It’s never very easy to tell what direction director David O. Russell will go in. He went from the superbly intelligent Three Kings to the more bewildering and uneven I [...]
All Entries Tagged With: "science"
Human brain research Made Easier by Database
Alzheimer’s Research UK has welcomed a new online database that will allow scientists to access brain tissue to study diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Researchers will be able to access samples from more than 7,000 donated human brains to help study major brain diseases, thanks to the database, launched by the Medical Research Council (MRC) today. [...]
Brain Study Seeks Answers on Dementia
Research which seeks to understand how the brain’s electrical behaviour is linked to dementia could pave the way for better treatment of diseases such as Alzheimer’s. Dr Jon Brown, at the University of Exeter Medical School, has just started a three year project to examine the complex networks within the brain, after initial evidence revealed [...]
Did the Earth Once Have Two Moons?
The moon has always been an object of mystic interest to humans. Some nights we see it clearly and bright; during full moon and when the sky is clear. Other nights we look for the moon in vain, for instance when the sky is clouded over. Interestingly we only ever see one side of the [...]
Potential New Alzheimer’s Drug Passes Phase 2 Trials
American Academy of Neurology Conference: Safety and efficacy of ORM-12741 on cognitive and behavioural symptoms in patients with Alzheimer’s disease: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, multicenter, proof-of-concept 12-week study. Researchers have found a potential new treatment for Alzheimer’s, ORM-12741, may improve some memory problems when used in combination with existing treatments. The results of [...]
James Nesbitt Urges Public to “Fight the Fear” of Dementia
Actor issues rallying call as poll reveals only around a third of people think research breakthrough will come in the next 25 years. James Nesbitt will challenge the public to “fight the fear” of dementia by supporting UK scientists when he speaks at a major dementia conference organised by Alzheimer’s Research UK and the University [...]
Dementia’s Impact on Children
Over 820,000 people are now living with dementia across the UK. As well as the toll it takes on the person, the carers and families around them can be profoundly affected as dementia takes a grip of their loved ones. Alzheimer’s Research UK has been exploring the impact of dementia on families, and in particular [...]
Blood Pressure Drugs to Slow Alzheimer’s – New Clinical Trial Launched
A new clinical trial is being launched to test a common blood pressure drug for the treatment of Alzheimer’s. The trial, known as RADAR, is being funded by a £2m investment from the Medical Research Council (MRC) and will see around 230 participants being treated with the drug losartan. The trial is being hosted by [...]
Treatment Window Thrown Open for Alzheimer’s
A team of US scientists has identified a critical time window of 15 years where treatments targeting the hallmark Alzheimer’s protein amyloid might have a greater effect. The study, published in Neurology, adds to evidence that early treatment in the diseases that cause dementia holds real hope for checking their destructive course. Amyloid has been heavily [...]
The Dangers of Cloning – a Popular Myth?
The world of biology was relatively quiet and untainted, whereas other natural sciences such as physics and chemistry had suffered from some bad reputations. Nuclear physics is now associated with the tragedies of Chernobyl and Fukushima and chemistry has been associated with pesticides, dangerous drugs and horrible toxins. But the view on biology changed in [...]
Personalised Genome: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
As new age technology, such as high-throughput sequencing and nanopores, slashes both costs and time needed for genomic analysis, the age where commercialisation of individual one thousand pound gemones dawns. With its inevitable manifestation around the corner, it has never been more pressing to assess impacts, both social and clinical, so that we can truly [...]
The Formation Of Man
The New Year never fails to rein in an eclectic range of resolutions, from the life changing to the downright dumbfounding; nevertheless these feats are attempted in the hope o development. Whether wishful thinking or willpower is permeating 2013’s endeavors, commendable personal development has already been achieved and all before the initial breathe – embryonic [...]
Deceived Wisdom
ChemSpy webmaster and well-known science journalist David Bradley publishes his first popular science book – Deceived Wisdom – this year. You can order the hardcover version internationally with 48h dispatch and free shipping and 30% off from Book Depository right now. The book is already getting great reviews on amazon and elsewhere: TV personality Francis [...]
Facebook Boosts Self Esteem, Leads to Snacking
That’s an approximation of the tabloid headlines. But, as ever, NHS Choices offers a more solid critique of various bits of research into the effects of online social networking on our psyche. “Overall, social networking improves self-esteem, particularly when the person has a greater number of contacts that they consider to be close and when [...]
Theoretical Highest Temperatures
In science it is well known that the lowest temperature possible is 0K. However is it possible to put the same thinking into finding a theoretical highest temperature? Having researched this I found that there is no conclusive answer, merely several different popular theories on whether we can find this temperature. I also found that [...]
The Essential Artifacts?
“Pure science and practical applications push each other” [1]. With the demise of NASA, our attention is drawn to the everyday commodities and understanding gained in receipt of space entrepreneurship; invisible braces, scratch-resistant lenses, temper foam, portable cordless vacuums, freeze drying, water purification, solar energy, and remotely controlled ovens[2]. As we approach the end of [...]
Revolution Through Competition: Unravelling the Archon Genomics X Prize with Dr Eugene Schuster
We truly are living in the age of technology, but not as we know it. Machines will no longer be developed through scientific knowledge; scientific knowledge will be developed through machines. Dr Eugene Schuster Functional Genomics of Aging Genetics, Evolution and Environment University College London Science Writer Sumaya Anwar interviews Dr Eugene [...]
Genetically Modified and Enhanced Foods
In order to feed the growing population that has steadily risen from 5 billion to 7 billion in 20 years, we need to utilize science and technology to make the most of what nature provides. The USA is the main producer of corn, however over 85% is genetically modified, meaning it has been modified in [...]
Breaking Down Bayesian
Science is the river of life. And as each droplet of knowledge is added to the flow, it advances slightly, modifying what was previously known. The 1740’s saw Thomas Bayes, an English reverend, conduct a thought experiment that would impress any modern day psychic. With no more than an assistant, two balls and a table, [...]
Raspberry Ketone
Raspberry ketone, more specifically, 4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)butan-2-one, is an organic compound, a phenolic or ketonic compound depending on which end you focus on, present in red raspberries, it’s the main chemical that gives them their distinctive aroma. As such, it is used widely in perfumery, cosmetics, and the food industry, giving products a fruity, raspberry odour. It [...]
Right Mind; Appropriate Perception
Episodic or lifelong knee pain is increasingly familiar to a greater number of people. Amongst young adults, the most common pain is of the lower fraction, just below the patella (knee cap), and towards the inner side of the knee. Clinically this is referred to as Prepatellar Bursitis, common diagnoses are; patella tendonitis, Osgood-shlatter disease, [...]
Nobel Women
Inventas vitam juvat exclouisse per artes - “And they who bettered life on earth by their newly found mastery” Taken from Vergilius Aeneid, these are the words which adorn the medal of one of science’s most prestigious awards, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. The 27th November 1895 saw Alfred Nobel, inventor of the dynamite, [...]
Neanderthal DNA Strengthens Human Immune System
Where do we come from and who are we? Who were our ancestors? Why are we the dominant intelligent species on this planet and what made us be the first organism to create such a technological revolution? Who exactly are we? Who is Homo sapiens? These questions have been occupying us for a long time [...]
Multitasking and Listening to Mood Music
When you’re feeling blue, put on a sad song. Getting in the party spirit? Turn up the dance music. We are all well aware that music can fit our mood and even reinforce certain emotions. Now, researchers at Philips Research in The Netherlands have demonstrated that background music can affect our mood even while we [...]
Live Young and Prosper: The Dauer Way
The global average life expectancy during the early twentieth century was 31 years; today it stands at 67.2 years. The “Big Three”: food, health and hygiene are being hailed as miracle life longevity factors; however improving overall quality of life is far more complex than simply extending it. Without actually slowing down the pace at [...]
ACL Reconstructive Surgery – Knee Destructive?
Damage of the anterior cruciate ligament in the knee is one of the most common serious injuries in young athletes and, reflecting individual activity, is habitually treated surgically. ACL reconstruction, the gold standard, requires the harvesting of a hamstring or patella tendon graft, which is used as scaffold for new ACL growth. Cadaveric ligament harvesting [...]
Are You A Man or A Mouse?
How the Mus musculus is furthering our understanding of human inherited diseases In 1907 Cuenot mated two yellow mice giving an unexpected, unmendelian 2:1 offspring ratio. 5 years later Castle and Little repeated the experiment, determining that 1 in every fourth offspring had died during embryonic development. Nearly a century ago, mice where already paving [...]
Ask City Connect
Ask Tom – Matching Food and Wine
Dear Tom
Can you tell me how to match food and wine ? Should I stick with the classics – what about modern dishes?
Matching food and wine is probably more art [...]
Style
Colour Shock – Go Big or Go Home!
Who said your walls have to be taupe, eggshell or tan? Neutrals are great, but a little colour won’t hurt. In fact, a lot of colour won’t hurt either! Colour [...]
Relationships
How Far Would You Go For The One You Love?
How far is too far? Is there such a thing? It’s one thing following your man to the pub when he wants to watch football and you want to be seen as the ‘supportive girlfriend’. [...]
