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Researchers from Scotland the US are taking a step towards reversing the effects of a debilitating genetic disease and bring hope to tens of thousands of sufferers worldwide. Scientists from the University of Glasgow have been awarded $1.6 million to work together with three American research institutes to develop treatments for Rett Syndrome, a profoundly disabling condition that has commonalities with the autism spectrum disorders.

Infection specialists have uncovered new evidence about how the human body's immune system responds to invading germs - a finding which could help combat hospital-acquired infections in future. The University of Glasgow team has been focusing on a particular pathogen - called Pseudomonas aeruginosa - which is the main cause of hospital-acquired pneumonia and has become increasingly resistant to antibiotics.

Human beings are emotional creatures whose state of mind can usually be observed through their facial expressions. A commonly-held belief, first proposed by Dr Paul Ekman, posits there are six basic emotions which are universally recognised and easily interpreted through specific facial expressions, regardless of language or culture.

Researchers are investigating whether low-calorie diets should be offered as a treatment option to put Type 2 diabetes into remission. A £2.4 million research project funded by Diabetes UK will be carried out by researchers at Newcastle University and the University of Glasgow. It aims to answer the question of whether losing weight on a low calorie liquid diet and keeping it off using a structured, personalised support programme is a viable treatment for putting Type 2 diabetes into remission in the long-term.

The full paper can be found here: http://eurheartj.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2013/12/15/eurheartj.eht539.full (external site, html) Doctors are encouraging people to take advantage of Christmas gatherings with relatives to discuss family medical histories to help tackle ill-health.

New research has suggested men of South Asian origin may need to exercise for approximately 20 minutes a day longer than their Europeans counterparts. Current physical activity guidelines recommend that all adults take at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity (equivalent to walking briskly for 30 minutes on 5 days of the week) per week.

For a copy of the paper, go to http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/apl/103/20/10. Nano Electronic Diamond Devices and Systems group Researchers at the University of Glasgow have found an improved method to introduce mobile electronic charge into synthetic diamond. The improved method will increase the stability and performance of electronic components such as transistors made from diamond and lead to a new generation of tough and durable electronic systems that could be used in space.

Scientists have discovered how drugs that have been used for 60 years to kill the parasite that causes sleeping sickness actually work. Research has revealed that the drugs used to attack Trypanosoma brucei enter through pores in the parasite's cells known as aquaporins which function as water channels.

Institute of Health and Wellbeing Prof Andrew Gumley Dr Peter Uhlhaas A collaborative research network being launched today (20 November) is aiming to establish the city of Glasgow as a leading centre for research into the causes and treatment of psychotic disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

Researchers from the University of Glasgow have published findings demonstrating a link between neighbourhood deprivation and brain structure. The tests demonstrated that the cortical morphology (thickness and surface area) of the regions of the brain responsible for controlling a range of core functions such as language and problem solving were significantly smaller in people living in the most socio-economically deprived populations.

A new study will examine the best methods for cleaning surgical instruments to reduce the risk of variant CJD infection. The £90,000 study, funded by the Scottish Infection Research Network, will focus on instruments used in neurosurgery and test different methods for cleansing surgical instruments.

New research suggests that companies are leaving themselves open to potentially serious security and legal risks by employees' improper use of corporate mobile devices. Experts from the University of Glasgow looked at a sample of mobile phones returned by the employees from one Fortune 500 company and found that they were able to retrieve large amounts of sensitive corporate and personal information.

New research from a team of psychologists supports the popular perception that women are better at multitasking than men. Although many people believe that women are better than men at carrying out multiple tasks at the same time, the amount of research carried out to test the hypothesis is extremely limited.

Scientists at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, the University of Glasgow and the Natural History Museum in London may have discovered how Mars lost its early carbon dioxide-rich atmosphere to become the cold and arid planet we know today. This research provides the first direct evidence from Mars of a process, called 'carbonation' which currently removes carbon dioxide from our own atmosphere, potentially combating climate change on Earth.

One in five rodents in a Kenyan slum carries a disease that causes fever and illness in humans, a study has found. Scientists discovered a significant percentage of the rats and mice in Nairobi's Kibera slum - one the largest in the world - were carrying Leptospira bacteria in their kidneys. The bacteria can be passed to humans through with urine causing the disease leptospirosis which in mild forms results in fever, headache and nausea, or in serious cases can cause organ damage - when it is more commonly known as Weil's disease.

Scientists have discovered how a tick which transmits devastating diseases to cattle has developed resistance to one of the main pesticides used to kill it. Approximately 80% of cattle around the world, mostly in the tropics and sub-tropics, are exposed to the cattle tick - Rhipicephalis microplus - which can cause anaemia, reduced rate of growth and death, resulting in a major economic impact on farmers.

Targeting screening at deprived areas is a more cost effective way of identifying people in ethnic minority groups at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) than mass screening and may help to reduce health inequalities. Despite recent improvements, CVD remains the leading cause of early death in the UK and many ethnic minority groups are at increased risk of the condition.

Honey has long been known for its anti-bacterial properties: it was prized by the ancient Egyptians and is widely used today in veterinary medicine as a wound dressing. The most famous honey used for medical purposes is Manuka honey from New Zealand, but a new study has revealed a particular type that is even more effective - Scottish heather honey.

Bigger may not always be better, but when it comes to brain processing speed, it appears that size does matter. A new study has revealed that words which refer to big things are processed more quickly by the brain than words for small things. Researchers at the University of Glasgow had previously found that big concrete words - 'ocean', 'dinosaur', 'cathedral' - were read more quickly than small ones such as 'apple', 'parasite' and 'cigarette'.

New research into smouldering wildfires in the UK has found that they could be a contributor to climate change. A team from the University of Glasgow's School of Interdisciplinary Studies, studied an area in the Scottish Highlands that had a peat fire which lasted for longer than a month. The wildfires kill all vegetation and effectively sterilise the area.