news 2017

Squalamine, a natural product studied for its anticancer and anti-infective properties, could also lead to future treatments for Parkinson's Disease. To our surprise, we found evidence that squalamine not only slows down the formation of the toxins associated with Parkinson's Disease, but also makes them less toxic altogether.

Machine-learning has predicted death risk in people with serious heart disease faster and more accurately than current methods. New software, developed by scientists at Imperial College London, has created virtual 3D hearts of each patient that replicate the way the organ contracts with each beat. Artificial intelligence is able to rapidly learn which features of cardiac function best predict heart failure and death.

New guidelines have been developed that it is hoped will help to progress research into vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) following a study led by academics at the University of Bristol that brought together the views of over 150 researchers in 27 countries. VCI refers to a decline in mental abilities, such as memory, thinking and planning, caused by problems with the blood supply to the brain.

Left wingers are twice as likely to punish companies which aggressively avoid tax, according to a new study from Queen Mary University of London (QMUL). The study, published today in Journal of Business Research , examines how consumers react to media reports about company tax strategies and whether political ideology affects these reactions.

While a lot has been said by scientists and paediatricians about the possible dangers of teenagers spending time on digital devices or computers, a new paper argues there is little robust evidence to back up their claims. The co-authors from Oxford and Cardiff universities say they are the first to systematically test for links between well-being and screen time measured continuously, separately for different digital activities and days of the week.

While a lot has been said by scientists and paediatricians about the possible dangers of teenagers spending time on digital devices or computers, a new paper argues there is little robust evidence to back up their claims. The co-authors from Oxford and Cardiff universities say they are the first to systematically test for links between well-being and screen time measured continuously, separately for different digital activities and days of the week.

New research that suggests a pre-existing 4G network infrastructure could help drivers make safe decisions in or near accidents has won the 'Best Paper Award' at an international conference. The research carried out by the University of Bristol Communication Systems & Networks (CSN) Group , in collaboration with the Université Blaise Pascal in France, was presented at the international conference Signal Processing, Telecommunications & Computing (SigTelCom) 2017 , supported by IEEE, Newton Fund and British Council.

Researchers from Cardiff University and the University of California (UCLA) have made a breakthrough in the understanding of AIDS-related dementia, discovering the role of a neuron protein which was also found to affect learning abilities in healthy subjects. Professor Kevin Fox who led the work at Cardiff University's School of Biosciences said: "Our work represents a major change in the understanding of how AIDS-related dementia works.." The new research started out as a random behavioural screen of mice at UCLA, revealing some mutant mice had better memory than others.

A new study shows 'unacceptably high' rates of hospital-acquired infections among children in the UK and Europe. The report, published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases , found that one in six children in paediatric intensive care units, and one in ten babies in neonatal intensive care units had developed hospital infections while being treated.

A study published by Dr Setor Kunutsor of the Musculoskeletal Research Unit in the School of Clinical Sciences, with colleagues from the University of Leicester, has confirmed that statins could play an important role in reducing the risk of venous thromboembolism. Statins are groups of medications that reduce blood cholesterol levels and are commonly used to prevent heart disease.

Pregnant women over 35 years old are more likely to have complications at birth due to delayed and longer labour stages, according to new research from King's College London. It is well known that older mothers are more likely to experience complicated births. In a new study published today in The Journal of Physiology, researchers have identified physiological changes in the body that could explain this.

Scientists have developed a urine test that measures the health of a person's diet. The five-minute test measures biological markers in urine created by the breakdown of foods such as red meat, chicken, fish and fruit and vegetables. The analysis, developed by researchers from Imperial College London, Newcastle University and Aberystwyth University, also gives an indication of how much fat, sugar, fibre and protein a person has eaten.

The global map of alien bird species has been produced for the first time by a UCL-led team of researchers. It shows that human activities are the main determinants of how many alien bird species live in an area but that alien species are most successful in areas already rich with native bird species.

Fishing is fundamentally altering the food chain in coral reefs and putting extra pressure on top-level predator fish, according to new research. Fish such as Snapper and Grouper sit at the top of the food chain and are highly sought-after in restaurants the world over, commanding a high price in fish markets and supporting the livelihoods of many fishing communities across the Tropics - but the coral reefs they inhabit are under threat.

For the first time, researchers have shown that the number of parasites each mosquito carries influences the chance of successful malaria infection. The finding has implications for vaccine development and studies into how the disease spreads in the field. The findings, from scientists at Imperial College London, may also explain why the only registered malaria vaccine, RTS,S , has had only partial efficacy in recent trials.

England has one of the lowest levels of post-16 mathematics engagement among developed countries, according to international comparisons. This is despite the fact that mathematics qualifications such as A-level maths are linked to higher salaries, as reported in new research. In 2011 the Secretary of State for Education called for the 'vast majority' of young people to be studying mathematics up to 18 by the end of the decade.

The main changes in our brains as we get older are in the brain cells with a supporting role, called glial cells, British scientists have found. The surprising finding in a study by researchers at UCL and the Francis Crick Institute is published in the journal Cell Reports. The researchers also found that the greatest changes in glial cells as we age are in the brain regions most often damaged by neurodegenerative disease, like Alzheimer's and Parkinson's.

A review of studies examining perceived life expectancy among people with long term health conditions has found patients may overestimate their life expectancy. A review of studies examining perceived life expectancy among people with long term health conditions has found patients may overestimate their life expectancy.

What could be learnt about the world if you could read the news from over 100 local newspapers for a period of 150 years? This is what a team of researchers from Cardiff University and the University of Bristol have done using of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to analyse 150 years of British regional newspapers.

Research shows budget reduction targets and public sector caps, insisted on by the IMF as loan conditions, result in reduced health spending and medical 'brain drain' in developing West African nations.