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Introduction: Allelic imbalance is a common genetic event in many types of malignancy. The recent introduction of high-density SNPA for the concurrent analysis of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) and changes in chromosome copy number (CN) in small amounts of DNA has facilitated a comprehensive, genome-wide analysis of tumour cell populations. This method is of value in malignancies where standard cytogenetic analysis is difficult to perform. Objective: To characterise LOH and CN alterations in leukaemic samples using SNPA. Patients and method: A cohort of 86 patients presenting with childhood ALL within the Northern Region of the UK (Sept 1986-Jan 2005) were analysed using GeneChip® Human Mapping 10K Array (Affymetrix, Ltd.). Good quality of DNA (250ng) was sent to MRC Geneservice (Cambridge) for sample analysis. Results from SNPA analysis were analysed using proprietary software (Affymetrix). The results spreadsheets obtained from MRC contained information about the identity of each SNP and its chromosomal location were exported to Excel spreadsheets for in house analysis. Results: Sixty-nine of the 86 samples (80%) showed one or more significant areas of LOH. Consideration of the CN of the regions affected suggested that this was of 2 types: LOH associated with CN reduction (deletion) and LOH associated with no CN change or copy neutral-LOH (acquired isodisomy, AID). Allelic imbalances have been frequently identified on chromosome 9p, 12p and 6q. Loss of 9p has been associated with tumourigenesis and to be progressive in some cases at relapse. A tumor suppressor gene, p16INK4a is always included in 9p deleted region and has been suggested to be involved in leukaemogenesis. Discussion and conclusion: This study indicated that application of SNPA is very useful to characterize allelic imbalance in childhood ALL. In addition, unlike other whole-genome screening methods, it can readily detect LOH associated with the preservation of the normal CN (AID). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The rising number of dementia diagnoses and imminent adoption of disease-modifying treatments necessitate innovative approaches to identify individuals at risk, monitor disease course and intervene non-pharmacologically earlier in the disease course. Digital assessments of dementia risk and cognitive function have the potential to outperform traditional in-person assessments in terms of their affordability, accuracy and longitudinal tracking abilities. However, their accessibility and reliability in older adults is unclear., Aims: To evaluate the usability and reliability of a smartphone assessment of lifestyle and cognitive factors relevant to dementia risk in a group of UK-based older adults., Method: Cognitively healthy adults ( n = 756) recruited through the Dementias Platform UK Great Minds volunteer register completed three assessments of cognitive function and dementia risk over a 3-month period and provided usability feedback on the Five Lives smartphone application (app). We evaluated cognitive test scores for age, gender and higher education effects, normality distributions, test-retest reliability and their relationship with participants' lifestyle dementia risk factors., Results: Participants found the app 'easy to use', 'quick to complete' and 'enjoyable'. The cognitive tests showed normal or near-to-normal distributions, variable test-retest reliabilities and age-related effects. Only tests of verbal ability showed gender and education effects. The cognitive tests did not correlate with lifestyle dementia risk scores., Conclusions: The Five Lives assessment demonstrates high usability and reliability among older adults. These findings highlight the potential of digital assessments in dementia research and clinical practice, enabling improved accessibility and better monitoring of cognitive health on a larger scale than traditional in-person assessments.

Meme-making is an effective method for engaging students and enhancing the learning environment. Memes are a social media cultural phenomenon that the majority of those in Higher Education are exposed to on an almost daily occurrence. This research examined the use of meme-making within the forensic sciences to allow students to reflect on their knowledge. Students studying modules in forensic science across six universities in the UK and USA participated in the study. At the end of a teaching session, students produced a meme (using Meme Generator) to reflect on what they had learned; memes were then shared with the class anonymously via Padlet. This allowed all class members to see and engage with the memes created. At the end of the activity students were anonymously surveyed on their experience using Microsoft Forms and analysis of the results were undertaken using SPSS software. Meme-making was found to be an inclusive learning activity with no limitations, including age (part-time, distance learning and visually impaired students were not part of the study parameters). Results showed that not only did students find the practice fun, but it also helped with the retention of the class content suggesting that the meme-making process is an effective way to enhance the learning environment while engaging students. Student feedback suggests that to maximise participation the educator should stress reflection and learning as the key purpose of generating a meme, rather than being witty or entertaining. The forensic science educator should be mindful of selecting appropriate subject matter for this often-humorous activity., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: Tick-borne encephalitis virus and louping ill virus are neurotropic flaviviruses transmitted by ticks. Epidemiologically, tick-borne encephalitis is endemic in Europe whereas louping ill's predominant geographical distribution is the UK. Rarely, these flaviviruses affect dogs causing neurological signs. This case series aimed to describe the clinical, clinicopathological, and imaging findings, as well as the outcomes in six dogs with meningoencephalitis and/or meningomyelitis caused by a flavivirus in the UK in 2021., Materials and Methods: Observational retrospective case-series study. Clinical data were retrieved from medical records of dogs with positive serological or immunohistochemical results from three different institutions from spring to winter 2021., Results: Six dogs were included in the study. All dogs presented an initial phase of pyrexia and/or lethargy followed by progressive signs of spinal cord and/or intracranial disease. Magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral and symmetrical lesions affecting the grey matter of the thalamus, pons, medulla oblongata, and thoracic or lumbar intumescences with none or mild parenchymal and meningeal contrast enhancement. Serology for tick-borne encephalitis virus was positive in five dogs with the presence of seroconversion in two dogs. The viral distinction between flaviviruses was not achieved. One dog with negative serology presented positive immunohistochemistry at post-mortem examination. Three dogs survived but presented neurological sequelae. Three dogs were euthanased due to the rapid progression of the clinical signs or static neurological signs., Clinical Significance: These cases raise awareness of the presence of tick-borne encephalitis as an emergent disease or the increased prevalence of louping ill virus affecting dogs in the UK., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Small Animal Practice published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Small Animal Veterinary Association.)

The domestic cat is one of the most popular pets in the world. It is estimated that 89-92% of domestic cats in the UK are non-pedigree Domestic shorthair (DSH), Domestic longhair (DLH), or Domestic semi-longhair cats (DSLH). Despite their popularity, little is known of the UK non-pedigree cats' population structure and breeding dynamics. Using a custom designed single nucleotide variant (SNV) array, this study investigated the population genetics of 1344 UK cats. Principal components analysis (PCA) and fastSTRUCTURE analysis verified that the UK's DSH, DLH, and DSLH cats are random-bred, rather than admixed, mix breed, or crossbred. In contrast to pedigree cats, the linkage disequilibrium of these random-bred cats was least extensive and decayed rapidly. Homozygosity by descent (HBD) analysis showed the majority of non-pedigree cats had proportionally less of their genome in HBD segments compared to pedigree cats, and that these segments were older. Together, these findings suggest that the DSH, DLH, and DSLH cats should be considered as a population of random-bred cats rather than a crossbred or pedigree-admixed cat. Unexpectedly, 19% of random-bred cat genomes displayed a higher proportion of HBD segments associated with more recent inbreeding events. Therefore, while non-pedigree cats as a whole are genetically diverse, they are not impervious to inbreeding and its health risks.