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Fingerprint is one of the most common evidence found at a crime scene. Owing to the uniqueness of fingerprint, it is useful for suspect identification. Typically, the questioned fingerprint is of limited contribution due to blurriness of the minutia or absence of potential suspect. However, it is still useful if the ethnicity or sex of the questioned fingerprint could be inferred to narrow down the scope of searching of suspect. Therefore, this study aims to examine sexual and ethnic differences in fingerprint patterns among the three major ethnic groups in Malaysia, i.e. Malays, Chinese and Indians. In total, 2000 plain fingerprints were collected from all the ten fingers of 200 Malaysians (i.e. 99 males and 101 females). Each of the three ethnic groups was represented by at least 60 subjects. Descriptive statistics and hypothesis test were performed to assess the sexual and ethnic variability of fingerprint patterns. In addition, simple correspondence analysis was also conducted to support the descriptive and inferential statistics. By considering fingerprint patterns in all the ten fingers, loop was the most frequent pattern in Malays (23.0%) and Indians (23.2%), while Chinese (13.9%) showed slightly higher frequency of whorl than Malays (9.6%) and Indians (10.3%). The relative distribution of fingerprint patterns of male was similar to that of female. In conclusion, fingerprint patterns could be used to infer the ethnicity rather than the sex of a suspect in the Malaysian context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: A 57% increase in the U.S. prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for 8-year-old children born in 1994 versus 1998 was recently reported.Methods: To quantify the possible contributions of given risk/predictive factors on the recent ASD prevalence increase, we formulated a mathematical model based on the baseline risk factor prevalence (RFP), the proportionate change in RFP (cRFP), and the magnitude of the association between the risk factor and ASD [estimated relative risk (RR)]. We applied this model to several pregnancy-related factors (preterm, very preterm, low and very low birth weight, multiple birth, cesarean delivery, breech presentation, and assisted reproductive technology use). RFP and cRFP estimates for each factor were obtained from U.S. population-based surveillance datasets. Estimated RRs were obtained from a series of systematic literature reviews.Results: We estimate that each risk factor examined, alone or in various combinations, accounted for a very small proportion (<1%) of the ASD increase. Additionally, hypothetical scenarios indicate RFP, cRFP, and RR all need to be sizable for a risk factor to appreciably influence ASD prevalence.Conclusions: Thus, although various pregnancy factors have been found to be associated with ASDs, the contribution of many of these factors to the recently observed ASD increase is likely minimal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated the prevalence and predictors of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in patients admitted to the hospital for acute myocardial infarction and whether OSA has any association with microvascular perfusion after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).Methods: Recruited patients were scheduled to undergo an overnight sleep study between 2 and 5 days after primary PCI. An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) of > or = 15 was considered diagnostic of OSA. Impaired microvascular perfusion after primary PCI was defined as an ST-segment resolution of < or = 70%, myocardial blush grade 0 or 1, or a corrected Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) [antegrade flow scale] frame count > 28.Results: Sleep study was performed in 120 patients and completed in 105 patients (study cohort, mean age 53 +/- 10 years, male 98%) with uncomplicated myocardial infarction. An AHI was > or = 15 in 69 patients (OSA-positive), giving a prevalence of 65.7%. Diabetes mellitus was found to be a significant risk factor for OSA (odds ratio, 2.86; 95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 8.24; p = 0.033). There were no differences between OSA-positive and OSA-negative groups with regard to the percentage of patients with < or = 70% ST-segment resolution (73% vs 64%, respectively; p = 0.411), myocardial blush grade 0 or 1 (39.1% vs 38.9%, respectively; p = 1.000), or corrected TIMI frame count > 28 (21.7% vs 25.0%, respectively; p = 0.807).Conclusions: We found a high prevalence of previously undiagnosed OSA in patients admitted with acute myocardial infarction. Diabetes mellitus was independently associated with OSA. No evidence indicated that OSA is associated with impaired microvascular perfusion after primary PCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Clinical case reports have suggested that the behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders may improve with fever. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of illness on behaviors of children with autism spectrum disorders. Understanding the role of fever, if any, may be informative regarding causative mechanisms of and treatment opportunities for autism. METHODS: We conducted a prospective study of 30 children (aged 2-18 years) with autism spectrum disorders during and after an episode of fever. Parent responses to the Aberrant Behavior Checklist were collected during fever (body temperature > or = 38.0 degrees C/100.4 degrees F), when fever had abated and the child was asymptomatic, and when the child had been fever-free for 7 days. Data were compared with those collected from parents of 30 age-, gender-, and language skills-matched afebrile children with autism spectrum disorders during similar time intervals. RESULTS: Fewer aberrant behaviors were recorded for febrile patients on the Aberrant Behavior Checklist subscales of irritability, hyperactivity, stereotypy, and inappropriate speech compared with control subjects. Per expectation, lethargy scores were greater during fevers, and all improvements were transient. Data from patients with fever were stratified on variables related to illness severity. In the majority of these subgroup comparisons, the data suggested that effects from fever persisted in the less sick patients as well as in those with more severe illness. CONCLUSIONS: We documented behavior change among children with autism spectrum disorders during fever. The data suggest that these changes might not be solely the byproduct of general effects of sickness on behavior; however, more research is needed to prove conclusively fever-specific effects and elucidate their underlying biological mechanisms (possibly involving immunologic and neurobiological pathways, intracellular signaling, and synaptic plasticity). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]