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The choroid plexus prevents build up of plaque related to Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have discovered that an organ in the brain called the choroid plexus apparently plays a critical role in preventing the accumulation of a protein associated with Alzheimer's disease.

23 Mar 2006

Dutch researchers develop tools to simplify keyhole surgery

Endoscopic surgery brings many advantages for patients but is very difficult for the surgeon.

23 Mar 2006

Beta carotene slows the decline in lung power associated with ageing

Beta carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, slows the decline in lung power associated with ageing, reveals research in Thorax.

23 Mar 2006

How the brain knows where limbs are without looking at them

The experiment provides a new and intriguing illusion that sheds light on how we learn to move accurately, as well as indicating why some people who have had limbs amputated still feel as if they can move their 'phantom' limb.

23 Mar 2006

Immune system protein LL-37 critical in controlling replication of vaccinia virus

Scientists supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), have identified a defect in the immune response of people with the skin condition atopic dermatitis that puts them at risk of developing serious complications following smallpox vaccination.

23 Mar 2006

Potential therapeutic targets against serious side effects of smallpox vaccine

Smallpox is considered a potential terrorist weapon, but millions of people in the United States are currently advised not to get a vaccine to the disease because they are susceptible to developing a severe adverse reaction.

23 Mar 2006

Researchers gain better understanding of protein folding

Proteins, one of the basic components of living things, are among the most studied molecules in biochemistry. Understanding how proteins form or "fold" from sequenced strings of amino acids has long been one of the grand challenges of biology.

23 Mar 2006

"Sick building syndrome" is a hallmark of job stress and lack of support rather than an unhealthy building

Sick building syndrome describes a cluster of symptoms affecting the eyes, head, nose and throat and skin, all of which have been associated with the physical properties of office buildings.

23 Mar 2006

Researchers find potential new mechanism for how the brain's reward system works

Amid reports that a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease has caused some patients to become addicted to gambling and sex, University of Pittsburgh researchers have published a study that sheds light on what may have gone wrong.

23 Mar 2006

Increasing age does not necessarily cause a reduction in the quality of life

Research published online this month in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, describes how researchers looked at indicators of the quality of life, and found that in England it is above average between the ages of 50 and 84, and in some cases increases compared with earlier years.

23 Mar 2006

Remaining 80% of breast cancer genes may soon be discovered

We are closer to finding the missing 80% of breast cancer genes than ever before thanks to the success of the COSMIC database (Catalogue Of Somatic Mutations In Cancer) the 5th European Breast Cancer Conference (EBCC-5) was told today.

23 Mar 2006

Crucial breakthrough in pectin biosynthesis

Most people know pectin as a common household gelling agent in making jams and jellies, but its uses are vast. It has anticancer properties, for instance, and may have a role in important biological functions including plant growth and development and defense against disease.

22 Mar 2006

Environmental chemicals implicated in cancer

New research at the University of Liverpool suggests that environmental contaminants, such as pesticides, are more influential in causing cancer than previously thought.

21 Mar 2006

New discovery explains how a common gene variant may increase cancer risks

Roughly 15 percent of the population carries a gene variant that may increase the risk of developing cancer. The cause of this increased risk has been unknown until now. But now a research team at Stockholm University in Sweden can explain why.

21 Mar 2006

The role of evolutionary genomics in the development of autism

Scientists at the London School of Economics, UK and Simon Fraser University, Canada have described the first hypothesis grounded in evolutionary genomics explaining the development of autism.

21 Mar 2006

Gene discovered that causes dry skin and leads to eczema and asthma

Experts, lead by the University of Dundee, have discovered the gene which causes genetic skin conditions affecting millions of people.

21 Mar 2006

A newly recognized type of immune cell may play an important role in causing asthma

...perhaps explaining why current therapies sometimes fail, report researchers from Children's Hospital Boston in the New England Journal of Medicine.

21 Mar 2006

Research finds blood type, age may be pivotal in transfusion success

The controversial practice of blood transfusions for patients suffering from cardiac episodes may lead to an increased risk of mortality, and may be correlated to transfusion blood type and blood age, according to research presented at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session.

21 Mar 2006

University of Calgary researchers develop bioreactor procedures to grow pancreatic cells in their laboratory

Freedom from insulin injections and the myriad of health problems related to type 1 diabetes is closer to becoming reality, thanks to University of Calgary researchers who are developing the first bioreactor procedures to grow pancreatic cells in their laboratory.

21 Mar 2006

New research suggests it may be possible to separate the anticancer properties of vitamin D

At the right dose, vitamin D is important for bone development and may help protect against the development of several cancers, particularly colorectal cancer.

21 Mar 2006