Research News

Researchers, led by an Indian-origin scientist, have developed a new blood test that may detect a broad range of cancers in the earliest stages by forcing tumours to create a unique protein. Stanford University Medical School researchers injected DNA microcircles, a customised genetic construct consisting of tiny rings of DNA, into mice.

MIT researchers have developed a simple paper strip test that can diagnose the deadly Ebola, as well as other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as yellow fever and dengue fever, in just 10 minutes.

Screaming words such as 'ow' and 'ouch' can help you cope with pain better, scientists have found. Researchers at the National University of Singapore said that being vocal helps people tolerate pain longer as it can be a distraction. In a study 56 people were asked to put their hands in extremely cold water. They either said 'ow', heard a recording of themselves saying 'ow', heard a recording of another person saying 'ow', pressed a button or sat passively.

Scientists have identified a biological clock that provides vital clues about how long a person is likely to live. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh, in collaboration with scientists in Australia and the US, studied chemical changes to DNA that take place over a lifetime. When researchers compared individuals' actual ages with their predicted biological clock age, a pattern emerged.

Smoking can cause loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells, which may put male smokers at a greater risk of cancer, a new study has found. Researchers at Uppsala University in Sweden found an association between smoking and loss of the Y chromosome in blood cells. Loss of the Y chromosome was more common in heavy smokers compared to moderate smokers, the study found. Since only men have the Y chromosome, these results might explain why smoking is a greater risk factor for cancer among men and, in the broader perspective, also why men in general have a shorter life expectancy, researchers said.

A new strategy that focuses on targeting "hot zones" - areas where the risk of HIV infection is much higher than the national average - can help stop the spread of the virus in Africa, scientists say. Globally, more than 34 million people are infected with HIV; in sub-Saharan Africa alone, 3 million new infections occur annually. In an attempt to stop the spread of HIV, governments in the region are considering providing antiretroviral drugs to people who do not have the virus but are at risk for becoming infected, researchers said. Such drugs are known as pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.

Toxic mushrooms may hold secrets to tackling deadly diseases such as cancer, according to a new research. A team of Michigan State University scientists has discovered an enzyme that is the key to the lethal potency of poisonous mushrooms.

Researchers have identified a network of genes that appear to work together in determining alcohol dependence. By comparing patterns of genetic code from the brain tissue of alcoholics and nonalcoholics, researchers discovered a particular set of genes co-expressed together in the individuals who had consumed the most alcohol.

Human ancestors began evolving the ability to digest alcohol about 10 million years ago, researchers say. The study found that a single genetic mutation 10 million years ago endowed human ancestors with an enhanced ability to break down ethanol.

Vitamin D supplements can reduce chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) flare-ups by over 40 per cent in patients with a vitamin D deficiency, according to a new research. Researchers from Queen Mary University of London conducted a randomised trial on 240 patients with COPD in and around London. Half of the patients (122) received vitamin D supplements and the other half (118) received an equivalent placebo.