What are the prospects of 3D profiling systems applied to firearms and toolmark identification?

This paper details a comparative pilot study of 3D (three dimensional) imaging technologies for potential application in forensic firearms and toolmark identification; as such it reviews the most up-to-date profiling systems. In particular, the paper focuses on the application of 3D imaging and recording technology as applied to firearm identification, being a specialised field within the discipline of toolmark identification. Each technology under test employs a different technique or scientific principle to capture topographic data i.e. focus-variation microscopy, confocal microscopy, point laser profilometry and vertical scanning interferometry. To qualitatively establish the capabilities and limitations of each technology investigated, standard reference samples were used and a set of specific operational criteria devised for successful application in this field. The reference standard crucially included and centred on was the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) ‘standard bullet’. This was to ensure that evaluation represented the practical examination of ballistic samples i.e. fired cartridge cases and bullets. It is concluded that focus-variation microscopy has potentially the most promising approach for a forensic laboratory instrument, in terms of functionality and 3D imaging performance, and is worthy of further investigation

A Computational and Experimental Compressor Design Project for Japanese and British High-School Students

This paper describes an innovative, three-day, turbomachinery research project for Japanese and British high-school students. The project is structured using modern teaching theories which encourage student curiosity and creativity. The experience develops team-work and communication, and helps to break-down cultural and linguistic barriers between students from different countries and backgrounds. The approach provides a framework for other hands-on research projects which aim to inspire young students to undertake a career in engineering. The project is part of the Clifton Scientific Trust's annual UK-Japan Young Scientist Workshop Programme. The work focuses on compressor design for jet engines and gas turbines. It includes lectures introducing students to turbomachinery concepts, a computational design study of a compressor blade section, experimental tests with a low-speed cascade and tutorials in data analysis and aerodynamic theory. The project also makes use of 3D printing technology, so that students go through the full engineering design process, from theory, through design, to practical experimental testing. Alongside the academic aims, students learn what it is like to study engineering at university, discover how to work effectively in a multinational team, and experience a real engineering problem. Despite a lack of background in fluid dynamics and the limited time available, the lab work and end of project presentation show how far young students can be stretched when they are motivated by an interesting problem

A cross sectional study of water quality from dental unit water lines in dental practices in the West of Scotland

OBJECTIVE: To determine the microbiological quality of water from dental units in a general practice setting and current practice for disinfection of units. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study of the water quality from 40 dental units in 39 general practices and a questionnaire of the disinfection protocols used in those practices. SETTING: NHS practices in primarydental care. SUBJECTS: Thirty-nine general practices from the West of Scotland. METHODS: Water samples were collected on two separate occasions from dental units and analysed for microbiological quality by the total viable count (TVC) method. Water specimens were collected from the triple syringe, high speed outlet, cup filler and surgery tap. Each participating practitioner was asked to complete a questionnaire. Results Microbial contamination was highest from the high speed outlet followed by the triple syringe and cup filler. On average, the TVC counts from the high speed water lines at 37 degrees C and for the high speed lines, triple syringe and cup filler at 22 degrees C were significantly higher than that from the control tap water specimens. The study included units from 11 different manufacturers with ages ranging from under one year to over eight years. The age of the dental unit analysed did not appear to influence the level of microbial contamination. Five of the practices surveyed used disinfectants to clean the dental units but these had no significant effect on the microbiological quality of the water. The majority of dental units (25 out of 40) were never flushed with water between patients. A number of different non-sterile irrigants were used for surgical procedures. CONCLUSION: The microbiological quality of water from dental units in general dental practice is poor compared with that from drinking water sources. Suitable sterile irrigants should be used for surgical procedures in dental practice. Further work is required for pragmatic decontamination regimens of dental unit water lines in a general dental practice setting

Evaluation of the efficacy of Alpron disinfectant for dental unit water lines

AIMS: To assess the efficacy of a disinfectant, Alpron, for controlling microbial contamination within dental unit water lines. METHODS: The microbiological quality of water emerging from the triple syringe, high speed handpiece, cup filler and surgery hand wash basin from six dental units was assessed for microbiological total viable counts at 22 degrees C and 37 degrees C before and after treatment with Alpron solutions. RESULTS: The study found that the use of Alpron disinfectant solutions could reduce microbial counts in dental unit water lines to similar levels for drinking water. This effect was maintained in all units for up to six weeks following one course of treatment. In four out of six units the low microbial counts were maintained for 13 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: Disinfectants may have a short term role to play in controlling microbial contamination of dental unit water lines to drinking water quality. However, in the longer term attention must be paid to redesigning dental units to discourage the build up of microbial biofilms

Establishment of Influenza A Virus (H6N1) in minor poultry in Southern China

Oral Presentations: Animal Influenza EcologyAn H6N1 virus, A/teal/Hong Kong/W312/97 (W312), was isolated during the ‘bird flu’ incident of Hong Kong in 1997. Genetic analysis suggested that this virus might be the progenitor of the A/Hong Kong/156/97 (HK/97) H5N1 virus as seven of eight gene segments of those viruses had a common source. Continuing surveillance in Hong Kong showed that a W312-like virus was prevalent in quail and pheasant in 1999; however, the further development of H6N1 viruses has not been investigated since 2001. Here we report influenza surveillance data from 2000 to 2005 in southern China that shows H6N1 viruses have become established and endemic in minor poultry, and mainly replicated in the respiratory tract. Phylogenetic analysis indicates that all H6N1 isolates had W312-like hemagglutinin and neuraminidase genes. However, reassortment of internal genes between different subtype virus lineages, including H5N1, H9N2 and other avian viruses, generated multiple novel H6N1 genotypes in different types of poultry. These novel viruses are double, triple or even quadruple reassortants. Molecular analyses suggest that W312-like viruses may not be a precursor of HK/97 virus but a reassortant from HK/97-like virus and another unidentified H6 subtype virus. These results provide further evidence of the pivotal role of the live-poultry market system of southern China in generating increased genetic diversity of influenza viruses in this region.postprin

Coffee consumption and prostate cancer risk: further evidence for inverse relationship

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Higher consumption of coffee intake has recently been linked with reduced risk of aggressive prostate cancer (PC) incidence, although meta-analysis of other studies that examine the association between coffee consumption and overall PC risk remains inconclusive. Only one recent study investigated the association between coffee intake and grade-specific incidence of PC, further evidence is required to understand the aetiology of aggressive PCs. Therefore, we conducted a prospective study to examine the relationship between coffee intake and overall as well as grade-specific PC risk.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We conducted a prospective cohort study of 6017 men who were enrolled in the Collaborative cohort study in the UK between 1970 and 1973 and followed up to 31st December 2007. Cox Proportional Hazards Models were used to evaluate the association between coffee consumption and overall, as well as Gleason grade-specific, PC incidence.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Higher coffee consumption was inversely associated with risk of high grade but not with overall risk of PC. Men consuming 3 or more cups of coffee per day experienced 55% lower risk of high Gleason grade disease compared with non-coffee drinkers in analysis adjusted for age and social class (HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.23-0.90, p value for trend 0.01). This association changed a little after additional adjustment for Body Mass Index, smoking, cholesterol level, systolic blood pressure, tea intake and alcohol consumption.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Coffee consumption reduces the risk of aggressive PC but not the overall risk.</p

Identifying the cellular targets of drug action in the central nervous system following corticosteroid therapy

Corticosteroid (CS) therapy is used widely in the treatment of a range of pathologies, but can delay production of myelin, the insulating sheath around central nervous system nerve fibers. The cellular targets of CS action are not fully understood, that is, "direct" action on cells involved in myelin genesis [oligodendrocytes and their progenitors the oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs)] versus "indirect" action on other neural cells. We evaluated the effects of the widely used CS dexamethasone (DEX) on purified OPCs and oligodendrocytes, employing complementary histological and transcriptional analyses. Histological assessments showed no DEX effects on OPC proliferation or oligodendrocyte genesis/maturation (key processes underpinning myelin genesis). Immunostaining and RT-PCR analyses show that both cell types express glucocorticoid receptor (GR; the target for DEX action), ruling out receptor expression as a causal factor in the lack of DEX-responsiveness. GRs function as ligand-activated transcription factors, so we simultaneously analyzed DEX-induced transcriptional responses using microarray analyses; these substantiated the histological findings, with limited gene expression changes in DEX-treated OPCs and oligodendrocytes. With identical treatment, microglial cells showed profound and global changes post-DEX addition; an unexpected finding was the identification of the transcription factor Olig1, a master regulator of myelination, as a DEX responsive gene in microglia. Our data indicate that CS-induced myelination delays are unlikely to be due to direct drug action on OPCs or oligodendrocytes, and may occur secondary to alterations in other neural cells, such as the immune component. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comparative molecular and cellular analysis of CS effects in glial cells, to investigate the targets of this major class of anti-inflammatory drugs as a basis for myelination deficits

Evaluation of the Good Life Festival : a model for co-produced dementia events

The article presents an evaluation of The Good Life Festival, a co-produced event between people living with dementia, Salford University Dementia Institute, Alzheimer’s Society, Salford and Salford Adventures. This was a new way of working but important because people living with dementia said they thought there should be an event organised ‘for people with dementia by people with dementia’. A dementia friendly evaluation form was circulated asking: did you enjoy the event, did you learn something new, and do you feel more positive about living with dementia following the event. Thirty five of the eighty people who attended completed the evaluation form all of whom said they enjoyed it. 32 (91%) learned something new, and 27 (77%) left feeling more positive about living with dementia. Qualitative feedback is also included in this article including planning group reflections. Recommendations based on what we learned from planning and running the event are provided which includes having a media strategy in place and to send a follow up letter to remind people of information about resources/services advertised on the da

Genome Sequence of the Chestnut Blight Fungus Cryphonectria parasitica EP155: A Fundamental Resource for an Archetypical Invasive Plant Pathogen.

Cryphonectria parasitica is the causal agent of chestnut blight, a fungal disease that almost entirely eliminated mature American chestnut from North America over a 50-year period. Here, we formally report the genome of C. parasitica EP155 using a Sanger shotgun sequencing approach. After finishing and integration with simple-sequence repeat markers, the assembly was 43.8 Mb in 26 scaffolds (L50 = 5; N50 = 4.0Mb). Eight chromosomes are predicted: five scaffolds have two telomeres and six scaffolds have one telomere sequence. In total, 11,609 gene models were predicted, of which 85% show similarities to other proteins. This genome resource has already increased the utility of a fundamental plant pathogen experimental system through new understanding of the fungal vegetative incompatibility system, with significant implications for enhancing mycovirus-based biological control