news 2016

Golnar Kolahgar (Gurdon Institute) discusses the suggestion that the stem cells which allow our organs to grow "know" their own sexual identity. A new study published in Nature suggests that the stem cells that allow our organs to grow "know" their own sexual identity, and this influences how they function.

Birds that migrate the greatest distances have more new neurons in the regions of the brain responsible for navigation and spatial orientation, suggests a new paper published in Scientific Reports . For some time scholars have widely accepted the view that neurons, the cells that specialise in processing and transmitting information and contribute to brain plasticity, continue to be generated in the brains of animals even when they are adults.

Detailed images of bumblebee brains reveal an accurate picture of brain structures associated with learning and memory. Bumblebee brains have been visualised in unprecedented detail using new techniques in micro-CT imaging, allowing researchers to accurately measure tiny brain structures linked to surprisingly complex memory and learning abilities.

Self-organizing social behaviour in the so-called plant-animal, a 'solar-powered' species of marine flat worm that gains all its energy from the algae within its own body, has been demonstrated by researchers from the University of Bristol. Professor Nigel Franks in the School of Biological Sciences and colleagues, especially Dr Alan Worley, formerly of the School of Physics , made direct comparisons between videos of the real worms and computer simulations of virtual worms with different patterns of behaviour.

Monitoring levels of a specific protein in the blood could help doctors predict whether intensive care patients are at risk of life-threatening bleeding, according to new research from the University of Liverpool. Platelets are cells that circulate in the blood and clot to prevent bleeding. An abnormally low platelet count, a condition known as thrombocytopaenia, is observed in approximately 30 to 40% of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients and is associated with an increased risk of death, but the cause is not known in most cases.

Long before the dinosaurs, hefty herbivores called pareiasaurs ruled the Earth. Now, for the first time, a detailed investigation of all Chinese specimens of these creatures - often described as the 'ugliest fossil reptiles' - has been published by a University of Bristol palaeontologist. Pareiasaurs have been reported from South Africa, Europe (Russia, Scotland, Germany), Asia (China), and South America, but it is not known whether there were distinct groups on each of these continents.

A new genetic test to improve diagnosis in people with inherited heart conditions has been developed by researchers. The researchers showed that by looking at a particular group of genes they were able to reliably test for all known inherited heart condition genes with one simple test. Previous genetic tests for inherited heart conditions looked at a smaller number of genes and were only able to identify specific conditions, leading to greater costs, more work, and ultimately longer before a diagnosis could be made.

Why does sleeping on it help? This is the question tackled by new research at the University of Bristol, which reveals how brain activity during sleep sorts through the huge number of experiences we encounter every day, filing only the important information in memory. The new discoveries, made by researchers from Bristol's Centre for Synaptic Plasticity , provide further evidence for the benefits of a good night's sleep.

Brain study sheds light on relationship between childhood IQ, low birthweight and psychosis Researchers have found that microscopic alterations in brain wiring - within regions of the brain which underlie reasoning and awareness - could be responsible for the association between childhood IQ, low birthweight and later psychotic experiences.

Researchers from the University of Oxford, the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the University of Bergen have published a new study taking the first step towards addressing why some regions are more sensitive than others to the impact of changes in climate. The report identifies vital ecologically sensitive areas for ecosystem provision and poverty alleviation.

A study into how animals secretly communicate has led to the discovery of a new way to create a polarizer - an optical device widely used in cameras, DVD players and sunglasses. Mantis shrimp like to keep their conversations private, which is why they communicate using the polarization of light. These animals have evolved bright reflectors that control the polarization of their visual signals, a property of light not commonly used for animal communication.

The evolution of the menopause was 'kick-started' by a fluke of nature, but then boosted by the tendency for sons and grandsons to remain living close to home, a new study by Liverpool scientists suggests. Menopause is an evolutionary puzzle, as an early end to reproduction seems contrary to the laws of natural selection, where passing on genes to the next generation is the main purpose of life.

Eric Levy (Cambridge Judge Business School) discusses how thinking about meeting a new partner can impact our shopping decisions. Money might not buy you love, but according to some studies in psychology and consumer behaviour, how you spend it could reveal a thing or two about your romantic intentions.

Fish are commonly used in experiments to identify environmental hazards and pollutants in water. As gills are in constant with the water, they are often the focal point for studies seeking to understand the effects of exposure to toxicants. In a new study led by King's College London, researchers have validated a pioneering technique to recreate a freshwater gill system in the lab.

An approved anti-cancer drug successfully targets the first step in the toxic chain reaction that leads to Alzheimer's disease, suggesting that treatments may be found to lower the risk of developing the neurodegenerative condition. The body has a variety of natural defences to protect itself against neurodegeneration, but as we age, these defences become progressively impaired and can get overwhelmed.

A type of study commonly used to pinpoint genetic variants associated with diseases can also be used to identify the lifestyle predictors that increase the risk of a disease - something that is often overlooked in genetic studies Genome wide association studies (GWAS) scan the entire genome in order to pinpoint genetic variants associated with a particular disease.

Concentrations of iron similar to those delivered in standard treatments can trigger DNA damage within 10 minutes, when given to cells in the lab. This is the finding of scientists from Imperial College London , who suggest that researchers need to look carefully at the amount of iron given in standard treatments, such as tablets and infusions, and the effects this could be having on the body.

Research into disease prevention on British dairy farms has revealed a variation in how vaccination strategies are implemented by farmers and vets. The study on the perceptions and challenges of vaccination among farmers and vets was carried out by researchers at The University of Nottingham's Vet School on behalf of ADHB Dairy , a not-for-profit organisation working on behalf of Britain's dairy farmers.

A group of drugs being developed to treat mood disorders could also relieve chronic pain, finds new UCL research funded by the Medical Research Council. The study reveals how a protein that shapes the body's response to stress also drives chronic pain and so offers new targets for future pain treatments.

Researchers from the University of Warwick have discovered how cells in the human body build their own 'railway networks', throwing light on how diseases such as bowel cancer work. The results have just been published in Nature Scientific Reports . Professor Rob Cross, Professor of Mechanochemical Cell Biology at Warwick Medical School, said: "Every cell in our bodies contains a railway network, a system of tiny tracks called microtubules that run between important destinations inside the cell and allow cargo to be carried from one place to another.