Metal-containing nanoparticles and nano-structured particles in fingermark detection

This article reviews the application of metal-containing nanoparticles and nano-structured particles to fingermark detection. This area of research is attracting significant interest as advances in nanoscience are being incorporated into the field of forensic fingermark detection. Although more research is needed before some of the techniques presented can be implemented in routine casework, nanotechnology is likely to play a major role in the future to deliver more selective and more sensitive ways to detect and enhance fingermarks. © 2008 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Low Carbohydrate Versus Low Fat Diets, in Type 2 Diabetes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

The clinical benefit of low carbohydrate (LC) diets compared with low fat (LF) diets for people with type 2 diabetes (T2D) remains uncertain. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to compare their efficacy and safety in people with T2D. RCTs comparing both diets in participants with T2D were identified from MEDLINE, Embase, Cochrane Library, and manual search of bibliographies. Mean differences and relative risks with 95% CIs were pooled for measures of glycaemia, cardiometabolic parameters, and adverse events using the following time points: short-term (3 months), intermediate term (6 and 12 months) and long-term (24 months). Twenty-two RCTs comprising 1391 mostly obese participants with T2D were included. At 3 months, a LC vs. LF diet significantly reduced HbA1c levels, mean difference (95% CI) of −0.41% (−0.62, −0.20). LC diet significantly reduced body weight, BMI, fasting insulin and triglycerides and increased total cholesterol and HDL-C levels at the short-to-intermediate term, with a decrease in the requirement for antiglycaemic medications at intermediate-to-long term. There were no significant differences in other parameters and adverse events. Except for reducing HbA1c levels and adiposity parameters at short-to-intermediate terms, a LC diet appears to be equally effective as a LF diet in terms of control of cardiometabolic markers and the risk of adverse events in obese patients with T2D

The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health (DASH) study: diversity, psychosocial determinants and health.

Purpose: The Determinants of young Adult Social well-being and Health longitudinal study draws on life-course models to understand ethnic differences in health. A key hypothesis relates to the role of psychosocial factors in nurturing the health and well-being of ethnic minorities growing up in the UK. We report the effects of culturally patterned exposures in childhood. Methods: In 2002/2003, 6643 11–13 year olds in London, ~80 % ethnic minorities, participated in the baseline survey. In 2005/2006, 4782 were followed-up. In 2012–2014, 665 took part in a pilot follow-up aged 21–23 years, including 42 qualitative interviews. Measures of socioeconomic and psychosocial factors and health were collected. Results: Ethnic minority adolescents reported better mental health than White British, despite more adversity (e.g. economic disadvantage, racism). It is unclear what explains this resilience but findings support a role for cultural factors. Racism was an adverse influence on mental health, while family care and connectedness, religious involvement and ethnic diversity of friendships were protective. While mental health resilience was a feature throughout adolescence, a less positive picture emerged for cardio-respiratory health. Both, mental health and cultural factors played a role. These patterns largely endured in early 20s with family support reducing stressful transitions to adulthood. Education levels, however, signal potential for socio-economic parity across ethnic groups

A review of clinical decision-making: Models and current research

Aims and objectives: The aim of this paper was to review the current literature with respect to clinical decision-making models and the educational application of models to clinical practice. This was achieved by exploring the function and related research of the three available models of clinical decision making: information processing model, the intuitive-humanist model and the clinical decision making model. Background: Clinical decision-making is a unique process that involves the interplay between knowledge of pre-existing pathological conditions, explicit patient information, nursing care and experiential learning. Historically, two models of clinical decision making are recognised from the literature; the information processing model and the intuitive-humanist model. The usefulness and application of both models has been examined in relation the provision of nursing care and care related outcomes. More recently a third model of clinical decision making has been proposed. This new multidimensional model contains elements of the information processing model but also examines patient specific elements that are necessary for cue and pattern recognition. Design: Literature review Methods: Evaluation of the literature generated from MEDLINE, CINAHL, OVID, PUBMED and EBESCO systems and the Internet from 1980 – November 2005

Evidence for variation in the effective population size of animal mitochondrial DNA

Background: It has recently been shown that levels of diversity in mitochondrial DNA are remarkably constant across animals of diverse census population sizes and ecologies, which has led to the suggestion that the effective population of mitochondrial DNA may be relatively constant. Results: Here we present several lines of evidence that suggest, to the contrary, that the effective population size of mtDNA does vary, and that the variation can be substantial. First, we show that levels of mitochondrial and nuclear diversity are correlated within all groups of animals we surveyed. Second, we show that the effectiveness of selection on non-synonymous mutations, as measured by the ratio of the numbers of non-synonymous and synonymous polymorphisms, is negatively correlated to levels of mitochondrial diversity. Finally, we estimate the effective population size of mitochondrial DNA in selected mammalian groups and show that it varies by at least an order of magnitude. Conclusions: We conclude that there is variation in the effective population size of mitochondria. Furthermore we suggest that the relative constancy of DNA diversity may be due to a negative correlation between the effective population size and the mutation rate per generation

The role of mutation rate variation and genetic diversity in the architecture of human disease

Background We have investigated the role that the mutation rate and the structure of genetic variation at a locus play in determining whether a gene is involved in disease. We predict that the mutation rate and its genetic diversity should be higher in genes associated with disease, unless all genes that could cause disease have already been identified. Results Consistent with our predictions we find that genes associated with Mendelian and complex disease are substantially longer than non-disease genes. However, we find that both Mendelian and complex disease genes are found in regions of the genome with relatively low mutation rates, as inferred from intron divergence between humans and chimpanzees, and they are predicted to have similar rates of non-synonymous mutation as other genes. Finally, we find that disease genes are in regions of significantly elevated genetic diversity, even when variation in the rate of mutation is controlled for. The effect is small nevertheless. Conclusions Our results suggest that gene length contributes to whether a gene is associated with disease. However, the mutation rate and the genetic architecture of the locus appear to play only a minor role in determining whether a gene is associated with disease

Longitudinal associations of skipping breakfast with ethnicity and cardiometabolic risk: the Determinants of Adolescence, now young Adults, Social well-being and Health Study (DASH)

Ethnic inequalities in cardiometabolic disease(1,2) may be explained by differences in diet and lifestyle. Poor dietary habits, such as skipping breakfast and consumption of fizzy drinks and fast foods are more common amongst ethnic minority children and adolescents(3,4) . The long-term effects of these childhood behaviours on adult cardiometabolic risk factors have not yet been investigated in an ethnically diverse population. We aimed to assess ethnic patterns in adolescent and young adult breakfast skipping and its influence on cardiometabolic risk in young adulthood amongst a diverse UK cohort. The DASH cohort was recruited in 2002/03 and consisted of 6643 11–13 year olds, sampled to represent the main ethnic groups of the UK population. The ‘DASH 10 years on’ study is a longitudinal follow-up of a subset of the cohort who are now young adults (21–23 years). Participants had anthropometric measures (weight, BMI, waist circumference), blood pressure, total and HDL-cholesterol and HbA1c assessed and completed a short dietary behaviours questionnaire indicating how frequently they consume breakfast (daily, 3–4 days a week, 1–2 days a week, never/hardly ever). The cohort consisted of 311 males (age 22·8 (95 % CI 22·7, 22·9) years; BMI 24·7 (95 % CI 24·3, 25·2) kg/m2 ) and 316 females (age 22·7 (95 % CI 22·6, 22·8) years; BMI 24·9 (95 % CI 24·3, 25·5) kg/m2 ). A total of 107 White British, 102 Black Caribbean, 132 Black African, 99 Indian, 111 Bangladeshi or Pakistani and 115 Other (mainly mixed) were included in the follow-up. In young adulthood regular breakfast skipping was reported by 56 % of participants; Black African participants were more likely to skip breakfast than White British (OR: 1·81, 1·04 to 3·17, p = 0·004). The highest proportion of breakfast skipping occurred amongst the Black Caribbean (66 %) and Black African (64 %) groups and the lowest amongst Indian participants (46 %). The impact of skipping breakfast during both adolescence and young adulthood on cardiometabolic risk factors during young adulthood were investigated using multivariate regression modelling. Skipping breakfast at 11–13 years was a significant determinant of BMI at 21–23 years (1·45 (95 % CI 0·61, 2·29), p = 0·001) as was skipping breakfast at 21–23 years, although the effect was slightly attenuated in this age group (0·92 (95 % CI 0·1, 1·73), p = 0·027). Skipping breakfast at both 11–13 years and 21–23 years were also important determinants of total cholesterol levels (11–13 years: 0·17 (95 % CI 0·01, 0·33), p = 0·041; 21–23 years: 0·23 (95 % CI 0·07, 0·38), p = 0·003). This is the first longitudinal assessment of breakfast skipping and its impact on cardiometabolic risk factors amongst an ethnically diverse cohort of young adults in the UK. In this work we have recognised the detrimental impact of childhood breakfast skipping on cardiometabolic risk factors, such as BMI and cholesterol concentrations, in young adulthood. Furthermore we have identified distinct ethnic patterns in breakfast skipping, such that skipping breakfast is most prevalent amongst Black African and Caribbean groups and less common amongst Indians. Our findings provide a useful insight into dietary behaviours that health promotion campaigns could target in aiming to improve the diets of young people, and highlights the importance of targeting interventions to improve dietary behaviours such as breakfast consumption at specific groups of young adults in the population. 1. Becker E et al. (2006) National Centre for Social Research. 2. Zhang Q et al. (2009) Ethnicity & Health 14(5): 439–57. 3. Harding S et al. (2008) Int J Epi 37(1): 162–72. 4. Nicklas TA et al. (1998) J Am Diet Assoc 98(12): 1432–8

Nutrient Composition of Popularly Consumed African and Caribbean Foods in The UK.

(1) Background: Traditional foods are important in the diets of Black Africans and Caribbeans and, more widely, influence UK food culture. However, little is known about the nutritional status of these ethnic groups and the nutrient composition of their traditional foods. The aim was to identify and analyse African and Caribbean dishes, snacks and beverages popularly consumed in the UK for energy, macronutrients and micronutrients. (2) Methods: Various approaches including focus group discussions and 24-h dietary recalls were used to identify traditional dishes, snacks, and beverages. Defined criteria were used to prioritise and prepare 33 composite samples for nutrient analysis in a UK accredited laboratory. Quality assurance procedures and data verification were undertaken to ensure inclusion in the UK nutrient database. (3) Results: Energy content ranged from 60 kcal in Malta drink to 619 kcal in the shito sauce. Sucrose levels did not exceed the UK recommendation for adults and children. Most of the dishes contained negligible levels of trans fatty acid. The most abundant minerals were Na, K, Ca, Cu, Mn and Se whereas Mg, P, Fe and Zn were present in small amounts. (4) Conclusion: There was wide variation in the energy, macro- and micronutrients composition of the foods analysed