 |
Science, Technology and Medical News from Britain
Click on the highlighted week/month to access complete articles.
Irritable Bowel Syndrome Drug Succeeds In Trial
Medical – 540 words
MANY sufferers from the common complaint of irritable bowel
syndrome (IBS) can, it appears, expect relief from a new drug
undergoing clinical trials in the United Kingdom. Cambridge-based
drug company Alizyme has announced the preliminary results from
a successful phase 2B clinical trial of its new product - renzapride
- in patients with constipation-predominant irritable bowel
syndrome (c-IBS).
Cancer Genes Reveal Viking Roots
Research – 690 words
THE Scots and Northern Irish are genetically distinct from
elsewhere in the United Kingdom, with a different legacy of
inherited cancers than in England and Wales, the largest survey
of its kind has revealed. Researchers - funded by Cancer Research
UK, the Medical Research Council, the Scottish Executive and
the Breast Cancer Campaign - tracked down families with inherited
breast and ovarian cancer and examined the genetic faults responsible.
They found women from these parts of the UK with breast cancer
in their families have inherited a distinct cluster of genetic
mutations, including one probably brought over by the Vikings
from Scandinavia.
Plastics To "Get Real" In Medicine
Medical – 750 words
TWO recent developments will, respectively, help develop advanced
medical plastics devices for use in the body, and produce plastics
anatomical replicas for clinical, research and training purposes.
Recently set up at Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland,
the new Medical Polymers Research Institute brings together
researchers to develop new materials for medical devices, such
as plastic ventilator tubes, catheters, implants and prostheses.
Medical plastics are used in a range of medical devices to treat
patients in areas such as respiratory medicine, cardiology,
orthopaedics, urology and ophthalmology. And a new method of
integrating medical imaging with engineering design to produce
medical replicas has been developed by engineer Dr Panos Diamantopoulos
at Sussex University, England.
Prize Celebrates Woman's DNA Discovery
Science – 380 words
A PRESTIGIOUS award, which marks the 50th anniversary of the
discovery of DNA's structure, has been won by Professor Susan
Gibson of King's College, London. The prize is the Royal Society
Rosalind Franklin Award, named in honour of the scientist who
played a key role in that historic breakthrough. Professor Gibson,
an expert in synthetic chemistry, received 30,000 pounds sterling,
part of which she plans to donate towards raising the profile
of women working in science, engineering and technology. "I
hope this award will encourage more women to consider working
in science, engineering and technology. It is an extremely exciting
and rewarding job, and one in which a woman can have a successful
career and, if they wish, combine with having a family,"
she said.
Tactile Pictures Help The Visually Impaired
Technology – 520 words
THE quality of life of visually impaired people could be greatly
enhanced, thanks to a new service that allows them to read maps
and images. Visits to museums, tourist attractions and many
public buildings could be much easier and more enjoyable when
using York University's Tactile Images maps and images. These
are two-dimensional pictures consisting of lines, shapes and
textures that are read through the fingertips and were developed
at the northern England faculty. The importance of this development
is underlined by the fact that about one per cent of people
worldwide have some sort of visual impairment but only five
per cent are able to read Braille.
Probing The Secrets of Medicinal Mushrooms
Medical – 640 words
PEOPLE living in oriental countries of the world have been
aware for centuries that mushrooms are more than just a tasty
food. Now, scientists in the western world are stepping up their
research into varieties of the fabulous fungus as a potential
defence against some of the 21st century's most dreaded diseases
such as cancer, HIV/Aids and hepatitis. Already convinced of
the benefits of certain species of mushroom, Welsh company Fruiting
Bodies has been developing the best organic methods of growing
them. It uses the mushrooms it has grown on its own farm to
produce extracts that it claims will help human health in several
ways, including as a cancer preventative.
Healthy Farms For Fish
Environment – 420 words
PEOPLE like to eat fish. Nutritious and delicious, it is a
favourite - and important - food throughout the world. But there
are serious fears that oceans are being overfished to the extent
that some species are endangered. And this has led to a rise
in fish farming - aquaculture - in many parts of the globe.
In just a few years, aquaculture has become the world's fastest
growing meat production sector. Such farming can bring its own
problems. In intensive situations the fish tend to be more susceptible
to bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic diseases. The result
is significant losses, not just economically, but also in food
provision. This is where companies such as Aquatic Diagnostics
of Scotland can help. An international biotechnology company,
it has devised a range of products to assist in fish health
management.
World-Leading Software For Sars Research
By Richard Levick, London Press Service
A LEADING provider of life science informatics solutions in
the United Kingdom has donated its advanced discovery platform
together with a range of life science applications to the Shanghai
government for use in its major bioinformatics research initiative
to discover a vaccine against SARS (severe acute respiratory
syndrome). The software donation - from London-based InforSense
and a Swedish partner - will provide China's scientists and
their international collaborators with access to leading-edge
technology for accelerating this critical research programme.
The Shanghai government has warmly welcomed the donation. Dr
Yi Ping Li, president of the Shanghai Government Science and
Technology Committee, said: "We need the support and collaboration
of the international scientific community to identify and implement
a long-term solution. InforSense's software is a very valuable
component in this effort."
Study Drug Cuts Heart Attack Risk
By David Welsh, London Press Service
RESULTS from the Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcome Trial (Ascot)
study show that patients receiving the cholesterol-controlling
drug, atorvastatin, are more than a third less likely to have
heart attacks, and more than a quarter less likely to suffer
from strokes. The results of the study - announced recently
at the American College of Cardiology annual scientific session
in Chicago, United States, and in the medical journal The Lancet
- show that in a study of 10,300 people with high blood pressure
and normal or only moderately raised levels of cholesterol,
those receiving atorvastatin were 36 per cent less likely to
suffer from heart attacks, and 27 per cent less likely to suffer
from strokes.
Why Swarming Locusts Don't Collide
By David Welsh, London Press Service
IF AN animal is to cope with changing environmental conditions,
activity in its nervous system must also change, scientists
believe. Researchers from Cambridge and Oxford universities
in the United Kingdom are studying these changes in collision-detecting
nerve cells in the visual system of the locust, an insect that
alternates between two lifestyles. Their research - presented
recently at the conference of the Society of Experimental Biology
- may help in the design of artificial collision sensors, and
may even lead to finding ways to prevent locusts from swarming.
Promise Of Vaccine Relief For Asthma Sufferers
By David Welsh, London Press Service
A NEW vaccine recently tested could bring relief to hundreds
of millions of asthma sufferers, everywhere. Researchers testing
the vaccine in people with asthma brought on by cat allergies
have reported a 50 per cent reduction in reactions, with some
sufferers left with only minor symptoms. Work is now under way
to make the vaccine effective for people whose asthma is caused
by allergies to dust mites and pollen. It is hoped the Imperial
College vaccine will be generally available within five years
and benefit up to three million people in the United Kingdom,
alone.
Yeast Rises To Combat Common Diseases
By John Newnham, London Press Service
RESEARCHERS are to employ the humble yeast cell to greatly
increase the number of drug treatments for common ailments such
as allergies, asthma, obesity, type-2 diabetes, schizophrenia,
heart disease, osteoporosis and cancer. Professor John Davey
of Warwick University, and Oxford-based Biotech company Oxagen
have been awarded 1.96 million pounds sterling by the Department
of Trade and Industry to develop a unique technology he invented
that can quickly and easily test current and future drugs against
a set of targets recently discovered in the human body.
Aqueous Device Assists Skin Treatment
By John Newnham, London Press Service
A DEVICE for measuring water vapour flux from any surface,
irrespective of ambient conditions, developed by South Bank
University in London, has many important medical applications,
ranging from the assessment of recovery from burns to the effectiveness
of treatments. The award-winning Aquaflux was invented by Professor
Bob Imhof and his research group at the university. Further
developed and marketed by Biox Systems, a spin out company,
the device accurately measures three in-vivo skin parameters
- trans-epithelial water loss, skin surface water loss, and
perspiration and how they change with skin type, skin condition
and in response to environmental exposure or skin treatments.
Moving X-Rays to Revolutionise Back-Pain Diagnosis
Research - 600 words
A NEW image-processing system devised by engineers at Southampton
University, England, could change the way that back problems
are diagnosed and provide a solution to one of the most common
causes of work loss worldwide. Low back pain is a significant
problem and its cost to societies everywhere is enormous. But
diagnosis of the underlying causes remains problematic despite
extensive study. Reasons for this arise from the deep-rooted
situation of the spine and also from its structural complexity.
Found: A Key to Reduce Malaria Deaths
Medical - 480 words
TEAMS of scientists in Scotland and Thailand have together
made a discovery which is enabling new drugs to be developed
to overcome resistant strains of malaria and provide the first
permanent treatment for the widespread disease. The researchers
at Edinburgh University's world-renowned Institute of Cell and
Molecular Biology, working with colleagues at the Biotec Institute
in Bangkok, have discovered why the parasite that causes the
disease is able to survive some existing treatments by developing
immunity.
Physical Approach for Women and Technology
Science - 580 words
A GOVERNMENT scheme aimed at ending the under-representation
of women in science and technology has been welcomed by one
of the United Kingdom's top female scientists. Dr Wendy Kneissl,
leader of the Institute of Physics' Women In Physics programme,
said the government's new integrated initiative to tackle the
problem of the under-representation of women in science was
"a positive start".
Students Can Get Healthcare Via TV
Technology - 300 words
STUDENTS at a university are to trial a new broadband-driven
initiative that will see them able to access healthcare simply
by watching television. A system called iSeeTV has been developed
by a United Kingdom company, Media Logic, to allow United States
students at Ball State University, in Indiana, to have a live
consultation with their campus healthcare centre from their
dormitory.
Business Injection For Drugs Company
Medical - 430 words
ONE of the fastest growing pharmaceutical companies in Wales
has more than doubled its turnover in just over two years since
undergoing a management buyout in September 2000. Spurred by
its surging progress, Penn Pharmaceutical Services has expanded
its client base to include major international organisations
in Japan, Europe and North America. The company achieved a turnover
of 14.6 million pounds sterling in its last financial year.
Another important recent development is the strategic alliance
agreement with Xerimis Inc intended to promote and provide comprehensive
customised services throughout the United States and Europe.
How Plastic Cups Can Save Lives
Medical - 730 words
A DOCTOR has discovered that the material used to make polystyrene
cups could save the lives of thousands of premature babies who
are dying unnecessarily. With this discovery, Dr Steve Tonge
at Aston University in England has created a low-cost treatment
to prevent premature babies from dying. One of the main causes,
the collapse of babies' lungs, is being treated with expensive
animal proteins costing about 300 pounds a shot. His new synthetic
polymer molecule replaces the animal protein used in the treatment.
Its structural properties could keep babies' lungs open until
they are strong enough to breathe normally. Dr Tonge's treatment
is 10,000 times cheaper than those being used in hospitals today
- good news for developing countries that find current treatments
too costly and have no suitable alternative.
Slow Drug Delivery Speeds End of Flying Danger
Medical - 880 words
THE serious and growing scourge of long-haul airline flights
- deep vein thrombosis - could soon be grounded. A unique solution
has been created by Glycologic, a small but innovative Scottish
company. It has designed a novel drug-delivery technology using
carbohydrates that has the potential to be used with aspirin,
other analgesics and other drugs. This enables the compound
to pass through the stomach intact before being released in
the lower gastro-intestinal tract in a controlled fashion. The
research team at Glycologic had already accumulated extensive
knowledge of carbohydrates through many years of applied research
at Glasgow Caledonian University. Essentially, it means that
novel systems customised for the delivery of both new and established
drugs and nutrients could be developed on demand.
Showing the Role of DNA in Evolution
Research - 470 words
FIFTY years ago, James Watson and Francis Crick working at
Cambridge in England revealed the structure of DNA, unleashing
a scientific revolution. One of the latest discoveries resulting
from this has been described by Dr Isabelle Colson of the University
of Wales, Bangor. She is an expert in evolutionary biology (the
study of how life evolves) and for 18 months was part of a Manchester-based
team studying mutation in yeast - a seemingly simple organism,
but one that can shed light on many aspects of evolution. The
group was the first scientists to see, actually happening, one
of the ways that yeasts can mutate into new species. Their results,
published in Nature magazine, show how Dr Colson and her colleagues
unlocked the secrets of one of evolution's key mechanisms.
Sex Imbalance Threatens Antelope Species
Research - 600 words
SCIENTISTS researching the population numbers of saiga antelope
in Russia have found that in the case of the male, there may
be a deadly truth in the old jocular male boast: "So many women,
so little time." Making use of data gathered from a 10-year
field study, the researchers reported in Nature magazine that
saiga antelope - which rank in the World Conservation Union's
category of most endangered species - are being pushed closer
to extinction because there are not enough male antelopes to
mate with the females, despite the male's polygynous practice
of maintaining a harem of 12 to 30 females. Historical data
suggests a similar population crash occurred at the beginning
of the 20th century, also as a result of over-hunting. The rise
of the Soviet regime closed the country's borders and a strict
ban was imposed on hunting which allowed the population to recover.
Polymers that Smuggle Drugs into the Body
Medical - 400 words
BIOMEDICAL research at Sussex University, England, involving
the development of anti-cancer drugs and gene therapy applications
has been boosted by a grant from the UK's Engineering and Physical
Sciences Research Council. The grant will help to further work
being carried out by chemistry professors Norman Billingham
and Steven Armes, with new long-chain molecules that have a
range of potentially groundbreaking uses.
Gearing up to Beat Bilharzia
Medical - 800 words
A MAJOR new health initiative has just come into being with
the first national programme to tackle schistosomiasis in sub-Saharan
Africa. Launched in Uganda it has impressive international credentials
because it is supported by the Schistosomiasis Control Initiative
(SCI) in London and is funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates
Foundation. Schistosomiasis - or bilharzia - is a chronic parasitic
disease that affects 200 million people worldwide, causing liver
damage and potentially death. The Ugandan initiative is the
first of four national programmes to reduce its prevalence in
the continent. Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Malawi,
Mali, Nigeria, Tanzania and Zambia are to apply to join the
programme.
Yes, There is a Doctor in the House
Medical - 800 words
AS THE number of older people in the industrial world grows
so does pressure on primary healthcare services. Unsurprisingly,
people over the age of 65 visit their doctors more frequently
than younger people. To ease the burden on those working in
the front line of the health industry, a UK electronics and
software specialist, Docobo, has developed a system called doc@HOME
which enables patients to monitor their own health at home.
Blood pressure is best monitored in the patient's residence
because the stress of travelling to a doctor can lead to abnormally
high results. The system enables the remote monitoring of blood
pressure and also the collection of other vital signs data such
as temperature and heart rate. Also, with additional sensors,
doc@HOME monitors blood glucose level, and today about 250 devices
are being used in trials throughout Europe.
Time to Celebrate Science Again
Science - 500 words
PEOPLE of all ages and backgrounds, from all over the United
Kingdom had the chance to participate in science activities
and new experiments again this year as National Science Week
provided plenty of opportunity for everybody to get "hands-on".
Throughout the UK all kinds of events took place in schools,
pubs, theatres and shopping centres. In Wales, two Russian cosmonauts
talked about their careers. And in Lincolnshire, a training
day in archaeological geophysics included practical fieldwork
on a medieval earthworks. People in Northern Ireland saw insects
battling against eviction, and the Birmingham Repertory Theatre
presented a play featuring a family torn apart by betrayals
in their pursuit of scientific truth and genetic perfection.
Argenta Discovery Launches Website
Communications - 360 words
AN INDEPENDENT drug company, Argenta Discovery - providing
peer-quality contract services in medicinal chemistry and biochemistry
to pharmaceutical companies of all sizes - has launched its
new website. The website (www.argentadiscovery.com) has detailed
information on the company, its people, its fully integrated
approach to drug discovery services and its in-house therapeutics
business. Visitors can find further information on corporate
developments and commercial collaborations, including recently
announced alliances with Amedis, Lundbeck, Pharmagene and Millennium.
The site also presents Argenta's Quicksilver Discovery Programme,
a unique approach to rapid hit-to-lead and lead optimisation
services that integrates chemistry, biochemical screening and
computer-aided drug design.
Switched-On Pioneering Genes Investigation
Medical - 700 words
A MEDICAL charity, Cancer Research UK, has launched a major
international initiative to use a technique known as RNA interference
- hailed as the biggest scientific breakthrough in a decade
- to systematically uncover the functions of our genes. The
project will take advantage of the extraordinary ability of
RNA (ribonucleic acid) interference to switch off individual
genes specifically while leaving all others unaffected. In the
collaboration with the Netherlands Cancer Institute, scientists
will build on the huge success of the human genome project by
inactivating almost 10,000 genes, one at a time, in order to
find out precisely what they do and how they might contribute
to cancer's development.
Understanding An "Ageing Enzyme"
Research - 590 words
THE structure of a key energy-releasing enzyme found in all
animals is designed to minimise free radical production, an
international team of researchers has revealed. In a startling
feat of structural biology, reported in the journal Science,
the team visualised the entire molecular structure of the protein
succinate dehydrogenase in the bacterium E.coli, allowing them
to see for the first time how its 3D shape helps prevent the
formation of large quantities of the destructive free radical
oxygen atoms. Some of the main research in this discovery was
carried out by a team at Imperial College, London led by Professor
So Iwata.
How Fish Oil Can Smooth Lupus
Medical - 400 words
LATEST research could offer hope to millions of lupus sufferers
worldwide. Dr Emeir Duffy, from the University of Ulster's School
of Biomedical Sciences, and Dr Gary Meenagh, from Musgrave Park
Hospital, Northern Ireland, have discovered new evidence to
suggest that fish oil can greatly reduce the symptoms of the
disease. Lupus is a disorder of the immune system, in which
the body harms its own healthy cells and tissues. The body tissues
become damaged causing painful or swollen joints, unexplained
fever, skin rashes, kidney problems, complications to the cardiovascular
system and extreme fatigue.
Bursting Buds Are "Dicing With Death"
Research - 500 words
SCIENTISTS report that highly toxic compounds, called free
radicals, are essential to plant growth. "This is a completely
novel discovery," said project leader Dr Liam Dolan, at the
John Innes Centre in England. "For the first time we have strong
evidence that all cell growth is controlled by the production
of these highly reactive and, therefore, very toxic free radicals,"
he added. The researchers found that the controlled production
of free radicals is an essential first step in switching on
the expansion of cells that underlies the growth of plant shoots,
roots, leaves and buds.
Remember-The Answer May Be in the Soil
Medical - 630 words
PEOPLE who experience memory loss, and sufferers of Alzheimer's
disease, may find some consolation to their problem is present
in the garden. Scientists have discovered that lemon balm, already
an important player in herbal medicine, can help improve memory.
The shrubby, perennial herb - Melissa officinalis - grows wild
in many gardens and is known to calm nerves and soothe anxiety
states. It could be the most unlikely panacea of the 21st century
and its memory-enhancing qualities have come to light as a result
of research carried out in the United Kingdom. In memory tests
on healthy young adults, researcher Dr David Kennedy found that
those given capsules containing the plant's dried leaves scored
significantly better than those given a placebo. He also noted
that they scored higher in another test that measured calmness.
Getting Back to Your Roots
Research - 330 words
A SIMPLE DNA test for tracing a person's distant ancestors
is now available to the public. A UK-based company, Roots For
Real, has a licence to provide the service using a huge DNA
database set up by Cambridge geneticist Dr Peter Forster. The
database featured in a BBC-TV documentary - Motherland, A Genetic
Journey - shown recently and which traced the origins of 229
black men and women living in the United Kingdom. It led to
26 per cent of the male participants discovering they had a
white ancestor, thought to be the result of Europeans siring
children with their African slaves.
"Green Revolution" Gene Has a Larger Role
Research - 500 words
SCIENTISTS in the UK have discovered how plants coordinate
and control their development by using a master signal to regulate
the growth of cells throughout the plant. The signal, a plant
hormone called auxin, affects the ability of cells to respond
to another hormone (gibberellin) that "switches on" cell growth.
The gene that controls this genetic switch is the same gene
that was the basis of the "green revolution". In the 1960s and
'70s this development in world agricultural production saw global
wheat yields almost doubled, following the introduction of dwarfed,
high-yielding wheat and new cultivation methods.
More Advances in Understanding Cancer
Research - 840 words
CANCER Research UK scientists have recently made progress in
understanding how radiation can cause cancer, and why some tumours
respond less well than others to an important class of anti-cancer
drugs. Both studies could have major significance for the future
treatment of cancer patients. A Cambridge-based research team
identified a new molecule that seems to play a crucial role
in protecting cells against radiation. Their discovery, reported
in the journal Nature, may prove useful for predicting how our
bodies would respond following exposure to radioactivity released
accidentally or deliberately from a potential nuclear attack.
Changing Minds: The Stigma of Mental Illness
Medical - 300 words
A LEADING psychiatrist has spoken about a five-year campaign
to try and outlaw the stigma of mental illness. Professor Arthur
Crisp - emeritus professor of psychological medicine at St George's
Hospital Medical School in London - said the Royal College of
Psychiatrists' "Changing Minds" campaign wanted to change the
public's perception of people with mental illness. Delivering
a guest lecture at Hertfordshire University in England, Professor
Crisp said: "The idea of the campaign isn't just to change people's
behaviour - we can do that by legislation. But we want to change
minds as well. If you change minds in the long term, you can
change behaviour and behaviour change is more robust."
Found: New Species… In a Car Park
Biology - 540 words
A SCIENTIST has discovered the United Kingdom's newest plant
species, a type of weed that originated near a car park in England
within the past 30 years. Dr Richard Abbott, of the School of
Biology at the Scottish University of St Andrews, said: "At
a time in Earth's history when animal and plant species are
becoming extinct at an alarming rate, the discovery of the origin
of a new plant species in Britain calls for a celebration as
well as being of great scientific interest." Following the discovery
and description of the new species, Dr Abbott and two colleagues
have been awarded a grant of 450,000 pounds sterling for a collaborative
study on changes to genome structure and gene expression occurring
during hybrid speciation in plants. The results of this work
will advance considerably the understanding of the molecular
changes that accompany the origin of new plant species.
Fewer Growing Pains for Plants
Environment - 400 words
AS PRESSURE on the world's water resources and land use increases,
a team of scientists is looking for ways to improve plant survival
in less than ideal conditions. Their work in Scotland could
play a vital role in achieving greater crop yields in the future.
By understanding how plants respond to different kinds of environmental
stress, including water loss and dehydration, researchers at
Glasgow University's Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences
may be able to counteract some of these effects on plant growth.
Eventually, the researchers hope this knowledge may lead to
new plant varieties that better withstand environmental stress
and crops that grow better on poor quality, or marginal, land.
Biotechnology Companies Venture Forward
Science - 2100 words
THE United Kingdom is well placed to prosper in the global
biotechnology market and already leads the European sector by
a significant margin. There are almost 400 dedicated biotechnology
businesses in the United Kingdom employing 18,700 people, with
revenues of more than 1.8 billion pounds sterling in 2001. The
UK accounts for about three quarters of public biotech companies
in Europe. With its greater maturity, UK companies account for
49 per cent of products in the pipeline by European public companies.
In addition, 62 per cent of new biotechnology drugs in late-stage
clinical trials (phase three) in Europe are from the UK. The
UK's continued success in biotechnology is based on three factors
- the strength of the science base, an innovative and experienced
venture-capital industry and strong government support, including
a robust regulatory framework.
Patent Advantage Of DNA Marker Technology
Research - 280 words
AN AGRICULTURAL research centre has patents pending that cover
a number of schemes for encoding non-genetic information into
DNA. The National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) in
the UK describes four methods by which DNA (deoxyribonucleic
acid) can be made to hold information in a binary or other number
base format as a DNA "barcode". These have potential applications
in many fields other than just agriculture. Adding a DNA sequence
of this kind would not affect a plant or animal's genetic characteristics,
because they would not code for a protein; most creatures' genomes
include long stretches of non-coding DNA. A spokesman said:
"The encoding of non-genetic information has the overall major
benefit of providing a means of ready identification and authentication
of goods and organisms and is particularly relevant to the debate
on genetically modified crops. We can achieve encoding either
directly, through the actual base sequence of the DNA, or indirectly,
through the sizes of fragments generated from the DNA."
New Centre Set To Revolutionise Medicine
Medicine - 630 words
SCIENCE already has "ologies" - now it's the turn of the "omics".
A new Biomics Centre in London is the world's first purpose-built
facility that brings together genomics, proteomics, metabolomics
and transcriptomics on a clinical site. The medical research
centre - recently opened at St George's Hospital Medical School
- brings together new areas of science to tackle hundreds of
diseases from cancer to pneumonia in a way that has not been
seen before.
Quicker Detection Of Terror Bugs
Research - 500 words
A RESEARCHER has pioneered new techniques that could save thousands
of lives in the event of a bioterrorist attack. Dr Colm Lowery
- from the School of Biological and Environmental Sciences at
Ulster University, Northern Ireland - has developed a revolutionary
method of detecting the type of killer bugs that could be used
by terrorists to wipe out entire populations. Current methods
of tracing potential bio-terrorist agents such as cryptosporidium
or Clostridium botulinum can take up to five days. Dr Lowery's
new DNA fingerprinting technique takes only 15 minutes, a vital
reduction that could save huge numbers of lives in the event
of biological attack.
Real Power To Work Artificial Hands
Technology - 660 words
DEVELOPMENTS by sensor specialists at a UK university range
from helping people who need artificial hands, to making it
easier to use certain types of sensors in civil engineering
and other applications. Until the last few decades, people who
lost upper limbs had to settle for artificial hands with only
a single degree of movement and which were the only products
available. More recently, more versatile units have been developed
and, thanks to the research of a Southampton University team,
artificial hands of the future will be lighter, have a much
closer resemblance to human hands, and have multiple sensors
which will allow the wearer to monitor force, pressure, slippage
and temperature.
Micropower For Health
Medical - 920 words
EXTENDING lives by microwaving tumours and making the deaf
hear with the world's first fully implantable cochlea are the
latest gifts of micropower electronics. These apparent wonders
are the front-runners of a range of groundbreaking projects
resulting from a unique United Kingdom/Thailand academic partnership
based in London. It has recently developed an unusual application
of microwave technology that can impressively lengthen cancer
patients' life expectations by "cooking" their tumours as well
as using radical physics to mimic biology to augment failing
hearing. These two novel technologies have been pioneered in
large part by Professor Chris Toumazou, the Mahanakorn professor
of circuit design at the Department of Electrical and Electronic
Engineering at Imperial College, London.
How Diet Really Protects Against Cancer
Research - 1,100 words
THERE is no doubt now that diet can strongly affect our risks
of developing several forms of cancer - of the mouth, oesophagus,
stomach and intestine. Scientists in the United Kingdom are
far advanced in research which is explaining why and how this
link works and exactly what the substances are in fresh fruit
and vegetables that have such remarkable protective effects.
Work at the Institute of Food Research, in Norfolk, eastern
England, is leading the world in pinpointing some of the chemical
substances in fruit and vegetables that have specific anti-cancer
effects. There is evidence that often more than one substance,
perhaps a mix of many substances, all naturally present in one
plant may be needed to have the maximum protective effect. When
that is the case, no simple extract can be a substitute for
eating whole fruit or vegetables.
A Soluble Glass Diet For Humans And Animals
Medical - 740 words
UNIQUE slow-release pellets containing vital trace elements
are not only revolutionising farm animal management but also
radically changing the face of human dentistry. At the heart
of this novel approach to good health by UK company Telsol is
soluble glass that is melted to form an easy-to-administer pellet.
For livestock this sits in the stomach of the animal dissolving
over a period of months to provide a steady supply of the trace
elements that may be lacking in its regular diet. For humans,
a small pellet is attached to a back molar tooth. Inserted every
two years it slowly releases fluoride to reduce the incidence
of tooth decay. Early trials by Telsol - a spin-off firm formed
by Leeds University, England - showed remarkable success rates,
with fillings reduced by up to 75 per cent.
Finding Targets For New Drugs To Control Pain
Research - 970 words
MANY people suffer pain so severe that they cannot work, sleep
or even walk about. Sometimes they experience an unbearable
burning when their skin is lightly touched. As a consequence
they may be unable to dress normally. Yet there is nothing visible
to account for their symptoms. The unsolved problem of what
is called neuropathic pain is now being tackled by United Kingdom
scientists at Bristol University, western England, using new
technology to identify targets for novel pain-killing drugs.
A spin-off company, NeuroTargets, has been formed to exploit
their discoveries, to develop wholly new pain-killing drugs
and to work with large pharmaceutical companies to market them
and develop more such drugs.
Kestrel Hunts for Drug Targets
Science - 250 words
THE latest spin-out company - Kinasource - from the School
of Life Sciences at Dundee University - is at the forefront
of international research into identifying drug targets in human
cells and which could ultimately result in new treatments for
life-threatening diseases. Kinasource is using a powerful new
biochemical technology called Kestrel to identify key controller
proteins in human cells that have fundamental roles in processes
such as cell growth, division and death. One particular class
of these proteins - kinase substrates - have become increasingly
important as drug targets. Identifying these proteins and how
they can malfunction will enable scientists to develop novel
drugs to control cancer and other diseases.
An Internet Atlas of the Brain
Medical - 750 words
IN THE past, atlases have come in many forms and sizes but
few can compare with a new medical technology that is in the
form of a unique brain atlas. It has just been shown by an innovative
team of United Kingdom scientists who say they are confident
that quite soon it could be helping doctors identify subtle
brain abnormalities that underlie major diseases, including
many psychiatric disorders and dementia. The Dynamic Brain Atlas
is based on a networked laptop. The prototype can access hundreds
of images stored in databases around the world and create a
composite image that closely approximates each patient's brain.
That image and the patient's scan can then be compared and contrasted.
In this way a radiologist can see precisely if any part of the
brain is abnormal.
Train Your Brain with Biotech
Science - 1,150 words
NEW results show that by learning to control electrical activity
in the brain, musicians can dramatically improve the interpretation,
style and emotional conviction of their performances. For two
years, research conducted by Professor John Gruzelier - of the
Imperial College of Science, Technology and Medicine in London
- has demonstrated that use of a technique called neurofeedback
can lead to massive improvements in these aspects of performance.
The techniques have proved so successful that they are now part
of the curriculum at the Royal College of Music, London. And
neurofeedback may work just as well in other situations. The
scientists from Imperial College and London's Charing Cross
Hospital believe that it may be possible for anyone to improve
memory by up to 10 per cent. Latest results from separate research
show a link between neurofeedback training and improved memory
in a 40-person trial.
Online School to Train Tomorrow's Doctors
Education - 630 words
THE world's first international virtual medical school (Ivimeds)
- an ambitious Scotland-initiated venture that will radically
change the education of tomorrow's doctors across the globe
- has been launched in Edinburgh. The mould-breaking educational
project is designed to provide cost-effective answers to a range
of problems including shortage of trained doctors and widening
access to the medical profession across cultural and academic
boundaries. The virtual school will allow students worldwide
to pursue a medical education through a combination of e-learning
and clinical experience in local health facilities. It means
that wherever they are studying - from the most remote and underdeveloped
areas to high-tech cities - they will have access to the best
of international expertise across the range of specialisms.
Real Wear and Tear Data from Artificial Joints
Medical - 780 words
A UNIQUE instrumented, artificial, human knee joint is providing
vital information about the stresses and strains we impose on
our bodies. Designed by a United Kingdom research team, this
is leading to better and longer lasting artificial joints. These
will be particularly suitable for younger recipients who have
an active lifestyle. The new device - following on from earlier
work in distal femoral replacements for bone tumour cases -
will reveal to the team the true values of the various twisting,
shear and compressive forces acting on the knee through a range
of activities. The instrumented prosthesis - developed at University
College London's Centre for Biomedical Engineering - contains
transducers that can measure the various forces applied across
the knee which, together with implanted and external circuitry,
can translate them into digital signals transmitted to an external
computer.
Pioneering DNA Research is Rewarded
Education - 550 words
SINCE DNA fingerprinting was discovered at Leicester University,
England, by Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, its applications in
immigration, paternity testing and criminal investigation have
affected the lives of thousands of people globally. It has also
led to the development of powerful technologies to study heritable
DNA changes and it continues to impact on genetics research.
A prime example is the Department of Genetics' work on the genetic
risks of exposure to radioactive contamination following the
Chernobyl nuclear reactor disaster in Russia. Now, Leicester
is one of the outstanding UK institutions of higher and further
education that received a Queen's Anniversary Prize 2002 for
its international reputation and achievements in the field of
genetics.
Laser Tweezers To Help Find Causes Of Deafness
Research - 360 words
RESEARCH into the causes of deafness, focusing on hair cells
in the ear, will continue to a further phase, thanks to an award
of 775,000 pounds sterling by the Medical Research Council.
"Hair cells are the sensory receptors in the ear. Sound vibrates
the hairs which produces an electrical current, and this current
starts a chain of events that the brain then interprets as sound,"
explained Dr Corne Kros of the University of Sussex, England.
He will be using a new microscope costing 120,000 pounds to
manipulate the hair bundles on the hair cells using "laser tweezers".
At the moment this is done using a jet of fluid instead of a
laser, but this technique works only with sounds up to a frequency
of one kilohertz (kHz), whereas the human ear can hear up to
a frequency of 20kHz.
Boost for Health Treatments Research
Research - 440 words
NEW research projects that could improve the detection and
treatment of killer diseases such as heart disease and cancer
are to share in a funding boost of eight million pounds sterling
in the United Kingdom. The six biotechnology projects include
one which aims to develop DNA devices, invisible to the human
eye, that can monitor and cure disease from inside the body.
Another will create computer simulations of human organs to
help in the development of new medicines. Each will each receive
over a million pounds. UK Science Minister Lord Sainsbury said:
"These projects will develop new and exciting techniques to
tackle disease and have the potential to revolutionise the future
of healthcare. This work will also capitalise on the excellent
science available in this country and will help the UK maintain
its global position at the leading edge of bioscience and biotechnology."
E-Business Service Launch for Pharmacy Stores
Technology - 390 words
FIVE of the United Kingdom's leading over-the-counter (OTC)
medicine suppliers have joined forces with the pharmacy industry's
trade association - the Proprietary Association Of Great Britain
(PAGB) - to launch a one-stop marketing information and purchasing
system for all retail pharmacists, particularly the independent
pharmacy sector. The five are Crookes Healthcare, the UK division
of Boots Healthcare International, Johnson & Johnson MSD, Novartis
Consumer Health, Pfizer Consumer Health and Roche Consumer Health.
With no subscription charges payable by users, CoMedis.com (www.comedis.com)
is a free, Internet-based, transfer order and information system
for OTC medicines, food supplements and health and beauty products.
Death - And Immortality - Of Cancer Cells
Research - 900 words
SCIENTISTS in the UK have developed a pioneering laboratory
technique which uses ultrasound to destroy tumour cells in mice.
Ulster University spin-out company Gendel - based at the university's
Science Park in Northern Ireland - plans to take the new ultrasound
technique to human clinical trials in two years' time. The aim
is to develop a non-invasive method to target tumours which
are difficult to treat with current therapies - especially those
of the head, neck and oesophagus. Meanwhile, Cancer Research
UK scientists have uncovered the secrets of "eternal youth"
that enable some cancer cells to live apparently forever, and
hope this will lead to ways of restoring their mortality in
many common forms of the disease. The scientists collaborated
with researchers from the Swiss Cancer Research Institute in
Lausanne.
How Camels May Lead Us To Better Medicines
Medical - 630 words
SCIENTISTS have discovered the gene that gives freshly turned
soil the distinctive smell which enables camels to find water
in the desert. It may also prove important to manufacturers
of antibiotics. The earthy smell is caused by geosmin (a Greek
word meaning smell of the earth), a chemical produced by a common
bacterium, Streptomyces coelicolor, that is found in most soils.
The discovery of the gene that produces geosmin was recently
reported in the International science journal the Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States.
Focus On Mutant Eye Gene
Research - 430 words
SCIENTISTS have identified mutations in a gene called SOX2
as one of the causes of babies being born with bilateral anophthalmia
(without eyes) and believe it could control the development
of the eye. Identifying very rare disease-associated genes provides
an important path to understanding the biological networks involved
in other, sometimes much more common, related diseases. The
research team - the Medical Research Council's Human Genetics
Unit in Edinburgh, Scotland - has explored the role of SOX2
in the development and the adult maintenance of the lens and
the retina. There is a great deal of accumulating evidence that
genes which regulate eye development also play a role in eye
maintenance after birth, therefore understanding their function
may help in the management of the more common later-onset sight
problems of retinal and macular degeneration, cataracts and
glaucoma.
"Nobel Prize Worm" Helps Understand Gene Function
Research - 470 words
OVER the last few years, genome projects have decoded the DNA
sequence of a number of different animals, including humans,
mice, flies and worms. These reveal that a large number of genes
are shared among all animals, but the sequence information does
not reveal what the genes do to bring about the development
and behaviour of the animal. This is the goal of functional
genomics - to understand the function of each gene. Acquiring
this knowledge has been brought closer by new research from
Dr Julie Ahringer and her team at the Wellcome Trust/Cancer
Research UK Institute of Cancer and Developmental Biology within
Cambridge University, England. By systematically inhibiting
genes in the worm Caenorhabtidis elegans, they have carried
out the first analysis of the function of most genes in an animal.
(Sydney Brenner, H Robert Horvitz and John Sulston were awarded
the 2002 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine for pioneering
work on C.elegans).
Telehealth Aims for Cost-Effective Health Service
Technology - 960 words
THE trend for diagnosing and later monitoring the progress
of patients following successful treatment while reducing the
time they spend in doctors' surgeries and hospitals is accelerating.
Telehealth, the umbrella term for a range of electronic initiatives,
features prominently in the programme under way for reforming
and increasing investment in the United Kingdom's National Health
Service (NHS) which employs a million people in England. The
aim is to cut bed blocking by eliminating the need for patients
to linger longer in hospitals for recuperation, reduce waiting
times for inpatient treatment and achieve better value
Helping Scars To Heal
Medical - 350 words
FOR those unfortunate enough to be scarred through injury caused
by burns, a car accident or surgery, there is hope that the
appearance of their scar tissue could be improved using drugs
developed by biopharmaceutical company, Renovo. The company,
based in Manchester, England, is conducting extensive clinical
trials with drugs that exploit molecular mechanisms to prevent
scar formation and accelerate healing. These drugs are applied
at the time of - or shortly after - injury or surgery to prevent
scarring and help to speed the skin healing process. Renovo
is also carrying out investigations into why individuals with
coloured skin have worse scars than those with fair skin, and
the genetic and molecular basis of the skin's failure to heal
in diabetic and venous ulcers.
Leading Research into Rehabilitation After Brain Damage
Medical - 500 words
HIGH density electrode recordings of electrical activity on
the scalp are being used by researchers in the United Kingdom
to measure brain activity involved in movement, planning and
sequencing tasks, for people who have suffered brain damage.
Researchers hope to use the work to guide the rehabilitation
of patients following a stroke, tumour, head injury or Parkinson's
disease. Within the department - part of the School of Psychology
at Birmingham University - leading work on therapies to deal
with other problems of cognition experienced after brain damage
is already under way.
First Virtual Medical School to become a Reality
Medicine-360 words
A VENTURE initiated in Scotland that could radically change
the education of tomorrow's doctors across the globe has attracted
the international support it needs to make the plans a reality,
including the backing of one of former United States President
Bill Clinton's key advisers. The world's first international
virtual medical school - Ivimeds - was launched at the World
eLearning Conference 2003, held recently in Edinburgh.
Move to Reverse Deafness
Research-310 words
A NEW centre for auditory research will have a mission to restore
hearing to the deaf and to prevent deafness in those at risk.
The centre, the largest auditory research centre in the UK and
founded by University College London, will carry out latest
collaborative research into disorders of hearing and balance.
Based next to the Royal National Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital
in London, the centre will work closely with the hospital, enabling
the fast and easy transfer of research into clinical practice.
Seaside Slime "Could Wipe Out Superbug"
Medicine-730 words
ROCK pool slime could hold the secret of a cure for the hospital
"superbug" MRSA, scientists say. Scottish researchers have found
several types of bacteria which, together, act as a powerful
natural antibiotic against MRSA (methicillin resistant staphylococcus
aureus), one of the biggest problems affecting hospital hygiene
today.
Damage to Historic Bones May Mislead Science
Research-400 words
GENETIC information obtained from ancient human skeletons may
give very misleading results, warn researchers at Oxford University's
Henry Wellcome Ancient Biomolecules Centre. Their latest studies
suggest that damage to the ancient DNA can confuse studies of
geographic origin and relatedness.
Putting Pressure on Bacteria
Food-255 words
SCIENTISTS in Northern Ireland say they have made a food safety
breakthrough which promises to put bacteria under pressure.
They have been working to find a way to keep food fresh without
resorting to chemical preservatives. Scientists at Queen's University
in Belfast believe the answer is a pressure chamber which kills
the bugs but nothing else.
Growing Use of Synthetic Bone for Surgery
Medicine-420 words
EVERY day, orthopaedic surgeons use bone from a bone bank (allograft),
or from a patient's own body (autograft), during a range of
procedures. Problems such as infection, or additional pain and
surgical complexity, can arise from these approaches. Also,
in both autografts and allographs the amount of natural material
available can be limited. At Cambridge University, Professor
Bill Bonfield heads the Centre for Medical Materials which is
aiming to replace bone with materials developed in the laboratory.
His vision is to make available a range of synthetic materials
which reproduce all the characteristics of natural bone and
which would be readily available.
Yeast Test Predicts Adverse Reaction to Medical Drugs
Research - 470 words
RESEARCHERS are using yeast to home in on the genes behind
people's adverse reactions to antibiotics, reports the scientific
journal Nature. The method could also help to screen new antibiotics
for toxicity earlier in drug development, before they reach
animal or human trials.
"Encouraging" Thalidomide Trial Against Lung Cancer
Medical - 600 words
FOLLOWING the success of an earlier, smaller trial, a large-scale
randomised clinical trial to investigate the effectiveness of
thalidomide as a treatment for lung cancer is set to begin in
the United Kingdom.
What Makes Sperm Swim
Research - 440 words
IN A DISCOVERY described as having "far-reaching potential
for advances in infertility treatment", scientists at the University
of Leeds in England have found what makes sperm wriggle and
swim.
Links That Improve Physical and Economic Health
Business - 1,000 words
THE robust trading relationship between Japan and the United
Kingdom is literally becoming healthier by the day as a result
of far-reaching recent deals in the pharmaceutical industry
that are building both countries' abilities to fight and prevent
diseases.
Leukaemia Virus Discovery May Help Treat HIV
Medical - 440 words
RESEARCHERS in England and Japan have discovered the mechanism
by which human T-lymphotropic virus type one - the virus which
causes adult T-cell leukaemia - spreads through the body.
Probing The Genetics Of Brain Vulnerability
Medical - 500 words
WHY are people with a specific genetic make-up more likely
to develop brain disease and less likely to make a good recovery
from head injury? A study by researchers at Edinburgh University,
Scotland, has important implications for those with the particular
brain protein and who choose to take part in potentially dangerous
contact sports such as boxing, ice hockey, football and rugby.
Investing In Tomorrow's Technologies
Research - 600 words
IN THE latest round of funding under the United Kingdom government's
Basic Technology Programme, 21 million pounds sterling is allocated
to seven research projects, ranging from computer codes that
defy the fraudster, to more efficient ways of diagnosing and
treating disease and new techniques in oil exploration.
Smile And The World Does Smile With You
Medical - 680 words
IF YOU are depressed but think everyone looks more approachable
and happier, then you may mimic their behaviour, thus eventually
overcoming depression. That is a simple summary of new research
suggesting that the ability of antidepressants to improve state
of mind may be due to the influence of these drugs on social
interaction.
Spotlight On Gene Genius
Science - 1,120 words
Boost For Brain Research
Medical - 750 words
Heart Rate Variability As An Aid To Diagnosis
Medical - 520 words
Virtual Lab Workbench For Life Sciences Community
Communications - 440 words
Cell Transformation Promises Diabetes "Cure"
Medical - 600 words
Unmasking A Mystery Molecule
Research - 500 words
Yeast To Boost Drug Development
Research - 380 words
New Approach To Allergy Treatment
Medical - 500 words
DNA Comes In Changeable Packaging
Research - 350 words
Colours Combine To Curb Cancer
Medical - 460 words
Spin-out Company Bugs The Bugs
Research - 400 words
A Better, More-Efficient Inhaler
Medicine - 500 words
How Idle Computers Work To Save Lives
Research - 1200 words
Drug Reduces Craving For Cocaine And Heroin
Medical-750 words
Peanut Test Could Help Allergy Sufferers
Food-500 words
"Weapons" In The War Against Germs
Medical - 560 words
Improved Mental Processing With No Side-Effects
Medical - 800 words
|
