Using the Nondonor Distribution to Improve Communication and Inform Decision Making for Low LRs from Minor Contributors in Mixed DNA Profiles.

The reporting of a likelihood ratio (LR) calculated from probabilistic genotyping software has become more popular since 2015 and has allowed for the use of more complex mixtures at court. The meaning of "inconclusive" LRs and how to communicate the significance of low LRs at court is now important. We present a method here using the distribution of LRs obtained from nondonors. The nondonor distribution is useful for examining calibration and discrimination for profiles that have produced LRs less than about 104 . In this paper, a range of mixed DNA profiles of varying quantity were constructed and the LR distribution considering the minor contributor for a number of nondonors was compared to the expectation given a calibrated system. It is demonstrated that conditioning genotypes should be used where reasonable given the background information to decrease the rate of nondonor LRs above 1. In all 17 cases examined, the LR for the minor donor was higher than the nondonor LRs, and in 12 of the 17 cases, the 99.9 percentile of the nondonor distribution was lower when appropriate conditioning information was used. The output of the tool is a graph that can show the position of the LR for the person of interest set against the nondonor LR distribution. This may assist communication between scientists and the court.

Leptin and reproduction.

Since the cloning of leptin by Friedman's laboratory in 1994, over 3000 papers have been published on leptin, making it one of the most active research areas in all of science. Leptin appears to be a pleiotrophic hormone affecting many different tissues in the body. This review focuses on the role of leptin in reproduction. Evidence is accumulating that leptin potentially has roles in the regulation of GnRH and LH secretion, puberty, pregnancy, and lactation. Reciprocal regulation of leptin and its receptors by gonadal hormones and the implications and controversies thereof are also discussed in the review. Signaling pathways utilized by leptin are starting to become more clear, particularly JAK/STAT, MAPK, and SOCS3 have been implicated as mediators/modulators of leptin effects at the cellular level. At the hypothalamic level, there is also evidence that CART (cocaine and amphetamine-related transcript) is involved as a downstream mediator of leptin effects, especially with regards to control of GnRH secretion. While leptin clearly has many effects upon the reproductive axis, defining its precise roles is not without controversies. This review presents both pro and con findings, thereby demarking controversial areas that undoubtedly will be fertile ground for future investigation.

Developmental validation of the PowerPlex(®) Fusion System for analysis of casework and reference samples: A 24-locus multiplex for new database standards.

The original CODIS database based on 13 core STR loci has been overwhelmingly successful for matching suspects with evidence. Yet there remain situations that argue for inclusion of more loci and increased discrimination. The PowerPlex(®) Fusion System allows simultaneous amplification of the following loci: Amelogenin, D3S1358, D1S1656, D2S441, D10S1248, D13S317, Penta E, D16S539, D18S51, D2S1338, CSF1PO, Penta D, TH01, vWA, D21S11, D7S820, D5S818, TPOX, DYS391, D8S1179, D12S391, D19S433, FGA, and D22S1045. The comprehensive list of loci amplified by the system generates a profile compatible with databases based on either the expanded CODIS or European Standard Set (ESS) requirements. Developmental validation testing followed SWGDAM guidelines and demonstrated the quality and robustness of the PowerPlex(®) Fusion System across a number of variables. Consistent and high-quality results were compiled using data from 12 separate forensic and research laboratories. The results verify that the PowerPlex(®) Fusion System is a robust and reliable STR-typing multiplex suitable for human identification.