Press monitoring

EU shifts farm subsidies from production to rural development, climate change and bioenergy

The EU's Council has come to an agreement that will help reform the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP). It shifts subsidies away from agricultural production and towards conservation, the fight against climate change and bioenergy. A key aim is to make agriculture more responsive to market forces and to avoid overproduction of food. Liberalisation of the milk sector and a phase out of quota was agreed on too. Importantly, the set-aside rule is abolished, as is an energy crop premium.
[23.11.2008]  

Pure Insulin-producing Cells Produced In Mice

Singapore researchers have developed an unlimited number of pure insulin-producing cells from mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs).
[22.11.2008]  

Discovery - Melanin Production In Fat Tissue

A two-year study conducted by researchers at George Mason University, INOVA Fairfax Hospital and the National Cancer Institute may open the door to new therapies for combating chronic diseases associated with obesity, a condition that affected more than 33 percent of American adults in 2005-06 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
[21.11.2008]  

Biomarkers used to predict chronological and physiological age

Scientists at the Buck Institute for Age Research have identified for the first time biomarkers of aging which are highly predictive of both chronological and physiological age. Biomarkers are biochemical features that can be used to measure the progress of disease or the effects of treatment.
[20.11.2008]  

Stem Cells With Potential To Regenerate Injured Liver Tissue Identified

A novel protein marker has been found that identifies rare adult liver stem cells, whose ability to regenerate injured liver tissue has the potential for cell-replacement therapy. For the first time, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine led by Linda Greenbaum, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine in the Division of Gastroenterology, have demonstrated that cells expressing the marker can differentiate into both liver cells and cells that line the bile duct.
[19.11.2008]  

NC State Finds New Nanomaterial Could Be Breakthrough For Implantable Medical Devices

A team of researchers led by North Carolina State University has made a breakthrough that could lead to new dialysis devices and a host of other revolutionary medical implants.
[18.11.2008]  

New Biomarker For Heart Failure Identified

Blood levels of resistin, a hormone produced by fat cells, can independently predict an individual's risk of heart failure, cardiologists at Emory University School of Medicine have found.
[17.11.2008]  

Study a step toward disease-resistant crops, sustainability

A five-year study that could help increase disease resistance, stress tolerance and plant yields is under way at Purdue University.
[16.11.2008]  

Hair colour loss 'reversal hope'

People whose hair has turned white because of illness or extreme stress are being offered hope that scientists may be able to reverse the process.
[15.11.2008]  

Parasite-resistant Peppers Green Alternatives to Chemical Pesticides

Root-knot nematodes are extreme parasites. These microscopic, omnipresent worms cause major damage to horticultural and field crops in sub-tropical regions, resulting in significant financial losses to growers and gardeners.
[14.11.2008]