Cloning of the histo-blood group ABO genes has opened up a new era of ABO Typing. In addition to the orthodox immunological ABO phenotyping, it is now possible to determine the ABO genotypes of individuals. Progress has been made in elucidating the molecular genetic bases of three major alleles, subgroups, cis-AB and B (A). Mutational analysis of various alleles has provided clues for the structural basis of activity and specificity of A and B glycosyltransferases. Further advancement is expected in the study of regulatory mechanism of ABO gene expression as well as the functional analysis of ABO polymorphism in the near future.

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  We developed a technique that corrects picture quality so that sweat glands on a ridge can be distinguished from the picture obtained by a Finger/Palm-print Live Scanner. The Finger/Palm-print Live Scanner equipment (Live Scanner) has been introduced to the local police stations for fingerprint collection operation. Fingerprint Live Scanner devices have been used as an authentication technology for security systems. The resolution of the Live Scanner image needs to be equal to that of all Live Scanner devices. For example, the required resolution for the police is about 20 points per mm so that sweat glands on a ridge can be distinguished.
  We developed a method of image correction to satisfy the requirements for the Live Scanner. Correcting methods for a degraded image such as the inverse filter and the Wiener filter had been proposed. But we are not able to estimate the resolution using the filter designed by these conventional methods. Because these conventional methods use the Signal to Noise ratio as a parameter and don't use relationship to the resolution.
  We applied the filter design method that we had developed for a satellite image, to correct the Live Scanner image. The method can evaluate a relationship between the filter effect and the filter parameter by point spread function (PSF). The proposed filter optimization method reduced the full width at half maximum of PSF about 36%, resulting in an improved resolution. With this method, sweat glands on a ridge can be distinguished.

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  The variation of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene(cyt b) has been a rich source of phylogenetic inference in a wide range of animal species. In the present study, PCR-RFLP pattern of cyt b were compared to identify species of animals for forensic science investigation. Using total DNA isolated from blood of five human individuals, eight species of mammal(baboon, cow, pig, dog, cat, bear, deer and raccoon dog) and two species of bird(chicken and wild duck), cyt b were analyzed by using the PCR method. Using the primers designed for cyt b by Chikuni et al. (1994), cyt b was amplified to obtain about 700bp fragment from seven mammals(human, baboon, cow, pig, cat, bear and deer) and two birds (chicken and wild duck). The PCR products were digested with two restriction endonucleases(Hae III or Hinf I), and the difference was observed among mammals and birds as PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). PCR-PFLP patterns with Hinf I of human differed from other animals.
  In this study, nine animal species could be simply identified by this method. DNAs from some spiecies were not able to be amplified probably depending on a mismatch of primers. The polymorphism in cyt b was a useful tool for species identification in a forensic casework. Further study is needed to apply this method to a forensic casework.

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  Commercial monoclonal antibody for ABO blood grouping reagents were evaluated by an absorption-elution test. The monoclonal anti-A and anti-B antibodies were collected from six commercial products. Those monoclonal antibodies had the titer in 256 to 2048 range with A or B cells.
  Procedures of absorption-elution test for ABO blood grouping of bloodstains and body fluid stains were performed using a routine technique with monoclonal antibody. The stain samples were divided into two test tubes and one drop of monoclonal anti-A and anti-B antibodies, respectively was added. When test tubes were incubated in a water bath at 53°C for 10 min, absorbed antibodies were eluted in 0.1% gelatin contained saline.
  As a result of the absorption-elution test, all monoclonal anti-A and anti-B reagents were able to detect ABO blood type from bloodstains without dilution. Furthermore two monoclonal reagents were suitable to detection of diluted ones. In human saliva stains, six monoclonal products were showed various reactivity to secretor and non-secretor samples. On the other hand, four monoclonal products were able to detect ABO blood type from non-secretor human seminal stains, but only one monoclonal product was able to detect from secretor stains.
  Therefore, two monoclonal reagents which were showed different reactivity, were selected to detect bloodstains, human saliva and seminal stains. When these reagents were mixed equally and applied to an absorption-elution test, they made it possible to detect ABO blood type from bloodstains and body fluid stains.

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  For ABO blood typing of human salivary stains, a new mixed agglutination reaction method was devised, in which, OHP film was used as antigen-antibody reaction plate. By this method a series of examination procedures such as extraction of blood group substances, heating-fixation of the substance and incubation with monoclonal antibodies could be performed successively on the OHP film. For the secretor's salivary stain samples, specific agglutination reaction which presents an agglutination circle was observed. ABO blood typing from secretor's salivary stains was correctly performed by this method.

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