Smiths Detection (France)

Archaeological 3D digitization of skeletal elements is an essential aspect of the discipline. Objectives are various: archiving of data (especially before destructive sampling for biomolecular studies for example), study or for pedagogical purposes to allow their manipulation. As techniques are rapidly evolving, the question that arises is the use of appropriate methods to answer the different questions and guarantee sufficient quality of information. The combined use of different 3D technologies for the study of a single Mesolithic bone fragment from Brittany (France) is here an opportunity to compare different 3D digitization methods. This oldest human bone of Brittany, a clavicle constituted of two pieces, was dug up from the mesolithic shell midden of Beg-er-Vil in Quiberon and dated from ca. 8200 to 8000 years BP. They are bound to post-mortem processing, realized on fresh bone in order to remove the integuments, which it is necessary to better qualify. The clavicle was studied through a process that combines advanced 3D image acquisition, 3D processing, and 3D printing with the goal to provide relevant support for the experts involved in the work. The bones were first studied with a metallographic microscopy, scanned with a CT scan, and digitized with photogrammetry in order to get a high quality textured model. The CT scan appeared to be insufficient for a detailed analysis; the study was thus completed with a µ-CT providing a very accurate 3D model of the bone. Several 3D-printed copies of the collarbone were produced in order to support knowledge sharing between the experts involved in the study. The 3D models generated from µCT and photogrammetry were combined to provide an accurate and detailed 3D model. This model was used to study desquamation and the different cut marks, including their angle of attack. These cut marks were also studied with traditional binoculars and digital microscopy. This last technique allowed characterizing their type, revealing a probable meat cutting process with a flint tool. This work of crossed analyses allows us to document a fundamental patrimonial piece, and to ensure its preservation. Copies are also available for the regional museums.

Little research has dealt with intragroup ancestry-related differences in intelligence in Black and White Americans. To help fill this gap, we examined the association between intelligence and both color and parent-reported ancestry using the NLSY97. We used a nationally-representative sample, a multidimensional measure of cognitive ability, and a sibling design. We found that African ancestry was negatively correlated with general mental ability scores among Whites (r = −0.038, N = 3603; corrected for attenuation, rc = −0.245). In contrast, the correlation between ability and parent-reported European ancestry was positive among Blacks (r = 0.137, N = 1788; rc = 0.344). Among Blacks, the correlation with darker skin color, an index of African ancestry, was negative (r = −0.112, N = 1455). These results remained with conspicuous controls. Among Blacks, both color and parent-reported European ancestry had independent effects on general cognitive ability (color: β = −0.104; ancestry: β = 0.118; N = 1445). These associations were more pronounced on g-loaded subtests, indicating a Jensen Effect for both color and ancestry (rs = 0.679 to 0.850). When we decomposed the color results for the African ancestry sample between and within families, we found an association between families, between singletons (β = −0.153; N = 814), and between full sibling pairs (β = −0.176; N = 225). However, we found no association between full siblings (β = 0.027; N = 225). Differential regression to the mean results indicated that the factors causing the mean group difference acted across the cognitive spectrum, with high-scoring African Americans no less affected than low-scoring ones. We tested for measurement invariance and found that strict factorial invariance was tenable. We then found that the weak version of Spearman’s hypothesis was tenable while the strong and contra versions were not. The results imply that the observed cognitive differences are primarily due to differences in g and that the Black-White mean difference is attributable to the same factors that cause differences within both groups. Further examination revealed comparable intraclass correlations and absolute differences for Black and White full siblings. This implied that the non-shared environmental variance components were similar in magnitude for both Blacks and Whites.

Laurent Schio speaks to Benjamin Walden, Commissioning Editor. Laurent Schio is leading the group of Integrated Drug Discovery of Sanofi, France. He joined Sanofi more than 25years ago and is an organic chemist by training. He has made most of his career in medicinal chemistry supporting and leading projects, especially in the anti-infective and then in the oncology fields. He has developed a strong expertise in kinases and lately has contributed to the discovery of several clinical candidates for cancer treatment.

Customs continue to use a wide range of technology in protecting against terrorism and the movement of illicit trade and prohibited imports. The throughput of scanned vehicles and cargo increases and just keeps on growing. Therefore, the need of automated algorithms to help screening officers in inspection, examination or surveillance of vehicles and containers is crucial. In this context, the successful collaboration between manufacturers and customs offices is of key importance. Facing this topic, within the seventh framework program of the European Commission, the project ACXIS “Automated Comparison of X-ray Images for cargo Scanning” arose. This project develops a reference database for X-ray images of illegal and legitimate cargo, procedures and algorithms to uniform X-ray images of different cargo scanners, and an automated identification of potentially illegal cargo.

Over the years, image registration has been largely employed in medical applications, robotics and geophysics. More recently, it has increasingly drawn attention of security and defense industries, particularly aiming at threat detection automation. This paper first introduces a short overview of mathematical methods for image registration, with a focus on variational approaches. In a second part, a specific registration task is presented: the optimal alignment between X-ray scans of an inspected vehicle and an empty reference of the same car model. Indeed, while being scanned by dedicated imaging systems, the car speed is not necessarily constant which may entail non-rigid deformations in the resulting image. The paper simply addresses this issue by applying a rigid transform on the reference image before using the variational framework solved in one dimension. For convergence and speed purposes, line-search techniques and a multiscale approach are used.

A methodology, based on a combination of SH&E criteria, enables a simplified greenness evaluation of any solvent, in the context of fine or pharmaceutical chemistry.

Correction for ‘CHEM21 selection guide of classical- and less classical-solvents’ by Denis Prat, et al., Green Chem., 2015, DOI: 10.1039/c5gc01008j.

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