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We’re used to the idea that as adults we have some control over our destiny: what we eat and drink and how much we exercise can affect our health. But the risks of heart disease and diabetes can be programmed much earlier – even before we are born.

̽»¨Ö±²¥brain is uniquely protected against invading bacteria and viruses, but its defence mechanism has long remained a mystery. Now, a study in mice, confirmed in human samples, has shown that the brain has a surprising ally in its protection: the gut.

Over-activity in a single brain region called the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) underlies several key symptoms of mood and anxiety disorders, but an antidepressant only successfully treats some of the symptoms.Ìý

Imaging techniques could replace the need for invasive tissue biopsies in helping rapidly determine whether cancer treatments are working effectively, according to researchers at the ̽»¨Ö±²¥ of Cambridge.

̽»¨Ö±²¥first stages of placental development take place days before the embryo starts to form in human pregnancies. This newÌýfinding highlights the importance of healthy placental development in pregnancy, and could lead to future improvements in fertility treatments such asÌýIVF, and a better understanding of placental-related diseases in pregnancy.

Mitochondrial therapy in complicated pregnancies lowers the chance of cardiovascular problems in the offspring.

̽»¨Ö±²¥ten organisations in Great Britain that carry out the highest number of animal procedures – those used in medical, veterinary and scientific research - have today released their annual statistics to coincide with the publication of the official statistics by the Home Office.

New research, based on earlier results in mice, suggests that our brains are never at rest, even when we are not learning anything about the world around us.

Naked mole-rats can live for an incredibly long time and have an exceptional resistance to cancerÌýthanks to unique conditions in their bodies that stop cancer cells multiplying, according to new research.

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A new type of artificial heart valve, made of long-lived polymers, could mean that millions of patients with diseased heart valves will no longer require lifelong blood-thinning medication after valve replacement surgery.