Good as gold
US researchers have developed a synthetic version of good cholesterol that may help control the bad cholesterol that causes heart attacks and strokes. 'The idea is you take this and effectively urinate [bad cholesterol] out,' says team leader Chad Mirkin of Chicago's Northwestern University. The market potential for such drugs is estimated at more than US$10billion. Existing drugs called statins can help lower bad-cholesterol levels, but don't boost protective cholesterol, Reuters reports. The synthetic cholesterol comprises a microscopic gold particle wrapped in fat molecules and a protein layer.
Sleep up your strength
A good night's sleep may be one of the best ways to prevent the common cold, say US researchers, who sprayed the virus up the noses of more than 150 healthy recruits and then waited to see if they got sick. Those who typically slept for eight hours were far less likely to develop a cold than those who slept less than seven hours or slept badly. 'The longer you sleep ... the less susceptible you are to colds,' says team leader Sheldon Cohen of Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University. Previous studies have indicated that sleep boosts the immune system, AP reports. This is the first study to show that even small sleep disturbances increase the risk of falling ill.
Open-plan pitfalls
By contrast, working in an open-plan office is a good way to catch a cold, say Australian researchers, who found that such an environment also increased stress and made people less productive. Their review of global studies found switching to open-plan offices was overwhelmingly negative, with 90percent reporting adverse health and psychological effects, says team leader Vinesh Oommen. Open-plan offices also lead to more workplace conflict, AFP reports.