Pharmacy technicians throughout England, Scotland and Wales will be regulated by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain on a statutory basis for the first time when legislation comes into force on 1 July. The new regulations are a positive step for pharmacy technicians, reflecting the growing role and responsibility they have as healthcare professionals.
Lees meer..

Preregistration trainees and tutors in England, Scotland and Wales will be asked to take part in the first ever national pilot survey on pharmacy preregistration training standards, this summer. The project is a collaboration between the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (RPSGB) and the University of Keele.
Lees meer..

Southampton’s teaching hospitals have been recognised by one of the UK’s top medical organisations for leading the way in use of antibiotics in the fight against infection. The British Medical Association, the professional body for doctors and medical students, praised Southampton University Hospitals NHS Trust’s development of clear and simple antimicrobial prescribing guidelines for staff.
Lees meer..

A signal molecule made by the human body that triggers the immune system into action may be important in rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research published in Nature Medicine. The authors of the study, from Imperial College London, say that if scientists could block this signal, it may be possible to develop more effective arthritis treatments. Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common autoimmune disease, affecting around 1 in 100 people.
Lees meer..

Alcohol’s inebriating effects are familiar to everyone. But the molecular details of alcohol’s impact on brain activity remain a mystery. A new study by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies brings us closer to understanding how alcohol alters the way brain cells work.
Lees meer..

The efficacy of preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) has been one of the most hotly disputed subjects in assisted reproduction over the past few years. None of the trials carried out so far has shown conclusively whether it works or not. Now the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) Task Force on PGS has decided to try to find out if a novel method of doing PGS using polar body biopsy and chromosome array analysis offers a possible solution.
Lees meer..

While most fans are in awe of what their football heroes can do with a football, the source of their remarkable skill remains strangely mysterious. Although being in excellent physical condition undoubtedly helps, few people actually believe that intense physical training alone can turn an average bloke into a Ronaldo. Now, scientists from the University of Queensland have decided to study what this “something else” might be. Dr.
Lees meer..

Researchers have found that the anti-malarial drug quinine can block a cell’s ability to take up the essential amino acid tryptophan, a discovery that may explain many of the adverse side-effects associated with quinine. Once confirmed, these findings would suggest that dietary tryptophan supplements could be a simple and inexpensive way to improve the performance of this important drug.
Lees meer..

The Stowers Institute’s Xie Lab has revealed how the BAM protein affects germline stem cell differentiation and how it is involved in regulating the quality of stem cells through intercellular competition. The work was published by PNAS Early Edition. Maintaining the proper balance between stem cell self-renewal and differentiation is critical for normal homeostasis. An imbalance between the two can lead to tissue degeneration and to the development of tumors.
Lees meer..

Research lead by Dr. Nicolas Bazan, Boyd Professor and Director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, identifying an enzyme that makes neuroprotectin D1 which specifically and selectively protects retinal cells key for vision, was published in the June 26, 2009 issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Dr.
Lees meer..