news 2013

Scientists have found that key metabolites in blood - chemical 'fingerprints' left behind as a result of early molecular changes before birth or in infancy - could provide clues to a person's long-term overall health and rate of ageing in later life. Published today in the International Journal of Epidemiology , the study of twins led by King's College London highlights how a technique called metabolomic profiling has revealed a collection of 22 metabolites linked to ageing.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool and University of the West of England, (UWE Bristol), have built a device that can read odours in urine to help diagnose patients with early signs of bladder cancer. There are currently no reliable biomarkers to screen patients for bladder cancer in the same way that there are for breast and cervical cancers.

Smokefree laws and higher tobacco taxes in India could prevent nine million heart disease and stroke deaths over the next decade, a new study says. The findings suggest that these tobacco control strategies would be substantially more effective than pharmacological interventions for reducing deaths from cardiovascular disease.

Vitamin C and vitamin E dramatically reduce the lifespan of voles, biologists have found, raising questions about the benefits of vitamins as a health supplement. A new paper published in the journal Biology Letters explains the research. The team fed field voles a diet supplemented with high levels of vitamin E or vitamin C from the age of two months in either warm or cold conditions and compared their longevity to groups of voles fed a regular diet.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool have found that people with depression have more generalised personal goals than non-depressed people. A study conducted by Dr Joanne Dickson , in the University's Institute of Psychology, Health and Society , analysed the lists of personal goals made by people who suffered with depression and those who didn't.

A first baby has been born to a couple in the USA going through IVF and involving the use of a new embryo screening approach. The method uses the latest DNA sequencing techniques and aims to increase IVF success rates while being more affordable for couples. Dr Dagan Wells of Oxford University led the international team which has shown how 'next-generation sequencing' can be used to pick the embryos created by IVF that are most likely to lead to successful pregnancies.

A new technique for detecting cancer by imaging the consumption of sugar with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been unveiled by UCL scientists. The breakthrough could provide a safer and simpler alternative to standard radioactive techniques and enable radiologists to image tumours in greater detail.

New research published in The Lancet highlights important information for health professionals and parents about the factors which may increase the likelihood of a baby being born with a birth defect. The findings, from researchers at the Universities of Bradford and Leeds, funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR), confirm that the two main factors associated with an increased risk of babies being born with a birth defect are being born to an older mother or to parents who are blood relations.

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shown that young people who show impulsive tendencies are more prone to drinking heavily at an early age. The research suggests that targeting personality traits, such as impulsivity, could potentially be a successful intervention in preventing adolescent drinking from developing into problems with alcohol in later life.

The increased risk of heart attack or stroke associated with many arthritis drugs may be avoidable. The increased risk of heart attack or stroke associated with many arthritis drugs may be avoidable, according to a new international study co-authored by researchers at Imperial College London. Drugs such as Vioxx, diclofenac, ibuprofen and Celebrex operate by blocking an enzyme known as COX-2, whose presence in blood vessels has up until now been held responsible for these side effects.

The rate and extent of damage to the spinal cord and brain following spinal cord injury have long been a mystery. Now, a joint research effort by UCL, the University of Zurich and University Hospital Balgrist has found evidence that patients already have irreversible tissue loss in the spinal cord within 40 days of injury.

A new technique that involves removing the nerves connecting the kidney to the brain has shown to significantly reduce blood pressure and help lower the risk of stroke, heart and renal disease in patients. The procedure, which has very few side effects, has already shown promising results in hard-to-treat cases of high blood pressure.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues One in five UK NHS staff report bullying by colleagues, with almost half saying they have witnessed bullying, in the past six months, indicates research led by Durham University.

Long-term cannabis users tend to produce less dopamine, a chemical in the brain linked to motivation, a study has found. Researchers found that dopamine levels in a part of the brain called the striatum were lower in people who smoke more cannabis and those who began taking the drug at a younger age.

A new research project led by the School of Social Sciences will use creative arts practices to help inform health-related policy and service development. Funded jointly by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), the 'Representing Communities' project, will use innovative research techniques to promote engagement between communities and policy makers.

In two of the largest genetic studies ever conducted on common allergies, including pollen, dust-mite and cat allergies, 16 new genetic regions related to the condition have been discovered. Together they are responsible for at least 25 per cent of allergy in the population. Eight of the genetic variations have previously been associated with asthma.

The commonly-used general anaesthetic isoflurane increases cancer cells' potential to grow and migrate, a laboratory study has found. Cancer often recurs after surgery, despite the best efforts of surgeons and doctors. Some studies have suggested that choice of anaesthetic might influence the chance of recurrence, but why has remained a mystery.

Researchers at the Universities of Liverpool and Warwick have shown that children in the UK have the highest number and longest duration of social , making them most at-risk for catching and transmitting infection. The team have, for the first time, mapped the daily networks of thousands of individuals to shed light on which groups may be at highest risk of contracting and spreading respiratory diseases.

Researchers at King's have revealed the genetic basis of high-arched palate in the mouth for the first time, a discovery that could pave the way for new treatments to reverse the condition. Published this week in Developmental Cell , an early study has shown that a particular gene in mice triggers an overproduction of neural crest cells (which generate a variety of important cell and tissue types in the body) whilst in the embryo, causing the roof of the mouth to be compressed into an arch shape.

A new study involving Oxford University researchers suggests that the migrant status of couples in Hong Kong is a key factor in their babies' birth weights. The study suggests that native couples have significantly lighter babies than parents who come from mainland China. Mainland Chinese mothers who give birth in Hong Kong are only half as likely to have low-weight children and just one-fifth as likely to have very low-weight children as Hong Kong-born couples.