news 2015

Transmissible cancers - cancers which can spread between individuals by the transfer of living cancer cells - are believed to arise extremely rarely in nature. One of the few known transmissible cancers causes facial tumours in Tasmanian devils, and is threatening this species with extinction. Today, scientists report the discovery of a second transmissible cancer in Tasmanian devils.

Scientists have identified a type of immune cell in the lungs of humans that may help fight respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The virus is one of the main causes of childhood hospitalisation, severe lung infection in the elderly, and the common cold. The researchers found that a type of immune cell, called a resident memory'T cell, is particularly active during RSV infection.

It's been a busy year for animal health and welfare stories, so we are taking a look back at a few of the highlights. From whales to fruit flies, our researchers have made fascinating discoveries from right across the animal kingdom. Test tube foal The first foal to be born as a result of IVF for 15 years marks the first step to producing an embryo bank that could be the last lifeline for some rare, traditional British breeds that are on the verge of disappearing.

Charismatic business leaders can cause their followers to suppress emotions, which can harm companies over the long term, according to new research. Remember that even the most charismatic person is only human. Jochen Menges While charismatic leaders may be magnetic, they can cause their followers to suppress emotions, which can harm companies through increased strain, lower job satisfaction and reduced information exchange among employees, according to new research from the University of Cambridge.

Study finds city exhibits more signs of diversity than others worldwide - Diversity in Coventry makes it an ideal model for other developed countries planning diabetes care - Study reveals that one in 10 Coventry residents is from an ethnic minority, but one in three residents with diabetes is an ethnic minority - Study also highlights food and language as the most common barriers to providing diabetes care for ethnic minorities Cities across the developed world should look to Coventry when they plan diabetes services for ethnic minorities.

Two papers from UCL show that having early chemotherapy improves survival for men with prostate cancer. The papers, published in the Lancet and Lancet Oncology , report the results from the STAMPEDE clinical trial and a meta-analysis. Both papers looked at the use of a chemotherapy drug called docetaxel.

Scientists from Imperial College London have identified for the first time two clusters of genes linked to human intelligence. Called M1 and M3, these so-called gene networks appear to influence cognitive function - which includes memory, attention, processing speed and reasoning. Crucially, the scientists have discovered that these two networks - which each contain hundreds of genes - are likely to be under the control of master regulator switches.

The world of epigenetics - where molecular 'switches' attached to DNA turn genes on and off - has just got bigger with the discovery by a team of scientists from the University of Cambridge of a new type of epigenetic modification. It's possible that we struck lucky with this modifier, but we believe it is more likely that there are many more modifications that directly regulate our DNA Magdalena Koziol Published today , the discovery suggests that many more DNA modifications than previously thought may exist in human, mouse and other vertebrates.

A new study led by the University of Oxford suggests that more insecticide-treated malaria nets (ITNs) and improved efficiency in net delivery are needed to achieve universal coverage and make serious headway on the path to the elimination of the disease. Currently, malaria net coverage remains well below the 100% universal coverage target.

Oxford University researchers across the globe are working to beat Malaria. Now, a team of Oxford scientists in the UK and Kenya, working with colleagues in three Swiss institutes, have found two people who could reveal a new approach to targeting the malaria parasite. Malaria still claims over 400,000 lives every year, mostly due to infection by a single species of malaria parasite called Plasmodium falciparum .

Birds generate their colour using structure, not dyes and pigments The Jay is able to change the colour of its feathers along the equivalent of a single human hair using a tuneable nanostructure This discovery may lead to synthetic structural colour that could be made cheaply and used in paints and clothes that will not fade like dyes and pigments.

What binds military fighters or terrorists together so tightly that they are willing to sacrifice their own lives for their causes?  Previous research has shown that such extreme behaviour can be driven by 'identity fusion', a strong sense of 'oneness' with their group. Oxford University researchers have now shed new light on the role that shared emotional experiences plays in this fusion between people's personal and group identities.

IBS accounts for 10 per cent of visits to GP's One in five in the UK people develop IBS at some stage of their life There is no cure for the debilitating disease A large proportion of people living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) are vitamin D deficient, a new study has found. Researchers from the University of Sheffield discovered a significant association between a patient's vitamin D levels and the severity of their IBS symptoms, particularly the extent to which IBS affects their quality of life.

New study finds amount of methane escaping the Arctic tundra is higher than estimated by current climate models Methane is a potent greenhouse gas which accelerates atmospheric warming The Arctic tundra is releasing at least as much methane during its cold season as it does during the summer, a new study has found.

An expert in Ebola from Lancaster has hailed "a major step forward" in the diagnosis of the disease after working with the World Health Organisation. The WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardisation organised an international study to produce a standard test for Ebola virus infection. Dr Derek Gatherer from the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster was a member of the study along with Dr Bob Lauder, Dr Lisa Bishop, and former Lancaster researcher Katharina Hartman.

An expert in Ebola from Lancaster has hailed "a major step forward" in the diagnosis of the disease after working with the World Health Organisation. The WHO Expert Committee on Biological Standardisation organised an international study to produce a standard test for Ebola virus infection. Dr Derek Gatherer from the Faculty of Health and Medicine at Lancaster was a member of the study along with Dr Bob Lauder, Dr Lisa Bishop, and former Lancaster researcher Katharina Hartman.

Physical attacks on devices connected to the Internet can be detected by analysing WiFi signals, computer scientists have discovered. Wireless devices are increasingly used for critical roles, such as security systems or industrial plant automation. Although wireless transmissions can be encrypted to protect transmitted data, it is hard to determine if a device - such as a wirelessly connected security camera protecting critical buildings in airports or power stations - has been tampered with.

A well-known 'superbug' which was thought to have been a static or non-motile organism has been observed showing signs of active motility by scientists at the Universities of Sheffield and Nottingham. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), or MRSA, is the bug responsible for several infections in humans ranging from superficial to life-threatening which are difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance.

A well-known 'superbug' which was thought to have been a static or non-motile organism has been observed showing signs of active motility by scientists at The Universities of Nottingham and Sheffield. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus , or MRSA, is the bug responsible for several infections in humans ranging from superficial to life-threatening which are difficult to treat because of antibiotic resistance.

It took 100 million years for oxygen levels in the oceans and atmosphere to increase to the level that allowed the explosion of animal life on Earth about 600 million years ago, according to research carried out at the University of Bristol and funded by the Natural Environment Research Council. Before now it was not known how quickly Earth's oceans and atmosphere became oxygenated and if animal life expanded before or after oxygen levels rose.