Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee who underwent placebo arthroscopic surgery were just as likely to report pain relief as those who received the real procedure, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Baylor College of Medicine study published in the July 11 New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers say their results challenge the usefulness of one of the most common surgical procedures performed for osteoarthritis of the knee. “The fact that the effecti
Field Museum scientists describe “loop and pull” in Nature Snakes are known to swallow their prey whole, which limits the size of what they can eat. But now scientists have discovered that a species of snake can tear apart its prey. This snake loops its body around a crab to hold one end while using its mouth to pull off legs or rip the crab’s body into pieces. This “loop and pull” method allows a snake to eat crabs that are relatively huge – far too large to swallow whol
While most scientists believe that allergies cause asthma, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are uncovering a second potential cause for this common respiratory illness. Their new model suggests that a viral infection in the first years of life may leave a lasting mark on the immune system, causing chronic respiratory problems later on. “While the allergic response may increase during an asthma attack, our research suggests that the anti-viral response also
A report in the July issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation has found that a group of drugs currently under development for the treatment of Type II diabetes caused both increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure in animal studies. These new findings regarding glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1) receptor agonists suggest that the brain’s GLP-1 system has the ability to affect autonomic function, leading to changes in heart rate and blood pressure. A naturally occurring
Smokers who inherit a particular genetic trait could triple their chances of getting lung cancer according to a report in the British Journal of Cancer.* While tobacco is the biggest cause of lung cancer. the risk of developing it varies. This has led scientists to believe that genetics may have a crucial role in deciding who is most susceptible to the disease. German researchers have found that a quarter of patients with the most common form of lung cancer carry a particular version of a g
A significant milestone for British and European science occurred today [8th July 2002] when the Council of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) met in London. At this historic meeting the UK was formally welcomed into ESO by the other nine member states. The UK, one of the leading nations in astronomical research, now joins what is probably the world`s leading astronomical observatory. British astronomers now have access to some of the world`s most advanced telescopes and a major
The Brazilian World Cup celebrations may have started to die down, but in space the never-ending football match between the Sun and Earth continues. And watching this match closely are Salsa, Samba, Rumba and Tango, the four satellites that make up the Cluster mission. They are performing their Brazilian dances 119 000 kilometres above our heads. With all the grace and skill of the Brazilian players on the football field, the spacecraft making up the Cluster quartet are currently chan
Eating a diet rich in soya products such as tofu can affect the make-up of breast tissue, potentially reducing the risk of breast cancer, according to a new study* from Cancer Research UK.
Scientists have previously suggested that soya intake might contribute to the low rates of breast cancer in countries like China and Japan but research has proved inconclusive.
However, the new findings from a collaborative study involving scientists from the National University of Singapore, Can
Environmental impact assessment depends on solid measurement standards and monitoring tools. Science and technology can help explain what is happening to European water, soil, air and forestry, undertake chemical and biological analyses, and inform policy makers and the public at large. European Research Commissioner Philippe Busquin and European Environment Commissioner Margot Wallström today launched a new network of scientific institutes, universities and enterprises – the METROPOLIS network – whi
After 40 years of searching for the photoreceptor that controls multiple vital processes in fungi, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas have discovered the protein that triggers this phenomenon.
Light regulates several physiological processes in fungi, including their ability to produce spores and the synchronization of their internal biological clocks, but their photoreceptors – receptors that are sensitive to light and are essential for most ongoing processes – were not
Dartmouth Medical School geneticists have discovered a new class of proteins that see light, revealing a previously unknown system for how light works.
The novel photoreceptors are part of the gears that drive biological clocks, the cellular timekeepers of the circadian rhythm, which paces life’s daily ebb and flow in a 24-hour light-dark cycle. Their identification also opens a window for genetically engineered drug delivery systems that exploit the properties of these newfound molecu
Researchers at Stanford University Medical Center have tricked cancer cells into self- destructing by briefly disabling a cancer-causing gene. Although the gene revs back up after deactivation, the brief hiatus gives the affected cells a chance to alter their cancerous destiny. This work in mice could open new avenues for treating some human cancers, researchers believe.
Cancer usually results after a cell accumulates a handful of mutations in cancer-related genes called oncogenes or tumor-
Researchers at Oregon State University have made a significant breakthrough in the technology to produce crystalline oxide films, which play roles in semiconductor chips, flat panel displays and many other electronic products.
In a report to be published Friday in the journal Science, the OSU scientists explain a way to create these crystalline thin films at temperatures far lower than those used currently, and with no need to be produced in a vacuum as the current technology usually requir
Scientists at VTT and the University of Florida take immunotechnology to a new level
Mimicking the cell walls transport system by biocoated nanotubes opens novel possibilities for numerous applications
Living cells transport selectively molecules in and out through their cell walls. This process is remarkably accurate and efficient. In co-operation with Professor Charles Martin`s workgroup from the University of Florida, VTT`s Research Professor Hans Söderlund and Researcher
Temple healing practices may help to improve the symptoms of people with mental illnesses, according to researchers in this week`s BMJ.
The study was conducted at the temple of Muthuswamy in South India, known as a source of help for people with serious mental disorders. From June to August 2000, everyone who came for help was assessed by a trained psychiatrist on the first day of their stay in the temple and again on the day they left to return home, using recognised psychiatric rating scal
New screening techniques for Down`s syndrome are less effective than previously supposed, despite a government initiative to offer all pregnant women the new tests by 2004, finds a study in this week`s BMJ.
Researchers identified all cases of Down`s syndrome in eight district general hospitals in the Wessex region between 1994 and 1999. During these six years, 155,501 babies were delivered 335 cases of Down`s syndrome were identified.
Across the region, seven different screening pol
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