A commercial brand of mouthwash that is readily available from supermarkets and pharmacies can help curb the growth of the bacteria responsible for gonorrhoea, reveals preliminary research published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

This data suggest Listerine, significantly reduces the amount of N. gonorrhoeae on the pharyngeal surface.


Even small increases in consumption could bring substantial health benefits

This meta-analysis provides further evidence that whole grain intake is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, cardiovascular disease, and total cancer, and mortality from all causes, respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, diabetes, and all non-cardiovascular, non-cancer causes.


An experiment by researchers at the University of Warwick has found the first real evidence that men tend to make black-or-white judgements when women are more prone to see shades of grey in choices and decisions.

Men and women appear to categorize the same common objects in systematically different ways.


Regular chocolate consumption may be linked to lower risk of heart flutter

Accumulating evidence indicates that moderate chocolate intake may be inversely associated with AF risk, although residual confounding cannot be ruled out.


However there was a concerning lack of understanding of the need for an ambulance for two scenarios; an older person slurring but not having drunk alcohol (stroke); and a four year-old with a high temperature and a stiff neck (meningitis).

The majority would call for an ambulance appropriately when a real emergency occurred, and most inappropriate classification occurs when an ambulance is not required.


Unconscious learning could be the secret to speeding up learning a second language.

It is concluded that grammatical form-meaning connections may be learned implicitly, but learning is constrained by the nature of the meaning involved.


Higher BMI in mothers before pregnancy is associated with shorter telomere length - a biomarker for biological age - in newborns, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine that involved 743 mothers and their babies. The study by researchers at Hasselt University, Belgium is the first to report a strong association between mothers' BMI and telomere length in newborns.

Maternal pre-pregnancy BMI is associated with shorter newborn telomere lengths as reflected by cord blood and placental telomeres.


International team led by University of Leicester designed a new method to find RNA structures linked to cancer

We developed a new strategy, footprinting of long 7-deazaguanine-substituted RNAs (FOLDeR), that allows the formation of G4s to be confirmed in long RNAs and under functional conditions.


Women who drink 14 or more servings of alcohol a week are slightly more likely to have reduced fertility, suggests a study published by The BMJ today.

Consumption of less than 14 servings of alcohol per week seemed to have no discernible effect on fertility.


Current use of knee replacement surgery for patients with osteoarthritis may have minimal effects on quality of life and is economically unattractive, concludes a study from the United States in The BMJ today.

Current practice of total knee replacement as performed in a recent US cohort of patients with knee osteoarthritis had minimal effects on quality of life and QALYs at the group level.


A new malaria vaccine has been created to target different forms of the disease and help those most at risk.

MSP-1 hybrid is immunogenic in experimental animals using adjuvants suitable for human use, eliciting antibodies against epitopes from all three Block 2 serotypes.


Obesity is an important contributor to premature death in women who have never smoked, especially among women in low income groups, according to research published on BMJ.com.

Women who had never smoked and were not obese had the lowest mortality rates, regardless of their social position.


A structural variation in a part of the brain may explain why some people are better than others at distinguishing real events from those they might have imagined or been told about, researchers have found.

The findings provide evidence that individual differences in introspective abilities like reality monitoring may be associated with specific structural variability in the PFC.


Major trial suggests common treatments for treating children with HIV equally effective

Good long-term outcomes were achieved with all treatments strategies.


A Cardiff University study has found that children using screen-based media devices at bedtime have over double the risk of inadequate sleep duration compared to children without access to such a device.

Bedtime access to and use of a media device were significantly associated with the following: inadequate sleep quantity, poor sleep quality, and excessive daytime sleepiness.


University of Manchester researchers, working with colleagues in Canada, have discovered how the antiviral drug lopinavir attacks HPV by switching on a natural viral defence system in infected cells.

These data are consistent with the toxicity of lopinavir against HPV-positive cervical carcinoma cells being related to its ability to block viral proteasome activation and induce an up-regulation of the antiviral protein RNASEL.


University scientists have shown that ‘particle traps’ dramatically reduce the negative effects of diesel fumes on the heart and circulation and might reduce heart attack risk.

With a range of surrogate measures, the use of a particle trap prevents several adverse cardiovascular effects of exhaust inhalation in men.


People who suffer long-term stress may also be more prone to obesity, according to research by scientists at UCL which involved examining hair samples for levels of cortisol, a hormone which regulates the body’s response to stress.

Chronic exposure to elevated cortisol concentrations, assessed in hair, is associated with markers of adiposity and with the persistence of obesity over time.


Low birthweight linked to higher death rates from infancy through adolescence

LBW is associated with infant and later child and adolescent mortality, with perinatal factors and congenital malformations explaining many of the deaths.


Fertility treatment boosts twin births and thought to be linked to higher abnormality rate

Birth defect risk in twins may be differential by use of fertility treatment.


The abnormalities underlying type 2 diabetes are reversible by reducing dietary energy intake.


Players of the game rock paper scissors subconsciously copy each other’s hand shapes, significantly increasing the chance of the game ending in a draw, according to new research.

Specifically, the execution of either a rock or scissors gesture by the blind player was predictive of an imitative response by the sighted player.


New gene linked to familial motor neuron disease and common form of dementia

This repeat expansion segregates perfectly with disease in the Finnish population, underlying 46.0% of familial ALS and 21.1% of sporadic ALS in that population.


Exposure to various common childhood adversities - such as parental psychiatric disorder, parental substance abuse or a death in the family - is associated with a substantially increased risk of suicide in adolescence and young adulthood, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Childhood adversity is a risk factor for suicide in adolescence and young adulthood, particularly accumulated adversity.


An immersive virtual reality therapy could help people with depression to be less critical and more compassionate towards themselves, reducing depressive symptoms, finds a new study from UCL and ICREA-University of Barcelona.

The results indicate that interventions using immersive virtual reality may have considerable clinical potential and that further development of these methods preparatory to a controlled trial is now warranted.


New research, led by psychologists at the University of Bristol, has found that children who are familiar with a snack food will expect it to be more filling.

Our findings highlight the role of learning in shaping children’s beliefs about the postingestive effects of the consumption of foods; children who ate the foods more often expected them to deliver greater satiation.


What our eyes can’t see, the brain fills in

We show further that the activity patterns in these regions are significantly related to those observed with feed-forward stimulation and that these effects are driven primarily by V1.


Lowering cholesterol could help the body’s immune system fight viral infections, researchers have found.

These findings bring a new link between sterol metabolism and interferon antiviral response and support the idea of using host metabolic modifiers of innate immunity as a potential antiviral strategy.


Mobile phone use not related to increased brain cancer risk

The increased use of mobile phones between 1985 and 2003 has not led to a noticeable change in the incidence of brain cancer in England between 1998 and 2007.


During pregnancy, a mother’s diet can alter the function of her child’s DNA

Higher methylation of RXRA chr9:136355885+, but not of eNOS chr7:150315553+, was associated with lower maternal carbohydrate intake in early pregnancy, previously linked with higher neonatal adiposity in this population.


Large areas of medically important genes fall within troublesome regions of the human genome, where it is currently difficult to obtain accurate sequence information, according to research published in the open access journal Genome Medicine. On average, one fifth of each of these medically important genes is challenging for today’s gene sequencing methods to decipher, and the information in these gene regions may be key to a patient’s diagnosis or treatment plan.

We observe that the accuracy of a variant call depends on the genomic region, variant type, and read depth, and varies by analytical pipeline.


Patients with cancer have heightened risks of unintentional and intentional injuries during the diagnostic process, reveal findings from a large study published by The BMJ today.

Patients with cancer have highly increased risks of both iatrogenic and non-iatrogenic injuries requiring inpatient care shortly before and after their diagnosis.


An Oxford University study suggests that people living in countries with ‘free market’ regimes are more likely to become obese due to the stress of being exposed to economic insecurity. The researchers believe that the stress of living in a competitive social system without a strong welfare state could be causing people to overeat. According to the study published in the latest issue of the journal Economics and Human Biology, Americans and Britons are much more likely to be obese than Norwegians and Swedes.

Economic insecurity, measured in several different ways, was almost twice as powerful, while the impact of inequality was weak, and went in the opposite direction.


University researchers have found that our brain can use other senses - such as touch - to help us understand spatial awareness.

Taken together, these findings establish the PPA/RSC network as critical in modality-independent spatial computations and provide important evidence for a theory of high-level abstract spatial information processing in the human brain.


The urine of pregnant women could be used to help identify lifestyle interventions that help maintain a healthy birth weight for their baby, according to new research published in BMC Medicine. Abnormal fetal growth and birth weight are well-established risk factors for chronic diseases later in life, including the development of type-2 diabetes and obesity.

Significant reproducible maternal urinary metabolic signatures of fetal growth and birth weight are identified for the first time and linked to modifiable lifestyle factors.


Genetically modified enzymes used to create flavourings / aromas and boost the power of cleaning products and medicines, are “potent allergens” that immediately sensitise those occupationally exposed to them, concludes research published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Our data confirm the previous findings showing that genetically engineered enzymes are potent allergens eliciting immediate-type sensitisation.


The safety of a controversial clot-busting drug has been investigated by researchers, who have shown a modified dosage could improve survival rates.

There were significantly fewer symptomatic intracerebral hemorrhages with low-dose alteplase.


A new technique which lets scientists ‘see’ our brain waves at work could revolutionise our understanding of the human body’s most complex organ and help transform the lives of people suffering from schizophrenia and ADHD.

This method results in RSNs with significant similarity in their spatial structure compared with RSNs derived independently using fMRI.


Dietary magnesium found to be associated with reduced risk of heart disease, stroke and type-2 diabetes

Increasing dietary magnesium intake is associated with a reduced risk of stroke, heart failure, diabetes, and all-cause mortality, but not CHD or total CVD.


Telling small lies desensitises our brains to the associated negative emotions and may encourage us to tell bigger lies in future, reveals new UCL research funded by Wellcome and the Center for Advanced Hindsight.

The findings uncover a biological mechanism that supports a 'slippery slope': what begins as small acts of dishonesty can escalate into larger transgressions.


The introduction of a more stringent test to assess eligibility for disability benefit in England may have taken a "serious" toll on the nation's mental health, concludes research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

This policy may have had serious adverse consequences for mental health in England, which could outweigh any benefits that arise from moving people off disability benefits.


Publishing the patient death rates of individual surgeons in England is unlikely to pick up those whose mortality rates are above average, because the caseload varies so much, concludes the first analysis of its kind published in the online journal BMJ Open.

At present, surgeons with increased mortality rates are unlikely to be detected.


Vitamin D levels do not affect men’s chances of developing prostate cancer, according to new research from the University of Bristol published in the Journal of Cancer Causes and Control.

Published literature provides little evidence to support a major role of vitamin D in preventing prostate cancer or its progression.


Selective schools closures has been considered as a means of reducing transmission between children and hence reducing the number of cases at the peak of an epidemic but new research led by researchers at the University of Warwick shows that limited school closures are ineffective and that only significant widespread school closures would have real effect on the spread of a epidemic and the strain placed on hospital intensive care units.

This leads us to believe that when a pandemic has severe implications for ICU capacity, only widespread school closures (with their associated costs and organizational challenges) are sufficient to mitigate the burden on the worst-affected hospitals.


Researchers have identified a large number of areas in the human genetic code that are involved in regulating the way in which the liver functions, in a new study of over 61,000 people, published today in the journal Nature Genetics.

We carried out a genome-wide association study in 61,089 individuals, identifying 42 loci associated with concentrations of liver enzymes in plasma, of which 32 are new associations (P = 10(-8) to P = 10(-190)).


Scientists at the University have discovered how a protein present in prostate cancer cells drives growth of the disease.

Our in vitro, in vivo and clinical data support an important role for the MEK5 -ERK5 signalling pathway in invasive PCa, which represents a potential target for therapy in primary and metastatic PCa.


Children and young people admitted to hospital with injuries related to self-harming, drugs or alcohol face an increased risk of premature death, according to new research.

Risks of suicide were significantly increased after all types of adversity-related injury except for girls who had violent injury.


Near-death experiences are not paranormal but triggered by a change in normal brain function, according to researchers.

Instead, near-death experiences are the manifestation of normal brain function gone awry, during a traumatic, and sometimes harmless, event.


A protein molecule that ‘glues’ cells together and so has a key role in cancer is also responsible for many other important functions of cells, a new study has found.

We conclude that loss of E-cadherin in mouse ES cells leads to significant transcript alterations independently of ?-catenin/TCF transactivation.


School shootings less likely in states with background checks on gun purchases

School shootings are less likely in states with BC laws, higher MHE and KEE, and with greater per cent urban population.


'Worried well' may be boosting their risk of heart disease

This finding corroborates and extends the understanding of anxiety in various forms as a risk factor for IHD.


Antiviral drugs used to target the herpes virus could be effective at slowing the progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a new study shows.

Since antiviral agents reduce greatly Aβ and P-tau accumulation in HSV1-infected cells, they would be suitable for treating AD with great advantage unlike current AD therapies, only the virus, not the host cell, would be targeted.


Teenage pregnancy, social deprivation, and previous live births or miscarriages at the time of an initial abortion are also linked with subsequent terminations

Post-termination contraception with implants and Depo-Provera® were associated with repeat termination 2–5 years after the first termination.


The farther that human populations live from the equator, the bigger their brains, according to a new study by Oxford University.

We demonstrate a significant positive relationship between absolute latitude and human orbital volume, an index of eyeball size.


University researchers have found that people with Type 2 diabetes from an affluent background had the same risk of dying as someone without the condition from a deprived area.

SES modifies the association between type 2 diabetes and mortality so that RR for mortality is lower among more deprived populations.


New approach to cancer vaccines proves successful in early studies

We show here that a cDNA library of normal tissue, expressed from a highly immunogenic viral platform, cures established tumors of the same histological type from which the cDNA library was derived.


Genetic-screening trial could reduce drug side-effects

Our work supports the strong evidence that individuals with TPMT variant homozygosity are at high risk of severe neutropenia, whereas TPMT heterozygotes are not at increased risk of ADRs at standard doses of azathioprine.


Scientists at The University of Nottingham have brought cancer cells back under normal control — by reactivating their cancer suppressor genes. The discovery could form a powerful new technology platform for the treatment of cancer of the breast and other cancers.

After testing extracts from different sources, we found that axolotl oocyte extracts possess superior reprogramming ability, which reverses epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes and tumorigenicity of breast cancer cells in a mouse xenograft model.


Chance of dying early 20% higher in north than south of England

Inequalities in all cause mortality in the north-south divide were severe and persistent over the four decades from 1965 to 2008.


Receiving ultrasound after surgery to repair a fractured tibia (shinbone) does not accelerate healing or improve functional recovery compared with sham treatment, finds a trial of US patients published by The BMJ today.

Postoperative use of LIPUS after tibial fracture fixation does not accelerate radiographic healing and fails to improve functional recovery.


A team from the University of Leicester has for the first time published a detailed description of a protein linked to many types of cancer.

Here, we establish at atomic resolution how T-STAR and Sam68 bind to RNA, revealing an unexpected mode of dimerization different from other members of the STAR family.


Young men who are overweight or obese could run a higher risk of developing severe liver disease or liver cancer in later life, suggests research published online in the journal Gut.

A high BMI in late adolescent men was associated with an increased risk of future severe liver disease, including HCC.


New gene therapy methods accurately correct mutation in patient’s stem cells, bringing personalized cell therapies one step closer.

Genetic correction of human iPSCs restored the structure and function of A1AT in subsequently derived liver cells in vitro and in vivo.


'Ultra-processed' foods make up more than half of all calories in US diet

All models incorporated survey sample weights and adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, family income and educational attainment. ::: ::: Results Ultra-processed foods comprised 57.9% of energy intake, and contributed 89.7% of the energy intake from added sugars.


Here we present an evolutionary model showing that, counterintuitively, overconfidence maximizes individual fitness and populations tend to become overconfident, as long as benefits from contested resources are sufficiently large compared with the cost of competition.


Physiotherapy given to patients with simple ankle sprains does not benefit recovery when compared to basic self management of the injury at home, reveals a study published by The BMJ today.

In a general population of patients seeking hospital based acute care for simple ankle sprains, there is no evidence to support a clinically important improvement in outcome with the addition of supervised physiotherapy to usual care, as provided in this protocol.


Boys predominantly pass on flu to other boys and girls to girls, according to a new study of how swine flu spread in a primary school during the 2009 pandemic, published today in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The results also suggest that flu transmission is most intensive between children of the same class, but that sitting next to an infected person does not significantly increase a child’s risk of catching flu. The data will help researchers to model how epidemics spread and how interventions such as school closures can help contain an outbreak.

This analysis shows the extent to which clearly defined social networks affect influenza transmission, revealing strong between-place interactions with back-and-forth waves of transmission between the school, the community, and the household.


Only one in five victims with serious injuries caused by suspected child abuse in England and Wales is treated at a designated major trauma centre, reveals research published online in Emergency Medicine Journal.

These data show that children with major trauma that is inflicted rather than accidental follow a different pathway through the trauma system.


SSRI antidepressants not associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular conditions

No significant associations were found between antidepressant class or individual drugs and risk of stroke or transient ischaemic attack.


Enzyme prevents fatal heart condition associated with athletes

We found that knockdown of MKK4 expression or inhibition of its kinase activity in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) significantly reduced phenylephrine-induced Cx43 expression.


Childhood cancer survivors at greater risk in middle age

Among a cohort of British childhood cancer survivors, the greatest excess risk associated with subsequent primary neoplasms at older than 40 years was for digestive and genitourinary neoplasms.


Researchers at The University of Nottingham discovered that the brains of children with Tourette syndrome (TS) develop in a unique way — which could suggest new methods of treating the condition.

These results provide evidence for compensatory brain reorganization that may underlie the increased self-regulation mechanisms that have been hypothesized to bring about the control of tics during adolescence.


The itchy swelling that appears at the site of a mosquito bite isn't just an irritating nuisance - it also makes viral infections spread by the insects far worse, new research has found.

This study identifies facets of mosquito bite inflammation that are important determinants of the subsequent systemic course and clinical outcome of virus infection.


A university degree is linked to a heightened risk of developing a brain tumour, suggests a large observational study, published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

We observed consistent associations between higher SEP and higher risk of glioma.


Researchers at the Universities of Edinburgh and Tokyo have found that building on existing knowledge activates a key set of genes in the brain.

In experiments with rats, we found that the hippocampal-dependent learning of new paired associates is associated with a striking up-regulation of immediate early genes in the prelimbic region of the medial prefrontal cortex, and that pharmacological interventions targeted at that area can prevent both new learning and the recall of remotely and even recently consolidated information.


Blood test identifies more heart attacks

In patients with suspected ACS, implementation of a sensitive troponin assay increased the diagnosis of MI and identified patients at high risk of recurrent MI and death.


Inherited wealth leads to sibling rivalry

In households where land is inherited, the number of elder brothers reduces a man's agricultural productivity, marriage, and reproductive success, as resources diminish and competition increases with each additional sibling.


Small bypass vessels which act as a ‘back-up system’ for the heart’s main arteries play a significant role in reducing the mortality of patients with coronary artery disease, according to new research.

Patients with a high collateralization have a 36% reduced mortality risk compared with patients with low collateralization.


Men and women differ in the way they anticipate an unpleasant emotional experience, which influences the effectiveness with which that experience is committed to memory, according to new research.

These findings indicate that anticipatory processes influence the way in which women encode negative events into memory.


Mediterranean diet could lower the risk of cardiovascular disease in the UK

This diet has an important population health impact for the prevention of CVD.


The gene, GFPT1, is crucial in causing a variation of Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS) which gained media attention recently with the plight of baby RB, who was at the centre of a “right-to-life” legal dispute.

Using genetic linkage, we find 18 different biallelic mutations in the gene encoding glutamine-fructose-6-phosphate transaminase 1 (GFPT1) in 13 unrelated families with an autosomal recessive CMS.


Children with severe therapy-resistant asthma (STRA) may have poorer lung function and worse symptoms compared to children with moderate asthma, due to lower levels of vitamin D in their blood, according to a study by researchers at King’s College London.

Lower vitamin D levels in children with STRA were associated with increased ASM mass and worse asthma control and lung function.


Depression following miscarriage can continue after healthy birth

Generalised estimating equations indicated that the number of previous miscarriages/stillbirths significantly predicted symptoms of depression (β = 0.18, s.e. = 0.07, P<0.01) and anxiety (β = 0.14, s.e. = 0.05, P<0.01) in a subsequent pregnancy, independent of key psychosocial and obstetric factors.


Potential new treatment for cocaine addiction

In particular, PD325901 persistently blocks cocaine-induced place preference and accelerates extinction following cocaine self-administration.


Study finds five new genetic variants linked to heart disease

Replication in an independent sample of 21,408 cases and 19,185 controls identified five loci newly associated with CAD (P < 5 × 10 −8 in the combined discovery and replication analysis): LIPA on 10q23, PDGFD on 11q22, ADAMTS7-MORF4L1 on 15q25, a gene rich locus on 7q22 and KIAA1462 on 10p11.


Evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a potential cause of dementia caused by repeated blows to the head, has been found in the brains of former association football (soccer) players examined at the UCL Queen Square Brain Bank.

Association football is the most popular sport in the world and the potential link between repetitive head impacts from playing football and CTE as indicated from our findings is of considerable public health interest.


Boys with absent fathers more likely to be young fathers

The results show that father absence before age seven is associated with early reproduction, while father absence between ages 11 and 16 only is associated with delayed voice-breaking (a proxy for puberty), even after adjusting for other factors denoting childhood adversity.


A tendency to become easily stressed during early adulthood is linked to a heightened risk of developing high blood pressure in later life, suggests a large study of military conscripts, published online in the journal Heart.

These findings suggest that low stress resilience may contribute to etiological pathways for hypertension and accounts for more cases among those with high BMI.


New research published in The Lancet (9 December 2011) shows no consistent decrease in the maltreatment of children across several countries over the last two decades.

Comparisons of mean rates between countries showed five fold to tenfold differences in rates of agency indicators, but less than twofold variation in violent deaths or maltreatment-related injury, apart from high rates of violent child death in the USA.


Smart phone apps could offer patients with type 2 diabetes a highly effective method of self-managing their condition, concludes a study by Cardiff University.

Apps may be an effective component to help control HbA 1c and could be considered as an adjuvant intervention to the standard self-management for patients with type 2 diabetes.


Combining radiotherapy and hormone therapy in patients with prostate cancer significantly improves men’s survival compared with hormone therapy treatment alone.

The addition of RT to ADT improved overall survival at 7 years (74%, 95% CI 70–78 vs 66%, 60–70; hazard ratio [HR] 0·77, 95% CI 0·61–0·98, p=0·033).


Study raises concerns over unnecessary imaging after thyroid cancer

The marked rise in use of imaging tests after primary treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer has been associated with an increased treatment for recurrence.


RNA interference knockdown experiments of the conserved ABCC9 homologue in Drosophila neurons renders flies sleepless during the first 3 h of the night.


Death of partner linked to heightened risk of irregular heartbeat for up to a year later

The severely stressful life event of losing a partner was followed by a transiently increased risk of atrial fibrillation lasting for 1 year, especially for the least predicted losses.


Smoking during pregnancy and being overweight before becoming pregnant account for a sizeable proportion -- around 40% -- of the persistent social divide in childhood obesity rates, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Moreover, we identified specific early life risk factors, including maternal smoking during pregnancy and maternal pre-pregnancy overweight, that partially account for the social inequalities found in childhood overweight.


Childhood cancer survivors at heightened risk of several autoimmune diseases

Childhood cancer survivors are at increased risk for certain types of autoimmune diseases.


A molecule which can stop the formation of long protein strands, known as amyloid fibrils, that cause joint pain in kidney dialysis patients has been identified by Leeds researchers.

Here we describe the identification of rifamycin SV as a potent inhibitor of β(2) microglobulin (β(2)m) fibrillogenesis when added during the lag time of assembly or early during fibril elongation.


Scientists have discovered an essential protein that controls inflammation induced by "tumour necrosis factor" (TNF) – an important part of the body’s defences against infection and a driver of cancer-associated inflammation, according to research published in Nature today.

We conclude that by enabling linear ubiquitination in the TNF receptor signalling complex, SHARPIN interferes with TNF-induced cell death and, thereby, prevents inflammation.


University of Leicester researchers reveal how light movement can reduce blood sugar and insulin levels

Breaking up prolonged sitting with 5-min bouts of standing or walking at a self-perceived light intensity reduced postprandial glucose, insulin, and NEFA responses in women at high risk of type 2 diabetes.


Doctors describe a range of brain abnormalities associated with presumed Zika infection in the womb

Severe cerebral damage was found on imaging in most of the children in this case series with congenital infection presumably associated with the Zika virus.


Nanotechnology patches offer potentially “highly effective” vaccine against HIV

Moreover, dendritic cell-mediated capture of particulate antigen in this form induced potent HIV-1-specific CD4(+) T-cell responses, as well as B-cell-mediated antibody production.


Allergy experts at the University of Cambridge have convincing evidence that a new treatment for peanut allergies is effective, following a three-year trial.

There was a 1000-fold increase in the amount of peanut tolerated with a good safety profile.


Parental anxiety and/or depression during pregnancy and before their child starts school is linked to a heightened risk of that child becoming a 'fussy' eater, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Maternal and paternal internalising problems were prospectively associated with fussy eating in preschoolers.


Swapping potatoes for other vegetables or whole grains might lower the risk

A causal association cannot be assumed. what thiS paper addS Higher levels of potato consumption before pregnancy are associated with greater risk of GDM, and substitution of potatoes with other vegetables, legumes, or whole grain foods might lower the risk.


Researchers at Cardiff University have discovered that genetic variation is the reason why some immune systems overreact to viruses.

Ifitm3 represents a checkpoint regulator of anti-viral immunity, which controls cytokine production to restrict viral pathogenesis.


The research, published in the Journal of Health Economics, shows that while women spend less time travelling to and at work than men, commuting has a negative effect on women's mental health, while men are generally unaffected.

Our results show that, even after these variables are considered, commuting has an important detrimental effect on the psychological health of women, but not men, and this result is robust to numerous different specifications.


New research from the University of Sheffield has revealed that a novel molecular mechanism that underlies deafness is caused by a mutation of a specific microRNA called miR-96.

We conclude that miR-96 regulates the progression of the physiological and morphological differentiation of cochlear hair cells and, as such, coordinates one of the most distinctive functional refinements of the mammalian auditory system.


Learning a foreign language literally changes the way we see the world, according to new research.

Results showed that those bilinguals who used English more frequently distinguished blue and light blue stimulus pairs less well than those who used Japanese more frequently.


The study, conducted in England and published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, found that people who are heavier drinkers and live in low-income communities are more likely to combine such drinking with other health damaging behaviors than people in more affluent communities. These combinations do not just add to the dangers from alcohol consumption but effectively multiply the risks of ill health.

Deprived increased/higher drinkers are more likely than affluent counterparts to consume alcohol as part of a suite of health challenging behaviours including smoking, excess weight and poor diet/exercise.


May improve blood vessel cell wall function and lower cholesterol

The inclusion of walnuts in an ad libitum diet for 6 months, with or without dietary counseling to adjust calorie intake, significantly improved diet quality, endothelial function, total and LDL cholesterol, but had no effects on anthropometric measures, blood glucose level, and blood pressure


However, this study shows that at least one vaccine preparation can moderate the severity of CMV infection, even in patients given immunosuppressive drugs and exposed to CMV in a transplanted organ.

Although cytomegalovirus disease occurs in the context of suppressed cell-mediated immunity post-transplantation, humoral immunity has a role in reduction of cytomegalovirus viraemia.


However, a study, led by Gerry McCann, Professor of Cardiac Imaging and Honorary Consultant Cardiologist from the University of Leicester Department of Cardiovascular Sciences, who conducted the research as part of a NIHR Fellowship, has shown the current approach is “highly inaccurate” and if followed may send thousands of patients to surgery before it is needed.

MPR was associated with symptom-onset in initially asymptomatic patients with AS, but with moderate accuracy and was not superior to symptom-limited exercise testing.


Older people are less willing to take risks for potential rewards and this may be due to declining levels of dopamine in the brain, finds a new UCL study of over 25,000 people funded by Wellcome.

This Pavlovian bias has been linked to dopamine, suggesting that age-related decline in this neuromodulator could lead to the observed decrease in risk taking.


Stem cell approach primes immune system to fight cancer

Given that CD141(+)XCR1(+) DC are present in peripheral blood in trace numbers that preclude their clinical application, the ability to generate a potentially unlimited source from iPS cells offers the possibility of harnessing their capacity for cross-priming of cytotoxic T lymphocytes for the induction of tumour-specific immune responses.


Most socioeconomically deprived 2-3 times as likely to poison themselves as least deprived

Conclusions Adolescent poisonings, especially intentional poisonings, have increased substantially over time and remain associated with health inequalities.


Concentrating attention on a visual task can render you momentarily 'deaf' to sounds at normal levels, reports a new UCL study funded by the Wellcome Trust

A behavioral experiment revealed reduced tone detection sensitivity under high visual load, indicating that the reduction in neural responses was indeed associated with reduced awareness of the sounds.


But a second systematic review of research into childhood obesity and metabolic disease in adult life has shown there is little evidence of a direct link and suggests that treating obesity during childhood will remove any risk of lasting harm.

Interestingly, where adult BMI was adjusted for, the data showed a weak negative association between childhood BMI and metabolic variables, with those at the lower end of the BMI range in childhood, but obese during adulthood at particular risk.


Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have pinpointed a protein that plays a part in how fat is stored in the body.

Our data define for the first time the novel and distinct depot-specific mechanisms driving healthier fat patterning and function as a result of reduced intra-adipose glucocorticoid levels.


Retrieving a memory is crucial when trying to extinguish it completely, according to research published today (18 October) by University of Birmingham scientists in the journal Nature Communications.

Here we show that a similar strategy is equally effective in the disruption of appetitive pavlovian cue-food memories.


Dietary advice improves blood sugar control for recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients

The addition of an activity intervention conferred no additional benefit.


Parental absence in early childhood as a result of death or relationship break-down is linked to a heightened risk of starting to smoke and drink alcohol before that child reaches his/her teens, indicates research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Parental absence was associated with early uptake of risky health behaviours in a large, nationally representative UK cohort.


Today’s children do engage in active play

Promoting active play in children's leisure time may increase the physical activity of children, but interventions may need to be tailored according to gender.


A study, published today in the journal Nature, suggests that the stem cells that make up our organs ‘know’ whether they are ‘male’ or ‘female’, and that this sexual identity could influence how they grow and behave.

Together, our findings indicate that the plasticity of an adult somatic organ is reversibly controlled by its sexual identity, imparted by a new mechanism that may be active in more tissues than previously recognized.


Scientists have identified a gene that appears to play a role in regulating how much alcohol people drink, in a study of over 47,000 people published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

SNP rs6943555 in autism susceptibility candidate 2 gene (AUTS2) was associated with alcohol consumption at genome-wide significance (P = 4 x 10(-8) to P = 4 x 10(-9)).


Lowering phosphate intake in humans can reduce heart disease, according to research by experts at the University of Sheffield.

A high-phosphate diet accelerates atherogenesis in apolipoprotein E(-/-) mice, whereas low phosphate intake induces insulin resistance.


University of Leicester discovery identifies harmful bacterial molecules in processed foods and how to prevent them from arising

A low PAMP diet is associated with reduced levels of several cardiometabolic risk factors, while a high PAMP diet reverses these effects.


Researchers at the University have identified a number of genes in fat tissue that may lead us to retain fat unnecessarily in the body.

A focussed candidate gene enrichment strategy in the unique F and L model has identified novel adipose tissue-enriched genes contributing to obesity.


The US public is largely unaware that the chemicals produced by a burning cigarette are much more harmful than the manufacturer's additives it contains, finds a study of more than 10,000 teens and adults, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

Many people were unaware that burning the cigarette is the primary source of toxic constituents in cigarette smoke.


Middle aged diabetics can die six years earlier

In addition to vascular disease, diabetes is associated with substantial premature death from several cancers, infectious diseases, external causes, intentional self-harm, and degenerative disorders, independent of several major risk factors.


Cystic fibrosis bacteria could help fightback against antibiotic resistance

The discovery of the potent activity of enacyloxins against drug-resistant bacteria and the gene cluster that directs their production provides an opportunity for engineered biosynthesis of innovative enacyloxin derivatives and highlights the potential of Bcc bacteria as an underexploited resource for antibiotic discovery.


A programme of training and support for GPs, practice nurses and GP receptionists can substantially increase the identification of women experiencing domestic violence and their referral to specialist advocacy services, according to new research from the University of Bristol, published today in The Lancet.

A training and support programme targeted at primary care clinicians and administrative staff improved referral to specialist domestic violence agencies and recorded identification of women experiencing domestic violence.


Scientists have discovered how a molecule that was first discovered in bacteria blocks a protein which causes breast cancer to develop and spread, reveals research published in Nature Chemistry this week.

In cellular experiments, we show that thiostrepton can inhibit the binding of FOXM1 to genomic target sites.


In the Moraxella study, this development has enabled the research team to correlate intricate, atomic level detail of UspA1 obtained by X-ray crystallography of isolated fragments of the protein with delicate and previously unobservable physical changes of the bacterial cell as it binds to and infects its target human cells.

We show that the UspA1–fibronectin complex is formed between UspA1 head region and the 13th type-III domain of fibronectin and, using X-ray scattering, that the complex involves an angular association between these two proteins.


A physically demanding job or work schedules outside normal office hours may lower a woman's ability to conceive, suggests research published online in Occupational & Environmental Medicine.

Our results provide insight into possible mechanisms linking these occupational exposures with decreased fecundity.


In a small study published in Families Relationships and Society, researchers interviewed mother-grandmother pairs and found that community surveillance of pregnant women and infant feeding had significantly increased between the generations, with many of the new mothers reporting feeling watched, evaluated and judged.

The paper argues that the moral maze of surveyed motherhood renders infant feeding a challenging, and challenged, space for women.


Now a new study, involving researchers at the University of Southampton, has shown that charities and not for profit organisations can benefit from people’s nostalgic feelings, because it encourages them to donate more.

By virtue of its capacity to increase empathy, nostalgia facilitates prosocial reactions.


The sugar content of fruit drinks—including natural fruit juices and smoothies—is “unacceptably high,” with smoothies among the worst offenders, finds research published in the online journal BMJ Open.

The sugars content in FJJDS marketed to children in the UK is unacceptably high.


The visual function and daily life of people whose sight can't be corrected with glasses or contact lenses can be significantly improved through home visits by rehabilitation specialists, concludes a study by Cardiff University.

The study provides preliminary evidence that a home visit-based visual rehabilitation intervention has a positive influence on vision-related functional outcomes.


Sensitive, fine hairs which cover our bodies allow us to feel parasitic insects on our skin as well as creating a natural barrier to stop them biting us.

Our results show that fine body hair enhances the detection of ectoparasites through the combined effects of (i) increasing the parasite's search time and (ii) enhancing its detection.


Research led by Warwick Medical School at the University of Warwick has found that Metformin, a drug treatment used to treat diabetes and also women with Polycystic Ovary syndrome (PCOS), may potentially provide protection against endometrial cancer.

In vitro invasion in ECC-1 cells was significantly attenuated by sera from PCOS women after 6 months of metformin treatment


Speaking and listening share large part of brain infrastructure

These results indicate that the linguistic parts of the language system are used for both speaking and listening, but that the motor system does not seem to provide a crucial contribution to listening.


By studying infected cells grown in a laboratory, the team found that a large number of CMV’s genes help it hide from the immune system by allowing it to destroy many of the proteins produced by the body during virus infection and preventing them from activating immune cells to destroy the virus.

US18 and US20 work in concert to suppress cell surface expression of the critical NKp30 ligand B7-H6 thus inhibiting NK cell activation.


Women who undergo implant based female sterilization have a significantly heightened risk of reoperation following complications, suggests a large study published in The BMJ this week.

Patients undergoing hysteroscopic sterilization have a similar risk of unintended pregnancy but a more than 10-fold higher risk of undergoing reoperation compared with patients undergoing laparoscopic sterilization.


New research suggests eating vegetables gives you a healthy tan.

Together our studies link skin carotenoid coloration to both perceived health and healthy diet, establishing carotenoid coloration as a valid cue to human health which is perceptible in a way that is relevant to mate choice,


Having diabetes increases the risk of dying from the effects of a heart attack by around 50 per cent, a University of Leeds study has found.

At index acute myocardial infarction, diabetes was common and associated with significant long-term excess mortality, over and above the effects of comorbidities, risk factors and cardiovascular treatments.


New British-led research shows that starting treatment of blood pressure with two medicines rather than the one produces better and faster results and fewer side effects – findings that could change clinical practice world-wide.

Patients given initial combination therapy had a 6·5 mm Hg (95% CI 5·3 to 7·7) greater reduction in mean systolic blood pressure than the monotherapy groups (p<0·0001).


Latitude is strongly linked to the age at which symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) first start, reveals a large international study, published online in the Journal of Neurology Neurosurgery & Psychiatry.

An earlier AAO in higher latitude regions was found in this worldwide European-descent cohort and correlated inversely with variation in latitudinal UVR.


Scientists have identified a single mutated gene that causes Hajdu-Cheney syndrome, a disorder of the bones causing progressive bone loss and osteoporosis (fragile bones).

The Hajdu-Cheney syndrome mutations are predicted to lead to the premature truncation of NOTCH2 with either disruption or loss of the C-terminal proline-glutamate-serine-threonine-rich proteolytic recognition sequence, the absence of which has previously been shown to increase Notch signaling.


Needling twice weekly for 2 weeks reduced crying time significantly Acupuncture may be an effective treatment option for babies with infantile colic—those who cry for more than 3 hours a day on 3 or more days of the week—reveals research published online in Acupuncture in Medicine.

More infants receiving acupuncture cried Conclusions Acupuncture appears to reduce crying in infants with colic safely.


Communicating the results of DNA tests has little or no impact on behaviour change, such as stopping smoking or increasing physical activity, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Expectations that communicating DNA based risk estimates changes behaviour is not supported by existing evidence.


New ways to convert carbon dioxide (CO2) into methane gas for energy use are a step closer after scientists discovered how bacteria make a component that facilitates the process.

Here we identify the proteins that catalyse the biosynthesis of coenzyme F430 from sirohydrochlorin, termed CfbA–CfbE, and demonstrate their activity.


University scientists have found that ultrafine particles produced when diesel burns are harmful to blood vessels.

Combustion-derived nanoparticulate appears to predominately mediate the adverse vascular effects of diesel exhaust inhalation.


Huge decline in HIV rates in Zimbabwe driven by fear of infection, says study

The behavioural changes associated with HIV reduction-mainly reductions in extramarital, commercial, and casual sexual relations, and associated reductions in partner concurrency-appear to have been stimulated primarily by increased awareness of AIDS deaths and secondarily by the country's economic deterioration.


The study, by Alexandra Beauregard of LSE's Department of Management, found that even if options such a flexible working hours and help with childcare are available to employees, this does little to reduce stress unless there is positive endorsement from managers.

Data collected from public sector employees in the UK indicate that a supportive work-home culture is significantly associated with lower levels of psychosomatic strain among employees.


How the toxic protein, amyloid, sets off a chain of events that leads to brain cell death during Alzheimer's disease is described in new detail in a study from the University of Bristol published today in Nature Neuroscience.

We found that a signaling pathway involving caspase-3, Akt1 and glycogen synthase kinase-3β is an important mediator of this effect in rats and mice.


Giving fluids rapidly through a drip into a vein (fluid resuscitation) as an emergency treatment for African children suffering with shock from severe infections does not save lives, according to a major clinical trial funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC).

Fluid boluses significantly increased 48-hour mortality in critically ill children with impaired perfusion in these resource-limited settings in Africa.


Current UK procedures to screen new immigrants for tuberculosis (TB) fail to detect more than 70 per cent of cases of latent infection, according to a new study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

National policy thus far would fail to detect 71% of individuals with latent infection.


Taking benzodiazepines (widely used drugs to treat anxiety and insomnia) is not associated with an increased dementia risk in older adults, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

The risk of dementia is slightly higher in people with minimal exposure to benzodiazepines but not with the highest level of exposure.


Study shows acidic food and drink can damage teeth

In this sample of adults, tooth wear was associated to a number of acidic dietary products and drinking habits.


Published in the journal Cell Reports, a team from Cardiff University’s Systems Immunity Research Institute identify a molecule in the body – known as L-selectin - which directs the body’s killer T cells to the site of a virus.

These results connect homing and a function of virus-specific CD8+ T cells to a single molecule, L-selectin.


The happiest countries and happiest U.S. states tend to have the highest suicide rates, according to research from the UK’s University of Warwick, Hamilton College in New York and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco.

We suggest in this paper that the level of others’ happiness may be a risk factor for suicide (although one's own happiness likely protects one from suicide).


People with Type 2 diabetes are being ‘let down’ because they are being forced to wait for further treatment when needed.

Strategies should be developed to increase the number of patients undergoing therapy intensification and to reduce the delay in intensifying therapy for suitable patients on basal insulin.


Research by the University of Liverpool has found that public disorder at football matches can be reduced when police adopt a policy of dialogue and facilitation rather than deterrence and force.

The analysis suggests that the perceived legitimacy among fans of the way they were policed affected the internal dynamics, patterns of collective action and overall levels of ‘compliance’ among the fan group.


Likely to be many more pedestrian and motorcycle deaths in India than officially stated

Results We found that the distribution of deaths by types of road users reported in official tabulations differed substantially from the underlying police reports.


Bowel cancer screening proven to save lives

Although there was the expected improvement in cancer stage at diagnosis, the proportion with left-sided cancers was higher than expected.


Being told that a work of art is authentic or fake alters the brain’s response to the visual content of artwork, Oxford University academics have found.

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, viewing of artworks assigned as ‘copy’, rather than ‘authentic’, evoked stronger responses in frontopolar cortex (FPC) and right precuneus, regardless of whether the portrait was actually genuine.


Taking opioids (strong prescription painkillers) together with benzodiazepines (widely used to treat anxiety and sleep problems) is associated with greater risk of opioid overdose, finds a study in The BMJ today.

From 2001 to 2013, concurrent benzodiazepine/opioid use sharply increased in a large sample of privately insured patients in the US and significantly contributed to the overall population risk of opioid overdose.


Strong evidence supports the association between obesity and some major types of cancer

Although the association of adiposity with cancer risk has been extensively studied, associations for only 11 cancers (oesophageal adenocarcinoma, multiple myeloma, and cancers of the gastric cardia, colon, rectum, biliary tract system, pancreas, breast, endometrium, ovary, and kidney) were supported by strong evidence.


Therefore, the DASH diet may lower the risk of gout.

Conversely, the Western diet is associated with a higher risk of gout.


Immunity experts at the University of Birmingham have found biological evidence to suggest that bereavement lowers physical immunity, putting older people at risk of life-threatening infections.

Neutrophil superoxide production was significantly reduced among the bereaved when challenged with E. coli ( p = 0.05), or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate ( p = 0.009).


Polypill halves predicted heart disease and stroke risk in international trial

This polypill achieved sizeable reductions in SBP and LDL-cholesterol but caused side effects in about 1 in 6 people.


The dietary habits of rat fathers may affect their daughters' breast cancer risk, a study in 60 male rats and their offspring has found. The study is published in the open access journal Breast Cancer Research. Researchers at the University of Sao Paulo showed that the female offspring of male rats which had been fed a diet rich in animal fats had an increased risk of breast cancer. A diet that was rich in vegetable fats reduced the offspring's risk of breast cancer.

Our findings highlight the importance of paternal nutrition in affecting future generations’ risk of developing breast cancer.


Membership of social groups, such as book clubs or church groups, after retirement is linked to a longer life, with the impact on health and wellbeing similar to that of regular exercise, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Theoretical implications for our understanding of the determinants of retiree quality of life and health, and practical implications for the support of people transitioning from a life of work to retirement are discussed.


Circulating viral infections may explain temporal/geographical associations, say researchers

Season of birth and region of birth are independently and jointly associated with increased risk of developing CD during the first 15 years of life.


Antibiotic resistance in children with urinary infections is high and could render some antibiotics ineffective as first-line treatments, warns a study published by The BMJ today.

Routine use of antibiotics in primary care contributes to antimicrobial resistance in children, which can persist for up to six months after treatment.


Laughter really is the best medicine (for leg ulcers)

Low dose, high frequency ultrasound administered weekly for 12 weeks during dressing changes in addition to standard care did not increase ulcer healing rates, affect quality of life, or reduce ulcer recurrence.


Eating chocolate cuts risk of heart disease

Levels of chocolate consumption seem to be associated with a substantial reduction in the risk of cardiometabolic disorders.


A new University of Glasgow study has found that medication commonly prescribed for people with heart problems can put them at an increased risk of developing diabetes.

In a pooled analysis of data from 5 statin trials, intensive-dose statin therapy was associated with an increased risk of new-onset diabetes compared with moderate-dose statin therapy.


Early medical abortion using online telemedicine can offer an alternative to unsafe methods to end a pregnancy for women in countries where access to safe abortion is restricted, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

At the time women requested help from WoW, 781 (78%) were Conclusions Self sourced medical abortion using online telemedicine can be highly effective, and outcomes compare favourably with in clinic protocols.


This poor level of dental health is affecting performance and wellbeing, and the sport needs to tackle this head on as a matter of urgency, say the researchers.

Oral health of professional footballers is poor, and this impacts on well-being and performance.


Scientists have provided the first direct biological evidence for a genetic contribution to people’s intelligence.

Our results unequivocally confirm that a substantial proportion of individual differences in human intelligence is due to genetic variation, and are consistent with many genes of small effects underlying the additive genetic influences on intelligence.


Methadone, the medicine used to help heroin addicts kick their habit, is the most common cause of unintentional fatal poisoning from prescribed drugs among UK toddlers, finds research published online in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

Methadone is the most common pharmaceutical causing fatal poisoning and a common cause of intensive care unit admissions in young children in the UK.


Now, using Diamond Light Source, the UK’s synchrotron science facility to shine intense super powerful X-rays into samples, a team from the University’s Systems Immunity Research Institute found the same killer T-cells that cause type 1 diabetes are strongly activated by some bacteria.

Together, these data highlight how T cell cross-reactivity with pathogen-derived antigens might break self-tolerance to induce autoimmune disease.


Morning after pill linked to increase in STIs, study shows

In contrast both the DD and DDD models provide consistent evidence that pharmacy EBC schemes are associated with higher teenage STI rates.


Long term antibiotic use in early to mid life may be linked to a heightened risk of abnormal growths in the colon and rectum--known as polyps or colorectal adenomas -- which precede the development of most cases of bowel cancer, reveals research published online in the journal Gut.

Long-term antibiotic use in early-to-middle adulthood was associated with increased risk of colorectal adenoma.


Low income and poor diet linked to accelerated ageing

These data suggest lower socio-economic status and poor diet are relevant to accelerated biological ageing.


A protein linked to the immune system could play a key role in helping scientists understand how vCJD spreads throughout the body.

We show that PrPC-expression only on FDC is sufficient to sustain prion replication in the spleen.


Researchers at the University of Liverpool have found that anger used by managers in the construction industry has a positive impact and contributes to the success of a project.

Drawing upon a series of semi-structured interviews with construction project managers (n = 19) from the UK, this study offers valuable insights into how anger is frequently enacted to help individuals ensure the progress of the project, be it in negotiations with other parties or affairs on site with operatives.


General practitioner numbers appear to have a small but important influence on premature mortality rates in England, according to research by the University of Leicester.

Greater supply of primary care is associated with lower premature mortality even in a health system that has strong primary care (England).


It may be possible to assess the risk of developing dementia by analyzing information gathered during routine visits to the family doctor, according to research published in the open access journal BMC Medicine.

Routinely collected data predicts 5-year risk of recorded diagnosis of dementia for those aged 60–79, but not those aged 80+.


And finds female physicians earn significantly less than either white or black male colleagues

Whether these differences reflect disparities in job opportunities is important to determine.


Immune interaction optimises foetal nourishment during pregnancy

Antigenic disparity between parental MHCs affects trophoblast-induced transformation of the uterine vasculature and, consequently, placental and fetal gowth.


Replacing one daily portion with poultry or fish may lower risk, findings suggest

Red meat intake, particularly unprocessed red meat, was associated with an increased risk of diverticulitis.


New research has provided fresh evidence that alcohol industry sponsorship of sport is associated with more hazardous drinking in sportspeople compared to non-alcohol sponsorship.

Multivariate regression showed that receipt of alcohol industry sponsorship was predictive of higher AUDIT scores (β(adj) = 1.67, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.56-2.78), but non-alcohol industry sponsorship and combinations of both were not (β(adj) = 0.18, 95% CI: -2.61 to 2.68; and β(adj) = 2.58, 95% CI: -0.60 to 5.76, respectively).


In an effort to find out whether physical activity moderates the association between alcohol intake and death from all causes, and from cancer and cardiovascular disease, the researchers drew on responses to nationally representative health surveys carried out in England and Scotland for the years 1994, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004 and 2006.

Meeting the current PA public health recommendations offsets some of the cancer and all-cause mortality risk associated with alcohol drinking.


Two-year-old children understand complex grammar

The results suggest that young 2-year-olds can associate transitive structures with causal (or externally caused) events and can use transitive structure to assign agent and patient roles correctly.


Study of gene therapy developed at UCL and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offers first proof adults with haemophilia B benefit from treatment, reducing need for injections with clotting factor to prevent bleeds.

Peripheral-vein infusion of scAAV2/8-LP1-hFIXco resulted in FIX transgene expression at levels sufficient to improve the bleeding phenotype, with few side effects.


The research, funded by Wellcome and published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, suggests that a reduced risk of developing psychosis can be added to the list of social, economic and health advantages enjoyed by more affluent, older white British people living in rural England; a group typically known as ‘Middle England’.

Excess rates were restricted to urban and deprived communities, suggesting that a threshold of socioenvironmental adversity may be necessary to increase incidence.


The research, funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and the University of Glasgow and published in the journal Nature Materials, shows how a new nanoscale plastic can cheaply and easily solve a problem which has previously made the expansion of stem cells for therapeutic purposes impossible.

Here we identify a nanostructured surface that retains stem-cell phenotype and maintains stem-cell growth over eight weeks.


Research findings published today (April 29) in the journal Science by Dr David Sansom and his team in the MRC Centre for Immune Regulation at Birmingham show how a protein, called CTLA-4, keeps the immune system damped down during day-to-day activities and prevents inappropriate aggressive behaviour from T cells, the 'command centre of our immune response'.

These data reveal a mechanism of immune regulation in which CTLA-4 acts as an effector molecule to inhibit CD28 costimulation by the cell-extrinsic depletion of ligands, accounting for many of the known features of the CD28-CTLA-4 system.


Proportion likely to rise as population ages; major cause of disability and distress

This figure is likely to increase further in line with an ageing population.


Metal hip replacements implanted since 2006 more prone to failure

This device was found to have an unacceptably high revision rate.


The likelihood of dying after emergency abdominal surgery to treat conditions such as appendicitis, may be up to seven times greater for a child in a poor country than for a child in a rich nation, suggests research published in the online journal BMJ Global Health.

Adjusted mortality in children following emergency abdominal surgery may be as high as 7 times greater in low-HDI and middle-HDI countries compared with high-HDI countries


Drug side effect linked with increased health risks for over 65s

The use of medications with anticholinergic activity increases the cumulative risk of cognitive impairment and mortality.


Writing in The BMJ today, researchers describe a new calculator that has been developed to estimate the individualised chances of couples having a baby, both before and after first IVF treatment, and over multiple cycles.

This study provides an individualised estimate of a couple's cumulative chances of having a baby over a complete package of IVF both before treatment and after the first fresh embryo transfer.


Six new genetic variants linked to type 2 diabetes discovered in South Asians

Our findings provide additional insight into mechanisms underlying T2D and show the potential for new discovery from genetic association studies in South Asians, a population with increased susceptibility to T2D.


Active and passive smoking linked to infertility and earlier menopause

Active smoking and SHS exposure are associated with increased risk of infertility and natural menopause occurring before the age of 50 years.


New research has found the transplantation of stem cells that reside in human veins can help in the recovery of a heart attack.

SVP transplantation produces long-term improvement of cardiac function through a novel paracrine mechanism involving the secretion of miR-132 and inhibition of its target genes.


Indoor trampoline park injuries are an "emerging public health concern," warn doctors in the journal Injury Prevention.

Unlike domestic trampolines, where the majority of injuries occur from falling off, most trampoline-park injuries occur on the trampoline surface.


Research provides new insight into why poor diet during pregnancy negatively affects offspring’s long term health.

Exposure to suboptimal nutrition during early development leads to epigenetic silencing at the enhancer region, which weakens the P2 promoter-enhancer interaction and results in a permanent reduction in Hnf4a expression.


Women who have had chlamydia are at greater risk of an ectopic pregnancy because of a lasting effect of the infection.

Fallopian tube (FT) from women with EP exhibit altered expression of prokineticin receptors 1 and 2 (PROKR1 and PROKR2); smoking increases FT PROKR1, resulting in a microenvironment predisposed to EP.


More than half of Europeans now think that e-cigarettes are harmful--a proportion that has nearly doubled in two years--show the latest results of a European Union (EU)-wide survey, published online in the journal Tobacco Control.

Ever use of e-cigarettes increased during 2012–2014.


US police killed or injured an estimated 55, 400 people during legal stop and search incidents and arrests in 2012, reveals research published online in the journal Injury Prevention.

Excess per capita death rates among blacks and youth at police hands are reflections of excess exposure.


Using the latest brain imaging techniques scientists from Cardiff University’s Brain Imaging Research Imaging Centre (CUBRIC) and University College London have identified a new link between impulsiveness and levels of GABA, a very common neurotransmitter, in a very specific part of the brain.

These findings help account for individual differences in self-control and thus clarify the relationship between GABA and a wide range of psychiatric disorders associated with impaired self-control.


Dr Bruno Gran, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Division of Clinical Neurology in the School of Clinical Sciences, working in collaboration with Professor Paul Moynagh from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth, has discovered a synthetic chemical compound which inhibits the pro-inflammatory signals produced by the immune system in MS.

These findings identify R(+)WIN55,212-2 as a novel regulator of TLR3 signaling to IRF3 activation and IFN-β expression and highlights a new mechanism that may be open to exploitation in the development of new therapeutics for the treatment of MS.


Common genetic variants contribute to the risk of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, an international research consortium has discovered.

The combined stage 1 and 2 analysis yielded genome-wide significant associations with schizophrenia for seven loci, five of which are new (1p21.3, 2q32.3, 8p23.2, 8q21.3 and 10q24.32-q24.33) and two of which have been previously implicated (6p21.32-p22.1 and 18q21.2).


Magnetic scanners could provide a less invasive, cheaper way to diagnose the causes of heart failure in some patients - News

LGE-CMR is a safe, clinically effective, and potentially economical gatekeeper to CA


Office workers can stave off health problems associated with sitting down all day by regularly exercising, a new study has found.

In this national sample of English adults, being physically active was associated with a better health profile, even in those with concomitant high sedentary time.


Gaining more than the recommended weight during pregnancy can put women at increased risk of becoming obese and developing related health problems, including high blood pressure, later in life.

On the basis of estimates from random-effects multilevel models, prepregnancy weight was positively associated with all outcomes.


Statins could hold the key to eradicating one of the most preventable causes of hospital deaths after researchers uncovered a new role for the cholesterol-lowering pill.

Available evidence from observational and intervention studies suggest a beneficial effect of statin use on venous thromboembolism.


Newborns in intensive care exposed to thirdhand smoke residue

Discussion THS appears to be ubiquitous, even in closely guarded healthcare settings.


Impact of injuries in the UK more than two and a half times higher than estimated

The use of disability weights derived from patient experiences combined with additional morbidity data on ED-treated patients and inpatients suggests that the absolute burden of injury is higher than previously estimated.


Babies born in English NHS hospitals at the weekend have a slightly greater risk of death within the first seven days, compared with those born during the week, finds a study in The BMJ today.

Study answer and limitations Performance across four of the seven measures was significantly worse for women admitted, and babies born, at weekends.


University of Leicester study shows possible link between red meat and heart disease

TMAO was a univariate predictor of death and death/HF, and remained an independent predictor until adjusted for renal confounders.


But levels of physical fitness significantly worsened

High levels of inspiration to participate in new activities reported following London 2012 and positive associations with fitness are encouraging.


In a sample of over 6000 young people in England, high childhood academic at age 11 is associated with a reduced risk of cigarette smoking but an increased risk of drinking alcohol regularly and cannabis use.


Growth in the use of e-cigarettes in England has been associated with a higher rate of successful attempts to quit smoking, reveals a study published by The BMJ today.

Prevalence of e-cigarette use in current smokers was used to predict rate of quit attempts.


Protective properties of green tea uncovered

CAGTE which was depleted in flavan-3-ols, as shown by LC–MS analysis, protected dPC12 cells at concentration ranges of 0.3–10 g/ml and 0.03–0.125 g/ml for H2O2 and A(1–42), induced cytotoxicity, respectively.


University of Manchester scientists, working with colleagues in Edinburgh and Australia, have provided the first direct biological evidence for a genetic contribution to people’s intelligence.

Our results unequivocally confirm that a substantial proportion of individual differences in human intelligence is due to genetic variation, and are consistent with many genes of small effects underlying the additive genetic influences on intelligence.


A team led by Martha Clokie, Professor of Microbiology at the University of Leicester’s Department of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, demonstrated that bacteriophage combinations significantly reduce growth of C. difficile cells and proliferation in complex models, whilst retaining healthy gut by preventing destruction of beneficial bacteria caused by traditional antibiotic treatment.

In a challenge model of the disease, phage treatment delayed the onset of symptoms by 33 h compared to the time of onset of symptoms in untreated animals.


The Portable Eye Examination Kit (Peek) has real-world potential to transform global eye health, according to new research published in the journal JMIR mHealth uHealth.

The study demonstrated that the Peek Acuity smartphone test is capable of accurate and repeatable acuity measurements consistent with published data on the test-retest variability of acuities measured using 5-letter-per-line retroilluminated logMAR charts.


Coaching has a ‘significant result’ on SAT scores says Oxford study

We show a significant effect in score improvement for coached students over their uncoached peers in both the Math and Verbal subtests of the examination.


Scientists identify genes that may signal long life in naked mole-rats

Our results indicate that genes associated with oxidoreduction and mitochondria were expressed at higher relative levels in naked mole-rats.


Girls who begin menstruating at an early age are at greater risk of depressive symptoms during their adolescence, according to new research by academics from the University of Bristol and the University of Cambridge.

Early maturing girls are at increased risk of depressive symptoms in adolescence and could be targeted by programmes aimed at early intervention and prevention.


Reducing toddlers’ portion sizes or number of eating occasions could potentially help to target weight gain in later life according to new research from UCL.

FR and SR predict different eating variables with more food-responsive children eating more frequently, whereas less–satiety-responsive children eat more food on each eating occasion.


Scientists have discovered a new way to target cancer through manipulating a master switch responsible for cancer cell growth.

Altered VEGF splicing was reversed by wild-type WT1, knockdown of SRSF1, or SRPK1 and inhibition of SRPK1, which prevented in vitro and in vivo angiogenesis and associated tumor growth.


A new study, conducted by researchers at the University of Southampton, supports the claim that the introduction of breast cancer screening in the UK may have caused more harm than good.

This analysis supports the claim that the introduction of breast cancer screening might have caused net harm for up to 10 years after the start of screening.


Collisions of protein machines cause DNA replication derailment

Here we show that in vivo, co-directional transcription can disrupt replication, leading to the involvement of replication restart proteins.


Patients who have undergone knee or hip replacement surgery could potentially double the life of their implant by taking readily available osteoporosis drugs called bisphosphonates.

In patients undergoing lower limb arthroplasty, bisphosphonate use was associated with an almost twofold increase in implant survival time.


Children's genes influence response to education

Raw achievement shows moderate heritability (about 50%) and modest shared environmental influences (25%).


‘Hyper-excitability’ in regions of the brain may underlie synaesthesia, an unusual condition where some people experience a ‘blending of the senses’, Oxford University researchers suggest.

Using transcranial magnetic stimulation, we show that synesthetes display 3-fold lower phosphene thresholds than controls during stimulation of the primary visual cortex.


Scientists find mechanism that leads to drug resistance in bacteria causing melioidosis

Mutational analysis of wild-type B. pseudomallei demonstrated that ceftazidime resistance was due to deletion of a gene encoding a penicillin-binding protein 3 (BPSS1219) present within the region of genomic loss.


Smoking in films encourages teenagers to take a drag

This study provides evidence that adolescents in the UK and elsewhere who are exposed to smoking depictions in films are more likely to initiate smoking.


Extending the cervical cancer screening interval beyond five years for women aged 40 and older who test negative for human papilloma virus (HPV) is safe, say researchers from the Netherlands in The BMJ this week.

Long term incidences of cervical cancer and CIN3+ were low among HPV negative women in this study cohort, and supports an extension of the cervical screening interval beyond five years for women aged 40 years and older.


Painful periods increase sensitivity to pain throughout the month

During menstruation, deactivation of brain regions in response to noxious stimulation was observed in control women but not in women with dysmenorrhoea.


Terminal cancer patients 'not getting adequate pain relief'

The study provides the first detailed analysis of the relatively late onset and short duration of strong opioid treatment in patients with cancer before death in a representative UK cohort.


Loneliness and isolation linked to heightened risk of heart disease/stroke

Our findings suggest that deficiencies in social relationships are associated with an increased risk of developing CHD and stroke.


The body’s peripheral nervous system could be capable of interpreting its environment and modulating pain, neuroscientists have established, after studying how rodents reacted to stimulation.

Mechanistically, GABA depolarized the majority of sensory neuron somata, yet produced a net inhibitory effect on the nociceptive transmission due to the filtering effect at nociceptive fiber T-junctions.


A diet rich in fruit and vegetables is linked to a significantly lower risk of developing chronic lung disease (COPD) in former and current smokers, finds research published online in the journal Thorax.

These results indicate that high consumption of fruits and vegetables is associated with reduced COPD incidence in both current and ex-smokers but not in never-smokers.


Mathematical models predict that some policy interventions might not be best employed at the start of an epidemic.

Mitigation of a severe influenza pandemic can be achieved using a range of interventions to reduce transmission.


A European-wide study published today in the journal Neuroepidemiology has found that whilst older people with a higher level of education have better memory function, it does not protect them from cognitive decline as they age.

We found weak evidence of a protective effect of education on memory change in most European samples, although there was a positive association with memory performance at individuals' baseline assessment.


New treatment can destroy prostate cancer from within

The virus then infected neighboring cells but only proliferated and was cytotoxic in prostate tumor cells, resulting in the marked inhibition of tumor growth and reduction of pulmonary metastases.


Light and moderate alcohol consumption of up to two drinks per day is associated with a lower risk of ischemic stroke but seems to have no effect on a person’s risk of hemorrhagic stroke, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. High-to-heavy drinking was found to be associated with increased risk of all stroke types.

Light and moderate alcohol consumption was inversely associated only with ischemic stroke, whereas heavy drinking was associated with increased risk of all stroke types with a stronger association for hemorrhagic strokes.


Stress in early life reduces life expectancy - and that of partners

Our results clearly show that increased exposure to glucocorticoids early in life can markedly reduce adult life expectancy, and that pairing with such exposed partners carries an additional and substantial lifespan penalty.


Volunteering in middle and older age is linked to good mental health/emotional wellbeing, finds a large study of British adults, published in the online journal BMJ Open.

We conclude that volunteering may be more meaningful for mental well-being at some points of time in the life course.


Email-based exercises could improve mental health long-term

Internet-based interventions are feasible for mental health promotion and should be available for people interested in improving their psychological well-being and lifestyle.


Medical devices approved first in the European Union (EU) are associated with a greater rate of safety issues, finds a study published by The BMJ today.

Devices approved first in the EU are associated with an increased risk of post-marketing safety alerts and recalls.


Rising rates linked to economic development; adoption of Western lifestyle may be to blame

Patterns and trends in CRC incidence and mortality correlate with present human development levels and their incremental changes might reflect the adoption of more western lifestyles.


Clot-busting drugs given to patients who have diabetes and previously suffered a stroke aid their recovery from a second stroke a new study has revealed.

Outcomes from thrombolysis are better than the controls among patients with DM, PS, or both.


A traditional Christmas Day family walk could help reduce fat levels in the blood, according to scientists at the University of Glasgow.

Thus, exercise-induced reductions in VLDL1 concentrations are mediated by increased catabolism, rather than reduced production, which may be facilitated by compositional changes to VLDL1 particles that increase their affinity for clearance from the circulation.


Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) could become a serious public health threat in West Africa unless effective surveillance and control measures are implemented, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Medicine. Researchers from the West-African Network of Excellence for TB, AIDS and Malaria (WANETAM) found the prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) to be unexpectedly high in eight West-African countries.

West African drug-resistance prevalence poses a previously underestimated, yet serious public health threat, and our estimates obtained differ significantly from previous World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates.


Babies can distinguish painful stimuli as different from general touch from around 35-37 weeks gestation – just before an infant would normally be born – according to new research.

The results suggest that specific neural circuits necessary for discrimination between touch and nociception emerge from 35-37 weeks gestation in the human brain.


Shops openly flouting tobacco sales ban near schools in China

We observed low enforcement of the regulation that bans tobacco retail sales near schools and high prevalence of tobacco displays that target children in Changsha, China.


Offering DIY sampling kits for HIV using online dating apps and social media targeting gay men, successfully unearths previously undiagnosed cases of the infection, reveals an evaluation of the first large-scale dedicated service in the UK, published online in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

This evaluation provides evidence to inform the potential roll-out of further online strategies to enhance community HIV testing.


There is little awareness of the chemical components of cigarette smoke amongst US adults, even though many of them report having looked for relevant information. In a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill suggest that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) expand its messaging activities so that information about these constituents reaches all segments of the US population, especially those most vulnerable to tobacco product use and its associated health risks.

Results revealed that over one quarter of U.S. adults, and over one third of smokers, reported having looked for information about tobacco constituents in cigarette smoke; however, the vast majority was unaware of what constituents might actually be present.


New research into how the bilingual brain processes two very different languages has revealed that bilinguals' native language directly influences their comprehension of their second language.

In two lexical decision tasks, Chinese-English bilinguals responded to English target words that were preceded by masked unrelated primes presented for 59 ms.


Scientists have identified 29 new genetic variants linked to multiple sclerosis, providing key insights into the biology of a very debilitating neurological disease.

In a collaborative GWAS involving 9,772 cases of European descent collected by 23 research groups working in 15 different countries, we have replicated almost all of the previously suggested associations and identified at least a further 29 novel susceptibility loci.


UK teens heavily exposed to alcohol and tobacco content in YouTube music videos

YouTube music videos deliver millions of gross impressions of alcohol and tobacco content.


A life of crime starts to damage offenders’ health once they reach their 40s, new research has shown.

The findings suggest that high-rate chronic offending may in itself create the substrate for hospitalisation and registered disability.


Palliative and end-of-life care are not being considered as core services by clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in some parts of England, with a vast degree of variation across different services and regions, reveals an analysis published in BMJ Supportive and Palliative Care.

However, information based on data that are more objective, for example, population and total budget for palliative care, demonstrate wide variations in commissioning.


Dementia costs Europe £165 billion a year

In conclusion, dementia poses a significant economic burden to European health and social care systems, and society overall.


Babies born 32-36 weeks fare less well at school

Children born late-preterm are less likely to be successful in early school assessments than those born at term.


There are no differences between heterosexuals and homosexuals or between women and men in terms of the brain systems regulating romantic love, according to new UCL research published in the latest issue of PLoS One.

We could therefore detect no difference in activation patterns between these groups.


University scientists have identified a protein crucial for maintaining the health and function of the segment of nerve fibres that controls transmission of messages within the brain.

This causes AIS disintegration, impairment of motor learning and the abolition of the spontaneous tonic discharge typical of Purkinje cells.


Direct experience of extreme weather events increases concern about climate change and willingness to engage in energy-saving behaviour, according to a new research paper published in the first edition of the journal Nature Climate Change this week.

We show that those who report experience of flooding express more concern over climate change, see it as less uncertain and feel more confident that their actions will have an effect on climate change.


A randomised clinical trial conducted by researchers from Oxford and Bristol Universities and published in the New England Journal of Medicine has shown that two drugs for breaking up the thick pleural fluid, when used together, improve drainage of the fluid from the chest.

Intrapleural t-PA-DNase therapy improved fluid drainage in patients with pleural infection and reduced the frequency of surgical referral and the duration of the hospital stay.


Pessimism seems to be a strong risk factor for death from coronary heart disease (CHD), while optimism does not protect from it, according to a study published in the open access journal BMC Public Health that involved 2,267 middle aged and older Finnish men and women.

Pessimism seems to be a substantial risk factor for death from CHD


Brain scans of aggressive and antisocial teenage boys with conduct disorder (CD) have revealed differences in the structure of the developing brain that could link to their behaviour problems.

Brain structural abnormalities may contribute to the emergence of adolescent-onset as well as early-onset conduct disorder


Stomach bleeds caused by aspirin are considerably less serious than the spontaneous bleeds that can occur in people not taking the drug, concludes a study led by Cardiff University.

The majority of the adverse events caused by aspirin are GI bleeds, and there appears to be no valid evidence that the overall frequency of fatal GI bleeds is increased by aspirin.


According to the University of Bristol study, funded by Arthritis Research UK and published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, omega-3-rich diets fed to guinea pigs, which naturally develop osteoarthritis, reduced disease by 50 per cent compared to a standard diet.

Dietary n-3 reduced disease in OA-prone animals.


Hospital admissions for a short-term and avoidable complication of diabetes have risen by 39 per cent in the last ten years, a new analysis has concluded.

Over 10 years, hospital admissions in England for hypoglycaemia increased by 39% in absolute terms and by 14% considering the general increase in hospitalisation; however, accounting for diabetes prevalence, there was a reduction of admission rates.


International collaborations across the EU are needed to monitor prescription drug abuse, identify its scope and develop targeted interventions, according to the first comparative study of prescription drug abuse in the European Union. The study, published in the open access journal BMC Psychiatry investigated nonmedical prescription drug use in five European countries - Denmark, Germany, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

Nonmedical prescription drug use was reported across the five EU countries we studied, with opioids and sedatives being the most prevalent classes of prescription psychotherapeutics.