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Ninety per cent of the human population has been right-handed since the Paleolithic, yet the brain signature and genetic basis of handedness remain poorly characterized. Here, we correlated brain imaging phenotypes from ∼9000 UK Biobank participants with handedness, and with loci found significantly associated with handedness after we performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in ∼400 000 of these participants. Our imaging-handedness analysis revealed an increase in functional connectivity between left and right language networks in left-handers. GWAS of handedness uncovered four significant loci (rs199512, rs45608532, rs13017199, and rs3094128), three of which are in-or expression quantitative trait loci of-genes encoding proteins involved in brain development and patterning. These included microtubule-related MAP2 and MAPT, as well as WNT3 and MICB, all implicated in the pathogenesis of diseases such as Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and schizophrenia. In particular, with rs199512, we identified a common genetic influence on handedness, psychiatric phenotypes, Parkinson's disease, and the integrity of white matter tracts connecting the same language-related regions identified in the handedness-imaging analysis. This study has identified in the general population genome-wide significant loci for human handedness in, and expression quantitative trait loci of, genes associated with brain development, microtubules and patterning. We suggest that these genetic variants contribute to neurodevelopmental lateralization of brain organization, which in turn influences both the handedness phenotype and the predisposition to develop certain neurological and psychiatric diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background This paper describes the development of a complex intervention to promote mental wellbeing using the revised framework for developing and evaluating complex interventions produced by the UK Medical Research Council (UKMRC). Methods Application of the first two phases of the framework is described—development and feasibility and piloting. The theoretical case and evidence base were examined analytically to explicate the theoretical and empirical foundations of the intervention. These findings informed the design of a 12-week mental wellbeing promotion programme providing early intervention for people showing signs of mental health difficulties. The programme is based on the theoretical constructs of self-efficacy, self-esteem, purpose in life, resilience and social support and comprises 10 steps. A mixed methods approach was used to conduct a feasibility study with community and voluntary sector service users and in primary care. Results A significant increase in mental wellbeing was observed following participation in the intervention. Qualitative data corroborated this finding and suggested that the intervention was feasible to deliver and acceptable to participants, facilitators and health professionals. Conclusions The revised UKMRC framework can be successfully applied to the development of public health interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Reserve and National Guard forces have been mobilized to an unprecedented degree in recent overseas conflicts. There is concern that rates of psychological problems may continue to rise for many years after deployment. The authors conducted a cohort study of 552 United Kingdom Reservists who deployed to Iraq in 2003 and 391 nondeployed Reservists. Measures of mental health and social functioning were collected a mean of 16 months and 4.8 years after return from possible deployment. At the first follow-up, deployment was associated with increased common mental disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and poor general health. By the second follow-up, those who had deployed were no longer at increased risk for common mental disorder or poor general health and had good levels of social functioning. However, those who deployed continued to have over twice the odds of PTSD (odds ratio = 2.42, 95% confidence interval: 1.04, 5.62) and were more likely to report actual or serious consideration of separation from their partner. In conclusion, the authors found that the majority of mental health and social problems following deployment are transient. However, Reservists who deployed in the Iraq War remain at increased risk of PTSD and relationship problems 5 years after their tour of duty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the militarism, socialism, communism and conscription that emerged in France and Britain. It presents the struggle of House of Commons legislator William Gallacher to defend the actions and pronouncements of communists internationally. The British communist party and its French counterpart were committed to strict principles of international discipline. It notes that militarism was described as the shared civic duty of self-defence, adding that the identification of citizenship with military service does not necessarily mean the barracks life. Moreover, universal military service in France has been legitimized as an exercise in citizenship, while Great Britain identified it as free British citizen having exempted from compulsory service.

In this article, the author discusses the paper of Dr. Simon Moore which opposes the alcohol control policy proposal that increases alcohol prices in Great Britain. The author states that Moore has overvalued the possibility that a decline in alcohol consumption would increase dangerous material utilization. He says that the policy could be successful due to its impact to the remaining population of drinkers. He suggests to expand policy evaluation and assess policy impact with various views.