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Human cancers and some congenital traits are characterized by cytogenetic aberrations including translocations, amplifications, duplications or deletions that can involve gain or loss of genetic material. We have developed a simple method to precisely delineate such regions with known or cryptic genomic alterations. Molecular copy-number counting (MCC) uses PCR to interrogate miniscule amounts of genomic DNA and allows progressive delineation of DNA content to within a few hundred base pairs of a genomic alteration. As an example, we have located the junctions of a recurrent nonreciprocal translocation between chromosomes 3 and 5 in human renal cell carcinoma, facilitating cloning of the breakpoint without recourse to genomic libraries. The analysis also revealed additional cryptic chromosomal changes close to the translocation junction. MCC is a fast and flexible method for characterizing a wide range of chromosomal aberrations. *Note: Correspondence should be addressed to M. Thangavelu (mt370@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk) instead of T. H. Rabbitts. The error has been corrected in the PDF version of the article.

This project began in 2004 and involves LLB students training (in year two) and then acting as Citizens Advice Bureau (‘CAB’) advisers for 120 hours (in year three). We have been able to incorporate this work into the existing course structure fully in third year (40 credit ‘Reflective Student Practitioner’ unit) and partially in second year (as part of a 10 credit Careers and Research Management unit), so that students undertake a substantial proportion of this work for credit. This has been possible by creating a parallel and alternative route to the existing 40 credit Legal Dissertation. Assessment in third year is by way of a 3,000 word legal essay (based on a legal topic raised in client interviews); a 3,000 word reflective analysis of their experience, a journal and three letters that they have drafted in their CAB work. This is produced through one-to-one supervision – in much the same way as one would supervise a dissertation.Our aims in this project were to give students the opportunity to learn skills which would be of benefit in their professional lives, improve their employability and allow them to become more engaged in their local community. Portsmouth CAB was in need of more advisers and was interested in recruiting younger volunteers to establish a broader mix of advisers. The guarantee of 120 hours was a valuable commitment to them.I propose to offer an explanation of how we manage our relationship with Portsmouth CAB and how we share responsibilities between us (for example, in training and recruitment). I also seek to evaluate what has worked well and what has been problematic in working with CAB.

Nat. Methods 3, 447–453 (2006). published online 23 May 2006; corrected after print 8 June 2006. Correspondence should be addressed to M. Thangavelu (mt370@hutchison-mrc.cam.ac.uk) instead of T. H. Rabbitts. The error has been corrected in the PDF version of the article.

An Australian study of 513 women evaluated associations between obesity and both benign and malignant breast disease, and in particular investigated the role of female sex hormones. Women who gained more than 10 kg from early womanhood had a two-fold increase in risk of developing breast cancer, whereas lean women had a greater risk of being treated for benign breast disease. Obese women with breast cancer were more likely to have Stage II tumors but there was no significant association between obesity and tumor size or estrogen and progesterone receptor status. Obesity was strongly associated with the proportions of nonprotein-bound and albumin-bound estradiol, and inversely associated with sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) levels and the proportion of SHBG-bound estradiol. In addition, age at menarche was inversely associated, and age at menopause directly associated with recalled weight at those time periods. These data demonstrate weight gain as a risk factor for breast cancer, and suggest a possible mechanism supporting its development.