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• DNA provision in LTMP cases varies depending on disappearance circumstances. • Qualitative analyses provide insights into public concerns in this area. • Concerns manifest differently in LTMP cases. Policy response could enhance support. Identification of unidentified human remains, and long-term missing persons (LTMP) is imperative, allowing for missing persons to be reunited with their families, which could provide closure to families experiencing ongoing ambiguity surrounding the situation. However, identification remains problematic for several reasons, including the absence of DNA provision in the investigation. The research reported here is the second in a two-part series exploring public/family support for providing DNA in LTMP cases. In the first study, quantitative results showed that participants had concerns when asked if they thought there would be implications for a person providing DNA to police in LTMP cases. The aim of this second study was to explore further using qualitative methods the nuances and themes underpinning concerns for providing DNA in LTMP cases. Participants described their concerns about providing DNA in four hypothetical LTMP case scenarios (a child, an adult with dementia, a runaway 19-year-old adolescent, and an estranged adult). Through thematic content analysis, ten themes were identified. Nine themes run across all four LTMP case scenarios. The tenth theme was only observed in two scenarios; cases involving adolescents with a history of runaway, and in cases involving adults estranged from their family. Results showed public concerns differed according to LTMP case circumstances. Key findings point to public education about how DNA is used in LTMP investigations, the applicable legislation relating to police use of DNA in investigations and increasing public awareness around the benefits of DNA use in LTMP investigations. Potentional policy options are discussed that could guide the future development of nuanced police practice in different types of LTMP cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten disulfide quantum dots (WS2 QDs) embedded lab on genochip based analytical device (PAD) was developed for the specific DNA detection of Meningitis, a life threatening disease. This paper-based lab on genochip was designed by grafting the two electrodes onto the surface of paper using conductive ink. The WS2 QDs were characterized by X-ray diffraction technique, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Following this, specific oligonucleotide sequence of DNA (capture probe) was immobilized over the surface of WS2 QDs/PAD electrode. The ssDNA/WS2QDs/PAD device was characterized electrochemically by cyclic voltammetry. The device was employed for detection of target DNA (by hybridization) by employing methylene blue (MB) as an indicator. The biosensor exhibited a wide linear response in the range 1 nM-100 µM towards the target DNA. The limit of detection (LOD) of target DNA of the proposed device is 1 nM. The advantageous features of this device than the existing biosensors include cheaper analysis cost, tiny sample requirements and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Detecting and locating semen stains is addressed by identifying the associated acid phosphatase activity of semen. The recovery of semen stains is critical as it can, via DNA testing, address the possible source(s) of the semen and may aid in the interpretation of a case. The purpose of these experiments, carried out on behalf of the Body Fluids Forum, was to consider whether wetting the test paper alone or wetting the semen stained fabric and the test paper affected the detection and location of the semen stains on various fabric types, or the subsequent recovery of spermatozoa from these fabrics. It became evident that the preferred approach varied depending on the fabric type being tested but that more often than not, wetting both the fabric and the test paper had a detrimental effect on the recovery of spermatozoa. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: DNA evidence in criminal cases may be challenging to interpret if several individuals have contributed to a DNA-mixture. The genetic markers conventionally used for forensic applications may be insufficient to resolve cases where there is a small fraction of DNA (say less than 10%) from some contributors or where there are several (say more than 4) contributors. Recently methods have been proposed that claim to substantially improve on existing approaches . The basic idea is to use high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping arrays including as many as 500,000 markers or more and explicitly exploit raw allele intensity measures. It is claimed that trace fractions of less than 0.1% can be reliably detected in mixtures with a large number of contributors. Specific forensic issues pertaining to the amount and quality of DNA are not discussed in the paper and will not be addressed here. Rather our paper critically examines the statistical methods and the validity of the conclusions drawn in Homer et al. (2008) . We provide a mathematical argument showing that the suggested statistical approach will give misleading results for important cases. For instance, for a two person mixture an individual contributing less than 33% is expected to be declared a non-contributor. The quoted threshold 33% applies when all relative allele frequencies are 0.5. Simulations confirmed the mathematical findings and also provide results for more complex cases. We specified several scenarios for the number of contributors, the mixing proportions and allele frequencies and simulated as many as 500,000 SNPs. A controlled, blinded experiment was performed using the Illumina GoldenGate® 360 SNP test panel. Twenty-five mixtures were created from 2 to 5 contributors with proportions ranging from 0.01 to 0.99. The findings were consistent with the mathematical result and the simulations. We conclude that it is not possible to reliably infer the presence of minor contributors to mixtures following the approach suggested in Homer et al. (2008) . The basic problem is that the method fails to account for mixing proportions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Freshwater environmental DNA shows potential for forensic application. • Consideration of filtration and preservation methods essential. • Validation of eDNA methods required before application. • Implementation possible in wildlife crime investigation casework. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is widely used in biodiversity, conservation, and ecological studies but despite its successes, similar approaches have not yet been regularly applied to assist in wildlife crime investigations. The purpose of this paper is to review current eDNA methods and assess their potential forensic application in freshwater environments considering collection, transport and persistence, analysis, and interpretation, while identifying additional research required to present eDNA evidence in court. An extensive review of the literature suggests that commonly used collection methods can be easily adapted for forensic frameworks providing they address the appropriate investigative questions and take into consideration the uniqueness of the target species, its habitat, and the requirements of the end user. The use of eDNA methods to inform conservationists, monitor biodiversity and impacts of climate change, and detect invasive species and pathogens shows confidence within the scientific community, making the acceptance of these methods by the criminal justice system highly possible. To contextualise the potential application of eDNA on forensic investigations, two test cases are explored involving i) species detection and ii) species localisation. Recommendations for future work within the forensic eDNA discipline include development of suitable standardised collection methods, considered collection strategies, forensically validated assays and publication of procedures and empirical research studies to support implementation within the legal system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA samples recovered from items of clothing are often attributed to the wearer and one or more individuals who may have contacted the item during an alleged criminal activity. Another scenario often proposed by defence counsel is that DNA was transferred from a previously contacted item/surface unrelated to the activity of interest onto the item of clothing. Under such scenarios, DNA may also be transferred from the clothing to the item/surface with which it comes into contact. One such surface is flooring, upon which clothing may be placed while not being worn or may be contacted during wearing, such as falling or being forced to the ground. This study investigates the transfer of DNA to and from clothing and flooring when different contacts are applied between the two surfaces in an environment representative of what investigators would encounter in routine casework, a residential environment. Participants were provided with two sets of new and unused upper and lower garments to wash then wear for ~8 h inside their own home before storing them in paper evidence bags. The two sets of clothing were taken to a home occupied by unrelated individuals, where one set was placed on the floor ('passive') by the researcher while the other was worn by the participant who laid with their back on the floor, rolled to one side and back, then stood up ('active'). Within the houses sampled, the main bedroom was targeted as flooring types and histories of use were more consistent across houses and less variation in DNA profile composition was previously observed for samples collected in the same room. Samples were collected from predetermined areas of the clothing and flooring where contact did and did not occur. Reference profiles were obtained from wearers and individuals they lived with, as well as occupants of the home. DNA transfer was observed from clothing to flooring and from flooring to clothing in both 'active' and 'passive' situations, though greater where a situation involved the application of pressure and friction ('active'), and only where contact between clothing and flooring occurred. Results from this study inform on the composition of DNA profiles one is likely to obtain from an item of clothing or a flooring surface following a similar contact event between the two substrates and will aid investigators when interpreting DNA evidence recovered in a domestic environment and the activities leading to its transfer and subsequent recovery. • Frequent DNA transfer between worn clothing and flooring surfaces upon contact. • Occasions of DNA transfer increased with the application of pressure and friction. • DNA transfer more commonly observed on worn clothing compared to flooring surfaces. • Bi-directional transfer between clothing and flooring was observed. • DNA contributors and yields from clothing and flooring assessed against use histories. • Probabilities have been generated for some DNA profiling outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the contemporary era, technology plays a significant role in our daily lives. Consequently, there is a growing emphasis on securing information transmitted across networks. To meet this need, numerous cryptographic systems have been developed to enhance security. The distinguishing factor among these systems lies in their capability to uphold fundamental criteria for information security, including authentication confidentiality and integrity. This paper introduces a method involving the use of DNA and lightweight cryptography[1-2-3]. This method utilizes for the encryption and decryption of data using DNA sequence and the SIMON cryptographic system—a symmetric encryption algorithm specifically designed for simplicity and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on research led by Jimmy Botella, professor of plant biotechnology, and Michael Mason, a postdoctoral research fellow, on dipstick that can capture and purify nucleic acids from a wide range of plant, animal, and microbe samples without specialized equipment. It informs that researchers have designed dipsticks made from the filter paper with water-repellent handle and DNA binding surface.

Abstract: In a Nature paper of 2010, the concern was raised that intra-individual mtDNA variation may be more pronounced than previously believed, in that heteroplasmies are common and vary markedly from tissue to tissue. This claim taken at face value would have considerable impact on forensic casework. It turns out however that the employed technology detected the germ-line variation relative to the reference sequence only incompletely: on average at least five mutations were missed per sample, as an in silico reassessment of the data reveals. Before one can really set out to access to entire mtDNA genome data with relative ease for forensic purposes, one needs careful calibration studies under strict forensic conditions—or might have to wait for another generation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

There are currently 250 million people infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV) worldwide, despite the availability of a prophylactic vaccine for many years and the use of efficient and well-tolerated viral suppressive drugs since 1998. In this review, I go through the most recent developments in the structure, and epidemiology and biology of the virus, look at changes in the way the disease is currently being treated, and investigate novel, cutting-edge treatments that are being developed for the treatment of HBV infection. Genotypes and serological subtypes have a strong and statistically significant association, and in some circumstances, serological subtypes can be utilized to distinguish between sub genotypes. geographic distribution of certain genotypes and subgenotypes varies and plays a crucial role in the clinical manifestation of infection as well as the response to antiviral medication. Thanks to advancements in genetics, the prospect for vaccinations, and tailored management to target the integration of virus with host. HBV persistence occurs due to covalently closed circular DNA can rarely be removed by current pharmacological therapies. Alternative treatment approaches, such as those built on silencing of viral. According to reports, HBV DNA levels can be inhibited and conversion of HBeAg to antibody to HBe Ag can be induced by antiviral medication like nucleotide analog (NUC), which can prevent liver-related death. Additionally, there is a critical need for the creation of global archives of standardized HBV reagents and protocols that can be accessible by all HBV researchers. The plan for HBV cure research presented in this position paper will make a significant contribution to the objective of eradicating HBV infection globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Case report demonstrating Bayesian reasoning in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (BPA). • Probability assignments in an actual case are discussed. • Parameter sensitivity analysis and robustness of the likelihood ratio are discussed. • Dedicated research is needed to strengthen evaluative reporting on BPA findings. The findings from a bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) may assist in formulating or falsifying scenarios that are considered in the investigative stages of a criminal investigation. When a case proceeds to trial the bloodstain pattern expert may be asked about the relevance of their findings given scenarios that are proposed by the prosecution and defense counsel. Such opinions provided by an expert are highly relevant to police investigation or legal proceedings, but the reasoning behind the opinion or implicit assumptions made by the expert may not be transparent. A proper framework for the evaluation of forensic findings has been developed since the late twentieth century, based on the hierarchy of propositions, Bayesian reasoning and a model for case assessment and interpretation. This framework, when implemented in casework, mitigates some of the risks of cognitive biases, and makes the reasoning and scientific basis for the opinion transparent. This framework is broadly used across forensic science disciplines. In this paper we describe its application to the field of BPA using a case example from the Netherlands Forensic Institute (NFI). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1954, the seminal short paper in the Nature from James Watson and Francis Crick proposed the double helix model of deoxyribose nucleic acid. This amateur-looking concept changed the way molecular biology is now perceived. We are now celebrating the 70 years of the phenomenon discovery of the modern science that has revolutionized life sciences with a huge impact on many other related scientific disciplines. Fifty years later, the Human Genome Project offered the nearly complete draft sequence of the human genome that is now fully sequenced in the 70th year of the double helix. Technological advances have led to a rapid reduction in the cost of whole genome sequencing. It is now possible for anyone to get the personal genome sequenced for

In the application and promotion of UAV in the future, remote sensing image information is transmitted frequently, and its security issues will not be ignored. Aiming at the privacy security problem of portrait information in remote sensing images, this paper proposes a face privacy protection technology scheme based on chaos and DNA cryptography. Firstly, the edge recognition face detection technology is used to identify the face information, and the corresponding matrix is selected as the object of selective encryption. Then, the hash eigenvalues of the selected encrypted object are extracted, and the plaintext-associated chaotic sequences are generated for RGB permutation and zigzag interleaved scrambling in turn. Then, the three channels of RGB are encrypted by dynamic chain DNA encoding in turn. Finally, the cipher-image is obtained after performing discontinuous diffusion and lightweight bit-level confusion. In this paper, chaotic pseudo-random sequences with plaintext correlation and dynamic DNA chain encryption are used to effectively improve the ability of encryption system to resist cryptographic attacks. At the same time, selective encryption can effectively reduce the encryption complexity and performance overhead. Experimental results and security analysis show that the privacy protection scheme has excellent security and efficiency performance. Therefore, the face privacy protection technology scheme reported in this paper has excellent performance and has broad application prospects in UAV and remote sensing communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data Encryption Standard (DES) is the first 56-bits secret-key standard that is widely used as a symmetric-key 64-bits block encryption/decryption algorithm. Unfortunately, the rapid increase in computing power makes it possible to find the required bits combination of the secret-key in a short time. Due to the promising trends of Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA) in cryptography, this paper presents a DES-DNA based symmetric-key block encryption/decryption algorithm called iEncrypt. iEncrypt has two versions, each of them uses a 64-nucleotides secret-key that makes the secret-key of the proposed algorithm intractable as 128-bits secret-key. The experimental works show that the two versions of iEncrypt are intractable against brute force attacks. Moreover, the reduced version of the proposed algorithm, to 4-rounds, shows the intractability of the first version against differential cryptanalysis attacks in addition to the invisibility of attacking the second version. Plain images data are used as one of the rich characteristics data in the statistical evaluation. Statistically, the encrypted images confirm the intractability of both versions of the proposed algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In forensic DNA analysis, evidence sampling stands as a pivotal step setting the ground for the quality of the forensic profiling. The collection of touch DNA from objects, when guidelines are scarce or absent, is usually governed by ad hoc decisions based on the available case circumstances. In our laboratory, in the context of illicit drug-related crimes, similar objects are frequently encountered, offering an opportunity for the standardization of evidence treatment. This study aims to develop an effective method for sampling touch DNA from knots on plastic bags. We examine both the exposed and hidden areas of knots, considering the latter as "protected" zones less likely to accumulate biological material during subsequent handling. The study contrasts a single sample method (whole knot surface sampling, Method 1) with dual-sample methods that separate exterior (exposed) and interior (hidden) surfaces of the knot. Notably, our study consistently reveals higher DNA yields from exterior surfaces of the knots as opposed to interior samples. Importantly, our findings demonstrate that utilizing a single sample may produce DNA profiles that are not interpretable, while employing a dual-sample approach may allow for the differentiation between the genetic contributions of the person who tied the knot, the packer, from the person who held the package, the holder. We have refined the dual-sample method to reduce holder DNA in the interior sample while maintaining it on the exterior, also allowing the packer's DNA to be detected on both surfaces. We explore four dual-sample collection methods. Method 2 involves taking the first sample from the exterior and the second from the interior of an untied knot. Method 3 visually differentiates between the original exposed and hidden surfaces for precise sampling. Method 4 employs tools to open the knot for interior sampling. Method 5 uses Diamond dye to highlight cell-free DNA on both surfaces before sampling. In conclusion, this study not only clarifies the complex dynamics of touch DNA transfer and collection on plastic bag knots, but also offers insights into standardizing evidence collection in similar cases. • Illicit drugs packages carry valuable information about the persons involved in the distribution. • Precision sampling applied to plastic bag knots. • Two- sample methods segregate the packer's and the holder's biological materials from the single knot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous improvement of sequencing technologies has been paralleled by the development of efficient algorithms and data structures for sequencing data analysis and processing. Suffix array is one of data structures that are used to construct the Burrows-Wheeler transform (BWT) for long length genomes. Building a suffix array itself is an expensive-resource process since the computations are dominant by sorting suffixes in a lexical order. Most of the suffix array construction algorithms consider the general and integer alphabets without utilizing special cases for fixed-size ones such as DNA alphabets. In this paper, we exploit the nature of four-sized DNA alphabets and utilize their predefined lexicographical ordering in order to construct suffix arrays for genomic data correctly and efficiently. The suffix array construction algorithm for DNA alphabets is evaluated using three real data sets with different lengths ranging from small E-coli genome to long length Homo sapiens GRCh38.p13 chromosomes. For long length genomes, their corresponding sequence is divided into parts (i.e. reads) with a minimum overlap length, the suffix array is computed for each part separately, and finally all partially computed arrays are merged together into a single one. We studied the effects of varying the reads/overlap lengths on the running time of the proposed suffix array construction algorithm and conclude that the minimum overlap length should be equal to the average length of the longest common prefix between the adjacent parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a new algorithm to find the optimal proteins generated through DNA synthesis. The algorithm executes in five stages: in the first stage, it takes a DNA sequences and consider it as the initial populations of lions, determined the main positions of each lion and the main distances among lions and goal point then consider this distance as fitness of that lions, after that sort the lions based on their fitness to preparing it to the second stage. The second stage develops lion optimization algorithm (LOA) by adding four new features on it, each feature performance one task, a replacing the kernel of LOA (i.e., searching machnizam) by spirally searching & Bubble net searching to increase the accuracy, at the same time reduce the execution time to reach of the goal achieve by A Smart feature. The main purpose of the third stage is determining lion active or more yauld where each lion in population need update the positions and fitness after each move in searching space to reach of their goal., this achieved through Yauld feature. The fourth stage applies the Cooperative features to convert the active sequence of DNA (i.e., Yauld lion) into mRNA after that built tRNA from it after splitting it into triplet to start to generate the proteins. Synthesis of all triplet of tRNA to generated final proteins result by new optimization algorithm achieved based on deep composite that satisfies the four rules, this feature called Deep feature and represent the final stage of the algorithm. The new algorithm appears as a pragmatic optimization model, it proves their robust to work with dynamic length of DNA sequence. It increases accuracy and reduces execution times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligence amplification systems and technologies have gained significant interest from academia and industry during the past few decades. One of the main reasons behind this trend is the fact that most experts agree that truly intelligent artificial system is yet to be developed. The question increasing often asked is this: Is full replication of human intelligence desirable key aim in intelligence related technology and research? In this context, the concept of Augmented Intelligence, also known as Cognitive Augmentation or Intelligence Amplification (IA) comes into play. One of the main reasons behind this interest in this concept is the potential of such technologies to revolutionize human life as they intend to work under complex decision-making environments, adapting to a comprehensive range of unforeseen changes, and exhibiting prospective behavior. The combination of these properties aims to enhance human capabilities and create more intelligent and efficient human-centered environments. In this paper we discuss how Decisional DNA (DDNA), a multi-domain knowledge structure that has the Set of Experience Knowledge Structure (SOEKS) at its core can be utilized as an experience-based intelligence augmentation in a number of different domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lachenalia (Asparagaceae; Scilloideae; Hyacintheae) is a large and morphologically diverse genus of more than 140 bulbous species endemic to southern Africa. Previous attempts to infer a well‐resolved and robustly supported phylogeny of Lachenalia using Sanger sequencing of candidate loci and/or morphological characters have been largely unsuccessful. Consequently, the current infrageneric classification is artificial, and there is a need to explore alternative avenues to produce a phylogenetic classification. In this paper, we present a novel phylogenetic hypothesis for Lachenalia inferred using maximum likelihood and coalescent‐based species tree estimation (ASTRAL) as applied to 378 hybrid‐enrichment loci. Our tree is well resolved and well supported, providing strong support for a monophyletic radiation of the genus in southern Africa and a solid foundation for a revised infrageneric classification. The well‐supported placement of L. isopetala Jacq. as sister to Lachenalia + Massonia supports the establishment of a new monotypic genus, Pseudolachenalia, to accommodate this species. Conversely, the inclusion of species previously classified as Polyxena within the Lachenalia clade supports the transfer of these species to Lachenalia. Within Lachenalia, the delimitation of subgenera and sections is complicated by the highly imbalanced character of the phylogeny and by the high levels of homoplasy shown by most morphological characters traditionally used to delimit species in this group. Nonetheless, we propose an infrageneric taxonomy comprising 10 morphologically distinct, monophyletic sections. The largest of these, L. sect. Lachenalia, is further divided into 13 more‐or‐less diagnosable, monophyletic subsections. Keys to the sections of Lachenalia, and to the subsections of L. sect. Lachenalia, are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid DNA technologies recently gained significant momentum as a means to generate DNA profiles faster than with standard laboratory workflows. Initially developed for the analysis of buccal reference samples, applications are being considered for other types of forensic samples. In this study, an identical set of 150 blood and saliva-based samples was processed using two different Rapid DNA technologies, the Applied BioSystems™ RapidHIT™ ID System using the RapidINTEL™ sample cartridge and the ANDE™ 6C Rapid DNA Analysis™ System using the I-Chip. A subset of samples were subjected to alternative collection methods or sample pre-treatments to determine the optimal strategy for each instrument. An equivalent sample set was also processed using a conventional DNA analysis workflow. The sensitivity range of the two Rapid DNA technologies was comparable based on blood and saliva dilution series, with both technologies able to generate full profiles from samples typically yielding 5–10 ng of DNA when processed using conventional DNA analysis. The brand of cotton swabs used for Rapid DNA analysis had an impact on the results for both systems. Differences were observed in success rate between the two systems when processing blood (on fabrics, FTA paper or hard surfaces) and saliva-based samples (drink containers, FTA paper, chewing gum, cigarette butt filter paper) and depended on the sample type. Importantly, deviating from the manufacturer's instructions for sample collection and pre-treatment was more detrimental to the ANDE 6C results. The quality of DNA profiles, as assessed using heterozygote peak height ratios, interloci balance and artifact presence, confirmed the results to be reliable and acceptable for single source samples. Profiling results were obtained when samples were reprocessed using the same Rapid DNA technology or conventional DNA analysis. Secondary analysis using a substitute software (GeneMapper ID-X v1.5) to recover additional genetic information was shown to be feasible. Finally, a comparison between the Applied Biosystems™ RapidHIT™ ID System Software v1.3.1 and v1.3.2 was also performed. Findings of this study could assist those interested in using Rapid DNA technology for blood or saliva-based samples, in various settings and for different applications. • Identical sample sets processed on two Rapid DNA instruments. • The two Rapid DNA technologies showed comparable sensitivity. • Alternative swabs, collection method and sample pre-treatment impact results. • Quality of profiles is suitable for single source samples. • Modified secondary analysis methods defined for GeneMapper ID-X. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Identifying splice sites is essential for gene structure analysis and eukaryotic genome annotation. Recently, computational and deep learning approaches for splice site detection have advanced, focusing on reducing false positives by distinguishing true from pseudo splice sites. This paper introduces GraphSplice, a method using graph convolutional neural networks. It encodes DNA sequences into directed graphs to extract features and predict splice sites. Tested across multiple datasets, GraphSplice consistently achieved high accuracy (91%-94%) and F1Scores (92%-94%), outperforming state-of-the-art models by up to 9.16% for donors and 5.64% for acceptors. Cross-species experiments also show GraphSplice's capability to annotate splice sites in under-trained genomic datasets, proving its wide applicability as a tool for DNA splice site analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing offers considerable flexibility and financial savings to data owners for outsourcing their complicated data management systems from local sites to the commercial public cloud. However, an effective encryption scheme is needed to protect the private medical data of the user in the cloud without leaking it. Therefore, in this paper an efficient Deoxyribonucleic Acid Homomorphic Encryption algorithm (DNA-HE) has been proposed to encrypt and store the medical images in the cloud securely. Initially, the data is mapped to DNA sequences and then encrypted using homomorphic encryption. The key for the homomorphic algorithm is generated using Rider Optimization Technique which ensures security. It acts as a double encryption technique. The same procedure tends to decrypt the encrypted data. The efficiency of the proposed technique is assessed employing several parameters such as execution time, encryption time, and decryption time. The experimental results shows that the proposed DNA-HE system reduces encryption time of 10 %, 20 %, and 35 % than OHE, HE and ECC algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the last few years, we have witnessed unprecedented growth in data and gigantic amounts of data are being produced every day. By 2020, the amount of information we want to store it will be around 44 trillion gigabytes. on the one hand the data volumes continue to grow at an even higher speed, However, our traditional databases are limited in the storage and processing of this large and complex data and we do not have a reliable physical storage medium that can withstand the weather. On the other hand, the term Big Data is now the new natural resource and current analysis architectures face much greater challenges in terms of scalability, rapid ingestion, performance, processing and storage efficiency. In order to cope with these massive and exponentially increasing amounts of heterogeneous data generated more and more quickly, many researchers believe that they have found the solution to this problem, either develop and add an intelligent touch to the available technology (REHDFS), or have discovered solution effective in the field of chemistry, DNA for example. The objectives of this paper are to present the two future storage solutions with the advantages and values-added by both approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing facilitates the storage and management of huge volumes of data. It offers flexibility for retrieving the data anytime and anywhere. In recent years, storing data onto the cloud achieved fame among corporations as well as private users. Although, the cloud is drawing a lot of attention still there are data security, privacy, reliability and interoperability concerns that need to be taken care. To deal with these issues, cloud data encryption comes to the rescue. Encrypting the data before uploading it onto the cloud prevents unauthorized users from accessing the data. A lot of encryption algorithms have been developed to secure data stored on the cloud. In this paper, a novel cryptographic technique has been presented that uses client-side data encryption for encrypting the data before uploading it onto the cloud. It is a multifold symmetric-key cryptography technique which is based upon DNA cryptography. Besides presenting the detailed design of our approach, we have compared it with the existing symmetric-key algorithms (DNA, AES, DES and Blowfish). The experimental results illustrate that our proposed algorithm outperforms these traditional algorithms in terms of ciphertext size, encryption time and throughput. Hence, the newly proposed technique is more efficient and offers better performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When handling ammunition for gun loading, epithelial cells from the hands can become adhered to the metal surface, and this trace is a potential source of DNA. This work aimed to compare the efficiency of three DNA extraction methods from fired cartridge cases from three different types of firearms: a 12-gauge shotgun, a point 40 S&W pistol, and a 7.62 mm rifle. Nine volunteers were involved in this study handling 42 pieces of ammunition overall. The unfired ammunition was handled by a known good donor, and we used this data for comparison. DNA profiling was carried out with EZ1 DNA Investigator Kit for EZ1 Advanced XL automated DNA extraction, QIAmp DNA Investigator kit for a non-automated silica-based membrane column method, and direct lysis protocol for a non-automated in-house one. Samples were collected with 0.5 × 0.5 cm pieces of FTA filter paper moistened with distilled water. Quantiplex Pro RGQ kit and Fusion Powerplex 6C were used for genotyping samples. QIAmp DNA Investigator method resulted in the best number of alleles recovered for both conditions tested, both unfired and fired ammunitions: 77 % vs. 19.3 %, followed by the automated extraction (28.6 % vs. 4.3 %) and lysis protocol (0 % vs. 3.9 %). Degradation data from fired cartridge cases were 27 % for column method, 50 % for lysis protocol, and 87 % for EZ1 kit. Kruskal-Wallis test for mean DNA concentration from these samples returned p < 0.05, and Dunn's multiple comparison test indicated a significant difference between calibers 0.40 S&W and 12-gauge shotgun from lyses protocol method. We did not detect any other significant differences on the test. The 12-gauge shotgun cartridge cases resulted in a high number of alleles overall (56.8 %). The numerous steps for DNA extraction and purification in the column method may explain its better performance. Although the results obtained indicate that all methods be used for DNA extraction from this type of evidence, the silica-based membrane column method appears to be more efficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Touched items at crime scenes are frequently analysed to help link suspects to crimes, for example, Touch DNA is collected from victims' clothes in cases such as sexual assault, homicide, theft etc. Tape lifting is the preferred collection method of choice for trace DNA from clothes, fabric items and porous surfaces such as paper, therefore this study investigated the impact of deposition area and time on Touch DNA collected from fabric using minitapes. The amount of Touch DNA collected from the fabric was significantly affected by deposition area (p < 0.05), time (p < 0.05) and the interaction between the deposition area and time (p < 0.05), with the quantity of DNA collected decreasing over time. Also, the buttocks area of the trouser compared to the chest area is more prone to friction from an activity like repeatedly sitting on different surfaces which reduces the amount of Touch DNA available. In conclusion, it is more effective to collect trace DNA from victim clothes as soon as possible after the crime is committed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract An investigation into the effects of physical and chemical enhancement on subsequent presumptive and confirmatory tests for human blood is presented. Human blood was deposited onto porous (white 80 gsm paper and brown envelope) and non-porous (tile and linoleum) substrates in a depletion series (30 depletions on non-porous and 20 on porous) and subjected to three ageing periods; 1, 7 and 28 days. A number of enhancement techniques were tested [fluorescence, black magnetic powder (BMP), iron-oxide black powder suspension (PS), cyanoacrylate (CA) fuming, acid violet 17 (AV17), acid yellow 7 (AY7), ninhydrin, DFO and Bluestar Forensic Magnum (BFM) luminol] to evaluate their potential effects on subsequent presumptive and confirmatory tests. AV17 and Bluestar provided the best enhancement and fully enhanced all depletions in the series. The sensitivity of the Kastle-Meyer (KM) (presumptive), Takayama and RSID-Blood tests (confirmatory) was initially investigated to determine the range of detectable depletions. The KM test detected all depletions, whereas the Takayama test detected up to depletion 6 and RSID-Blood detected up to depletion 20 (paper), 10 (envelope), 15 (tile) and 9 (lino). The abilities of these tests to detect blood after enhancement were then observed. A number of techniques resulted in little to no effect on any of the blood tests, whereas adverse effects were observed for others. Ninhydrin and CA fuming caused weak but instantaneous positive KM results whereas methanol-based AV17 and AY7 delayed the reaction by as much as 1 min. The Takayama test was not very sensitive, therefore, its performance was easily affected by enhancement and negative results were often observed. RSID-Blood tests were largely unaffected by chemical enhancement although a drop in positive results was observed for some of the techniques when compared to positive controls. Using a standard procedure for DNA extraction, all the tested blood samples (before and after enhancement) gave a detectable quantity of DNA and were successfully profiled. Out of the 45 samples processed for DNA profiling, 41 gave full profiles, while the remaining showed allele drop out in one or two loci. Highlights • Strategy to maximise evidence recovery (mark enhancement and blood) and efficiency. • KM test considerably more sensitive than the Takayama and RSID tests. • KM test largely unaffected by most enhancement techniques. • Methanol-based protein stains affected the KM and Takayama tests but not the RSID test. • DNA recovery from bloodstains was still possible after enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the establishment of a secure encryption system for data transmission that includes three stages: first stage is a scrambling stage that is divided into scrambling of different sizes blocks and scrambling bits, the second stage is the use of DNA code to flip the bits and the third stage is the encryption using the Substitution box by 256 keys. The scheme is analysed using a variety of metrics. The findings demonstrate that the proposed system is significantly more reliable and robust against various forms of attacks than several recent related speech signal encryption systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an anticancer drug extensively used for different cancers. Intracellular metabolic activation leads to several nucleoside and nucleotide metabolites essential to exert its cytotoxic activity on multiple cellular targets such as enzymes, DNA and RNA. In this paper, we describe the development of a method based on liquid chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry suitable for the simultaneous determination of the ten anabolic metabolites (nucleoside, nucleotide and sugar nucleotide) of 5-FU. The chromatographic separation was optimized on a porous graphitic carbon column allowing the analysis of the metabolites of 5-FU as well as endogenous nucleotides. The detection was performed on an Orbitrap® tandem mass spectrometer. Linearity of the method was verified in intracellular content and in RNA extracts. The limit of detection was equal to 12 pg injected on column for nucleoside metabolites of 5-FU and 150 pg injected on column for mono- and tri-phosphate nucleotide metabolites. Matrix effect was evaluated in cellular contents, DNA and RNA extracts for nucleoside and nucleotides metabolites. The method was successfully applied to i) measure the proportion of each anabolic metabolite of 5-FU in cellular contents, ii) follow the consequence of inhibition of enzymes on the endogenous nucleotide pools, iii) study the incorporation of metabolites of 5-FU into RNA and DNA, and iv) to determine the incorporation rate of 5-FUrd into 18 S and 28 S sub-units of rRNA. Image 1 • The LC-MS-HRMS method allows the analysis of the ten anabolic metabolites of 5-FU. • The present method is useful to study the incorporation of 5-FU into RNA and DNA. • Method to determine the incorporation rate of 5-FU into subunit of rRNA is innovative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steganography facilitates to conceal the confidential information within mediums like image, video, audio, DNA, etc. In this paper, the DNA steganography is developed by using improved DNA insertion algorithm for improving the security to the information. In this paper the modification of the DNA insertion algorithm is used because of its low cracking probability. The confidential information like secret messages and document images are hidden inside the DNA sequence and the performance is measured by calculating the cracking probability, BPN, payload and capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fingerprints can be of tremendous value for forensic biology, since they can be collected from a wide variety of evident types, such as handles of weapons, tools collected in criminal cases, and objects with no apparent staining. DNA obtained from fingerprints varies greatly in quality and quantity, which ultimately affects the quality of the resulting STR profiles. Additional difficulties can arise when fingerprint samples show mixed STR profiles due to the handling of multiple persons. After applying a tested protocol for sample collection (swabbing with 5% Triton X-100), DNA extraction (using an enzyme that works at elevated temperatures), and PCR amplification (AmpF l STR® Identifiler® using 31 cycles) extensive analysis was performed to better understand the challenges inherent to fingerprint samples, with the ultimate goal of developing valuable profiles (≥ 50% complete). The impact of time on deposited fingerprints was investigated, revealing that while the quality of profiles deteriorated, full STR profiles could still be obtained from samples after 40 days of storage at room temperature. By comparing the STR profiles from fingerprints of the dominant versus the non-dominant hand, we found a slightly better quality from the non-dominant hand, which was not always significant. Substrates seem to have greater effects on fingerprints. Tests on glass, plastic, paper and metal (US Quarter dollar, made of Cu and Ni), common substrates in offices and homes, showed best results for glass, followed by plastic and paper, while almost no profiles were obtained from a Quarter dollar. Important for forensic casework, we also assessed three-person mixtures of touched fingerprint samples. Unlike routinely used approaches for sampling evidence, the surface of an object (bottle) was sectioned into six equal parts and separate samples were taken from each section. The samples were processed separately for DNA extraction and STR amplification. The results included a few single source profiles and distinguishable two person mixtures. On average, this approach led to two profiles ≥ 50% complete per touched object. Some STR profiles were obtained more than once thereby increasing the confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tribe Gochnatieae is restricted to America. A recent molecular study including over 60% of the species of the tribe was carried out to untangle evolutionary relationships among the taxa. Eight supported clades were recovered as monophyletic genera, while Gochnatia s.l. was revealed as paraphyletic and currently restricted to the Central Andes. Gochnatia rotundifolia was not included in this phylogeny since extracted DNA from few and old collections from Brazil was unusuable. Since Cabrera's treatment of Gochnatia s.l., this species has received special attention due to its distinct morphological characters when compared with the other monophyletic genera of Gochnatieae. Therefore, this paper aims to provide new evidence that supports Gochnatia rotundifolia to be described as a separate monospecific genus based on a morphological study and a maximum parsimony (MP) analysis. A total of 21 species were studied. The leaf venation was analysed using digital X‐ray capture (VIVA–Varian Image viewing & Aquisition). Seventeen morphological characters obtained from vegetative and floral parts of the plants were included in the data matrix. Our results reinforce the placement of Gochnatia rotundifolia within the tribe Gochnatieae. Gochnatia rotundifolia is consistently recovered in a clade as sister to the Cnicothamnus‐Richterago group. The species differs from the other genera of the tribe by an actinodromous basal leaf venation with three primary veins, and pappus elements composed by (50–)60–75 bristles, sometimes almost flat setae, arranged in 2 or 3 series, unequal in length. Our results support Gochnatia rotundifolia as the sole species Vickia rotundifolia comb. nov. in a new genus of Gochnatieae, Vickia gen. nov. The new genus is described, illustrated, and a generic identification key for the tribe Gochnatieae is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most lovebirds (Agapornis spp.) have no distinct sexual dimorphic traits. The objective of the paper was to compare the results of two sexing methods, surgical sexing by celioscopy and DNA sexing by PCR from blood samples, in order to evaluate their effectiveness. Materials used to carry out the studies were a 2.7 mm telescope and endoscopy unit, surgical instruments and DNA sampling kits provided by Exomed.cz laboratory. Forty-two lovebirds were included in this study. The endoscopic sexing procedure was performed by the method described by Divers. Blood sampling for DNA testing by PCR method was performed from the metatarsal vein. The results were different in the case of one lovebird, endoscopic sexing revealed it as male, compared to DNA testing, where it was identified as female. DNA sexing is a non-invasive method that might be more accurate than celioscopy in this species, and bird owners have easier access to it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metal surfaces are difficult substrates for trace DNA recovery and amplification. • Metal cations interact with DNA via complex intercalation, irreversible covalent binding and groove association. • Five methods of touch DNA sampling include swabbing, tape lifting, soaking, Bardole M-VAC and direct PCR. • There is at most 26% DNA recovery success rate from cartridges, bullets and casings (CBCs). • The surface characteristics of metal substrates are relevant to nucleic acid persistence and recovery. Trace evidence such as touch (also known as contact) DNA has probative value as a vital forensic investigative tool that can lead to the identification and apprehension of a criminal. While the volume of touch DNA evidence items submitted to forensic laboratories has significantly increased, recovery and amplification of DNA from these items, especially from metal surfaces, remains challenging. Currently little is understood with regards to the underlying mechanisms of metal-DNA interactions in the context of forensic science and how this may impact on DNA recovery. An increased understanding of these mechanisms would allow optimisation of methods to improve outcomes when sampling these materials. This paper reviews the basis of DNA binding to metal substrates, the merits and limitations of current methods and future perspectives of improving recovery and amplification of touch DNA from metal surfaces of forensic interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses growing availability and affordability of DNA testing has meant more people are spitting into a tube or swabbing a cheek and sending off their genetic material for analysis. It mentions pop culture has provided a mirror of this trend in society through television shows such as Who Do You Think You Are?; and people's curiosity about their origins has been ignited due to an increased access to records, including birth records, immigration papers and marriage certificates.

Genetic diseases are one of the most critical diseases facing human societies, their risk lies in the transmission of genetic characteristics from one generation to another, where the imbalance of these characteristics leads to an unhealthy offspring, which negatively affects the effort of this offspring and its services to society. Genetic disease is caused by a mutation in the Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), these genetic mutations are generated by nonlinear interactions between two or more genes and / or environmental exposures. The aim of this paper is to discover both of gene-environment interactions and gene-gene interactions causing a genetic disease, the proposed methodology is based on both of the filter and wrapper feature selection methods, it uses the filter method using a Relief algorithm to detect the gene-environment interactions, wrapper method using genetic algorithm to discover gene-gene interactions, and classification decision tree algorithm to generate the conditional rules of gene-gene interactions. It has been evaluated using many different classifier models on four benchmark databases, and compared its performance with an Apriori algorithm for generating rules of gene-gene interactions, the proposed methodology achieved the highest performance and better classification accuracy on all databases containing patients affected by gene-environment interactions or gene-gene interactions or both of gene-environment and gene-gene interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cloud computing is an emerging field in the Information Technology sector which allows users to access resources from cloud servers irrespective of its geographical location. It utilizes the concept of virtualization, service-oriented architecture and parallel computing. It is an on-demand service which is cost-effective, resilient, efficient, and explandable. Since data is generating in big numbers from various fields of life, we require a more innovative way to manage and secure that data. With the growing social platforms, managing Big Data calls for the need for cloud computing. Nowadays access control and security are recent major research problem in cloud computing. Access control is a paradigm by which a specific consumer access resources from cloud server. This paper proposes a novel access control methodology to cope up with the above issues. The model is based on an integrated DNA morse code pattern that provides data security against collision, man-in-the-middle, and internal attacks. It also compares the proposed model with existing approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Breast cancer is one of the life-threatening diseases for mammals. Complete activities of living organisms are grounded on the DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid) /RNA (Ribonucleic Acid) sequences of their body. This was the salient motivation behind exploring the research on computational analysis of cancer sequences. In this paper, breast cancer sequences of Homo sapiens and mice are considered for analysis. A DNA sequence is framed with four key chemicals, A (Adenine), G (Guanine), C (Cytosine) and T (Thymine) which are referred as Nucleobases. The sequences taken for analysis vary in their size. Genome reduction for making equal sizes for all sequences may lead to non-optimal analysis and hence the original length is considered for the entire analysis. Genomic analysis such as individual Nucleobase average count, AT and GC-content, AT/GC composition, G-Quadruplex occurrence and occurrence status of Open Reading Frame (ORF) in each sequence are calculated. Execution time was calculated for sequence fetching process and ORF analysis. The human and mouse sequences were fetched approximately at 79 milli seconds(ms) and 177ms respectively. ORF analysis was processed between 640ms and 703ms. The entire analysis was done with JULIA analytical tool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper considers the situation where two DNA systems with differing primers have been used to produce DNA profiles for loading and searching of a DNA Database. With any profiling system there exists the possibility of a “primer binding site mutation” (PBSM). When such a mutation occurs at one of the loci in a profile, it has the effect that the associated allele is not visible in the profile. In the case where a person has two different alleles at a given locus (heterozygous) the effect of a PBSM would be that the profile would appear to be that of an individual with only one allele at that locus (homozygous). The paper investigates the potential for an adventitious match as a result of a PBSM when, for example, a crime profile and person profile that have originated from two different individuals are found to be the same as a result of a PBSM in one of the profiles. It is demonstrated, both by theory and using simulations, that the effect of PBSMs is to slightly decrease the adventitious match probability from what it would had the same DNA system been used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, in clinical medicine diagnosticians usually use DNA microarray datasets for diagnosis and classification of cancer. However, DNA microarray datasets typically have very large number of genes and less number of samples, therefore, before diagnosis and classification of cancer it is quite requisite to select most relevant genes. In this paper, we have developed a two phase classification model in which most relevant genes are selected by integrating ReliefF with Recursive Binary Gravitational Search Algorithm (RBGSA) in the help of a classifier of Multinomial Naive Bayes. The RBGSA recursively transforms a very raw gene space to an optimized one at each iteration while not degrading the accuracy. We evaluate our model by comparing it with 6 other known methods on 6 different microarray datasets of cancer. Comparison results show that our model gets substantial improvements in accuracy over other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manual measurement is unreliable as its highly subjective, leading to different estimates of motility between different laboratories. Further more, morphological determination is then made at different time on fixed, killed and stained sample. Several advanced sperm selection methods were currently used prior to ART, these are inadequate and fail to ensure spermatozoa with optimum quality. To assist in these microscopic measurements, several manufactures have developed and introduced into the market Computer Aided Sperm Analysis (CASA). These CASA machines can improve the accuracy of the microscopic measures, although major problem with them are: difficulty in tracking sperm trajectories, separate software is required to analyze sperm morphology and in addition high purchase costs, CASA machines are rarely used in routine laboratories. Clinician or researcher believe that the motile sperms are morphologically normal, whereas in reality this is not always the case. In this paper we have developed image analysis system using open source software IMAGEJ, which perform the test simultaneously to extract the sperm cells from the input video and perform the motility analysis with morphology on each sperm. Motility with morphology analysis using one-test procedure helps embryologist to improve fertility rate in assisted reproductive techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forensic sciences are a combination of laboratory procedures and physical comparisons of objects associated with victims, perpetrators, and crime scenes. The former is largely university-based protocols adopted by crime labs. The latter is predominantly pattern-matching tools originally developed by police examiners or experts deemed by courts to be relevant to forensic matters. These Court accepted experts bring their reasoning and conclusions into the legal arena. This subgroup of forensics has undergone significant scrutiny in regards to its history of exaggerated claims and weak scientific foundations. This paper addresses the rise and fall of bitemark pattern analysis (i.e. "matching" bitemarks in human flesh to human teeth) in the environment of opposing interests and agendas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Despite great potential and extensive interest in developing biomolecule-based computing, the development of even basic molecular logic gates is still in its infancy. Digital comparator (DC) is the basic unit in traditional electronic computers, but it is difficult to construct a system for achieving large-scale integration. Here, we construct, for the first time, a novel logic computing system of DCs that can compare whether two or more numbers are equal. Our approach is by taking advantage of facile preparation and unique properties of graphene oxide and DNA. The DC system reported in this work is developed by the DNA hybridization and effective combination of GO and single-stranded DNA, which is regarded as the reacting platform. On the basis of this platform and reaction principle, we have developed 2-inputs, 3-inputs, and 4-inputs DCs to realize the comparison of two or more binary numbers. We predict that such a state-of-the-art logic system enables its functionality with large-scale input signals, providing a new direction toward prototypical DNA-based logic operations and promoting the development of advanced logic computing. Statement of Significance The overarching objective of this paper is to explore the construction of a novel DNA computing system of digital comparator driven by the interaction of DNA and graphene oxide (GO). GO can efficient bind the dye-labeled, single-stranded DNA probe and then quench its fluorescence. In the case of the target appearing, specific binding between the single-stranded probe and its target occurs, changing the conformation and relationship with GO, then restoring the fluorescence of the dye. We have developed the 2-inputs, 3-inputs, and 4-inputs digital comparator circuits, which are expected to realize the comparison of large-scale input signals and can avoid the problems of design complexity and manufacturing cost of integrated circuits in traditional computing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper aims to emphasize general aspects concerning bioinformatics object of activity, focusing on definitions, and main areas where this complex issue has uses. Being an interdisciplinary field of science, it involves biology, molecular biology knowledge, as well as computational skills. Mastering techniques specific for bioinformatics, allows researcher to perform large scale comprehensive analysis on a given subject. Bioinformatics has an innovative contribution to identification of deepest insights of the living cells, in the meantime with generating the whole picture of the interesting cell, and for this reason it has to develop in the same rhythm with science fields it is involved. In this respect, the paper also presents the main challenges that bioinformatics must face in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper describes the synthesis of a combinatorial library of quaternized lipidoids (QLDs) and an evaluation of their abilities to facilitate in vitro DNA delivery. The QLDs alone showed low efficiency for DNA delivery. By formulating liposomes with a neutral helper lipid, such as 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE), the capability of QLDs for gene transfection is significantly enhanced due to the fusogenic properties of DOPE which facilitate endosomal escape and cargo delivery. We further optimized the liposome composition and DNA dose for gene transfection and investigated the structure–activity relationships of the lipidoid library in DNA delivery. From the Clinical Editor: This paper describes the synthesis and evaluation of a combinatorial library of quaternized lipidoids to facilitate in vitro DNA delivery, which occurs at a low level but can be enhanced with DOPE. The authors also further optimized the liposome composition and DNA dose for delivery and investigated the structure-activity relationships of the lipidoid library. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]