In this article I report a state of art of biometric person authentication technology. Biometric person authentication or simply biometrics is widely spreading from the view point of academic and real world applications. I report such technologies and technical problem of each biometrics. For example many method proposed in finger print technology. However one unsolvable problem is distorsion of finger. I report such problems for iris vein and other biometrics. Finaly, I report new application of biometric technology beyond the world of security.

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  A quantitative PCR procedure using a newly designed primer set for amplification of human specific DNA sequence D17Z1 for quantification of human DNA has been developed. The procedure was compared with the existing quantification method, UV absorption method and slot blot hybridization method. The lower limit of quantification, the reproducibility of results, quantification of degraded DNA, quantification specificity and application for forensic casework samples were examined using each technique.
  The quantitative PCR method consumed the least amount of DNA and could quantify as little as 0.0015 ng of DNA, and its reproducibility was comparable with the UV absorption method. The STR typing of degraded DNA samples quantified by slot blot hybridization method and quantitative PCR method were properly detected and typed. Since the bacterial DNA samples were not detected and quantified by slot blot hybridization method and quantitative PCR method, they are useful for human-specific DNA quantification of forensic evidence samples containing bacterial DNA. In the experimental application of the quantitative PCR method for various forensic casework samples, almost every STR loci were properly detected and it demonstrated a beneficial effect for actual forensic identification analysis. Furthermore, the quantitative PCR method was also useful in determining the proper amount of template DNA extracted from the sample suspected to include amplification inhibitor. In the results of the comparisons, the human specific DNA quantification using the technique of quantitative PCR is more practical for forensic DNA analysis than the other methods.

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  Images of the ear are highly valuable for facial photographic identification because the ear has a lot of morphological features, such as the helix, ear lobe, antihelix, scapha, antitragus, tragus, and so on. However, the morphology of ear components changes so easily depending on the camera angle that it is usually difficult to identify people based on images of their ears from surveillance cameras and mug shots.
  In this study, the correlation between the morphology of ear components and camera angles was investigated in order to identify people based on ear images taken from different camera angles. The samples were ear images of 56 persons taken at 27 different camera angles for each person. The morphologies of the ear components were compared among the angles and among the subjects. This revealed the morphological changes in the helix, ear lobe, antihelix, and tragus according to the camera angle.
  It was found that the morphology was consistent between ear images taken at different camera angles if the compared images satisfied two conditions: the scapha must be clearly observed, and the external acoustic meatus must not be visible. If these conditions are met, it is possible to identify a person by images of his or her ear regardless of the camera angles.

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  Approximately thirty percent of .38 caliber revolvers seized in Japan are home-made guns called Paltik which were made in Cebu Island, in the Philippines. Bullets fired from Paltik have the following general characteristics;
  (1) Rifling mark is rough and unclear because of crudely finished rifling of bore.
  (2) Bullet is elongated because bore diameter is usually smaller than specified value.
  With the improvement of the manufacturing skill of Paltik nowadays, it has become difficult to distinguish that were fired from Paltik and an authentic gun based on the characteristic indicated in (1). When the rifling mark of a bullet in question looks neat, the characteristic indicated in (2) becomes critical to identify make of the firearm. As evidence bullets usually deform to some extent, it is necessary to clarify the rate of diameter change in deformed bullets.
  In this study, .38 Special bullets were shot into thick steel plate, concrete blocks and polycarbonate plate at a right angle from a Smith & Wesson revolver and the following results were obtained:
  A) The diameter in the base of lead bullets which were impacted into a thick steel plate was contracted up to 7.4%.
  B) The angle of twist of the rifling mark was reduced from 21% to 24% when lead bullets were impacted into a thick steel plate or concrete blocks.

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  In the case of food adulteration or suicidal swallowing using dishwashing detergents, several extraction methods were evaluated to extract anionic, nonionic and amphoteric surfactants. Six extraction procedures: diatomaceous earth (ChemElut/chloroform or ethyl acetate), ion-pair liquid-liquid extraction (with methylene blue/chloroform), mixed-mode solid-phase extraction (SPEC PLUS DAU, C₁₈ plus cation exchanger), C₁₈-based solid-phase extraction (Sep-Pak Plus C₁₈) and polymer-based reverse phase extraction (Oasis HLB) were tested. Eleven surfactants: fatty acid alkanolamide (AA), alkyl ether sulfate (AES), alkylglycoside (AG), alkylamine oxide (AO), alpha-olefin sulfonate (AOS-C=C), hydroxy-alkane sulfonate (AOS-OH), alkylamide propylbetaine (APB), fatty acid (FAT), alkylhydroxysulfobetaine (HSB), alkylbenzenesulofonate (LAS), and polyoxyethylene alkyl ether (POE), were extracted from spiked water and highest recoveries (91% for AES to 101% for AO) were obtained with Oasis HLB. On the assumption of food adulteration or stomach contents analysis, soy bean paste “miso” soup, yogurt and curry were spiked with dishwashing detergents and extracted using Oasis HLB. Extraction recoveries from these spiked foods were decreased (1% for LAS and FAT from yogurt to 78% for AO from curry) compared to extraction from spiked water. Except extraction of FAT from miso soup, protein precipitation by ethanol prior to Oasis HLB extraction was effective to improve extraction recoveries (67% for AA from yogurt to 101% for AA from miso soup).

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  In a previous study, the analysis of solid blue paints for a truck using scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (SEM/EDX) was reported. By this analysis, Cl, Ti and Cu were detected and the X-ray intensity ratios of ClKα/TiKα and CuKα/TiKα had enough reproducibility and these ratios should be useful to discriminate solid blue paints.
  In this study, model paints which were manufactured by using 8 kinds of phthalocyanine blue pigment and one kind of white titanium pigment, were supplied from Nippon Paint Corp. and were analyzed by this method.
  Cl and Cu were originated from chlorinated copper phthalocyanine. Ti was originated from titanium dioxide. And it was indicated that these X-ray intensity ratios of ClKα/TiKα and CuKα/TiKα in model paints have linear relations with the weight ratio of blue organic pigment to white pigment. Furthermore, the X-ray intensity ratio of ClKα/CuKα in model paints showed the chlorination of chlorinated copper phthalocyanine. Coefficients of variation of the ratios were within 20 even in the case where examined paints were collected from a smear on a rough surface.
  The method was validated by model paints with measured data.

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  In an examination of sexual crime cases, the possibility that constituent fibers of the top sheet of a sanitary napkin or a panty liner, which the victim may have been using, might stick to the suspect's hands and fingers were examined.
  Nineteen brands of sanitary products (15 sanitary napkin brands and 4 panty liner brands) were classified, by their material of the top sheet, in 12 brands of non-woven fabrics and 7 brands of porous films. The 12 brands of non-woven fabrics products were classified by their bonding process in 2 types, i.e. thermal bonding (through-air oven bonding) and mechanical bonding. Meanwhile out of 19 brands of products, 9 products have non-woven fabrics on both sides of the top sheet to prevent leakage and all of their bonding processes are thermal bonding (point-bond hot calendaring).
  Next, materials stuck to two subjects' fingers were collected on a transparent adhesive tape and examined whether constituent fibers came off and stuck to their fingers when two subjects rubbed the surface of a sample with their fingers. It was found that constituent fibers of non-woven fabrics stuck to the transparent adhesive tape.
  As a result, it was found that constituent fibers of non-fabrics came off by rubbing and stuck to fingers and hands, though those of porous films did not stick to them. Consequently, it is suggested that examination of constituent fibers of sanitary products is noteworthy for sexual crime cases.

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  The urinary concentrations of the main metabolites of methamphetamine (MA), specifically p-hydroxymethamphetamine-sulfate (p-OHMA-Sul) and p-hydroxymethamphetamine-glucuronide (p-OHMA-Gul) have been directly measured in MA users using an optimized LC-ESI MS method.
  The concentrations of the main metabolites and unchanged MA in 50 MA users' urine ranged from 0.02 to 21.7 μg/ml for p-OHMA-Sul, from <0.02 to 2.43 μg/ml for p-OHMA-Glu, from <0.005 to 1.33 μg/ml for p-hydroxymethamphetamine (p-OHMA), from 0.01 to 6.79 μg/ml for amphetamine (AP) and from 0.04 to 133 μg/ml for MA, and the ratios of sulfate to glucuronide (S/G ratios) ranged from 2.2 to 37.1 (13.8±8.1). These results demonstrate that the majority of p-OHMA is eliminated as its conjugate and the sulfation is quantitatively more important than glucuronidation for the conjugation of p-OHMA in humans. The urinary concentration time-dependency in two MA users have also revealed that the conjugates were mostly excreted in urine within 3 days post-intake.
  Both the acid and enzymatic hydrolysis conditions for p-OHMA conjugates were also optimized using the authentic standards of p-OHMA-Sul and p-OHMA-Gul. In the acid hydrolysis, the hydrolysis rate of p-OHMA-Sul was faster than p-OHMA-Glu, and a 3-h incubation with 1.2 mol/l HCl at 98 degrees Celsius gave complete hydrolysis of p-OHMA-Sul and p-OHMA-Glu. On the other hand, the enzymatic hydrolysis of two conjugates with Sulfatase Type H-1 from Helix pomatia required 6 hours for completion.

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  Sequence variation in hypervariable regions HV1 and HV2 in the control region of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was studied in 100 unrelated Japanese individuals living in Miyazaki Prefecture (in southern Japan) by PCR amplification and direct sequencing. PCR and sequencing primer sets designed for the C-stretch region at around position 16189 in HV1 and position 310 in HV2 were used. Sequence comparison revealed the existence of 90 different haplotypes in 120 variable positions, and of these 82, were unique, 6 were observed twice and 2 were observed three times. Genetic diversity was estimated at 0.999 and the probability of two randomly selected sequences matching (Random Match Probability, RMP) was 1.24%. The C-stretch region in HV1 was observed in 35% of individuals. The average number of nucleotide differences was 9.61 for HV1 and HV2. The majority of sequence variations were substitutions, particularly transitions from thymidine to cytosine (42.6%). Sequence heteroplasmy was not found in this study. Based on the observed polymorphic sites in HV1 and HV2, haplogroups D4 (D4a), M7a, M7b, N9a were the most commonly observed clusters. The resulting data were compared with some existing Japanese mtDNA databases. The present data contribute to expansion of the Japanese mtDNA database, particularly the database for Miyazaki Prefecture. These results show that an mtDNA database is very useful in forensic examination for identification of individuals.

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  In order to prove the intake of a newly encountered designer drug, Methylone, a sensitive and useful method, which allows us to simultaneously detect Methylone and its metabolites in human urine, has been established by means of a combination of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC-ESI MS). GC-MS accompanied with trifluoroacetyl (TFA) derivatization and LC-MS analyses were performed following acid hydrolysis and liquid-liquid extraction with a chloroform-2-propanol mixture (3:1, v/v). Methylone and its metabolites, 3,4-methylenedioxycathinone (MDC), 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymethcathinone (HMMC) and 3-hydroxy-4-methoxymethcathinone (3-OH-4-MeO-MC) could be satisfactorily separated on a semi-micro ODS column using linear gradient elution with a binary mobile phase of methanol and 10 mM ammonium formate buffer (pH 3.5).
  The detection limits of the four analytes by GC-MS were over the range of 5-25 ng/ml in a scan mode, and 0.5-2.5 ng/ml in a selected ion monitoring (SIM) mode. Upon applying the LC-ESI MS technique, the linear calibration curves were obtained using the SIM mode in the range of 25-500 ng/ml for Methylone, HMMC and 3-OH-4-MeO-MC, and 50-1000 ng/ml for MDC. The detection limits were over the range of 25-100 ng/ml in the scan mode, and 2.5-25 ng/ml in the SIM mode.
  Because of its high sensitivity, this analytical procedure will be applicable for proof of Methylone intake in forensic toxicology and clinical chemistry.

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  In this paper, we approximated gonio radiance properties of the surface reflection component of paper sheets by BRDF model, which is required in the digital image archive system recording the specimens of forensic document examination. Surface reflection component was selectively acquired by measuring the paper sheets processed with gold evaporation. Gonio radiance factor of three kinds of gold-coated paper sheets were approximated by the TSL model, which is the linear combination of two BRDF models, Torrance-Sparrow model and Lambert model. Relative gonio properties of each sample were well depicted by the TSL model, however a large deviation occurred in the specular reflection geometry for glossy paper. The RMSE between the measurement and the approximation by the TSL model was under 2% of the range of measured value. The roughness parameter in Torrance-Sparrow model corresponded with the state of surface roughness, and also the ratio between Torrance-Sparrow model and Lambert model showed the difference of material characteristics between samples. Therefore, the TSL model was considered to be effective as a BRDF model approximating the gonio radiance properties of surface reflected light from paper sheets.

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  Many methods for analysis of SNP based on using the allele-specific amplification technique were reported. In these methods, we must use the highly allele-specific primers. However, the specificity of primer depends on the type of SNP and the nucleotide sequence. In this study, we examined the relation between the specificity of primer and the oligonucleotide sequence for typing of NY95. The NY95 typing is based on a A-T transversion mutation. Results showed that the allele-specific primers which have the 3′-terminal nucleotide substitution and the miss-matched nucleotide at 3-5th position from 3′-terminal were highly specific. Furthermore, when the method in which the opposed allele-specific primers were used in one tube, non-specific amplification were not observed.
  Consequently, it seems that the opposed allele-specific primers and the non-specific amplification inhibit each other.

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  With the spread of hair coloring, the number of cases where dyed hairs are examined as evidential samples is on the increase.
  In forensic casework, hair color observed with the naked eye and light microscope is an important characteristic for morphological examination, while the color of dyed hair is considered of little importance and sometimes is excluded from examination because it no longer has its original color. It is experientially recognized that peculiar morphology is often observed in the cross section of dyed hairs. However, making cross sections of hair is so laborious that such observations are rarely employed in actual casework, and nothing more than noting whether hair is dyed or not is generally done. Then, for effective application of hair cross sectioning to morphological examination of dyed hairs, the sectioning method for hair samples was improved and cross section morphologies of dyed hairs made with a newly improved method were compared among Japanese females.
  It requires a lot of time, labor and skill to make cross sections of hairs with the conventional hair cross sectioning method of using a celluloid plate as an embedding material. Cross sections of hairs can be made easily using the Technovit 7100, an embedding resin system based on glycol methacrylate. Cross sections made with the ’Technovit method’ are of equal thickness and perpendicular to the hair shaft so that cross section morphologies such as a thickness and damage of cuticle, density of melanin granules and state of dyeing can be accurately appraised. In cross sections of dyed hairs collected from twenty Japanese females, several peculiar morphologies that give useful information for morphological comparison were observed.

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  Thermite is a mixture of aluminum powder and iron oxide, and large amounts of heat are formed by its reaction. Using this heat, thermite is used not only in industrial scenes but also at crime scenes. Various reaction products were obtained in different crime scenes, and they would depend on the mixing ratio of the starting materials.
  In this report, thermite reactions were conducted in various mixing ratios. The relationship between thermite mixing ratios and their products was examined. Oxides and metals were formed in every reaction. But their species were different with the mixing ratio of starting materials. It became apparent that the species of resulting oxides and the composition of metals were related to the mixing ratio of their starting materials, and every reaction satisfies each chemical equation. Due to the difference of the products, the mixing ratio of thermite can be estimated by analyzing the products with electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA) and X-ray diffracotmeter (XRD).

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  A mask for collecting expiration compulsorily was created.
  In drunken driving regulations for the driver, alcoholic concentration in the driver's expiration is necessary.
  There are some drivers who refuse to present their expiration for the alcoholic inspection.
  In such a case, it is necessary for us to acquire a search warrant from a court and extract blood compulsorily at a hospital. The alcoholic concentration of the extracted blood must be measured at the Forensic Science Laboratory. If the alcohol concentration is more than the regulation, the driver will be confirmed to have driven under the influence of alcohol.
  During this time and labor consuming period, the alcoholic concentration will reduce. In order to avoid such inconvenience, I designed and made a mask to extract expiration.
  By referring to an expiration extraction mask and bag used for research for exercise physiology, I made a mask which one can breathe more comfortably.
  This mask can be used at the drunken driving regulation spots.
  Moreover, it can also be used for the drivers who are unconscious by an accident and hospitalized.

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