The systematic profiling of false identity documents: method validation and performance evaluation using seizures known to originate from common and different sources

False identity documents constitute a potential powerful source of forensic intelligence because they are essential elements of transnational crime and provide cover for organized crime. In previous work, a systematic profiling method using false documents' visual features has been built within a forensic intelligence model. In the current study, the comparison process and metrics lying at the heart of this profiling method are described and evaluated. This evaluation takes advantage of 347 false identity documents of four different types seized in two countries whose sources were known to be common or different (following police investigations and dismantling of counterfeit factories). Intra-source and inter-sources variations were evaluated through the computation of more than 7500 similarity scores. The profiling method could thus be validated and its performance assessed using two complementary approaches to measuring type I and type II error rates: a binary classification and the computation of likelihood ratios. Very low error rates were measured across the four document types, demonstrating the validity and robustness of the method to link documents to a common source or to differentiate them. These results pave the way for an operational implementation of a systematic profiling process integrated in a developed forensic intelligence model.

Spatial relational learning and memory abilities do not differ between men and women in a real-world, open-field environment

This study assesses gender differences in spatial and non-spatial relational learning and memory in adult humans behaving freely in a real-world, open-field environment. In Experiment 1, we tested the use of proximal landmarks as conditional cues allowing subjects to predict the location of rewards hidden in one of two sets of three distinct locations. Subjects were tested in two different conditions: (1) when local visual cues marked the potentially-rewarded locations, and (2) when no local visual cues marked the potentially-rewarded locations. We found that only 17 of 20 adults (8 males, 9 females) used the proximal landmarks to predict the locations of the rewards. Although females exhibited higher exploratory behavior at the beginning of testing, males and females discriminated the potentially-rewarded locations similarly when local visual cues were present. Interestingly, when the spatial and local information conflicted in predicting the reward locations, males considered both spatial and local information, whereas females ignored the spatial information. However, in the absence of local visual cues females discriminated the potentially-rewarded locations as well as males. In Experiment 2, subjects (9 males, 9 females) were tested with three asymmetrically-arranged rewarded locations, which were marked by local cues on alternate trials. Again, females discriminated the rewarded locations as well as males in the presence or absence of local cues. In sum, although particular aspects of task performance might differ between genders, we found no evidence that women have poorer allocentric spatial relational learning and memory abilities than men in a real-world, open-field environment.

Open archives: caminho alternativo para a comunicação científica

A comunicação científica ampliou seus horizontes de troca de dados, informações e conhecimentos com o aparecimento dos open archives, arquivos que congregam e-prints das diversas áreas do saber e que são abertos à consulta pública, bem como à publicação automatizada dos trabalhos por parte dos pesquisadores. A experiência americana em áreas da física, matemática e ciência da computação, entre outras, demonstra a viabilidade e utilidade dos arquivos abertos como ponto de convergência para comunidades de pesquisadores que se vêem sem fronteiras geográficas ou institucionais para o intercâmbio de seus resultados de pesquisas.

Open access and connectedness: stimulating unexpected innovation through the use of institutional open archives

The author reviews past work with Ibict and the global progress made by the Open Access Movement. He postulates a theory of open access being an example of a complex adaptive system created by Internet-based scholarly publishing. Open access could be the cause of a cascade of increasing complexity and opportunities that will reshape this system. He has chosen the pervasive and global "Connectedness" created by the internet and the content spaces it provides for open access collections as a "simple disruptive agent". He discusses how connectedness influences infinite variety, creativity, work, change, knowledge, and the information economy. Case studies from the University of New Mexico Libraries are used where appropriate.

ETDs, NDLTD, and open access: a 5S perspective

Worldwide initiatives toward digital library (DL) support for electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs), facilitated by the work of the Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD), are a key part of the move toward open access. When all graduate students learn to use openly available ETDs, and have experience with authoring and submission in connection with their own research results, it will be easy for them to continue these efforts through other contributions to open access. When all universities support ETD activities, they will be key participants in institutional repositories and open access, and will have engaged in discussion and infrastructure development supportive of further open access activities. Understanding of open access also can be facilitated through modeling of all of these efforts using the 5S framework, considering the key aspects of DL development: Societies, Scenarios, Spaces, Structures, and Streams.

The Brazilian electronic theses and dissertations digital library: providing open access for scholarly information

This paper describes a project led by the Instituto Brasileiro de Informações em Ciência e Tecnologia (Ibict), a government institution, to build a national digital library for electronic theses and dissertations - Bibliteca Digital de Teses e Dissertações (BDTD). The project has been a collaborative effort among Ibict, universities and other research centers in Brazil. The developers adopted a system architecture based on the Open Archives Initiative (OAI) in which universities and research centers act as data providers and Ibict as a service provider. A Brazilian metadata standard for electronic theses and dissertations was developed for the digital library. A toolkit including open source package was also developed by Ibict to be distributed to potential data providers. BDTD has been integrated with the international initiative: the Networked Digital Library of Thesis and Dissertation (NDLTD). Discussions in the paper address various issues related to project design, development and management as well as the role played by Ibict. Conclusions highlight some important lessons learned to date and challenges for the future in expanding the BDTD project.

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The "open" chimney graft technique for juxtarenal aortic aneurysms with discrepant renal arteries.

OBJECTIVES: A straightforward original Chimney Graft (CG) protocol has been developed at our institution in selected cases of juxtarenal aortic aneurysm (JRAA). The aim of this study was to present our clinical experience of consecutive series with use of uncovered self-expanding stent (SES) as "Open Chimney" (OCh) in the endovascular repair (EVAR) of JRAA. METHODS: A standard endograft with suprarenal fixation struts is delivered with its proximal covered edge just below the highest RA in JRAA presenting the ostium of the two renal arteries at a different aortic level and the distance between the highest renal artery and the beginning of the aneurysm (improved landing zone) ≥10 mm. The low-lying renal artery is maintained patent by the OCh graft (standard SES) delivered from left brachial access (6 Fr). All clinical, anatomical, and operative data were prospectively collected and retrieved for the study analysis. RESULTS: From July 2010 to November 2012, OCh EVAR was offered to 22 consecutive patients considered unfit for JRAA open repair. All procedures were technically successful with aneurysm exclusion and patent OCh graft. One small perioperative type Ia endoleak spontaneously disappeared at the 3-month CT control. One patient died because of acute decompensated heart failure. One patient presented a left hemispheric stroke. The median follow-up of 18 months (range 7-35) showed aneurysm exclusion in all patients without type I and III endoleaks, SES stenosis, and/or renal impairment. CONCLUSIONS: OCh-EVAR is a straightforward technique that can be employed in selected cases of JRAA, avoiding the more complex and expensive fenestrated EVAR.