news 2010

Trial shows new drug does not improve survival rates in breast cancer patients The results of a long awaited trial aiming to find new treatments for breast cancer, has concluded that Zoledronic acid does not improve disease-free survival among patients. The AZURE* trial, which was led by Professor Rob Coleman from the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals and coordinated by the Clinical Trials Research Unit (CTRU) at the University of Leeds, tested patients with stage II/III breast cancer.

Medical researchers have found a missing link that explains the interaction between brain state and the neural triggers responsible for learning, potentially opening up new ways of boosting cognitive function in the face of diseases such as Alzheimer's as well as enhancing memory in healthy people. Much is known about the neural processes that occur during learning but until now it has not been clear why it occurs during certain brain states but not others.

could be reversed using stem cells that repair injury in the central nervous system, a study shows. Researchers have identified a mechanism essential for regenerating insulating layers, known as myelin sheaths, that protect nerve fibres in the brain. In additional studies in rodents, the team from Edinburgh and Cambridge showed how this mechanism can be exploited.

Eating purple fruits such as blueberries and drinking green tea can help ward off diseases including Alzheimer's, Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson's, a University of Manchester report claims. Ground-breaking research from Professor Douglas Kell, published in the journal Archives of Toxicology, has found that the majority of debilitating illnesses are in part caused by poorly-bound iron which causes the production of dangerous toxins that can react with the components of living systems.

Secondhand smoke increases risk of invasive meningococcal disease in children Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get invasive meningococcal disease than children who are not exposed, according to a metaanalysis published in PLoS Medicine - News Tuesday 7 December 2010 Children exposed to secondhand smoke are more likely to get invasive meningococcal disease than children who are not exposed, according to a metaanalysis published today in the journal PLoS Medicine.

Research may shed light on why dementia sufferers have memory difficulties. Memory difficulties such as those seen in dementia may arise because the brain forms incomplete memories that are more easily confused, new research from the University of Cambridge has found. The findings are published today .

Health 07 Dec 10 A daily low dose of aspirin significantly reduces the number of deaths from a whole range of common cancers, an Oxford University study has found. The 20% drop in all cancer deaths seen in the study adds new evidence to the debate about whether otherwise healthy people in their 40s and 50s should consider taking a low dose of aspirin each day.

Press release issued 6 December 2010 Scientists in Bristol have uncovered some of the processes responsible for the blood flow problems connected with Alzheimer's disease. Their findings could see existing drugs used for leaky blood vessels trialled as potential Alzheimer's treatments. Researchers at the University of Bristol's Dementia Research Group supported by the Alzheimer's Research Trust , the UK's leading dementia research charity, investigated problems with the function of blood vessels in the brains of people with Alzheimer's ' a known feature of the disease.

Scientists have shown for the first time that exactly how we see our environment depends on the size of the visual part of our brain. We are all familiar with the idea that our thoughts and emotions differ from one person to another, but most people assume that how we perceive the visual world is usually very similar from person to person.

Damage caused by multiple sclerosis could be reversed by activating stem cells that can repair injury in the central nervous system, a study has shown. Researchers from the Universities of Cambridge and Edinburgh have identified a mechanism essential for regenerating insulating layers - known as myelin sheaths - that protect nerve fibres in the brain.

PA345 /10 Parents face many barriers in seeking help for their child's mental health problems, according to new research led by experts in psychiatry at The University of Nottingham. The study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry found that parents are often deterred from asking for professional help for their child because of embarrassment, stigma and the fear of their child being 'labelled'.

A dietary supplement of the synthetic derivative of vitamin B1 has the potential to prevent heart disease caused by diabetes, according to new research from the University of Bristol, funded by Diabetes UK. Vitamin B1 may help the body to dispose of toxins and therefore protect cells of the heart from becoming damaged.

A range of new clinical, functional, and neuroimaging tests developed by researchers at UCL make it possible to track the progression of Huntington's disease long before noticeable symptoms appear. The new tests provide useful biomarkers that could be used in future trials to detect the effectiveness of potential disease-modifying treatments within a short time period.

Health 01 Dec 10 There is no convincing evidence that eating more fruit and vegetables can reduce chances of developing cancer, although they are important for maintaining a healthy diet. That's the conclusion of a review by an Oxford University scientist that looked at a decade of evidence on the links between fruit and vegetables and the development of cancer.

A hormone responsible for the onset of puberty can end up stuck in the wrong part of the body if the nerve pathways responsible for its transport to the brain fail to develop properly, according to new research led by UCL scientists.

King's College London, in collaboration with Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre in The Netherlands, has discovered a new gene associated with hypospadias, the congenital malformation of the male genitalia. The research was published yesterday . It was previously known that genetics play a part in developing the condition, with five per cent of patients having an affected male relative, but the genes involved were unknown.

A combination drug that lowers levels of 'bad' cholesterol in the blood can benefit people with chronic kidney disease and is safe, a study led by the Clinical Trial Service Unit at Oxford University has found. Patients receiving the daily pill - a combination of simvastatin and ezetimibe produced by Merck - had one-sixth fewer heart attacks, strokes or operations to unblock arteries than those receiving a placebo 'dummy' pill.

Science | Health Cath Harris | 19 Nov 10 New research at Oxford University has shed light on how mammalian egg cells divide. The findings may lead to improvements in women's chances of giving birth to healthy babies as they get older. After the age of 33, the likelihood of a woman producing healthy eggs and embryos declines dramatically but little is known of the reasons why.

A major international study to test whether a new type of cholesterol treatment can prevent coronary deaths and heart attacks will start in early 2011, it has been announced. The study will be coordinated by the Clinical Trial Service Unit (CTSU) at Oxford University. The REVEAL trial will investigate whether a drug called anacetrapib can drive down the risks of coronary deaths, heart attacks and other vascular complications.

These news items have previously appeared on the University of Edinburgh website and are archived here for reference. Please note that some of the links referenced in news items may no longer be active.