Maximizing intelligence obtained from higher-order DNA mixtures from volume crime samples

ABSTRACT

This work collates data from the analysis of complex mixtures analysed in STRmix during routine no-suspect volume crime work. It interrogates the upload rate for these types of mixtures and which component of the profile has been able to be interpreted for upload. The number of profiles giving multiple uploads and the amount of replicate PCR analysis has been collated.     

Traumatic Cerebral Microbleeds in the Subacute Phase Are Practical and Early Predictors of Abnormality of the Normal-Appearing White Matter in the Chronic Phase

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:In the chronic phase after traumatic brain injury, DTI findings reflect WM integrity. DTI interpretation in the subacute phase is less straightforward. Microbleed evaluation with SWI is straightforward in both phases. We evaluated whether the microbleed concentration in the subacute phase is associated with the integrity of normal-appearing WM in the chronic phase.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Sixty of 211 consecutive patients 18 years of age or older admitted to our emergency department ≤24 hours after moderate to severe traumatic brain injury matched the selection criteria. Standardized 3T SWI, DTI, and T1WI were obtained 3 and 26 weeks after traumatic brain injury in 31 patients and 24 healthy volunteers. At baseline, microbleed concentrations were calculated. At follow-up, mean diffusivity (MD) was calculated in the normal-appearing WM in reference to the healthy volunteers (MD_z). Through linear regression, we evaluated the relation between microbleed concentration and MD_z in predefined structures.RESULTS:In the cerebral hemispheres, MD_z at follow-up was independently associated with the microbleed concentration at baseline (left: B = 38.4 [95% CI 7.5–69.3], P = .017; right: B = 26.3 [95% CI 5.7–47.0], P = .014). No such relation was demonstrated in the central brain. MD_z in the corpus callosum was independently associated with the microbleed concentration in the structures connected by WM tracts running through the corpus callosum (B = 20.0 [95% CI 24.8–75.2], P < .000). MD_z in the central brain was independently associated with the microbleed concentration in the cerebral hemispheres (B = 25.7 [95% CI 3.9–47.5], P = .023).CONCLUSIONS:SWI-assessed microbleeds in the subacute phase are associated with DTI-based WM integrity in the chronic phase. These associations are found both within regions and between functionally connected regions.

The yearly incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) is around 300 per 100,000 persons.^1,2 Almost three-quarters of patients with moderate to severe TBI have traumatic axonal injury (TAI).³ TAI is a major predictor of functional outcome,^4,5 but it is mostly invisible on CT and conventional MR imaging.^6,7DTI provides direct information on WM integrity and axonal injury.^5,8 However, DTI abnormalities are neither specific for TAI nor stable over time. Possibly because of the release of mass effect and edema and resorption of blood products, the effects of concomitant (non-TAI) injury on DTI are larger in the subacute than in the chronic phase (>3 months).^4,9,10 Therefore, DTI findings are expected to reflect TAI more specifically in the chronic than in the subacute phase (1 week–3 months).⁴ Even in regions without concomitant injury, the effects of TAI on DTI are dynamic, possibly caused by degeneration and neuroplastic changes.^6,11,12 These ongoing pathophysiological processes possibly contribute to the emerging evidence that DTI findings in the chronic phase are most closely associated with the eventual functional outcome.^12,13Although DTI provides valuable information, its acquisition, postprocessing, and interpretation in individual patients are demanding. SWI, with which microbleeds can be assessed with high sensitivity, is easier to interpret and implement in clinical practice. In contrast to DTI, SWI-detected traumatic microbleeds are more stable¹ except in the hyperacute^14,15 and the late chronic phases.¹⁶ Traumatic cerebral microbleeds are commonly interpreted as signs of TAI. However, the relation is not straightforward. On the one hand, nontraumatic microbleeds may be pre-existing. On the other hand, even if traumatic in origin, microbleeds represent traumatic vascular rather than axonal injury.¹⁷ Indeed, TAI is not invariably hemorrhagic.¹⁸ Additionally, microbleeds may secondarily develop after trauma through mechanisms unrelated to axonal injury, such as secondary ischemia.¹⁸DTI is not only affected by pathophysiological changes but also by susceptibility.¹⁹ The important susceptibility-effect generated by microbleeds renders the interpretation of DTI findings at the location of microbleeds complex. In the chronic phase, mean diffusivity (MD) is the most robust marker of WM integrity.^4,6 For these reasons, we evaluated MD in the normal-appearing WM.Much TAI research focuses on the corpus callosum because it is commonly involved in TAI^5,18,20 and it can reliably be evaluated with DTI,^5,21 and TAI in the corpus callosum is related to clinical prognosis.^6,20 The corpus callosum consists of densely packed WM tracts that structurally and functionally connect left- and right-sided brain structures.²² The integrity of the corpus callosum is associated with the integrity of the brain structures it connects.²³ Therefore, microbleeds in brain structures that are connected through the corpus callosum may affect callosal DTI findings. Analogous to this, microbleeds in the cerebral hemispheres, which exert their function through WM tracts traveling through the deep brain structures and brain stem,^24,25 may affect DTI findings in the WM of the latter.Our purpose was to evaluate whether the microbleed concentration in the subacute phase is associated with the integrity of normal-appearing WM in the chronic phase. We investigated this relation within the cerebral hemispheres and the central brain and between regions that are functionally connected by WM tracts.     

Umbilical metastases from a stage IB cervical cancer after laparoscopy: a case report.

The first reported case of laparoscopy site metastases from an unsuspected stage IB cervical cancer diagnosed during laparoscopy for endometriosis is presented. Implications of this clinical situation are discussed.     

Opposite effects of internal globus pallidus stimulation on pallidal neurones activity.

Besides clinical efficacy, the mechanisms of action of deep brain stimulation (DBS) are still debated. To shed light on this complex issue, we have taken the opportunity to record the response of globus pallidus internus (GPi) neurones to 100 Hz stimulations in a case of Lesch-Nyhan syndrome (LNS) where four pallidal electrodes were implanted. Three types of response were observed, 2/19 neurones were unaffected by DBS. About 7/19 neurones were inhibited during DBS stimulation and 10/19 neurones were excited during DBS stimulation. Both effects ceased when DBS was turned off. Inhibited neurones were situated lower that exited ones on the trajectory (1.25 and 4.65 mm above the center of GPi respectively). These observations suggest that locally DBS induces a reversible inhibition of neurone firing rate while at the same time distantly exciting the main afferents to and/or efferents from the GPi. Both actions would result in a strong GPi inhibition that does not preclude increased outflow from the GPi.     

Regulation of the primary in vitro antibody response in human peripheral blood lymphocytes: different effects of mitogen-induced and spontaneous T suppressor cells.

The specific response of human peripheral blood lymphocyte cultures to TNP-polyacrylamide was suppressed by the addition of concanavalin A (Con A). A dose of Con A (0.5 microgram/ml) could be selected, which induced a reproducible but incomplete suppression independent of the magnitude of the anti-TNP response. Con A-stimulated cells could transfer the suppression to autologous or allogeneic responding cells. The suppressor activity was present in the E-rosette forming cell fraction and was abolished by mitomycin C treatment prior to incubation. With a particular batch of foetal bovine serum, spontaneous suppressor cells were produced which suppressed the response of autologous and allogeneic lymphocytes. In allogenic mixtures, the otherwise enhancing allogeneic effect was replaced by a marked suppression from spontaneous suppressor cells. This suppression was higher than that exerted on autologous lymphocytes, suggesting that an unexpected negative allogenic effect had taken place. Spontaneous suppressors were ineffective when added on day 2 of a culture responding to TNP-polyacrylamide, whereas Con A induced suppressors were fully effective.     

Herpesvirus, cytomegalovirus, human sperm and assisted fertilization

BACKGROUND: The effect of viral particles on the motility of human sperm and the relationship between sperm and virus are of importance particularly in assisted fertilization. METHODS: We incubated ejaculated sperm with or without seminal fluid with either herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV2) or human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). For each experiment, 5 x 10(5) sperm were incubated with a viral load of between 10(4) and 10(6) plaque-forming units. RESULTS: We detected no apparent variations in the percentage of motile forms when sperm were incubated with either HSV2 or HCMV. Using a computer-aided semen analysis system, a slight difference was reported in the percentage of motile forms when seminal fluid-free sperm were incubated with HSV2 (57.18 versus 64.43 in the control). Although the mean amplitude of lateral head displacement and the curvilinear velocity were significantly higher in infected sperm, the difference in straight line velocity was not statistically significantly different. Few viral particles (HSV2 or HCMV) adhered to the sperm membrane in the presence of seminal fluid. However, more particles stuck when in the absence of seminal fluid, particularly with HSV2 (8% of sperm sections for HSV2; 4% for HCMV). CONCLUSIONS: The relationship between sperm and viruses depends on the type of virus present as well as the presence or absence of seminal fluid. Motility is not a good enough criterion on which to prove the presence of viral elements, either in the medium or on the sperm.     

CD8+T-bet+ cells as a predominant biomarker for inclusion body myositis

Background

Myositis is a heterogeneous group of muscular auto-immune diseases with clinical and pathological criteria that allow the classification of patients into different sub-groups. Inclusion body myositis is the most frequent myositis above fifty years of age. Diagnosing inclusion body myositis requires expertise and is challenging. Little is known concerning the pathogenic mechanisms of this disease in which conventional suppressive-immune therapies are inefficacious.

Screening 34 Peanut Introductions for Allergen Content Using ELISA

Peanut is one of the most allergenic foods and reports of accidental ingestion of peanuts in unsuspected food are increasing. No information is available on the allergen content of peanut germplasm grown commercially and used in the food and confectionery industry. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the allergen contents of 34 peanut introductions (PI); and (2) to identify naturally occurring allergen-free and/or low or hypoallergenic peanuts germplasm. A basic ELISA protocol was utilized to detect the presence of antigens in the peanut lines using a pool of human sera from patients with documented history of peanut allergy. Two naturally occurring low, or hypo-allergenic germplasm were identified as PI 261942 and PI 338386. Both are Valencia market types with total allergen content significantly lower (P ≤0.05) than that of PI 119880 (0.550), PI 119876 (0.415) and PI 118991 (0.410) three Valencia market types and PI 262111 (0.485), a Virginia market type. No allergen-free PI was found. Allergen content of peanut lines from Bolivia and Paraguay were significantly (P ≤0.05) different to those from Venezuela. No significant difference was observed in the allergen content of the four market types.     

Cloning and expression of surface antigens from occult chronic hepatitis B virus infections and their recognition by commercial detection assays

Occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections show little or no serological markers of viral infection, including the absence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) which is the main marker of ongoing HBV infection. Such infections can be important in the context of blood and/or organ donations. To study whether mutations contribute to HBsAg seronegativity, S gene sequences from such patients were amplified and cloned. Sequencing revealed 12 clones from seven different patients which contained potentially important mutations. The sequences were subcloned into an expression vector and mutant HBsAgs were expressed in cell culture. The capacity of three HBsAg detection assays to recognise the mutant HBsAgs was studied. Three categories were found: mutant HBsAgs that are not recognised by the assays, those that are recognised as well as wild-type (WT) antigen and an intermediate category where detection of the mutant HBsAgs is reduced with respect to WT. Most of the isolates fall into the second category. Mutations can therefore contribute to HBsAg seronegativity in occult HBV infections, but in most cases the explanation is probably the low level of viral replication.