In Brief

Stress is good

Controversial author and scientist Nick Lane has told Cambridge students that some forms of stress may be good for health. Speaking at a talk organised by the Biological Society on Monday, Lane suggested that the low-level physiological stresses encountered in every day life can allow us to live longer, healthier lives. Exercise, calorie-restriction and “mild toxins”  found in some foods and alcohol could make the body better adapted at reducing the normal injury caused by daily metabolism.  He even speculated that “short periods of psychological stress” could have similar benefits.
Xiaoyan Xue

John's beat application record

St. John’s has broken the record for undergraduate applications for courses beginning in Michaelmas 2008.  For this cycle the college received 863 applications from students across the world, making St John’s the most over-subscribed college for

one admissions cycle ever. Natural Sciences received 140 applicants, which is twice the number of the 2004 admissions cycle. The college’s Senior Tutor, Matthias Dörrzapf, told Varsity: “The college has made a tremendous effort with admissions – from hosting symposiums for teachers and more open days, to dispatching thousands of prospectuses.” He also emphasized that every applicant will be subjected to a fair admission process despite the large number of applicants.
Vishnu Parameshwaran

New diabetes drug

Cambridge scientists have discovered that a previously-developed drug has the potential to treat type II diabetes. Researchers led by Ligang Zhou found that the appetite-suppressing drug mCPP improves blood sugar levels in obese and diabetic mice and hence could be used as a new treatment for diabetes.  Lora Heisler, a member of the research group based at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, said, “Though just a first step, this work provides a new

direction in the search for novel pathways and molecules in the brain to target for the treatment of type II diabetes.”
Angela Fanshawe


Posted on Friday 16 November 2007