news 2016

Researchers have discovered a new approach to preventing or treating a stomach bacterium associated with an increased risk of stomach cancer as well as gastritis and duodenal ulcers. Writing in the journal 'Nature Microbiology', a team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM), the University of Duisburg-Essen at Essen University Medical Centre and the University of Bristol, detail how they discovered a completely new approach to infections related to the Helicobacter pylori bacterium.

Walking briskly or cycling for the recommended 150 minutes a week can reduce a person's risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 26%, according to new research by UCL. People who carry out an hour of moderate to vigorous exercise every day can reduce their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by 40%. The study also revealed that any amount of physical activity can reduce the risk of developing the disease.

Understanding of the physical root of depression has been advanced, thanks to research by the University of Warwick, UK, and Fudan University, China. The study shows that depression affects the part of the brain which is implicated in non-reward - the lateral orbitofrontal cortex - so that sufferers of the disease feel a sense of loss and disappointment associated with not receiving rewards.

Levels of a hormone when measured in hair can significantly predict the likelihood of pregnancy in women undergoing in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment, scientists at The University of Nottingham have revealed. The new study, funded by Nurture Fertility (Nottingham) and published today in Psychoneuroendocrinology, found that elevated levels of the so-called 'stress hormone' cortisol measured in hair were associated with almost a third less chance of conceiving.

Anti-inflammatory drugs similar to those used to treat conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis could in future be used to treat some cases of depression, concludes a review led by the University of Cambridge, which further implicates our immune system in mental health disorders.

Researchers at the University of Liverpool have developed a new international guideline to help standardise how results from clinical trial studies are reported. Use of the COS-STAR guideline, which is published in PLOS Medicine , could increase the efficiency and value of clinical research across the globe.

Experts in diet and metabolism have found that replacing low calorie 'diet' drinks with water can help increase the rate of weight loss in obese women with type 2 diabetes and improve insulin sensitivity. The scientists at The University of Nottingham and Tehran University of Medical Sciences set out to test the effect of replacing diet drinks with water by comparing weight loss in two randomly selected groups of type 2 diabetic women during a 24 week diet programme.

New research is shedding light on how leukaemia cells can survive cancer treatment, suggesting new possibilities for stopping them in their tracks. Leukaemia is cancer of the blood and it has one of the highest cancer mortality rates. This is partly because there is a high relapse rate, as some cancer cells can survive the initial treatment.

In a new study, researchers measure the spin properties of electronic states produced in singlet fission - a process which could have a central role in the future development of solar cells. Future research will focus on making devices and examining how these states can be harnessed for use in solar cells Leah Weiss Physicists have successfully employed a powerful technique for studying electrons generated through singlet fission, a process which it is believed will be key to more efficient solar energy production in years to come.

Medicine, mobile phones, computers and clothes could all be enhanced using the process for making paint, according to research by the University of Warwick. A breakthrough in the understanding of polymers - the molecules from which almost everything we use is made - is set to make commercial products, from water bottles to electrical goods, stronger and more effective for their uses.

A mild sedative could greatly reduce the risk of people experiencing delirium after an operation, according to new research. The study, by scientists at Imperial College London and Peking University First Hospital , suggests sedating patients after they undergo an operation may reduce the risk of post-operative delirium by up to 65 per cent.

Although doctors and nurses are becoming more aware of patients experiencing domestic violence, the needs of children are often ignored, according to new research published today that reveals a lack of training about how to identify and support children exposed to domestic violence. Experts from the universities of Bristol and Central Lancashire say better training, coupled with improved information-sharing between agencies, could greatly improve outcomes for these children.

Toddlers' fussy eating habits are mainly the result of genetic influences rather than the result of poor parenting, according to new research led by scientists at UCL. The research, published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry , investigated to what extent genes and environmental factors can explain why some children tend to refuse to try new foods or are very selective about what foods they eat.

Brain receptor identified as key link between obese mothers and high blood pressure in children Exposure of babies to high levels of the 'fullness' hormone, leptin, in the womb irreversibly activates receptors in the brain that regulate blood pressure, according to a new study by researchers from King's College London, part-funded by the British Heart Foundation.

Every day, people use their hands effortlessly to assess an object's stiffness, like the ripeness of a piece of fruit. For the first time an international team of scientists led by UCL, have discovered the area in the brain where stiffness perception is formed. The findings, published in the Journal of Neuroscience , could aid rehabilitation in patients with sensory impairments.

Researchers have developed a new method for making effective calculations in 'high-dimensional space' - and proved its worth by using it to solve a 93-dimensional problem. In most cases you are like a blindfolded person, walking around drunk in the energy landscape. Stefano Martiniani Researchers have developed a new technique for making calculations in 'high-dimensional space' - mathematical problems so wide-ranging in their scope, that they seem at first to be beyond the limits of human calculation.

Astronomers have cast light on how young galaxies ionise oxygen in the early Universe and its effects on the evolution of galaxies through time. Galaxies produce stars from cold gas, but some galaxies are more productive than others and their productivity changes across cosmic time. Overall, galaxies seem to have been the most productive 2-3 billion years after the Big Bang, with a consistent decline ever since.

Researchers have analysed data that reveals which plane crashes the public is interested in and why. They show the biases in the coverage of such events, even in open systems like Wikipedia.  The team from the Oxford Internet Institute (OII) counted the number of page views and edits of Wikipedia articles about 1,500 plane crashes around the world to discover that a death toll of around 50 is the minimum threshold for predicting significant levels of public interest.

Rock, Paper, Scissors: Why your own brain might be your worst enemy A new study into brain activity during strategy based games such as Rock, Paper, Scissors has found that tactics go out of the window as soon as you lose or win big, making it harder for you to win next time around. Research by psychologists at the University of Sussex measured competitors' brain activity and discovered that following a big win or any kind of loss, the human brain acts more predictably.

A study in which free-foraging bee colonies were placed in the field has shown that pesticide exposure can affect colony development. A class of pesticides called neonicotinoids have faced scrutiny in recent years for potentially contributing to bee declines. If bees decline then many plants will go un-pollinated, including important crops we rely on for food.