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Scientists discover the origin of hydration force

Scientists at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona and Imperial College London have discovered the origin of hydration force, a phenomenon that causes some complex chemical and biochemical species (including DNA and other electrostatically charged molecules) to repel at short distances when surrounded by water.

28 Feb 2005

Virologists make major step towards understanding the process of HIV infection

A working group of virologists headed by Professor Hans-Georg Kräusslich at Heidelberg University Hospitals, jointly with Professor Hanswalter Zentgraf, Division of Applied Tumor Virology of the Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum (German Cancer Research Center, DKFZ), have been the first to label Human Immunodeficiency Viruses (HIV) for visual investigations without inhibiting the functional characteristics of the virus.

28 Feb 2005

Project targeting the increasing resistance of some viruses to drugs

A new project targeting the increasing resistance of some viruses to drugs is being funded with the help of nine million euros under the Life Sciences, Genomics and Biotechnology for Health area of the EU’s Framework Programme.

28 Feb 2005

Children with imaginary companions are quicker to develop language skills

A post-graduate student from The University of Manchester’s School of Psychological Sciences is investigating the theory that children with imaginary companions are quicker to develop language skills and retain knowledge.

From The University of Manchester 28 Feb 2005

Protein to protein interaction map for a better insight in cancer development

With the completion of the genome sequence of a number of organisms, analysis of the gene products, the proteins, is the on-going challenge.

28 Feb 2005

European Science Foundation publishes nanomedicine report

The European Science Foundation recently concluded a foresight study on the topic of nanotechnology applied to medicine (Scientific Forward Look on Nanomedicine).

28 Feb 2005

Fear of botulism as a bioterrorist weapon is to be reduced by British vaccine technology

Fear of botulism as a bioterrorist weapon is to be reduced, as the US government announces its support for a new British vaccine technology, which promises for the first time to provide an effective defence against botulism – the most deadly naturally occurring substance.

28 Feb 2005

Rising awareness, new product alternatives to boost prospects of European sleep apnea diagnostics market

Low levels of awareness among patients and physicians about sleep apnea are hindering the uptake of related diagnostics. Increased knowledge about this breathing disorder together with the emergence of new alternatives to current diagnostics tools is set to aid in market expansion.

28 Feb 2005

Men are more likely than women to take up invitations for bowel screening

The report found that men were less likely than women to worry about embarrassment or discomfort associated with this method. The screening test, called Flexible Sigmoidoscopy (FS), involves inserting a long thin tube fitted with a camera into the lower part of the bowel.

28 Feb 2005

Mystery blood vessel disorder implicated in lacunar or "mini" strokes

Physicians have long been puzzled by a condition called intracranial arterial dolichoectasia, in which the larger arteries of the brain become elongated and misshapen.

28 Feb 2005

Finasteride prevents prostate cancer

Recent finding show lives could be saved if men are given the drug Finasteride to prevent prostate cancer. New analysis of data from the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial in the current issue of CANCER confirms this view. These results represent a milestone in cancer research, showing that prostate cancer could be prevented through drugs.

28 Feb 2005

San Francisco top city for health

The degree to which city people walk or ride bicycles for their daily transportation needs depends largely on how much green space there is, says a new study that examines the role of urban design in physical fitness.

28 Feb 2005

Food costs, convenience predict obese women’s fat intake

Nutritionists trying to influence how much fat an obese woman might eat should take into account food prices, the time it takes to make a meal and the location of grocery stores, says a new study of low-income women in Wisconsin.

28 Feb 2005

College administrators, students differ on what hazing is

A new study has uncovered a wide divide between what college students consider to be hazing and what university officials and researchers do.

28 Feb 2005

Comprehensive sex education is more effective at stopping the spread of HIV infection

It is estimated that more than half of all new HIV infections occur before the age of 25 and most are acquired through unprotected sexual intercourse.

28 Feb 2005

New medical devices can cause new immune problems

Medical devices are traditionally thought of as fairly simple implants such as stents and hip replacements – pieces of plastic or metal that are placed in the body to handle a very specific function. But biomedical devices now on the drawing board are considerably more sophisticated and represent an unprecedented melding of man and machine.

28 Feb 2005

Children suffering from ADHD may be ignoring visual information to their left

Children suffering from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may be ignoring visual information to their left and being diagnosed mistakenly as having dyslexia, according to new research by Dr Tom Manly and colleagues at the Medical Research Council (MRC) Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge and published in Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry and Brain and Cognition.

27 Feb 2005

New technologies may offer new treatment options for some patients with degenerative back problems

New technologies may offer new treatment options for some patients with degenerative back problems, according to research presented at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. These latest innovations in spinal surgery could provide promise for hundreds of thousands of U.S. patients who undergo spinal surgery each year.

27 Feb 2005

Why women are more susceptible to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries

New research presented today at the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons includes important findings on the causes of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries in female athletes, such as posture and body movement. These findings may be key in the effort to find ways to prevent these types of injuries.

27 Feb 2005

Report calls for father-friendlier Britain

Young fathers in Britain should be given a greater financial incentive to become hands-on carers during their child’s early years, according to a new report.

27 Feb 2005