news 2016

University scientists have made an important breakthrough in understanding how different individuals respond to aspirin. This is significant because aspirin is a widely used cardiovascular preventive drug and also has an emerging role in cancer treatment and prevention. Understanding how people respond to aspirin is key in terms of knowing who will benefit from it.

Patterns of brain activity thought to show pain responses have been called into question after researchers from UCL and the University of Reading saw such patterns in rare patients born without a sense of pain. The study, published in JAMA Neurology and funded by the Medical Research Council and European Commission, was designed to test the 'pain matrix'.

The country's first national research centre dedicated to early miscarriage has opened at Imperial College London. The centre, funded by Tommy's - the UK baby charity, will seek to understand why miscarriage happens, if it is likely to happen again and how to prevent it. Miscarriage is by far the biggest cause of pregnancy loss in the UK - yet it's also the least understood by medical science.

Scientists have discovered that the presence of large fish predators can reduce stress on baby fish. Research carried out by the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (JCU) and the University of Glasgow have found that physiological stress on baby fish can be reduced by more than a third if large predatory fish are around to scare off smaller, medium-sized predators, known as mesopredators.

Europe saw an exodus of dinosaurs from the continent in the Early Cretaceous period, scientists using 'network theory' to track their movements around the world have shown. Surprisingly all dinosaur connections found between Europe and other continents during the Early Cretaceous period (125-100 million years ago) were out-going.

People with more friends have higher pain tolerance, Oxford University researchers have found. Katerina Johnson, a doctoral student in the University's Departments of Psychiatry and Experimental Psychology, was studying whether differences in our neurobiology may help explain why some of us have larger social networks than others.

Combining marine fish oil, cocoa extract and phytosterols into a dietary supplement could offer new hope in the fight against heart disease, a new University study suggests. A collaborative study between scientists from the School of Biosciences and South Wales-based nutritional supplement manufacturer, Cultech Ltd, examined the potential of combining the three ingredients as a means of preventing atherosclerosis or 'furring' of the arteries.

The loss of plant and animal species around the world due to human activities could have been significantly underestimated due to a commonly used scientific method, according to a new study. Lancaster University researchers and Brazilian colleagues went to the Amazon forest to measure dung beetle species diversity before and after logging exploration to contrast two different experimental methods.

University scientists have made a discovery that could lead to improved treatment for asthma sufferers. They have found that blocking a certain signalling molecule can alleviate symptoms such as mucus production, swelling (edema), and constriction of the airways in the lungs. The international study led by Dr Stephan Caucheteux, School of Medicine, believes their work could ultimately help asthma sufferers around the world.

The flexible physiology of Barbary macaques in responding to extreme environmental conditions of their natural habitat may help shed light on the mechanisms that allowed our ancestors to thrive outside Africa, say researchers. New study also presents the first evidence for male primates boosting their metabolic physiology for mating.

The southeastern US, including much of Texas through to Florida, has ideal conditions for the spread of Zika virus, according to a new study involving Oxford scientists. A large portion of global tropical and subtropical regions have highly suitable environmental conditions and are at the greatest risk.

Latest analysis shows that human limbs share a genetic programme with the gills of cartilaginous fishes such as sharks and skates, providing evidence to support a century-old theory on the origin of limbs that had been widely discounted. The branchial rays extend like a series of fingers down the side of a shark gill arch Andrew Gillis An idea first proposed 138 years ago that limbs evolved from gills, which has been widely discredited due to lack of supporting fossil evidence, may prove correct after all - and the clue is in a gene named for everyone's favourite blue hedgehog.

Scientists from Imperial have created a new test that could instantly detect the presence of the parasite schistosoma in a water supply. The test uses a similar technology to a pregnancy test, and changes colour when the parasite is detected. Details of the technology, which uses genetically modified versions of bacterial cells to detect the parasite, have just been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool working with colleagues from around the globe have found an explanation for how pancreatic cancer spreads to the liver. These findings potentially hold the key to stopping this disease from spreading. Metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a very aggressive type of pancreatic cancer that kills around 8000 people every year in the UK and 330,000 worldwide.

Memories formed in one part of the brain are replayed and transferred to a different area of the brain during rest, according to a new UCL study in rats. The finding suggests that replay of previous experiences during rest is important for memory consolidation, a process whereby the brain stabilises and preserves memories for quick recall in the future.

Dinosaurs were already in an evolutionary decline tens of millions of years before the meteorite impact that finally finished them off, new research has found. The findings provide a revolution in the understanding of dinosaur evolution. Palaeontologists previously thought that dinosaurs were flourishing right up until they were wiped out by a massive meteorite impact 66 million years ago.

A study of over 380,000 people, published today , has identified gene differences that influence the age of puberty, sexual intercourse and first birth. While social and cultural factors are clearly relevant, we show that age at first sexual intercourse is also influenced by genes John Perry Age at first sexual intercourse is known to be influenced by social and family factors, such as peer pressure, but this study shows that genetic factors also have an influence on the timing of this sexual behaviour.

Researchers from the University of Liverpool have conducted a study examining the effect ecstasy has on different parts of the brain. Dr Carl Roberts and Dr Andrew Jones , from the University's Institute of Psychology, Health and Society, and Dr Cathy Montgomery from Liverpool John Moores University conducted an analysis of seven independent studies that used molecular imaging to examine the neuropsychological effect of ecstasy on people that use the drug regularly.

Scientists at the UCL Institute of Ophthalmology have identified the mechanism behind a common inherited cause of severe sight loss in young children. The results also point to a potential new treatment that may be possible to deliver by simple injection to the eye. Leber congenital amaurosis (LCA) is the name for a group of disorders that make up 5% of all inherited retinal dystrophies.

John Perry and Ken Ong (MRC Epidemiology Unit) discuss how sexual milestones are influenced by our genes and how this can impact on broader health risks. As far as big life decisions go, choosing when to lose your virginity or the best time start a family are probably right up there for most people. It may seem that such decisions are mostly driven by social factors, such as whether you've met the right partner, social pressure or even your financial situation.