News

Scientists discover magic molecule which stops development of Alzheimer’s disease

10th March 2015

In what is a huge scientific breakthrough, scientists have managed to find the molecule, which halts the development of Alzheimer’s at a crucial stage, and breaks the toxic chain reaction that leads to the death of brain cells. The research was carried out by an international team made up of academics from Cambridge University, Lund University, the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Tallinn University. Their findings which show that a molecular chaperone, a type of molecule that occurs naturally in humans, can play the role of an ‘inhibitor’ part-way through the molecular process that is thought to cause Alzheimer’s, were reported in the journal Nature Structural & Molecular Biology. Dr Samuel Cohen, a research fellow at St John’s College, Cambridge, and a lead author [More…]

Regular coffee drinkers have ‘cleaner’ arteries

4th March 2015

Drinking a few cups of coffee a day may help people avoid clogged arteries – a known risk factor for heart disease – Korean researchers believe. They studied more than 25,000 male and female employees who underwent routine health checks at their workplace. Employees who drank a moderate amount of coffee – three to five cups a day – were less likely to have early signs of heart disease on their medical scans. The findings reopen the debate about whether coffee is good for the heart. Heart effects There is a lot of confusion when it comes to the effect of coffee on heart health. Some studies have linked consumption to heart risk factors, such as raised cholesterol or blood pressure, while others suggest the [More…]

Feed babies peanut products to reverse rise in allergy, say scientists

24th February 2015

Researchers say children should be introduced to peanuts as soon as they begin eating solid foods, contradicting previous advice Babies as young as four months old should be given peanut butter or peanut snacks, scientists have said after a study predicted that the growing tide of peanut allergies can be reversed. About one in 50 schoolchildren in the UK have a peanut allergy. The number of those allergic in the UK and North America has more than doubled in the last 10 years, and cases have emerged in Africa and Asia. In severe cases the allergy can lead to anaphylaxis, which can be fatal. For years, paediatricians and allergy specialists advised that peanuts should be avoided in the early years of a child’s life. But [More…]

Sunlight continues to damage skin hours after exposure

21st February 2015

Sunlight continues to damage people’s skin and increase the risk of cancer for hours after they leave the beach and head indoors, a study shows. Scientists at Yale University, in the US, discovered it was the supposedly protective pigment melanin that was causing the damage. The team say the findings may lead to better sunscreens that can prevent the extra damage. British experts said that the findings “reinforce” current advice. When UV radiation pummels our skin cells, it can cause mutations in the DNA. Melanin, the pigment behind a tan or natural skin tone, is the body’s defence as it absorbs the radiation. What scientists did not know previously was what happens to all the energy that the melanin has absorbed. Super-charged The Yale team [More…]

Dementia Friends

21st February 2015

Alzheimer’s charity hails one million ‘dementia friends’ One million people have now signed up to be “dementia friends” in England, the Alzheimer’s Society has announced. People in all walks of life have been trained to spot the signs of the disease so they can help sufferers. Meanwhile, the government has announced that it will be spending more than £300m to tackle dementia in England over the next parliament. Source- BBC News Sophie Hutchinson reports.

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