Publications

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penalized loss functions for bayesian model comparison.the deviance information criterion (dic) is widely used for bayesian model comparison, despite the lack of a clear theoretical foundation. dic is shown to be an approximation to a penalized loss function based on the deviance, with a penalty derived from a cross-validation argument. this approximation is valid only when the effective number of parameters in the model is much smaller than the number of independent observations. in disease mapping, a typical application of dic, this assumption doe ...200818209015
classification of ambiguous mutations in dna mismatch repair genes identified in a population-based study of colorectal cancer.identification of germline mutations in dna mismatch repair genes in colorectal cancer probands without an extensive family history can be problematic when ascribing relevance to cancer causation. we undertook a structured assessment of the disease-causing potential of sequence variants identified in a prospective, population-based study of 932 colorectal cancer patients, diagnosed at <55 years of age. patient samples were screened for germline mutations in mlh1, msh2, and msh6. of 110 carriers, ...200818033691
landscape features affect gene flow of scottish highland red deer (cervus elaphus).landscape features have been shown to strongly influence dispersal and, consequently, the genetic population structure of organisms. studies quantifying the effect of landscape features on gene flow of large mammals with high dispersal capabilities are rare and have mainly been focused at large geographical scales. in this study, we assessed the influence of several natural and human-made landscape features on red deer gene flow in the scottish highlands by analysing 695 individuals for 21 micro ...200818261043
tooth loss and mortality patterns. 200818276821
association of genetic variants at 8q24 with breast cancer risk.recent whole genome association studies of prostate, breast, and colorectal cancer have identified susceptibility loci on 8q24. we genotyped three variants associated with prostate cancer (rs10090154, rs13254738, and rs7000448), one associated with both prostate and colorectal cancer (rs6983267), and one associated with breast cancer (rs13281615) in a series of 1,499 breast cancer cases and 1,390 controls. 1,267 (85%) of the cases had two primary breast cancers. our analysis provides further evi ...200818349290
online corrections in children with and without dcd.human arm movements need 'online' corrections due to noise in perception and action. a step-perturbation paradigm explored online corrections in control children and children with dcd aged between 7 and 13 years. control children found the task straightforward: a distracter had no effect and they managed to stop relatively quickly. children with dcd found the task difficult and the apparatus was modified accordingly (decreased postural and force production demands). the distracter affected some ...200818367278
estimates of daily net endogenous acid production in the elderly uk population: analysis of the national diet and nutrition survey (ndns) of british adults aged 65 years and over.dietary intake has been shown to influence acid-base balance in human subjects under tightly controlled conditions. however, the net effect of food groups on alkali/acid loading in population groups is unclear. the aims of the present study were to: (1) quantify estimates of daily net endogenous acid production (neap) (meq/d) in a representative group of british elderly aged 65 years and older; (2) compare and characterise neap by specific nutrients and food groups likely to influence dietary ac ...200818394215
the eu optimal blood use project.the eu optimal blood use project (euobup) is co-funded by the european commission and led by the scottish national blood transfusion service (snbts). its purpose is to develop, evaluate and disseminate a manual that provides practical guidance and support for those seeking to improve the safety of the clinical transfusion process and the effectiveness of the prescribing of blood components. we define the optimal use of blood components as the safe, clinically effective and efficient use of the s ...200818430601
[archie cochrane--the man behind evidence-based medicine. he died four years before the concept was coined]. 200818522269
the effectiveness of national influenza vaccination policies for at-risk populations over 5 seasons in a scottish general practice.to determine the effectiveness of serial influenza vaccination.200818524431
quality in healthcare and the quest for improvement.improvement in the quality of healthcare is desired by everyone. delivering this however, is hindered by lack of clear, widely embraced perceptions of what is encompassed within quality and how improvement can best be brought about. this paper, written from the viewpoint of a clinician now with a responsibility for this field in scotland, presents a multidimensional concept of quality, as encompassing effectiveness, safety, patient centeredness, timeliness, efficiency and equity. this approach a ...200818549060
polymorphisms of the fto gene are associated with variation in energy intake, but not energy expenditure.the fto gene has significant polymorphic variation associated with obesity, but its function is unknown. we screened a population of 150 whites (103f/47m) resident in ne scotland, united kingdom, for variants of the fto gene and linked these to phenotypic variation in their energy expenditure (basal metabolic rate (bmr) and maximal oxygen consumption vo(2)max) and energy intake. there was no significant association between the fto genotype and bmr or vo(2)max. the fto genotype was significantly ...200818551109
postmortem tissue donation for research: a positive opportunity?previous research using human brain tissue has increased the understanding of many brain disorders, such as alzheimer's disease and creutzfeldt jakob disease. however, there are other conditions, such as multiple sclerosis, which remain poorly understood and which require further investigation. the ongoing decline in the consented postmortem rate poses a threat to tissue collections and, consequently, future research. in the setting of the new human tissue legislation the authors set out to asce ...200818563005
detailed assessment of nod2/card15 exonic variation in inflammatory bowel disease in scotland: implications for disease pathogenesis.the high incidence of scottish crohn's disease (cd) is not explained by the common three nod2/card15 variants. we aimed to identify population-specific nod2/card15 coding variants. a total of 1478 (320 inflammatory bowel disease patients <16 years, 343 adult cd patients, 542 parents and 273 controls). all nod2/card15 exons were sequenced in 24 cd patients. sequencing identified 18 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) including 4 non-synonymous coding snps altering the structure of the leucine- ...200818563169
psychiatric genetics: the brains of the family. 200818615056
a link between lunar phase and medically unexplained stroke symptoms: an unearthly influence?lunar effects on human behaviour and health have been postulated for centuries; associations between phase of the moon and both vascular and psychiatric disease have been reported. we hypothesised that admission with medically unexplained stroke symptoms would be influenced by lunar cycle.200818655857
distribution and host range of the microsporidian pleistophora mulleri.microsporidia of the genus pleistophora are important parasites of fish and crustacea. pleistophora mulleri has been described previously as a parasite of the gammarid amphipod crustacean gammarus duebeni celticus in irish freshwater habitats. through a survey of european g. duebeni populations, p. mulleri was found to be widely distributed in the western british isles (wales, scotland, and the isle of man), and populations of the subspecies gammarus duebeni duebeni as well as g. d. celticus wer ...200818681850
host-shaped segregation of the cryptosporidium parvum multilocus genotype repertoire.cattle are among the major reservoirs of cryptosporidium parvum in nature. however, the relative contribution of c. parvum oocysts originating from cattle to human disease burden is difficult to assess, as various transmission pathways -- including the human to human route -- can co-occur. in this study, multilocus genotype richness of representative samples of human and bovine c. parvum are compared statistically using analytical rarefaction and non-parametric taxonomic richness estimators. res ...200817394677
the dental caries experience of 5-year-old children in great britain (2005/6). surveys co-ordinated by the british association for the study of community dentistry.this paper reports the results of standardized clinical caries examinations of 5-year-old children from across england, wales and scotland in 2005/6. these co-ordinated surveys are the latest in a series which seek to monitor the dental health of children and to assess the delivery of dental services.200717405473
the pde4b gene confers sex-specific protection against schizophrenia.phosphodiesterase 4b (pde4b) is a candidate gene for schizophrenia and affective disorders through its disruption by a chromosomal translocation in an individual with schizophrenia, its inhibition by the antidepressant rolipram, and its physical interaction with another key candidate, disrupted in schizophrenia (disc1).200717417055
a differential paradox: the controversy surrounding the scottish mental surveys of intelligence and family size.in 1947, the scottish council for research in education and the population investigation committee conducted a survey of scottish schoolchildren, exploring the relations between tested intelligence and fertility. the survey was not only significant for its size, measuring the iq of all 11-year-olds at school on the day of testing, some 80,805 children, but also because it was a repeat survey. its purpose was to establish whether the intelligence of the population had declined because of the nega ...200717421031
il23r variation determines susceptibility but not disease phenotype in inflammatory bowel disease.identification of inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) susceptibility genes is key to understanding pathogenic mechanisms. recently, the north american ibd genetics consortium provided compelling evidence for an association between ileal crohn's disease (cd) and the il23r gene using genome-wide association scanning. external replication is a priority, both to confirm this finding in other populations and to validate this new technique. we tested for association between il23r and ibd in a large indep ...200717484863
genetic diversity and population size: island populations of the common shrew, sorex araneus.populations of many species are currently being fragmented and reduced by human interactions. these processes will tend to reduce genetic diversity within populations and reduce individual heterozygosities because of genetic drift, inbreeding and reduced migration. conservation biologists need to know the effect of population size on genetic diversity, as this is likely to influence a population's ability to persist. island populations represent an ideal natural experiment with which to study th ...200717498228
a comparison of the mouse bioassay with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for the detection of lipophilic toxins in shellfish from scottish waters.some lipophilic shellfish toxins (lsts) can cause human illness due to eating shellfish that have become naturally contaminated following filter feeding on toxin producing algae. a mouse bioassay (mba) is widely used to detect lsts in regulatory monitoring of shellfish. however, the mba is imprecise giving only a positive or negative result and is prone to interference from other compounds. in this study, liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (lc-ms) was compared to the mba, with the aim of su ...200717499325
life-threatening human metapneumovirus infections in west of scotland. 200717512777
sir john charnley (1911-1982): inspiration to future generations of orthopaedic surgeons.for young doctors embarking on a career in medicine, the decision on which path to take is often influenced by their experiences as an undergraduate student and, in particular, by those doctors and teachers who have stimulated and encouraged them. likewise, inspiration can be derived from studying the life and work of eminent practitioners of the past. a final year elective module provided me with the opportunity to undertake a detailed critique of an aspect of the history of medicine of my choo ...200717536642
'crook' pipettes: embryonic emigrations from agriculture to reproductive biomedicine.while cloning, stem cells, and regenerative medicine are often imagined in a futurial idiom--as expectations, hype, hope and promises--this article approaches the remaking of genealogy in such contexts from a historical route. through a series of somewhat disparate historical connections linking australian sheep to the development of clinical ivf and the cloning of dolly at the roslin institute in scotland in 1996, this article explores the linkages through which agriculture, embryology, and rep ...200717543836
developing disaster management modules: a collaborative approach.disasters, whether natural or human induced, can strike when least expected. the events of 9/11 in the us, the 7/7 bombings in the uk, and the anthrax incident in the us on 10th october 2001 indicate that there is a need to have a nursing workforce who is able to respond effectively to mass casualty events and incidents involving chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear substances. multi-agency collaboration is one of the fundamental principles of disaster preparedness and response. it was ...200717551443
eponymous doctors associated with edinburgh, part 3--abraham colles, sir william ferguson, john s haldane, argyll robertson, thomas young.in the first papers in this series, it was shown that eponyms were often bestowed on physicians and surgeons who were already famous, had made many discoveries never honoured with eponyms, and were often the leading doctors of their day. only occasionally was the eponym suggested by a friend or colleague; more usually it was a doctor abroad who wanted to show respect to a great man but the choice of the particular syndrome or discovery was a random one. eponyms may have had their uses. they were ...200717575738
benefits of a blood donation archive repository: international survey of donor repository procedures and scottish experiences.the use of a donation sample archive has been in place within the scottish national blood transfusion service for almost 35 years but the advent of human immunodeficiency virus donor testing led to this archive being kept for an indefinite period. this article describes the uses made of our archive repository.200717581151
mutations in the ap1s2 gene encoding the sigma 2 subunit of the adaptor protein 1 complex are associated with syndromic x-linked mental retardation with hydrocephalus and calcifications in basal ganglia.fried syndrome, first described in 1972, is a rare x-linked mental retardation that has been mapped by linkage to xp22. clinical characteristics include mental retardation, mild facial dysmorphism, calcifications of basal ganglia and hydrocephalus. a large four-generation family in which the affected males have striking clinical features of fried syndrome were investigated for linkage to x-chromosome markers; the results showed that the gene for this condition lies within the interval dxs7109-dx ...200717617514
correlation between clinical severity in patients with rett syndrome with a p.r168x or p.t158m mecp2 mutation, and the direction and degree of skewing of x-chromosome inactivation.rett syndrome (rtt) is an x-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder that is usually associated with mutations in the mecp2 gene. the most common mutations in the gene are p.r168x and p.t158m. the influence of x-chromosome inactivation (xci) on clinical severity in patients with rtt with these mutations was investigated, taking into account the extent and direction of skewing.200716905679
renal function and cognition in the 1932 scottish mental survey lothian cohort. 200717255090
life-course influences on health in british adults: effects of socio-economic position in childhood and adulthood.little evidence exists on the role of socio-economic position (sep) in early life on adult disease other than for cardiovascular mortality; data is often retrospective. we assess whether childhood sep influences disease risk in mid-life, separately from the effect of adult position, and establish how associations vary across multiple measures of disease risk.200717255345
contribution of the nod1/card4 insertion/deletion polymorphism +32656 to inflammatory bowel disease in northern europe.nod1/card4 and nod2/card15 are both intracellular pattern-recognition receptors. the nod1/card4 gene lies within a previously described inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) locus (7p14). an association has been suggested between the nod1/card4+32656 deletion*1 variant of a complex deletion*1/insertion*2 polymorphism and ibd in 1 recent study in europe. our aim was to assess the influence of nod1/card4+32656 on disease susceptibility and phenotype in the scottish and swedish ibd populations.200717285593
the contribution of the dlg5 113a variant in early-onset inflammatory bowel disease.to assess the contribution of the 113 g-->a missense mutation within the discs, large homolog 5 (dlg5) gene in childhood-onset inflammatory bowel disease (ibd) in scotland.200717307543
community children's nursing services in wales: will the nsf make a difference?the 2006 edition of the rcn community children's nursing directory lists 239 services--16 of which are based in wales, 12 in northern ireland, two in the channel islands, one in the isle of man, 23 in scotland and 185 in england. this listing highlights the continued development and expansion of services across the uk, as well as the further developments that are needed to ensure equity of provision in many areas. the lack of uk or national strategies means that services continue to be developed ...200717326553
il23r arg381gln is associated with childhood onset inflammatory bowel disease in scotland. 200717337463
h5n1 influenza questionnaire: are scottish emergency departments ready to isolate and treat a possible index case?h5n1 has emerged as a highly pathogenic strain of avian flu. cases of bird-to-human transmission have occurred and raised concerns that human-to-human transmission may be possible. therefore, it is vitally important to isolate any index case arising from bird-to-human transmission. questionnaires were sent out to emergency departments throughout scotland seeking information on the availability of facilities and supplies necessary to treat and prevent onward infection from a suspected index case ...200717384384
a crisis of governance?contemporary legislative and constitutional developments in the united kingdom for public health. this article explores these implications.200716870992
association of neuregulin 1 with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in a second cohort from the scottish population.neuregulin 1 (nrg1) is a strong candidate for involvement in the aetiology of schizophrenia. a haplotype, initially identified as showing association in the icelandic and scottish populations, has shown a consistent effect size in multiple european populations. additionally, nrg1 has been implicated in susceptibility to bipolar disorder. in this first study to select markers systematically on the basis of linkage disequilibrium across the entire nrg1 gene, we used haplotype-tagging single-nucleo ...200716940976
us and scottish health professionals attitudes toward dna biobanking.the authors used a fifteen item survey to canvass 200 health care professionals in the united states and scotland about their attitudes toward the potential utility of a dna biobank. results indicate a broadly favorable opinion in both locations. this finding seems to support further development of such a tool.200718694125
exploring scotland's influenza pandemic of 1918-19: lest we forget.the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic resulted in more deaths than any other medical event in human history; the most recent scholarship puts the death toll worldwide at 100 million. scotland suffered a proportionate loss of life but it was little reported at the time and has been little studied by social historians since. the great war had been such a traumatic experience that the authorities, and the general public, could take no more tragic news and the result was an uncanny silence. there is litt ...200718447202
can the high levels of human verocytotoxigenic escherichia coli o157 infection in rural areas of ne scotland be explained by consumption of contaminated meat?to determine if contamination levels of escherichia coli o157 and generic e. coli in retail-minced meat products are greater in rural shops compared with urban shops in grampian, ne scotland. we also investigated whether meat from supermarkets and meat from local butcher shops had a similar bacteriological quality.200718045444
human and animal infections with mycobacterium microti, scotland.during 1994-2005, we isolated mycobacterium microti from 5 animals and 4 humans. only 1 person was immunocompromised. spoligotyping showed 3 patterns: vole type, llama type, and a new variant llama type.200718258049
[association study of an (ac)n dinucleotide repeat and schizophrenia in asian and european populations].linkage studies have suggested that chromosome 15q13-q14 may harbor a susceptibility locus for schizophrenia. in the current study, the association between a (ac)n dinucleotide repeat polymorphism at d15s118 and schizophrenia was investigated using three independent samples from the han chinese population and the scotland population. in the population-based study, a significant difference was found between the allele frequency distributions in schizophrenia patients and control subjects in the s ...200717905710
developments in influenza vaccination coverage in england, scotland and wales covering five consecutive seasons from 2001 to 2006.this study aims at assessing trends in influenza vaccination coverage from 2001 to 2006 in great britain, at understanding drivers and barriers to vaccination and at identifying vaccination intentions for influenza season 2006/2007. in seasons 2001/2002 to 2005/2006, telephone-based household surveys representative of the population from age 16 were conducted, with about 2000 interviews per season (10,095 in total). overall influenza vaccination coverage rate in great britain reached 25.9% in se ...200717942197
tissue and organ donation for research in forensic pathology: the mrc sudden death brain and tissue bank.novel methodological approaches to the investigation of brain and non-central nervous system disorders have led to increased demand for well-characterized, high quality human tissue samples, particularly from control cases. in the setting of the new human tissue legislation, we sought to determine whether relatives who have been suddenly bereaved are willing to grant authorization for research use of post mortem tissue samples and organs in sufficient numbers to support the establishment of a br ...200717990279
sir robert christison (1797-1882): the man, his times, and his contributions to nephrology.sir robert christison was a professor of medicine in edinburgh for 50 years, and twice president of the royal college of physicians there. despite this, few modern descriptions and assessments of either him or his work have been published. in particular, his major work in the field of renal disease, which allows him to be considered one of the fathers of nephrology, has been almost completely forgotten, even in scotland. in this paper, christison and his work in renal disease are described, tryi ...200717993085
behavioral genetics. evidence linking disc1 gene to mental illness builds. 200718006721
public awareness that hpv is a risk factor for cervical cancer.we assessed awareness of human papillomavirus (hpv) in a population sample of british women (n=1620) using similar questions to those in a survey in 2002. only 2.5% cited hpv as the cause of cervical cancer without prompting; up from 0.9% in 2002. public education about hpv is urgently needed.200717687335
quantification of human pharmaceuticals in water samples by high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.an improved analytical method for determination of human pharmaceuticals in natural and wastewaters with ng l(-1) sensitivity is presented. the method is applicable to pharmaceuticals from a wide range of therapeutic classes including antibiotics, analgesics, anti-inflammatories and anti-cancer compounds. pharmaceuticals were extracted from waters using solid-phase extraction, and after concentration, analysed by high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometric detection (hp ...200717693311
tissue banking in a regulated environment--does this help the patient? part 1--legislation, regulation and ethics in the uk.the difficulties with 'retained organs' in the uk have resulted in a new legislation relating to human organs, tissues, and bodies - the human tissue act 2004 and the human tissue act scotland 2006 are now in place. the new laws apply to a wide range of activities including transplantation, education, clinical audit, the practice of autopsies, anatomical examination and others, including the use of human tissues in research. pathobiology research that uses human tissues is now undertaken in a re ...200717709963
herd-level risk factors associated with the presence of phage type 21/28 e. coli o157 on scottish cattle farms.e. coli o157 is a bacterial pathogen that is shed by cattle and can cause severe disease in humans. phage type (pt) 21/28 is a subtype of e. coli o157 that is found across scotland and is associated with particularly severe human morbidity.200617140453
the health of wild red and sika deer in scotland: an analysis of key endoparasites and recommendations for monitoring disease.monitoring the health of wildlife populations is important for understanding and controlling the risk of infections to livestock, humans and/or other wildlife. in this paper, we analyse the results of surveys of parasites and non-specific signs of diseases carried out on organs from 638 red and 107 sika deer culled in four regions of scotland between 1991 and 1997. infections of the lung by elaphostrongylus spp. were significantly greater in red than sika deer. older animals were more heavily in ...200616490711
detection of htlv-i and -ii in scottish blood donor samples and archive donations.positive samples identified during routine serological screening for hcv (hepatitis c virus), hbv (hepatitis b virus) and hiv (human immunodeficiency virus) are confirmed by nucleic acid testing in the snbts (scottish national blood transfusion service) pcr reference laboratory. serological screening for htlv-i (human t-cell lymphotropic virus type i) and -ii was implemented in scotland in november 2002, at which time a pcr assay was not available for confirmation. our aim was to develop a real- ...200616958835
probable human anthrax death in scotland. 200616966782
the medium of signs: nominalism, language and the philosophy of mind in the early thought of dugald stewart.in 1792 dugald stewart published elements of the philosophy of the human mind. in its section on abstraction he declared himself to be a nominalist. although a few scholars have made brief reference to this position, no sustained attention has been given to the central role that it played within stewart's early philosophy of mind. it is therefore the purpose of this essay to unpack stewart's nominalism and the intellectual context that fostered it. in the first three sections i aver that his nom ...200616980184
bodies at the edinburgh festival. 200617007723
scottish scientists hope to supply human stem cells at low cost in 2007. 200617023455
analysis of a scottish founder effect narrows the tapvr-1 gene interval to chromosome 4q12. 200617036341
pre-exposure rabies booster vaccinations: a literature review.in europe, more attention is turning towards human infection with european bat lyssaviruses (eblvs). following the death of a bat conservationist from eblv in scotland, in 2002, the department of health in the united kingdom (uk) recommended that all bat workers receive prophylactic rabies vaccination. this systematic literature review aims to review the evidence base for current uk policy on rabies booster vaccination. ten papers met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. most of the papers ...200616878478
eblv-2 prevalence in the united kingdom as determined by surveillance testing.five cases of eblv-2 have been detected in the uk since 1996, with all wildlife cases in the daubenton's bat: one on the south coast in sussex in 1996, one in lancashire in 2002, another in 2003, one in surrey in 2004 and a human fatality in angus, scotland, in 2002. as a result of the human case, a seroprevalence study, aimed primarily at the daubenton's bat was conducted in 2003 in scotland and at some sites in england. in scotland, 198 daubenton's, 20 natterer's and 6 pipistrelles were caught ...200616878484
maternal and biochemical predictors of spontaneous preterm birth among nulliparous women: a systematic analysis in relation to the degree of prematurity.nulliparous women are at increased risk of spontaneous preterm birth. other maternal and biochemical risk factors have also been described. however, it is unclear whether these associations are strong enough to offer clinically useful prediction. it is also unclear whether the predictive power of these factors varies in relation to the degree of prematurity.200616882673
glutathione s-transferase m1 and p1 genotype, passive smoking, and peak expiratory flow in asthma.our purpose with this work was to assess the contribution of glutathione s-transferase gene variants to asthma susceptibility and pulmonary function in relation to tobacco smoke exposure in the home.200616882827
using human error theory to explore the supply of non-prescription medicines from community pharmacies.the importance of theory in underpinning interventions to promote effective professional practice is gaining recognition. the medical research council framework for complex interventions has assisted in promoting awareness and adoption of theory into study design. human error theory has previously been used by high risk industries but its relevance to healthcare settings and patient safety requires further investigation. this study used this theory as a framework to explore non-prescription medi ...200616885248
the use of an anaesthetic simulator to assess single-use laryngoscopy equipment.to compare the view at simulated direct laryngoscopy obtained with a standard laryngoscope, with and without a disposable cover and a disposable laryngoscope blade.200616287900
(re)constructing embryos in stem cell research: exploring the meaning of embryos for people involved in fertility treatments.the use of human embryos is a key controversy in public debates on stem cell research (scr), yet little attention has been given to the context or sources from which embryos are obtained: people involved in fertility programmes. how they feel about the use of embryos in scr, and what may lead them to agree or refuse to donate embryos, remains unexplored. in this paper, i investigate the views of people involved in fertility programmes who may be approached to donate their embryos for scr, drawin ...200616289740
estimating human inbreeding coefficients: comparison of genealogical and marker heterozygosity approaches.we have used genealogies and genomic polymorphisms to estimate individual inbreeding coefficients (f) in 50 subjects with an expected range (based on recent genealogies) of f from 0.0 to 0.0625. the estimates were based on two approaches, using genotypes respectively from 410 microsatellite markers (410-str panel) and from 10,000 snps (10k-snp panel). the latter was performed in a sub-sample of 15 individuals. we concluded that for both marker panels measures of inbreeding based on the excess of ...200616907711
the impact on histopathology practice of new human tissue legislation in the uk.the undisclosed or unauthorized retention of tissue from autopsies in the uk and elsewhere has caused considerable public concern and much distress to some families. histopathologists involved in these cases have also been discomfited. these events have exposed deficiencies in prevailing legislation, principally in the human tissue act 1961 and the coroners rules 1984. new human tissue legislation comes into force in the uk in september 2006. the human tissue act 2004 and the human tissue (scotl ...200616918968
escherichia coli o157: burger bug or environmental pathogen?the three main pathways of escherichia coli o157 infection are foodborne, environmental (including direct contact with animals and their faeces and contaminated water supplies) or person to person contact. the disease is often nicknamed the 'burger bug' but it appears that environmental risk factors may be more important. in this study we use four techniques (outbreak analysis, case-control studies, disease mapping and quantitative microbial risk assessment (qmra)) to determine whether burgers o ...200616934897
the distribution of apolipoprotein e alleles in scottish perinatal deaths.the apolipoprotein e (apoe) polymorphism has been well studied in the adult human population, in part because the e4 allele is a known risk factor for alzheimer's disease. little is known of the distribution of apoe alleles in newborns, and their association with perinatal brain damage has not been investigated.200616183800
william pulteney alison, the scottish philosophy, and the making of a political medicine.this article considers the public health and social-reform agitations of dr. william pulteney alison (1790-1858), professor of medicine at edinburgh university and leader of the scottish medical profession, in the context of scottish moral philosophy. throughout his career, alison reflected on what has come to be recognized as a central problem of social medicine: where did its domain end? at what point did the medical mission of identifying and eliminating factors that harm health pass into a n ...200616377755
genetic association between schizophrenia and the disc1 gene in the scottish population.several lines of evidence support the involvement of the disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (disc1) gene in schizophrenia susceptibility, including its original identification in a schizophrenia family with a chromosome translocation, several genetic association studies, and functional characterization of the gene product. in the present study, we have genotyped multiple snp and microsatellite markers in a large scottish case-control sample. we identified two snps and one microsatellite that show sign ...200616389590
prevalence and virulence factors of escherichia coli serogroups o26, o103, o111, and o145 shed by cattle in scotland.a national survey was conducted to determine the prevalence of escherichia coli o26, o103, o111, and o145 in feces of scottish cattle. in total, 6,086 fecal pats from 338 farms were tested. the weighted mean percentages of farms on which shedding was detected were 23% for e. coli o26, 22% for e. coli o103, and 10% for e. coli o145. the weighted mean prevalences in fecal pats were 4.6% for e. coli o26, 2.7% for e. coli o103, and 0.7% for e. coli o145. no e. coli o111 was detected. farms with catt ...200616391103
further evidence for the association between g72/g30 genes and schizophrenia in two ethnically distinct populations.recently, the nested genes g72 and g30 on chromosome 13q32-q33 have been implicated in the etiology of schizophrenia. we genotyped six single-nucleotide polymorphisms (snps: rs3916965, rs3916967, rs2391191, rs778294, rs779293 and rs3918342), which span approximately 82.5 kb in the region encompassing the g72/g30 genes in 1176 han chinese subjects (588 cases and 588 controls) and 365 scottish subjects (183 cases and 182 controls). significant association between an allele of marker rs778293 and s ...200616402132
dr james currie (1756-1805): liverpool physician, campaigner, hydrotherapist and man of letters.james currie was born and educated in scotland but spent most of his professional life in liverpool, where, as physician to the liverpool infirmary, he campaigned against the unsanitary living conditions in the rapidly growing port. he was an early advocate of water cures for fever and other maladies, on which subject he carried out experiments and published a seminal work. he was a pioneer in the use of the clinical thermometer. he was also an early advocate of the abolition of slavery and a ma ...200616435032
sir william dunn (1833-1912): the man, his trust and his legacy to science and medicine.william dunn had no direct connections with medicine. he belonged to that victorian generation of scottish pioneers who went overseas to make their fortunes and, yet, devoted their money to numerous charitable purposes, mainly at home in the uk. his family origins were modest; born in paisley, near glasgow on 1 september 1833, he died in 1912 with an estate valued at 1.3 million pounds sterling. his fortune was made from a large worldwide trading empire with roots in south africa, where he emigr ...200616435034
ancient manuring practices pollute arable soils at the st kilda world heritage site, scottish north atlantic.the impact of ancient fertilization practices on the biogeochemistry of arable soils on the remote scottish island of hirta, st kilda was investigated. the island was relatively unusual in that the inhabitants exploited seabird colonies for food, enabling high population densities to be sustained on a limited, and naturally poor, soil resource. a few other scottish islands, the faeroes and some icelandic islands, had similar cultural dependence on seabirds. fertilization with human and animal wa ...200616542706
the dental caries experience of 11-year-old children in great britain. surveys coordinated by the british association for the study of community dentistry in 2004 / 2005.this paper reports the results of standardized clinical caries examinations of 11-year-old children from across england and wales, scotland, isle of man, and jersey in 2004/5. these co-ordinated surveys are the latest in a series which seek to monitor the dental health of children and to assess the delivery of dental services.200616555719
geography, private costs and uptake of screening for abdominal aortic aneurysm in a remote rural area.the relationship between geographical location, private costs, health provider costs and uptake of health screening is unclear. this paper examines these relationships in a screening programme for abdominal aortic aneurysm in the highlands and western isles of scotland, a rural and remote area of over 10,000 square miles.200616571121
d'arcy thompson and the theory of transformations.d'arcy thompson was a biologist, a mathematician and a classicist. his writing was great literature as well as great science. he is primarily known for a single book--on growth and form--and indeed for a single chapter within it, on his 'theory of transformations', which shows how the differences between the forms of related species can be represented geometrically. this theory cries out for causal explanation, which is something the great man eschewed. perhaps the time is close when comparative ...200616607399
chance of bird flu mutating into virus transmissible between humans is "very low". 200616613952
the feminization of the medical work force, implications for scottish primary care: a survey of scottish general practitioners.the number of women working in general practice internationally has been steadily rising. in scotland there have been concerns that such a change may lead to increased part-time working and subsequently to a fall in available general practice manpower despite an apparently rising overall number of general practitioners. however, there is very little information on the actual hours worked by men and women general practitioners or on the types of work they are undertaking.200616686957
infection control practice across europe: results of the epd.the european practice database (epd) project, developed by the edtna/erca research board, collects data on renal practice at centre level in different european countries. results presented in this paper focus on infection control practice in haemodialysis centres from 8 different european countries or regions following data collection from 2002 up to 2004. the prevalence of hepatitis b (hbv), hepatitis c (hcv), human immune deficiency (hiv) and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (mrsa) ...200616700167
genetic consequences of human management in an introduced island population of red deer (cervus elaphus).we investigated phylogeography and spatial genetic structure in an introduced island population of red deer (cervus elaphus) on the isle of rum, scotland, experiencing spatial variation in management regime. five different mitochondrial dna (mtdna) haplotypes were present among female red deer on rum. these comprised two phylogenetically divergent groups, one of which clustered with red deer from sardinia and north africa, while the other four grouped with other western european red deer. recent ...200616705323
association analyses suggest gpr24 as a shared susceptibility gene for bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia.linkage analyses suggest that chromosome 22q12-13 may harbor a shared susceptibility locus for bipolar affective disorder (bpd) and schizophrenia (sz). in a study of a sample from the faeroe islands we have previously reported association between both disorders and microsatellite markers in a 3.6 cm segment on 22q13. the present study investigated three candidate genes located in this segment: gpr24, adsl, and st13. nine snps located in these genes and one microsatellite marker (d22s279) were ap ...200616741940
human teeth as historical biomonitors of environmental and dietary lead: some lessons from isotopic studies of 19th and 20th century archival material.the lead isotopic composition of various sections (crown, crown base, root) of teeth was determined in specimens collected from 19th century skulls preserved in museum collections and, upon extraction or exfoliation, from humans of known ages residing in scotland in the 1990s. for most 20th century samples, calculation of accurate crown-complete or root-complete dates of tooth formation ranging from the 1920s to the 1990s enabled comparison of (206)pb/(207)pb ratios for teeth sections (crown bas ...200616752125
comparison of prevalence rates of microbiological markers between bone/tissue donations and new blood donors in scotland.blood-borne virus prevalence rates of samples accompanying tissue donors are not widely available. this article compares the rates in scottish bone/tissue donors with those of new blood donors for the 7-year period, 1998-2004.200616756598
attitudes to teamwork and safety in the operating theatre.a survey was undertaken to assess surgical team members' attitudes to safety and teamwork in the operating theatre.200616764199
trial of management of borderline and other low-grade abnormal smears (tombola): trial design.cervical screening reduces the risk of cervical cancer by detecting and treating cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (cin). the management of women with low-grade cervical abnormalities is controversial. two management policies exist: repeat smears in primary care and colposcopy examination. it is not clear which of these is the more effective and efficient. there is also uncertainty as to the most effective and efficient management of women at colposcopy when an area of abnormality is seen on th ...200616765101
dlg5 variants and susceptibility to inflammatory bowel disease in the scottish population. 200616766759
operational competency development in e and f grade nursing staff: preparation for management.there is limited literature for operational management competency development in e and f grade nursing staff. these grades of nursing staff have to take over from g grade nurses ward managers on a regular basis. with human resources doing less of the operational management and taking more of an advisory role, nursing staff are now required to deal with disciplinary procedures and other management issues in a more consistent manner. therefore, this development programme in a scottish primary care ...200616787473
prevalence of human papillomavirus types 16 and 18 in cervical adenocarcinoma and its precursors in scottish patients.our aim was to determine the prevalence of human papillomavirus (hpv) types 16 and 18 in cervical adenocarcinoma (and its precursors) in scottish patients. nucleic acid was extracted from paraffin-embedded, formalin-fixed tissues. we examined 119 cases of invasive adenocarcinoma, 20 cases of adenocarcinoma in situ, and 16 cases of normal glandular epithelium. hpv dna was detected by polymerase chain reaction using type-specific primers for the e6 and e7 genes of hpv-16 and hpv-18 with conformati ...200616803480
glimpses of a hidden burden: hydatid disease in eighteenth-century scotland."hydatids" or watery cysts have been observed in animals and humans since ancient times, giving rise to frequent speculation as to their nature and origin. this essay focuses on an extremely rare clinical case managed at the edinburgh infirmary in 1785 by james gregory, professor of the theory of medicine. following the death of the patient, an autopsy disclosed lesions characteristic of a condition eventually labeled "echinococcosis of the liver," today one of the most common parasitic diseases ...200516184019
genotype-phenotype analysis in childhood-onset crohn's disease: nod2/card15 variants consistently predict phenotypic characteristics of severe disease.the incidence of early-onset cd in scotland is among the highest worldwide. three single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) r702w, g908r and leu1007finsc in the nod2/card15 gene predispose to adult cd. we investigated the contribution of these variants to disease susceptibility and phenotype in the scottish early-onset ibd population.200516239840
a comparison of graphical and textual presentations of time series data to support medical decision making in the neonatal intensive care unit.to compare expert-generated textual summaries of physiological data with trend graphs, in terms of their ability to support neonatal intensive care unit (icu) staff in making decisions when presented with medical scenarios.200516244840
spatial and temporal epidemiology of sporadic human cases of escherichia coli o157 in scotland, 1996-1999.in scotland, between 1995 and 2000 there were between 4 and 10 cases of illness per 100000 population per year identified as being caused by escherichia coli o157, whereas in england and wales there were between 1 and 2 cases per 100000 population per year. within scotland there is significant regional variation. a cluster of high rate areas was identified in the northeast of scotland and a cluster of low rate areas in central-west scotland. temporal trends follow a seasonal pattern whilst spati ...200516274499
dietary silicon intake in post-menopausal women.si has been suggested as an essential element, and may be important in optimal bone, skin and cardiovascular health. however, there are few estimates of dietary si intakes in man, especially in a uk population. following the development of a uk food composition database for si, the aim of the present study was to investigate dietary intakes of si amongst healthy women aged over 60 years and to identify important food sources of si in their diet. healthy, post-menopausal female subjects (>60 year ...200516277786
human immunodeficiency virus acquired heterosexually abroad: expert panel assessment of the "indigenous/nonindigenous to the united kingdom status" of cases.in scotland the proportion of human immunodeficiency virus (hiv)-diagnosed patients who were presumed to have acquired their infection abroad increased from 4% (12/269) in 1985 to 34% (53/154) in 2000. several journalists and health professionals assumed that this increase in diagnosis rate reflected hiv among persons from scotland who had acquired their infection while traveling abroad. because of limitations in hiv surveillance data quality, no attempt had been made to distinguish diagnosed pe ...200515996463
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