An investigation of environmental factors influencing quantitative accuracy and recognition rate of craniofacial reconstructions

Aim: The accuracy of forensic craniofacial reconstruction/approximation can be influenced by a number of environmental factors. The aim of this study was to investigate how different average facial soft tissue depth datasets might influence the accuracy of craniofacial reconstruction employing two accuracy assessment methods;face-pool comparison and geometric surface comparison.Methodology: Six craniofacial reconstructions were produced using three-dimensional modeling software from 3D skull images of live Korean adult subjects generated by cone-beam computerized tomography. The six craniofacial reconstructions were divided into two groups: three created using an outdated Korean averaged facial soft tissue thickness dataset, and three created using a recent one. The accuracies for six craniofacial reconstructions were measured using face-pool comparison and geometric surface comparison methods to estimate the influential level of average facial soft tissue depth datasets to craniofacial reconstructions. Results: In face-pool comparisons, the recent dataset demonstrated a higher recognition rate than the outdated one. The results were compared to those of geometric surface comparisons using the same six craniofacial reconstructions; a positive correlation was detected. Interpretation: The results suggest that appropriate averaged facial soft tissue depth datasets influence the accuracy of craniofacial reconstructions, and that the geometric surface comparison method might be interchangeable with face-pool comparison method to evaluate the accuracy of craniofacial reconstructions

Enhanced phagocyte chemiluminescence in asymptomatic HIV infection.

Seventeen asymptomatic HIV infected patients were studied for their phagocyte function in vitro, in comparison with that of eight normal healthy persons. Chemiluminescence was measured using whole blood by means of a microtitreplate luminometer. Light indices, cumulative light indices and rapidity of responses were recorded. The patients had a lower phagocyte count (13.17 +/- 0.85 x 10(9)/l) but a more rapid and intense chemiluminescence response. The latter was demonstrated by a higher peak light index and cumulative response. The observed enhanced phagocyte activity may reflect an early failure of T cell regulatory functions, or a compensatory mechanism in response to the underlying immunodeficiency.