P
paulnotbilly
Guest
Sorry for the long post but as some (not so) light relief, this was on the radio news the other day. All day both stories, using the first to 'smother' the second:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5405194.stm
Teenagers 'smoke to ease labour'
Pregnant teenagers smoke to try to reduce the size of their babies, and make delivery less painful, a government minister has claimed.
Nursing Standard magazine reports that Public health minister Caroline Flint made the claim at a fringe meeting at last week's Labour Party conference.
There is evidence that smoking in pregnancy can stunt a baby's growth.
However, low birth weight is strongly linked to an increased risk of many health complications and miscarriage.
We are bringing up our young women very fearful of labour
Belinda Phipps
Ms Flint told the meeting she had heard about the issue anecdotally from health professionals, and from young women she had met.
She said: "It is important that we understand what stops young women making healthy choices so we can provide the right answers to their concerns.
"In this case, childbirth is no less painful if your baby is low weight. So smoking is not the answer, pain relief is."
Studies have shown that women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birthweight baby.
They also face a 26% increased risk of miscarriage, or stillbirth, and a raised risk of giving birth prematurely.
Gail Johnson, of the Royal College of Midwives, said there was no evidence that having a smaller baby reduced pain in labour.
Charlotte Davies, of Tommy's, the baby charity, said their work suggested that one in 10 women smokes throughout pregnancy.
Lack of education
Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said it showed a worrying lack of education among young women.
She said: "Although smoking does reduce the baby's size, it does have a devastating effect on the baby in lots of other ways.
"We are bringing up our young women very fearful of labour.
"Labour is a normal process which is hard work, and for many people painful, but, with the right sort of support and the right sort of care, is perfectly doable.
"It is a real indictment of our education that teenagers are so fearful that they are prepared to do something that is enormously damaging to themselves and and their babies because they think there might be an outside chance it might make their labour easier. Which is largely a myth."
Running decoy for this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5404402.stm
New DNA test to solve more cases
The test will allow about 40% more DNA samples to be identified
Tens of thousands of unsolved crimes could be cracked with a new forensic technique, it has been claimed.
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is piloting a computer-based analysis system which can interpret previously unintelligible DNA samples.
It claims the technique is a world first which will boost its crime detection rates by more than 15%.
The method is being tested by the West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Northumbria and Humberside police forces.
It allows scientists to pinpoint DNA samples when more than one individual has touched a surface, where only small amounts of DNA have been left behind or only poor quality material was found.
We think we can boost the success rate or our ability to pass on new leads to the police by around 10%
Paul Hackett
Forensic Science Service
How DNA works
FFS DNA manager Paul Hackett told BBC News the pilot scheme "aims to show how we can deploy that and put that in the police hands so that they can use it effectively.
"This particular technique is based on the foundations of existing DNA profiling technology so the laboratory-based techniques are exactly the same as we have used over the last 10 years, so that's very robust, very well established.
Impact of DNA on crime detection
"This application is a piece of software, along with a forensic scientist, that can help us interpret previously complex, mixed DNA profiles that the forensic scientist really couldn't interpret."
'Cold cases'
FSS scientists believe the technique, called DNAboost, could be the key to countless "cold cases" which have lain dormant in police files.
HOW POLICE USE DNA
DNA samples taken from blood, hair, semen, etc at crime scene
Sample used to produce unique DNA profile of criminal
Profile helps identify criminal's physical characteristics
Suspects can be tested for DNA match with crime scene
Existing 3.5m samples on DNA database also checked
Mass DNA screenings of village, school, etc may be used
Chance of two people having same DNA - one in one billion
Mr Hackett said the system could potentially have an impact on both "cold cases" and future trials.
"The beauty of this technology is it's both retrospective and we can apply it on future cases," he said
"So the technique it's best applied to was introduced a decade ago - the Forensic Science Service has tested over half-a-million cases in the last 10 years - and we think we can boost the success rate or our ability to pass on new leads to the police by around 10%.
"So that's tens of thousands of cases going back into history. If we look forward then we can apply it to cases that are coming into the lab from today."
The pilot will run for three months, after which it is due to be extended to remaining police forces.
Det Sgt Kevin Morten, head of scientific support services at South Yorkshire police, told the BBC: "If an offender enters a crime scene and touches a surface they will leave a small trace of DNA; the next person who's in that scene, or has been in previously, will also leave small traces of DNA.
"Previously we have not been able to split those profiles, but with this technique we'll be able to do that and that will assist us greatly in further detecting crime".
The FSS can already handle more than 10,000 DNA crime stain samples each month and about 50,000 DNA samples from individuals.
IMPACT OF DNA ON CRIME DETECTION
CRIME NATIONAL DETECTION RATE DNA DETECTION RATE
All recorded crime 26% 40%
Domestic burglary 16% 41%
Non-domestic burglary 11% 50%
Theft of vehicle 15% 24%
Theft from vehicle 8% 63%
Criminal damage 14% 51%
Source: Home Office (04/05 figures)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/5405194.stm
Teenagers 'smoke to ease labour'
Pregnant teenagers smoke to try to reduce the size of their babies, and make delivery less painful, a government minister has claimed.
Nursing Standard magazine reports that Public health minister Caroline Flint made the claim at a fringe meeting at last week's Labour Party conference.
There is evidence that smoking in pregnancy can stunt a baby's growth.
However, low birth weight is strongly linked to an increased risk of many health complications and miscarriage.
We are bringing up our young women very fearful of labour
Belinda Phipps
Ms Flint told the meeting she had heard about the issue anecdotally from health professionals, and from young women she had met.
She said: "It is important that we understand what stops young women making healthy choices so we can provide the right answers to their concerns.
"In this case, childbirth is no less painful if your baby is low weight. So smoking is not the answer, pain relief is."
Studies have shown that women who smoke during pregnancy are three times more likely to have a low birthweight baby.
They also face a 26% increased risk of miscarriage, or stillbirth, and a raised risk of giving birth prematurely.
Gail Johnson, of the Royal College of Midwives, said there was no evidence that having a smaller baby reduced pain in labour.
Charlotte Davies, of Tommy's, the baby charity, said their work suggested that one in 10 women smokes throughout pregnancy.
Lack of education
Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said it showed a worrying lack of education among young women.
She said: "Although smoking does reduce the baby's size, it does have a devastating effect on the baby in lots of other ways.
"We are bringing up our young women very fearful of labour.
"Labour is a normal process which is hard work, and for many people painful, but, with the right sort of support and the right sort of care, is perfectly doable.
"It is a real indictment of our education that teenagers are so fearful that they are prepared to do something that is enormously damaging to themselves and and their babies because they think there might be an outside chance it might make their labour easier. Which is largely a myth."
Running decoy for this:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/5404402.stm
New DNA test to solve more cases
The test will allow about 40% more DNA samples to be identified
Tens of thousands of unsolved crimes could be cracked with a new forensic technique, it has been claimed.
The Forensic Science Service (FSS) is piloting a computer-based analysis system which can interpret previously unintelligible DNA samples.
It claims the technique is a world first which will boost its crime detection rates by more than 15%.
The method is being tested by the West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Northumbria and Humberside police forces.
It allows scientists to pinpoint DNA samples when more than one individual has touched a surface, where only small amounts of DNA have been left behind or only poor quality material was found.
We think we can boost the success rate or our ability to pass on new leads to the police by around 10%
Paul Hackett
Forensic Science Service
How DNA works
FFS DNA manager Paul Hackett told BBC News the pilot scheme "aims to show how we can deploy that and put that in the police hands so that they can use it effectively.
"This particular technique is based on the foundations of existing DNA profiling technology so the laboratory-based techniques are exactly the same as we have used over the last 10 years, so that's very robust, very well established.
Impact of DNA on crime detection
"This application is a piece of software, along with a forensic scientist, that can help us interpret previously complex, mixed DNA profiles that the forensic scientist really couldn't interpret."
'Cold cases'
FSS scientists believe the technique, called DNAboost, could be the key to countless "cold cases" which have lain dormant in police files.
HOW POLICE USE DNA
DNA samples taken from blood, hair, semen, etc at crime scene
Sample used to produce unique DNA profile of criminal
Profile helps identify criminal's physical characteristics
Suspects can be tested for DNA match with crime scene
Existing 3.5m samples on DNA database also checked
Mass DNA screenings of village, school, etc may be used
Chance of two people having same DNA - one in one billion
Mr Hackett said the system could potentially have an impact on both "cold cases" and future trials.
"The beauty of this technology is it's both retrospective and we can apply it on future cases," he said
"So the technique it's best applied to was introduced a decade ago - the Forensic Science Service has tested over half-a-million cases in the last 10 years - and we think we can boost the success rate or our ability to pass on new leads to the police by around 10%.
"So that's tens of thousands of cases going back into history. If we look forward then we can apply it to cases that are coming into the lab from today."
The pilot will run for three months, after which it is due to be extended to remaining police forces.
Det Sgt Kevin Morten, head of scientific support services at South Yorkshire police, told the BBC: "If an offender enters a crime scene and touches a surface they will leave a small trace of DNA; the next person who's in that scene, or has been in previously, will also leave small traces of DNA.
"Previously we have not been able to split those profiles, but with this technique we'll be able to do that and that will assist us greatly in further detecting crime".
The FSS can already handle more than 10,000 DNA crime stain samples each month and about 50,000 DNA samples from individuals.
IMPACT OF DNA ON CRIME DETECTION
CRIME NATIONAL DETECTION RATE DNA DETECTION RATE
All recorded crime 26% 40%
Domestic burglary 16% 41%
Non-domestic burglary 11% 50%
Theft of vehicle 15% 24%
Theft from vehicle 8% 63%
Criminal damage 14% 51%
Source: Home Office (04/05 figures)
