A prototype artificial skin used to heal wounds has been developed by British researchers. Writing in the journal Regenerative Medicine, UK-based company Intercytex said it had produced promising results in early trials. It said the skin seemed to incorporate itself much better with real tissue than any other skin substitutes tried in the past. The researchers hope it might provide an alternative to skin grafts
A platelet-rich gel derived from one’s own blood could speed up the healing of wounds and cuts. Researchers at the University of Cincinnati say that a topical gel derived from a patient’s own blood may help prevent infection while speeding up the healing process. The finding could mean that, in the not too distant future, a concentrated cocktail
of a person’s own blood could be used to help dress wounds, particularly in patients with diabetes or other disorders that slow the healing process
A new health scare erupted over soft drinks last night amid evidence they may cause serious cell damage. Research from a British university suggests a common preservative found in drinks such as Fanta and Pepsi Max has the ability to switch off vital parts of DNA. The problem — more usually associated with ageing and alcohol abuse — can eventually lead to cirrhosis of the liver and degenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s — via Warren Ellis
Turning off a gene that has been associated with Alzheimer’s disease made mice smarter in the lab, researchers said on Sunday in a finding that lends new insight on learning and may lead to new drugs for memory problems. They said these mice were far more adept at sensing changes in their environment than their mouse brethren
People infected with hepatitis C can be cured with existing treatments, researchers have discovered. Standard therapy with pegylated interferon and ribavirin removed all detectable virus in 99% of patients for up to seven years
Hair loss in humans might not be irreversible, suggest scientists who have helped create new hair cells on the skin of mice. It was thought hair follicles, once damaged, could never be replaced. A University of Pennsylvania team say hair growth can actually be encouraged using a single gene
Scientists have developed an artificial plastic blood which could act as a substitute in emergencies. Researchers at Sheffield University said their creation could be a huge advantage in war zones. They say that the artificial blood is light to carry, does not need to be kept cool and can be kept for longer. The new blood is made up of plastic molecules that have an iron atom at their core, like haemoglobin, that can carry oxygen through the body
It is pink and grey, 60cm long and one of the only two venomous lizards in the world. Yet the Gila Monster has proved an unlikely ally in the battle to control diabetes. Scientists have isolated a chemical in its saliva which is similar to a human hormone that helps regulate blood sugar
Scientists say they have a vaccine that stops mice getting a brain disease similar to BSE in cattle and which may ultimately protect humans against vCJD. A vaccine that decreases the spread of prion disease in animals would reduce the risk of spread in humans, says the New York University team. It could also be considered for humans, they told a neurology meeting
A team at London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital has made the world’s first attempt to treat a sight disorder using gene therapy. They operated on Robert Johnson, a UK man born with a sight disorder which deteriorates with age. At present Mr Johnson, who had genes inserted into one eye, can see outlines during the day, but little at night. It will be several months before the researchers know whether their work has been a success. If it is, they believe that it could be used to treat a wide range of inherited sight disorders
Mental stimulation and drug treatment could help people with degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s recover their memories. A team at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found two methods — brain stimulation and drugs — both worked
German scientists at the University of Ulm have identified a natural ingredient of human blood that prevents the HIV-1 virus from from infecting immune cells and multiplying. The molecule, which they call virus-inhibitory peptide (VIRIP), promises new types of effective treatment for HIV in the future
The active compound in marijuana, THC, can slow the growth of lung tumours and reduce the spread of the cancer in mice, a preliminary study reveals. Human lung cancer tumours grew less than half as fast in mice that received moderate doses of the compound, the researchers reveal. They hope that drugs mimicking the apparent anti-cancer effects of tetrahydrocanabinol (THC) could one day help treat patients. The team strongly discourage people from self-medicating by smoking marijuana, noting that doing so could potentially encourage tumour growth
The smoking ban in Ireland has cut air pollution in pubs and improved bar-workers’ health, a study has found. Researchers said the ban, which came in at the end of March 2004, had led to an 83% reduction in air pollution and an 80% cut in cancer-causing agents. Smoking bans are already in place in Wales and Scotland. Northern Ireland will follow suit on 30 April, with England’s ban coming into force on 1 July
Scientists have developed a way of converting one blood group into another. The technique potentially enables blood from groups A, B and AB to be converted into group O negative, which can be safely transplanted into any patient. The method, which makes use of newly discovered enzymes, may help relieve shortages of blood for transfusions
A ban on smoking in enclosed public places has begun across Wales. Pubs, restaurants, offices and public transport are all covered by the ban, which came into force at 0600 BST. Those found smoking can face on-the-spot fines of £50, while those in charge of premises could also be fined for allowing smoking. A similar ban is already in force in Scotland. Northern Ireland will follow suit on 30 April, and England will follow on 1 July
IBM is soon to launch a multimedia browser to make audio and video content accessible to people with vision impairments. Codenamed the Accessibility Browser — or A-Browser — the software was created by a blind employee in Japan. The A-Browser will give blind and partially-sighted people the same control over multimedia content that sighted people have using a mouse. IBM says it will be available later this year and hopes it will be free
Europe’s biggest drug company has announced it is taking the first steps towards marketing a vaccine in Africa from which it never expects to make money. GlaxoSmithKline says it has begun filing documents with the regulatory authorities concerning its meningitis vaccine called Globorix
A device that uses radio waves to heat the muscle lining of patients’ airways appears to treat their asthma. Just three sessions of the new treatment cut the number of mild asthma attacks in patients by a half during a one-year trial. The probe reduces inflammation in the bronchial tubes, doctors believe, and could lessen asthmatics’ need for steroids. The procedure, known as bronchial thermoplasty, involves inserting a long, thin catheter probe through the nose or mouth to reach the lung airways. Once the probe is in place, the tip is heated using radio waves. This raises the temperature in the muscle tissue of the airway up to 65°C for 10 seconds
A company named Tenebraex is helping colour-blind people to travel. But it’s also developing goggles to help soldiers and physicians to see all colours at night, and not only the green colour of current night vision systems. These goggles, which should become available this northern summer, will be sold for about US$6,000 to the Army. But as states one of the founders of the company, with monochrome night vision, blood is the same colour as water
. So these expensive night vision devices might be more targeted to Army physicians than to regular soldiers
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