A sperm less mosquito has been created by scientists in the latest effort to control the spread of malaria. This mosquito should be able to reduce populations in the wild, and is the second recent attempt to modify the mosquito to prevent the spread of malaria.

In April scientists announced that they had modified a mosquito so that it can kill the malaria parasite. The research was announced in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Reports on the research have said, “This is not a new idea, scientists have previously rendered creatures sterile in order to stop the spread of disease. Before however this was always done using radiation. The problem with this was that once irradiated the male mosquitos were too weak to mate with the females.”

Scientist Flamina Catteruccia has taken a different approach and has developed a way to disable the gene that allows for male mosquitoes to produce fertile sperm. She has done this by injecting RNA into the mosquitoes designed to alter the reproductive genes.

The resulting sperm less males were then allowed to breed with the females and had no problem doing this, unlike the radiated mosquitoes. This method is particularly effective as the female mosquito only ever mates once, if she does this with an infertile male, she will lay infertile eggs for the rest of her life.

Some people have raised concerns over the elimination of mosquitoes as they are an important food source to other animals and this may have a negative effect on an ecosystem. Catteruccia has said this is not currently a concern as the methods for producing the sperm less mosquitoes are far too inefficient; it took her team months to create only a hundred sperm less males.

She said, “Releasing these mosquitoes into the wild would do very little, they could easily be squashed, eaten or just die before they had a chance to mate. Right now it is far too expensive to create an amount of mosquitoes that would have any significant effect on the environment.”

Current methods of controlling mosquitoes, such as insecticides can also harm other species in the environment, including humans. Also, as time goes by, more mosquitoes are becoming resistant to the types of insecticides being used. Developing potential ways to keep mosquitoes under control in the future is important to develop now as there may come a time when chemical control won’t work.

In the present however, it is important that the battle against malarial is continued. Mosquitoes can be prevented by clearing away standing water – where they breed. People in malarial areas must use mosquito nets at night to prevent bites. Finally, good health care in regions of malarial outbreaks is essential.

A drug that has been hailed for lengthening the lives of sufferer’s of melanoma, the deadly skin cancer, has become a stage closer to becoming made widely available. This will bring some relief to the many people who suffer from the disease.

Ipilimumab, known by its brand name Yervoy, has been licensed for sale inside Europe. It is the only treatment that has been made available for treating advanced stage melanoma since the 1970s. The drug however is not yet approved for use by the NHS, but a trial revealed that the drug can increase survival rates significantly, nearly doubling the chances of survival for one year.

The drug is administered four times over three weeks through an infusion process. It works by encouraging the body’s immune system so that it can better fight the cancer. The cost of a single infusion is £18,000 with the entire cost of treatment averaging £75,000.

Dr Paul Lorigan, an expert in medical oncology who works at the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, has said, “The approval of this treatment represents a major step forward for the patients with melanoma. It is the first drug that can extend their lives that has been approved in thirty years.”

The Lancet has recently published the results of a clinical trial testing a drug that should help in the care of heart failure patients. Omecamtiv Mecarbil, according to research, will help patients by making heart contractions easier. Early clinical trials are suggesting that the medicine will help those suffering from the disease and the drug, which has been developed in the United States, works by activating a protein that will cause the heart muscle to contract to a greater degree.

Heart failure is often caused after the heart has suffered significant damage, this is something that can occur during a heart attack. A failing heart cannot provide sufficient blood flow to the body. Natasha Steward works for the British Heart Foundation (BHF) as a senior cardiac nurse. She has stated that, “it does seem that using certain doses of Omecamtiv Mercabil can offer some improvement to a damaged heart.”

Stewart also commented that, “This is a very early stage for the drug, the study we have seen here only took place for a very short time and with a small number of patients. Before we can say this drug is safe for use and will be effective, clinical trials of a much greater scale will need to be conducted.”

The BHF runs the Mending Broken Hearts campaign which raises money in the hope of finding a cure for heart failure. The campaign hopes to raise over £50m to spend on research to help the quarter of a million people who suffer from heart failure in the UK.

Synexus, the largest multinational company in the world that is solely dedicated to successfully recruiting and running clinical studies are now recruiting patients to take part in a study that will assess a brand new treatment aimed at bringing relief to those who suffer from an overactive bladder. The clinical research centres involved in the study are located in Merseyside, Thames Valley and Lancashire.

1 in 6 UK adults suffer from overactive bladder syndrome, and if you are one of them you will know exactly how overwhelming the symptoms are. Typically, they are sudden and uncontrollable urges to go to the loo, frequent visits through day and even waking in the night to go. It is debilitating, inconvenient and disruptive, but the good news is that an overactive bladder is very common, and can potentially be treated.

The new study which Synexus is running currently assesses a new treatment than can help to give suffers real relief from their overactive bladder problem.

o       Have been diagnosed with overactive bladder or are displaying symptoms

o       Have been suffering with overactive bladder for at least 3 months

Synexus is currently recruiting patients for this study at its Dedicated Clinical Research Centres in Lancashire, Merseyside and Thames Valley.

Those who would like to find out more or are interested in participating in this study should contact:

o       Lancashire Clinical Research Centre - 01772 344620 (quote reference 2363)

o       Merseyside Clinical Research Centre - 0151 5509951 (quote reference 2364)

o       Thames Valley Clinical Research Centre - 0118 3789923 (quote reference 2365)

And quote your name, address, phone number and reference code.

There is no obligation for people to participate and if they do decide to take part, their GP will be kept fully informed of their involvement.

Synexus has many years experience in conducting a wide range of clinical studies. The purpose of a clinical research study is to answer important questions about a new medicine, for example: does it improve a person’s health and which dose of the medicine works best?

Each year, thousands of patients take part in clinical studies at Synexus’ Dedicated Clinical Research Centres. There are many different studies running at each of the Centres throughout the year including potential treatments for conditions such as osteoporosis, smoking cessation, high-cholesterol, insomnia, vaccines, asthma and childhood eczema.

Not all studies are paid, but some do reimburse the patients for their time and all reimburse patients for out of pocket travelling expenses. Participating in a Synexus clinical study means patients receive increased medical attention and may benefit from medications that aren’t yet available to other sufferers of their condition, while making a positive contribution to the health of future generations.

For more information about Synexus and the other studies that it is currently conducting visit www.improvinghealth.com

Researchers have warned that for parents who already have a child with Autism, there is a risk of almost 1/5 that their next child could also develop the disorder. This risk is higher than the previous estimates, and it is even higher if the next child is male. In families where more than one child suffers from Autism, the risk rises to 1/3 than any subsequent children will be affected.

The International study has been published in online in the Pediatrics Journal, and researchers studied 664 children in Israel, Canada and the US, is the largest study every into the risks of Autism recurring amongst siblings. This debilitating disorder affects a sufferer’s ability to socially interact and also communicate.

Previous estimates had the risk of a younger sibling developing the disorder as between 3-5%, but this new study has shown that the risk is substantially higher at around 18.7%. If the second child is a boy, that risk rises to over 26%, this is due to more boys than girls suffering from Autism; and if there are two older siblings with the disorder, the risk over 32%.

Sally Ozonoff, a professor at the MIND Institute at the California-Davis University in Sacramento led the study said that this had been the biggest study into sibling autism ever held, and none of the previous studies had ever identified that the risk of recurrence in siblings was so high.

Autism, which is also known as Autistic Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is an umbrella term which covers many conditions such as Asperger’s Syndrome. These are all classed as developmental disorders and the ability to socially interact and communicate can be affected through the entire life of the sufferer. Around 1/100 children have some kinds of diagnosed Autism, and 80% of these are boys.

The average age of the 664 children that the researchers in Israel, Canada and the US studied was 8 months at the beginning, and they were tested for Autism once they reached 3 years. 132 of these met the criteria, and overall 26% of boys were diagnosed with ASD as opposed to 9% of girls, and the overall rate of ASD amongst those who were studied was 18.7%.

Those families who had one older child with Autism, or Simplex families, the rate of incidence rose to 20.1%. In those families where more than one child had Autism, the recurrence rate at 32.2%. Dr Ozonoff stressed that these were estimates that had been averaged across the families in the study, some families would have a risk factor of less that 18%, but some would invariable have more.

As well as make up, such as eccentric eyeliner, hot hued eye shadows and lashings of mascara, there is another way to really make your eyes pop!

This method comes in the shape of coloured lenses and patterned contact lenses. Whether you want a subtle change or a vivid look, there is a coloured lens to suit all personalities and characters!

Choose from vibrant blue, green and aqua for a real hit of colour or a simple tone such as a natural coloured lens, with detail around the centre, in order to create an elegant twist on your peepers. This is great for a casual daytime event or a low key evening out!

However, if you really want a lens that will dramatically change your whole look you should invest in lenses that offer a comfortable fit yet an over the top design. These come in the shape of a pattern or a print that will really add oomph to your outfit!

Coloured and patterned lenses are a great idea for an evening out, a party or simply for those that fancy playing around with their look. Most of the lenses offer up to a month of wear and therefore must be cared for correctly. Cleansing and rinsing is a must, you should also really work to get the daily elements and deposit build up off the lenses. This will keep the fashion lenses in a good condition, making them appear just as vivid on the last day of wear as they were on the first day!

Most will suit any colour, choosing a shade just depends on what type of look you are wishing to achieve. This could either be really subtle or over the top and dramatic in style.

If you want to browse contact lenses online visit www.getlenses.co.uk.

An Advertising Feature

Reducing back pain with an adequate dentist chair

Back injuries have repeatedly been found to be one of the most common work related health problems leading to sickness absences. Compared to other professionals, dentists have a higher incidence of back pain. Indeed, research has shown that approximately 40% of dentists experience some form of back and/or neck pain.

Whilst most episodes of back pain clear up relatively quickly, some dentists will get persistent back pain that can eventually require them to reduce their work hours, and in the worst case scenario, lead to early retirement.

Without doubt the best way to tackle back pain is to stop the problem happening in the first place. Therefore, the aim of this article is to outline key factors to consider when buying a dentist chair.

Invest in your dentist chair:

Faced with all the expenses of setting up as a dentist, it is not surprising that some dentists simply opt for the cheapest dentist chair on the market. Unfortunately, this can be a false economy, because if you don’t get an ergonomically designed chair that helps promote good spinal alignment, you may increase your risk of developing an injury. It is worth remembering that your spine needs to serve you for your career and so you need to make sure you look after it from day one.

Consider upper limb supports for your dentist chair:

Because dentists need to access the mouth they often have to hold their upper limbs in sustained postures whilst performing precision activities. As a result, certain muscles which control the upper limb muscles (eg the trapezius) have to work hard for prolonged periods of time. Increasingly, dentist chairs are being developed with arm supports that allow you to rest the arms during certain upper limb activities. Some arm supports are moveable which gives you even more flexibility with your arm position.

Consider a dentist chair with wheels:

As a dentist it is very important that you are able to get close enough to your patient in order that you don’t have to get in an awkward position during dental procedures. A dentist chair with wheels not only allows you to get close to the patient but also gives you the flexibility to move around your work station during the day.

Consider saddle seats for your dentist chair:

Salli Surgeon Dentist Chair

Traditionally, healthcare professionals have sat on flat seats or stools. In the last 15 years, however, the development of the saddle chair has completely changed the way that dentists can sit. As the name suggests, saddle chairs have been made in the shape of the saddle. They have been designed in this way to help promote an upright posture without the need of a back rest. By removing the back support, saddle chairs have also been designed to help you build the stability in the muscles around your trunk so you are not reliant on any external supports. One of the most popular types of saddle chairs available is the Salli saddle chair.

Consider a split seat on your dentist chair:

Over the years there has been growing research to suggest that prolonged sitting on narrow seats may put pressure on the genital area leading to numbness and a compromised blood supply. For this reason, some of the newer types of dentist chairs have been designed with a split saddle, which leaves space between each side of the chair for the genitalia.

Make sure your dentist chair is height adjustable:

The height of your chair in relation to the patient will directly influence the type of posture you move into during the day. It is very important, therefore, that you are able to adjust the height of the chair either with a hand lever or a foot lever.

Make sure your dentist chair has a forward lean capability:

Dental health workers have to operate in a position that requires some forward lean. It can be very useful therefore to have a seat that can be tilted forwards and backwards. Moving the chair forwards will help you maintain the natural backwards arch in your lower spine (lumbar arch, whilst working and therefore keep you in a better spinal alignment.

Research says that a regular exercise routine that is followed every week for two and a half hours can be beneficial to those recuperating from cancer. A study that was performed on behalf of the Macmillan Cancer Support says that participation of moderate physical activity may help in preventing the disease from returning and minimise the treatments’ side effects.

Experts say the best thing would be for doctors to prescribe moderate activity for 150 minutes per week for both cancer survivors and patients per the recommendation of the Department of Health. Previously, the idea was for the cancer patient to rest after treatment but this new research, which includes the review of 60 studies, shows exercise will help in recovery from the disease and prevent other illnesses that are long term.

If patients are physically active it helps them to overcome the weight and fatigue issues of cancer. It may also help reduce the side effects common with cancer treatments like swelling in the arms, depression, anxiety, impaired mobility and fatigue. In the long term, it will help to recover physical function, improve quality of life, manage fatigue and control weight.

The chance of contracting ovarian cancer is enhanced greatly, scientists have discovered, by a gene that is faulty. The gene, RAD51D, can increase the risk of ovarian cancer six times, making the odds one in eleven for a woman developing the disease. It was described by Cancer Research UK as a landmark discovery, stating that their findings will help with an early diagnostic exam which may be available in the next two years.

Those women that have the faulty gene should be able to benefit from a new type of preventive cancer drug said the London Institute of Cancer Research. The drugs are known as PARP inhibitors and are amidst clinical trials. They target the BRCA 1&2 breast and ovarian cancer genes.

There are other existing genes that are known to contribute to the cancer but not to the extent that the gene RAD51D does. The author of the study, Professor Nazneen Rahman, said they were excited about the discovery and with this we enter into a new gene sequencing era and a great deal more destructive genes will be found like these in future studies.

Despite modern technology and the greatly improved healthcare, there has been a worrying rise in the number of women who are dying during pregnancy or just after childbirth. This unprecedented and unwelcome phenomenon had led leading doctors to get together and try to address this.

Catherine Nelson-Piercy, the prof. of Obstetrics at Kings College and her colleagues have called for an increase in the numbers of obstetric physicians and also for GP’s to be better trained in Obstetrics. Their article calling for these changes appears in the British Medical Journal. The doctors say that a big increase in ‘high risk pregnancies’, including those of obese and older women, raises the potential for a greater number of health problems.

They do insist, however, that most of these tragic deaths are caused by conditions that are both preventable and treatable, and they warned doctors that they must be vigilant. The doctors conclude that most deaths are associated poor healthcare and 1/3 of cases have had substandard care.

Ultimately, serious problems are failing to be recognized at the regular check-ups all pregnant women have. Research has indicated that heart disease is the biggest cause of maternal deaths, followed by neurological diseases.