Press monitoring
Brain differences between humans and chimpanzees linked to aging
2.8.2011 | Press monitoring
Chimpanzees, the closest living relatives to humans, do not experience a decrease in brain volume as they age like humans do, according to a study by George Washington University researcher Chet Sherwood and his colleagues. There are many similarities between the species, but this discovery reveals an important distinction, demonstrating how...
Researchers Tap Yeasts as Source of 'Green' Surfactants
1.8.2011 | Press monitoring
Surfactants, which are wetting agents that lower a liquid's surface tension, have a long list of uses, from detergents and cosmetics to paints and pesticides. Most surfactants are petroleum-based. But in Peoria, Ill., a team of U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) scientists has focused their attention on sophorolipids, surfactant-like molecules...
Fatty foods really are mood enhancers
29.7.2011 | Press monitoring
A new study published in the August issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation shows just why it is that people tend to turn to fatty foods in order to boost their emotional state and reduce feelings of sadness. Be it chocolate chip cookies, French fries and a chocolate shake or whatever your favorite fatty food may be, researchers say these...
New Mouse Model for Testing Cancer Drugs
28.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Only one in twenty cancer drugs makes its way from the laboratory to become an approved pharmaceutical product. The majority of new agents are only shown to be unsuitable in the later phases of clinical development which would explain the exorbitantly high development costs of 500 to 600 million euros per new cancer drug. In order to recognize at...
How testosterone protects against inflammation
27.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Pharmacists of the University Jena, Germany, and partners have shown that cells from men and women react in a different manner to inflammatory stimuli. They found that in male cells the enzyme phospholipase D is less active than in the female ones. Based on these findings, the Jena pharmacists concluded that the male sex hormones play a key role...
Quick Test to Diagnose Bacterial or Viral Infection
25.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) have developed a new test that quickly and accurately distinguishes between bacterial and viral infections in as little as five hours.
Newly Designed Molecule Blocks Chlamydia Bacteria
22.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center have discovered a way to block the damaging actions of Chlamydia, the bacteria responsible for the largest number of sexually transmitted infections in the United States.
Dry Onion Skin Has a Use
20.7.2011 | Press monitoring
More than 500,000 tonnes of onion waste are thrown away in the European Union each year. However, scientists say this could have a use as food ingredients. The brown skin and external layers are rich in fibre and flavonoids, while the discarded bulbs contain sulphurous compounds and fructans. All of these substances are beneficial to health. "One...
New discovery throws light on blood pressure regulation
19.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Researchers have discovered that a protein found in the walls of blood vessels plays a key role in maintaining healthy blood pressure; a discovery that could one day lead to new treatments for people with high blood pressure. The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the British Heart...
First ever photo of fish using tools
18.7.2011 | Press monitoring
Scott Gardner, a professional diver, was out diving Australia’s Great Barrier Reef when he heard a strange banging noise under water and went to investigate. What he discovered was the blackspot tuskfish with a clam in its mouth. The fish was banging and slamming the clam against a rock in order to crack it open. Once it cracked, the fish ate the...
