news 2011

Scientists have discovered a gene that defies conventional rules, with the copies inherited from the mother and father working in two very different ways. All animals have two copies of each gene: one inherited from each parent. For most genes, both copies are active, but for some genes, one copy is switched off, a process called imprinting.

The mechanism that controls the internal 24-hour clock of all forms of life from human cells to algae has been identified by scientists. Not only does the research provide important insight into health-related problems linked to individuals with disrupted clocks - such as pilots and shift workers - it also indicates that the 24-hour circadian clock found in human cells is the same as that found in algae and dates back millions of years to early life on Earth.

Hunt for dark matter closes in at Large Hadron Collider Imperial physicists celebrate the latest results from the CMS particle detector at CERN, which are better and faster than expected - News Wednesday 26 January 2011 Physicists are closer than ever to finding the source of the Universe's mysterious dark matter, following a better than expected year of research at the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) particle detector , part of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC ) at CERN in Geneva.

The BBC has launched a nationwide interactive survey examining what class really means in Britain today, and whether it still matters in the 21st century. The Great British Class Survey ( www.bbc.co.uk/labuk) aims to be the largest study of its kind ever conducted in the UK, and is the first interactive commission by BBC Current Affairs.

PA 25/11 Pay for performance targets set for GPs in the UK are failing to improve the health of patients with high blood pressure. The new study, which presents the strongest evidence yet that pay for performance does not offer any benefit, was carried out by Dr Brian Serumaga, a Harvard Medical School fellow in Pharmaceutical Policy Research in the Division of Primary Care and School of Pharmacy at The University of Nottingham.

Press release Links: UCL Epidemiology & Public Health UCL Bartlett School of Graduate Studies Increases in winter indoor temperatures in the United Kingdom, United States and other developed countries may be contributing to rises in obesity in those populations, according to UCL research published today.

Liverpool, UK - 25 January 2011: Insects that frequently use their defence mechanisms to deter predators could be reducing their lifespan and numbers of offspring, researchers at the University of Liverpool have found. Scientists, in collaboration with the University of Glasgow, studied the defences used by caterpillars that transform into large white butterflies, called Pieris brassicae .

Children as young as three with low levels of self-control are more likely to have physical health problems, financial difficulties and a criminal record in later life regardless of background and IQ, according to a new King's College London study funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC). A team of scientists from the Institute of Psychiatry at King's, Duke University in the USA and the University of Otago in New Zealand used data from two large studies to investigate how self-control skills might influence children's chances in life.

A University of Manchester scientist has revealed the mechanism that binds skin cells tightly together, which he believes will lead to new treatments for painful and debilitating skin diseases and also lethal heart defects. Professor David Garrod, in the Faculty of Life Sciences, has found that the glue molecules bind only to similar glue molecules on other cells, making a very tough, resilient structure.

Researchers reveal function of novel molecule that underlies human deafness New research from the University of Sheffield has revealed that the molecular mechanism underlying deafness is caused by a mutation of a specific microRNA called miR-96. The discovery could provide the basis for treating progressive hearing loss and deafness.

PA 254/10 Research led by The University of Nottingham has opened up a new area of malaria parasite biology which could lead to new methods of controlling the transmission of this deadly disease. Malaria threatens 40 per cent of the world's human population. It causes disease in 300 million people and kills up to a million children every year.

PA21/11 The Vikings are alive and well and living in the North West of England! That's the revelation in a new book on an epic research project into the genetic footprint of the Scandinavian invaders. 'Viking DNA: The Wirral and West Lancashire Project' is the culmination of several years of research by Wirral-raised Professor Steve Harding from the University of Nottingham, Professor Mark Jobling and Dr Turi King from the University of Leicester, and many other collaborators.

Contagious cancer thrives in dogs by adopting host's genes Imperial scientists have found that an unusual contagious cancer adopts genes from its dog host to help it survive Thursday 20 January 2011 A curious contagious cancer, found in dogs, wolves and coyotes, can repair its own genetic mutations by adopting genes from its host animal, according to a new study in the journal Science .

A curious contagious cancer, found in dogs, wolves and coyotes, can repair its own genetic mutations by adopting genes from its host animal, according to a new study in the journal Science . Scientists at Imperial College London have uncovered an unusual process that helps the cancer survive by stealing tiny DNA-containing 'powerhouses' (known as mitochondria) from the cells of the infected animal, to incorporate as its own.

Science 19 Jan 11 Changes in the environment that put the lives of adults at risk drive parents to invest more in caring for their offspring, scientists have found. The new research, led by Oxford University scientists, examined how the mortality rates of parents and offspring and the fertility of adults influence the evolution of how much parents care for and feed their young.

Planck unveils wonders of the Universe Astronomers reveal galaxy clusters and distant cold objects from space. Adapted from a news release issued by the UK Space Agency Monday 17 December 2010 Scientists working on Europe's Planck spacecraft have released the mission's first new findings this week in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics , revealing the coldest objects in the Universe in greater detail than ever before.

University review confirms links between alcohol pricing and crime Increasing the price of alcohol is associated with reductions in crime, according to a team of experts from the University of Sheffield, who have carried out a systematic review of published research. Experts from the University´s School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR) and the School of Law carried out a rapid evidence assessment of all published studies on the direct effects of alcohol pricing and taxation on alcohol-related crime.

Wild red deer on Rum are rutting earlier in the year compared with decades ago, a University study shows. Scientists believe the annual rutting season on the Hebridean island could be changing because of warming spring and summer temperatures. The study, carried out by scientists at Edinburgh and Cambridge, focused on a population of wild deer that featured in the BBC TV series Autumnwatch.

PA 13/11 At least one in five horses used for leisure are overweight or obese. It's a condition which can lead to laminitis and equine metabolic syndrome. The pilot study, carried out by The University of Nottingham's School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, showed that rates of obesity among horses are likely to be just as high as they are among people.

Scientists find the 'master switch' for key immune cells in inflammatory diseases Study suggests new way of treating people with autoimmune diseases Scientists have identified a protein that acts as a "master switch" in certain white blood cells, determining whether they promote or inhibit inflammation.