Using experimental gene therapy in mice, University of Florida scientists turned off a gene playing an essential role in retinitis pigmentosa, a major cause of inherited blindness.

This therapy includes injecting the eye with genetic material known as interfering RNA, which puts out of action the targeted gene, called rhodopsin, the investigators explained. In general, this gene is necessary for healthy eyesight. But mutated versions of the gene may lead to retinitis pigmentosa.

Have you lately undertook a new job? Have you already observed that your sex drive has decreased? Have you noticed that your appetite has risen considerably? It may not be as unbelievable as it seems to be.

According to the latest research conducted by Brazilian scientists, people who work in the premises with air condition pick up an average of 2 kg annually, and have only half the libido that they had when they were out of job or worked outdoors.

According to the information released on Tuesday in Johannesburg by the Life Offices Association (LOA) From 1st April the insurance companies will be obliged to pay out life insurance and funeral claims to relatives of people who die of Aids-related diseases.

Insurance companies that are members of LOA will not apply the HIV/Aids exclusion clause to life and disability policies an more.

A 2-in-1 tablet known as Janumet for the treatment of diabetes has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration, medication manufacturer Merck & Co. informed.

According to the report of the Associated Press, Janumet contains a new Merck diabetes medication called Januvia, and an older diabetes medicine called metformin. Some patients suffering type 2 diabetes already take Januvia and metformin separately. This combined medication is intended to make it easier for patients to regulate their blood sugar levels, Merck explained.

According to latest research by American scientists released on Monday, children at pre-school age who spent at least one year in a day care centre were at much greater risk for being troublesome in class when they began school education, and this effect lasted through the sixth grade.

The New York Times reported that the long-lasting research compared 1 300 pre-school kids in various settings, including attending a large day care centre, staying home with a parent, and being taken care of by a nanny or some relatives.

The US Food and Drug Administration announced last Monday a month-long delay in comments concerning the safety of food from cloned animals. The preliminary deadline of April 2 has been extended to May 3.

According to the latest research performed by American scientists, tasty nibbles of dark chocolate may also improve functioning of vital endothelial cells that line the inside of blood vessels.

Cocoa contains a group of antioxidant compounds known as flavonoids, that can also be found in fruits and vegetables, wine and green tea. Studies indicate that eating foods rich in flavonoids may reduce the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease.

According to the research conducted by Italian scientists, depression considerably increases the risk of most important health problems and even death in elderly patients experiencing chronic heart failure.

"This trial shows the great significance of mental health monitoring for effective management of heart failure in this population," the co-author of the research, Dr Aldo Maggioni, of the ANMCO Research Centre in Florence, said in a prepared statement.

According to the latest study conducted by Swedish scientists, high levels of sugar in blood escalate a woman’s risk of developing cancer.

The 13-year research involving 64 500 participants carried out by the investigators from the University of Umea discovered that high blood sugar was correlated with an elevated risk for cancers of the pancreas, skin, womb and urinary tract in women. High levels of blood sugar were also connected with greater risk for breast cancer for women below the age of 49, according to BBC News.

The arthritis medication, Humira, alleviated the symptoms of psoriasis in patients in two clinical trials. Due to this, medication manufacturer, Abbott Laboratories, says that it will apply for American and European approval to promote the medication for the treatment of the skin illness.