Press monitoring
Zinc regulates communication between brain cells
3.10.2011 | Press monitoring
Zinc has been found to play a critical role in regulating communication between cells in the brain, possibly governing the formation of memories and controlling the occurrence of epileptic seizures. A collaborative project has been able to watch zinc in action as it regulates communication between neurons in the hippocampus, where learning and...
Women have stronger immune systems than men and it's all down to a single chromosome
30.9.2011 | Press monitoring
As anyone familiar with the phrase 'man-flu' will know women consider themselves to be the more robust side of the species when it comes to health and illness. Now new research, published in BioEssays, seems to support the idea. The research focuses on the role of MicroRNAs encoded on the X chromosome to explain why women have stronger immune...
Alzheimer's protein kills nerve cells in nose
29.9.2011 | Press monitoring
A protein linked to Alzheimer's disease kills nerve cells that detect odors, according to an animal study in the September 28 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The findings shed light on why people with Alzheimer's disease often lose their sense of smell early on in the course of the disease. "Deficits in odor detection and discrimination are...
New method cleans up textile industry’s most dangerous chemicals
28.9.2011 | Press monitoring
Textile dying is one of the most environmentally hazardous aspects of the textile industry. During dying, harmful chemicals that are difficult to break down are released, all too often into rivers and agricultural land. However, Maria Jonstrup, a doctoral student in Biotechnology at Lund University, has developed a new, environmentally friendly...
Some Brain Wiring Continues to Develop Well Into Our 20s
27.9.2011 | Press monitoring
The human brain doesn't stop developing at adolescence, but continues well into our 20s, demonstrates recent research from the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry at the University of Alberta. "This is the first long-range study, using a type of imaging that looks at brain wiring, to show that in the white matter there are still structural changes...
Alcohol can reduce asthma risk
26.9.2011 | Press monitoring
Drinking alcohol in moderate quantities can reduce the risk of asthma, according to Danish researchers. The studyfound that drinking 1-6 units of alcohol a week could reduce the risk of developing the condition. The results showed that the lowest risk of asthma was seen in the group which had a moderate intake of alcohol, as less than 4% of those...
Heavy metals boost immunity
23.9.2011 | Press monitoring
A new natural defense mechanism against infections has been evidenced by an international team, a heavy metal that is toxic at high doses, is used by the cells of the immune system to destroy microbes such as the tuberculosis bacillus or E. coli. Published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, this discovery makes it possible to envisage new...
Birth Control Pills Affect Memory, Researchers Find
22.9.2011 | Press monitoring
Women who use contraceptives like birth control pills experience memory changes, according to new UC Irvine research. Their ability to remember the gist of an emotional event improves, while women not using the contraceptives better retain details. "What's most exciting about this study is that it shows the use of hormonal contraception alters...
Feed Your Genes: How Our Genes Respond to the Foods We Eat
21.9.2011 | Press monitoring
If you could ask your genes to say what kinds of foods are best for your health, they would have a simple answer: one-third protein, one-third fat and one-third carbohydrates. That's what recent genetic research from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) shows is the best recipe to limit your risk of most lifestyle-related...
Milking the pigeon: extracting the mechanisms involved
20.9.2011 | Press monitoring
Pigeons, flamingos and male emperor penguins are all able to produce "milk" in their crop to feed their chicks. Research published in BioMed Central's open access journal BMC Genomics uses new technology to study the genes and proteins involved in pigeon "milk" production and shows that pigeon "milk" contains antioxidants and immune-enhancing...
