analysis. Results: 140 of 147 participants were evaluable at weeks 26 and/ or 28. 64/70 (91%) in the 3xDNA arm compared to 56/70 (80%) in the 2xDNA arm developed a T cell response (P¼0.053). 26 (37%) participants of the 3xDNA arm developed a broader T cell response (Env plus at least to one of the Gag, Pol, Nef peptide pools) versus 15 (22%) in the 2xDNA arm (P¼0.047). At week 26, the overall magnitude of responses was also higher in the 3xDNA than in the 2xDNA arm (similar at week 28), with a median of 545 versus 328 SFUs/106 cells at week 26 (P<0.001). Preliminary overall evaluation showed that participants still developed T-cell response at weeks 48 (78%, n¼67) and 72 (70%, n¼66). Conclusion: This large clinical trial demonstrates that optimal priming of poxvirus-based vaccine regimens requires 3 DNA regimens and further confirms that the DNA/NYVAC prime boost vaccine combination is highly immunogenic and induced durable T-cell responses.

Age-related changes in the bimanual advantage and in brain oscillatory activity during tapping movements suggest a decline in processing sensory reafference

Deficits in the processing of sensory reafferences have been suggested as accounting for age-related decline in motor coordination. Whether sensory reafferences are accurately processed can be assessed based on the bimanual advantage in tapping: because of tapping with an additional hand increases kinesthetic reafferences, bimanual tapping is characterized by a reduced inter-tap interval variability than unimanual tapping. A suppression of the bimanual advantage would thus indicate a deficit in sensory reafference. We tested whether elderly indeed show a reduced bimanual advantage by measuring unimanual (UM) and bimanual (BM) self-paced tapping performance in groups of young (n = 29) and old (n = 27) healthy adults. Electroencephalogram was recorded to assess the underlying patterns of oscillatory activity, a neurophysiological mechanism advanced to support the integration of sensory reafferences. Behaviorally, there was a significant interaction between the factors tapping condition and age group at the level of the inter-tap interval variability, driven by a lower variability in BM than UM tapping in the young, but not in the elderly group. This result indicates that in self-paced tapping, the bimanual advantage is absent in elderly. Electrophysiological results revealed an interaction between tapping condition and age group on low beta band (14âeuro"20 Hz) activity. Beta activity varied depending on the tapping condition in the elderly but not in the young group. Source estimations localized this effect within left superior parietal and left occipital areas. We interpret our results in terms of engagement of different mechanisms in the elderly depending on the tapping mode: a âeuro~kinestheticâeuro? mechanism for UM and a âeuro~visual imageryâeuro? mechanism for BM tapping movement.