Scottish Scientists develop skin cancer patch

A ground-breaking skin patch that changes colour in the sun and may help to prevent skin cancer has been developed by Scottish scientists.

Researchers at the University of Strathclyde have developed the patch which uses an “intelligent ink” that changes colour when exposed to dangerous levels of sunlight.

The wristband measures the wearer’s exposure to the sun by chemical compounds inside the patch that react to UV light. It then changes colour from yellow to pink to indicate the user is approaching their maximum exposure time before they get sunburn – one of the main factors that cause skin cancer.

The low cost technology means the wristband will only cost around 20-30 pence per indicator, and can be worn on the body, clothing, or even stuck onto a bottle of suncream, just as long as it stays in the sun for the same amount of time as they do.

Professor Andrew Mills from the University of Strathclyde said he hopes the patch will help encourage people to have a more responsible attitude towards sunburn.

“The trouble with sunburn is that you don’t see it until four to eight hours after you have been burned. We hope this device will make a difference to people’s behaviour, and help people who are especially vulnerable to the sun, such as children and those who work outside.”

Professor Mills added: “Skin cancer is a huge problem in the United Kingdom. Over 70,000 people are diagnosed with it each year, and over 2000 people die. It’s a well documented problem, but the numbers just keep growing.

“We don’t get enough sun in this country, so when it does come out we tend to pursue it aggressively. And our association of a suntan with health and wealth is still very strong. This attitude is entrenched in British society – but our indicators aim to help this.”

He also said: “The price is a very important part of the product. Intelligent UV ink is quite an inexpensive feature, so the wristbands themselves remain low-cost.

“There are other devices out there but they’re just too expensive. People aren’t willing to splash out pounds every day to protect themselves from the sun.”

The wristbands will be available for all skin types, which can react differently to UV light. The invention may be available to sun-worshippers in the UK as soon as this November.

Dr Julie Sharp, science information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “Anything that highlights the damage caused by UV exposure and encourages people to protect themselves could be useful, but it would need thorough testing to ensure it reflects sun exposure in real-life situations.

“Some people are more prone to skin cancer and people with fair skin need to take more care in the sun.

“The best way to reduce your risk of skin cancer is to ensure that you don’t burn. We can all enjoy the sun safely by spending time in the shade in the middle of the day, wearing a hat and sunglasses and using factor 15 sunscreen.”

Swapping cigarettes for courgettes… will Dundee’s new anti-smoking scheme work?

Would £150 encourage you to give up smoking for good? NHS Tayside hopes so.

They have just launched a pilot scheme in Dundee, which gives participants from disadvantaged areas £12.50 a week if they manage to stay off cigarettes. The money is credited onto an electronic card and can be spent at Asda on fresh fruit and vegetables only – not cigarettes or alcohol. Participants can stay on the scheme for up to 12 weeks, earning them a total of £150.

Public Health Minister Shona Robison, launched the Quit4u scheme. She said “The most important thing anyone can do to improve their health is to quit smoking – it’s the biggest preventable cause of ill health and premature death in Scotland. This is an innovative project and I’ll be following the results with interest to see if lessons can be learned.”

Life expectancy in Dundee is among the lowest in Britain, according to Scottish Government figures. There are thought to be around 36,000 smokers in Dundee, around half of whom live in poverty. Paul Ballard, NHS Tayside’s Deputy Director of Public Health, says deprived areas are often the worst affected.

“We know that the highest smoking rates are still in our poorest and most deprived communities. This is simply because, on a day to day basis, for them quitting smoking is not the most important thing – the most important thing is actually putting food on the table. What Quit4u does is helps and supports them to put food on the table, so they can make quitting smoking a top priority.”

But will £12.50 a week really be enough to persuade smokers to give up? Granted the first 12 weeks of the scheme are an attractive proposition – they will receive the weekly ‘reward’ money, as well as the extra cash they have saved by no longer buying cigarettes. But concerns have been expressed about the long term success of the project.

Health spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, Ross Finnie, said “We welcome any initiative that helps people kick the habit. We do, however, have concerns over the exit strategy. Support must continue over the three months to ensure smokers who use the financial contribution as an incentive to quit do not light up when the money has dried up.”

NHS Tayside hopes up to 50% of smokers who join the scheme will be successful in their attempt to quit. At the end of the two year trial they will discover if that offer of £150 was as much of a lure as they had hoped.

Scots bird team to promote conservation in Syria

Four Scottish conservationists from the RSPB are travelling to Syria to promote conservation as part of the Darwin Initiative.

This scheme was set up in 1992 to assist countries that are rich in biodiversity but poor in financial resources.

As well as promoting conservation, the team will be searching for two of Syria’s most critically endangered birds – the sociable lapwing and the bald ibis.  Only two pairs of bald ibis are known in the Middle East, and both of these are in Syria.  The sociable lapwing is a species that has been in sharp decline over recent years.

Sociable lapwing

Recent satellite tracking has shown that Syria is a critical stop-off point for these migratory birds, and it is hoped the Scottish team will be able to locate groups in the northeastern deserts.  The team will be working with local people and government officials, in a partnership which brings together the RSPB, the Syrian Ministry of the Environment and the Syrian Society for the Conservation of Wildlife.

Mr Scott from the RSPB said  “All four of us are very excited.  We hope to see some amazing birds, but more importantly pass on our knowledge and expertise to a nation that hosts some critical areas for wildlife.

“It is a vast country, but not enough is known about its stunning birdlife.  From correspondence, the Syrians are clearly passionate about their wealth of wildlife, and we hope to help them in any way we can.

“Being able to survey in such a country is a real privilege.”

Canine chaos on Edinburgh motorway

A Jack Russell terrier has been seen running down the M8 motorway at Hermiston Gate today.

Hermiston Gait roundabout

Eyewitnesses reported that the run-away dog caused chaos on the busy road this morning, as drivers swerved and slammed on their brakes to avoid hitting the animal.

Motorist, Ross Dwyer, said, “I’m not sure whether the dog had escaped from a car or not, but it looked like some people were trying to catch it. I had to swerve in the road to avoid a car which had been driving along beside it and then braked suddenly. It was very dangerous for myself and the cars behind me.”

It is not yet known if the dog has been caught safely.

Grey squirrel cull to begin in Scotland

Tens of thousands of grey squirrels are to be culled in Northern Scotland in an effort to save the native red squirrel from extinction.

The squirrels will be legally killed by landowners as part of the £1.3 million, government-sponsored Saving Scotland’s Red Squirrels project. The aim of the project is to save the red squirrels from extinction by protecting their last remaining stronghold in the Highlands of Scotland.

Grey squirrel

Director of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, Stuart Brooks, said “We appreciate that not everybody likes (culling), not one bit. But I genuinely feel that this might be our last chance to save the red squirrels.”

Grey squirrels were introduced to Britain from the United States in the 1870s, and have slowly spread, leading to a rapid decline in the numbers of native red squirrels. Not only are grey squirrels bigger and stronger, but they also carry the contagious squirrelpox virus, which is harmless to grey squirrels but fatal to their red cousins.

The plans have riled many animal rights groups, who believe the cull is ethically wrong. Ross Minet, Campaign Director for Advocates for Animals said, “It is totally wrong to attempt to save red squirrels by slaughtering thousands of grey squirrels. What we want is a real and achievable long-term solution to saving red squirrels, through effective habitat management and development of a squirrelpox vaccine.”

But time may be running out for the red squirrels. The squirrelpox vaccine proposal has been rejected by conservation agencies because it would take too long to find one.

Environment minister Michael Russell said, “We only have a short time to save the red squirrel. It’s one of our most beautiful and valuable native species, and its loss would be absolutely unforgivable.”

Universal Declaration of Human Rights is translated into Scots

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) has been translated into Scots to mark the 60th anniversary of its signing.

Poster for the UDHR 60th anniversary

Amnesty International today presented the First Minister with a framed copy of what he called ‘one of the most important documents of the 20th century.’

In his official statement after receiving the translation Alex Salmond said he was ‘delighted’.

‘The Scottish Government is wholly committed to promoting and protecting the values enshrined in the United Nation’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights – fairness, human dignity and equality.’

‘It is especially appropriate that this copy of the Declaration is in Scots, a language which is as key to Scotland’s cultural identity as human rights are to our social and political identity.’

Reminder

Signed on 10 December 1948, the  UDHR set out for the first time in a single document the fundamental rights to which everyone, everywhere is entitled – including the right to life, liberty, freedom of opinion, security, and the right not to be subjected to torture or inhumane treatment.

John Watson, Amnesty International’s Scottish Programme Director, presented Mr Salmond with the document. He told Napier News that the politician’s office is the perfect place for the Declaration to hang.

‘Hopefully seeing this every day will remind them of their responsibility to promote human rights around the world.’

Inspirational

First Minister receiving the framed translation from John Watson

When asked why having the UDHR translated into Scots is so important John said,

‘Sometimes people living in Scotland think of human rights as a distant concern. We hope hearing the Declaration in our familiar language will really bring home the message to our people.

‘Scots is such as passionate and inspirational language, and the humanitarian principles of the document really shine through in the language of Burns. The sentiments in this visionary text – such as the opening ‘Aw sowels is born free and equal’ – apply to us all.’

The UDHR was translated into Scots by Colin Donati, of the Scots Language Society. He said ‘it’s great to see Scots taking its place among the other languages of the world on the United Nations website.’

To listen to an excerpt from the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Scots click here.

Government considers action on forced marriage

Tackling forced marriage is the focus of a new consultation published by the Scottish Government.

During a debate at Parliament, Communities and Sport Minister, Stewart Maxwell, described forced marriage as “an abhorrent practice which has no place in Scotland.”

The Government will consult on whether current legislation is enough to prevent it, or if new laws are needed to give those affected by forced marriage even greater protection.

The minister was sure to distinguish between forced marriage and arranged marriage, which is a “successful practice” in many communities.

Forced Marriage Unit campaign poster

Lack of information

A Foreign Office spokesperson said awareness of forced marriage in the United Kingdom is growing. From January to September 2008 the UK-wide Forced Marriage Unit handled 1308 cases -  a 79% increase on the figures from 2007. But despite this huge surge in numbers, many cases continue to go unreported.

It is because of this information deficit that the Government is conducting an anonymous freephone and Internet survey, which has been set up to determine the extent of forced marriage across Scotland. It is hoped that the survey will be a medium through which they can hear the voices of those affected, and those who understand the issues involved.

Hard to get help

Mridul Wadhwa is an Information and Education Officer at Shakti, a women’s aid centre in Edinburgh for women of black, Asian, or other minority backgrounds. She said that many victims of forced marriages find it difficult to come forward.

“Often they are very young, and they have no way of coming forward.” Mridul Wadhwa, Shakti

The Government hope that the anonymous nature of the survey will encourage all people affected by forced marriage to complete it, so they can get a comprehensive picture of exactly how many people in Scotland need help.

More funding needed

Mridul also said “the government need to dedicate more funding to the problem, especially to help young people rebuild their lives. The survey is a good start but it’s not enough.”

The survey will be open from December 5, 2008 until March 5, 2009.

Meh-ry Christmas

For my internet-savvy generation, ”Meh” has long been the perfect word to express a feeling of complete and utter indifference. It’s the word equivilent of a shoulder shrug, and since such a high proportion of our communication is now by text messages or facebook, it’s no surprise that an entire series of words has resulted from our need to express ourselves textually like never before.

“Meh” may have only just been recognised by Collins as an actual word but it’s been published in the online Urban Dictionary for about the past six years, along with words like “frenemy” (friend you can’t trust) and “huggle” (cross between a hug and a snuggle). What once may have started out as people being too lazy to use real words has turned into a global movement, with the word meh even featuring in an episode of The Simpsons. I wonder if “Doh!” is considered a word yet?

Crystal skull goes on display in Edinburgh

A visitor admires the Skull of Doom

An intriguing crystal skull said to have inspired the latest Indiana Jones film went on display in Edinburgh yesterday.

The Mitchell-Hedges skull is thought to be 3,600 years old. It has been brought to Edinburgh as part of the Histories and Mysteries conference taking place at The Hub.

“We’re not saying to anyone what the skull is or should be,” says event organiser Cris Winter, “we just want people to have a look at it and make up their own minds.”

The quartz skull is claimed to have been discovered by “the real Indiana Jones” “Mike” Mitchell-Hedges on a trip to Belize in the early 1900s.

Others believe Mitchell-Hedges bought the skull from an antiques dealer in New York or that the skull was purchased at auction in 1943.

It was last valued in the 1970s at 500,000 US dollars. A more recent valuation by the Smithsonian Institute has been kept secret so its value remains a mystery, much like the skull itself.

Log on to www.histories-mysteries.com for more information.

Scotland’s most treasured place

An online poll to find Scotland’s most treasured place has resulted in an unpredictable winner. Lady Victoria Colliery in Newtongrange, Midlothian, received the most votes in the survey carried out by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland.

Scotland's most treasured place - Lady Victoria Colliery, Newtongrange

Iconic attractions such as Loch Ness, Edinburgh Castle and the Wallace monument were expected to score highly in the poll, but these places were displaced from the top ten by some more unusual sites including Cumbernauld town centre, the Falkirk wheel and the Colliery. The winner beat off competition from nine other sites, including the world famous Skara Brae, Rosslyn Chapel and the Orkney Standing Stones.

There were some unusual choices,” says Lesley Ferguson, head of collections at the commission. “But what came across in the poll was that people were not just choosing beautiful buildings, fine architecture or historic sites but places they had a connection to — treasured places that meant something to them.”

22,000 people voted in the poll and most gave personal reasons for their choice. Those who cast votes for the disused Colliery, now home to the Scottish Mining Museum, said it celebrated Scotland’s mining heritage.

Fergus Waters, the director of the mining museum said, “We are all that is left of an industry that was so vital to Scotland and employed tens of thousands of men. I think it shows there is a desire to acknowledge the cultural impact of that beyond the death of the industry.”