Sleep loss can affect gene activity

It is well documented that individuals who do not get enough sleep are likely to experience a range of health problems. However, why this occurs at a molecular level has yet to be understood.

A study carried out by Möller-Levet et al at the University of Surrey investigated the affect of sleep on gene activity. When volunteers who were allowed just under 6 hours sleep per night were compared with those who slept for 8 or more hours each night, a change in activity of 711 of their genes were recorded. Among the genes affected were those linked with circadian rhythms, sleep homoeostasis, oxidative stress, and metabolism. It was concluded that lack of sleep can radically change the body's daily rhythms and may lead to health problems.

Dying stars may host planets with extra-terrestrial life

NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image showing the glowing remains of a dying star 

with a white dwarf at its centre

A new theoretical study has led to evidence that life may be present in habitable, earth-like planets which form as a result of dying stars. Astronomers believe that scientists may be able to detect these life-forms with ease as soon as the next decade using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope which is set to be completed in 2018.

When a star such as the Sun dies, it loses its outer layers, leaving just a hot core called a white dwarf, also known as a degenerative dwarf. These gradually cool and despite their sizes being comparable to the size of the Earth, they can retain heat long enough to warm a nearby planet for billions of years. Since a white dwarf is much smaller and fainter than the Sun, a planet would have to be much closer in to be habitable with liquid water on its surface. Professor Avi Loeb, theorist at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics (CfA) suggests that "In the quest for extraterrestrial biological signatures, the first stars we study should be white dwarfs,". This is purely because detecting oxygen in the atmosphere (which, if found in large quantities, is indicative of the presence of plant life) is significantly easier as opposed to detecting oxygen levels in planets orbiting stars like our Sun. Professor Loeb estimates that observing 500 of the closest white dwarfs could lead to the discovery of at least one habitable planet, with conditions similar to that of Earth.

New national screening programme for bowel cancer in the UK

A new national screening programme for colorectal cancer will be available as a part of the National Cancer Screening Programmes in England following positive feedback from patients.

Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK with over 40 000 new cases reported in 2009 alone. This new screening programme, carried out by a flexible sigmoidoscopy, is a quick procedure which can aid early diagnosis and prevention of bowel cancer. 

Flexible sigmoidoscopy, otherwise known as the Flexi-scope, uses a small camera at the end of a flexible plastic tube to search for any any small growths or polyps. Any polyps found can be removed pain-free and with ease.

A study published in the Journal of Medical Screening reported that of the 1020 patients who had a flexible sigmoidoscopy, 98% said they were 'glad' they had the test and 97% would recommend it to a friend.

Unlike other screening programmes, this test has the potential to reduce bowel cancer from developing and for a quick 10 minute test, it would be considered more than worthwhile. 

Kadcyla, a new treatment option for breast cancer patients

A new drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of HER2 positive breast cancer. This new treatment drug, Kadcyla, combines traztuzumab (herceptin) with emtansine, a powerful chemotherapy agent. 

HER2 positive breast cancer affects around 20-25% of women with breast cancer. HER (human epidermal growth factor receptor) -2 is a protein which influences the growth rate of certain cancer cells. Breast cancer cells can express a large of number of HER2 receptors which stimulate the cancer cells to grow and divide. HER2 positive breast cancers tend to be faster growing and have a poorer prognosis than HER2 negative breast cancers. Women diagnosed with breast cancer are tested for HER2 levels of the cancer cells and this is usually done by either Immunohistochemistry (IHC) or Fluorescent in-situ hybridisation (FISH). Treatment options include surgery (lumpectomy/mastectomy), chemotherapy or newly available targeted therapies.

The use of chemotherapy drugs can however be toxic in a number of individuals as the drugs do not spare normals cells as well as the cancer cells. A new drug therapy developed by Roche Genentech couples Herceptin, a monoclonal antibody, with emtansine, a potent chemotherapy drug. The drug, known as TDM-1, acts as a one-two punch with Herceptin initially binding to the HER2 protein, blocking the receptor and preventing the cancer cells from growing and dividing, followed by delivery of emtansine to the cancer cell destroying it from the inside out. The advantage of this therapy is that normal cells are not destroyed therefore limiting the toxic effects associated with chemotherapy alone. A phase III clinical trial found TDM-1 to have greater progression free survival when compared to treatment with two current chemotherapy drugs.

Google unveils the 'Chromebook Pixel'

After weeks of speculation and leaked promotional videos Google has finally announced the Chromebook Pixel, which is now available to order through the Play Store with an arguably hefty price tag of £1,049. It's unique selling point is clearly its display as the product's name suggest, the Pixel boasts a rather unconventional 2560 by 1700 pixel display with multi-touch which the company claims to be 'the highest pixel density of any laptop' and it is becomes obvious that Google is challenging the 13" Macbook Pro with Retina display of its rivals, Apple. In fact the Pixel challenges Apple's flagship computer in many ways other than its display, both laptops have incorporated similar minimalistic designs and both are packed with similar CPU's (although Apple's is more powerful at 2.5GHz, the Pixel is £200 cheaper). The multi-touch feature may seem to be somewhat unusual when considering Chrome OS which the laptop runs is not yet optimized for touch input, however this is something likely to change as Google updates its operating system. A detailed list of the laptop's specification and the Pixel's official advertisement can be found below.

Specifications:
2560 x 1700 12.85" multi-touch Gorilla Glass display with pixel density 239 pixels per inch. 3:2 aspect ratio.
Intel Core i5 Processor (Dual Core 1.8GHz) with integrated Intel HD 4000 Graphics
4GB DDR3 RAM
32GB Solid State Drive
Integrated HD webcam
5 hours battery life

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