Coffee: Aroma, taste and dietary fiber

Already recognized as a source of healthful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant compounds, coffee also contains significantly higher levels of soluble dietary fiber than other commonly consumed beverages, scientists in Spain report. Their study is scheduled for publication in the March 21 issue of ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a biweekly journal. more  

UC Davis researchers discover key to body's ability to detect subtle temperature changes

Scientists have long known the molecular mechanisms behind most of the body’s sensing capabilities. Vision, for example, is made possible in part by rhodopsin, a pigment molecule that is extremely sensitive to light. It is involved in turning photons into electrical signals that can be decoded by the brain into visual information. But how the human body is able to sense a one-degree change in temperature has remained a mystery. more

Children with cancer risk fragile bones

Physicians caring for children with cancer should be on the lookout for signs of bone fragility caused by disease and treatment, according to a new report. Published in the April 1, 2007 issue of Cancer the review reveals that the combination of sedentary behaviors caused by the chronic illness and inhibition of bone growth and mineralization as side effects of treatments put these children at real risk for bone problems during their lifetime, including bone necrosis and fractures related to osteoporosis. The review says the risk can be mitigated through early management, including exercise and the judicious use of bisphosphonates. more  

Positive results more likely from industry-funded breast cancer trials

Industry-funded studies of breast cancer therapies are more likely to report positive results than non-pharmaceutical funded studies, researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute have found. In addition, significant differences exist in the design and nature of clinical trials supported by the pharmaceutical industry compared to trials without industry involvement. more

Overly anxious and driven people prone to irritable bowel syndrome  

Overly anxious and driven people are susceptible to irritable bowel syndrome, usually known as IBS, indicates research published ahead of print in the journal Gut. more

Drug treatment improves learning in mice with Down syndrome symptoms  

A once-a-day, short-term treatment with a drug compound substantially improved learning and memory in mice with Down syndrome symptoms, say researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. What’s more, the gains lasted for months after the treatment was discontinued. The researchers are now considering a clinical trial to test whether the compound has a similar effect in humans with Down syndrome. more

Anti-obesity soya could help prevent diabetes

A diet rich in black soya beans could help control weight, lower fat and cholesterol levels, and aid in the prevention of diabetes, reports Lisa Richards in Chemistry & Industry, the magazine of the SCI. more

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