Seafood should definitely be on the menu for rheumatoid arthritis sufferers because the oils it contains can help reduce inflammation caused by the disease. Marine plants and animals contain very different fatty acids compared with land-based equivalents.
Research conducted by Dr Richard Sperling of the Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, presented last week at the British Society for Immunology Annual Congress in Brighton, shows that fish oils have a "calming effect" on arthritic inflammation. Their fatty acids work directly on the cells to reduce the inflammatory response.
A new non-invasive technique which uses gamma rays instead of a scalpel could eliminate brain surgery for patients with Parkinson's Disease. Parkinson's, a progressive neurological disorder, brings a gradual increase in tremors, rigidity and involuntary movements. Drugs can control symptoms for many years but eventually fail; surgery is then used to destroy tiny areas of the brain to reduce symptoms.
Researchers at Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, used radiation instead, reaching deep into the brain without surgery. The first 12 patients treated this way showed improvements comparable with conventional surgery, but recovery time after using the "gamma knife" is minimal, there is no risk of bleeding or infection and hospital stay is greatly reduced.
Fifteen Irish women, pioneers of "science, exploration and adventure", are celebrated in a new book, Stars, Shells and Bluebells. It examines the life and work of 15 women who contributed to our understanding of the world around us, from the late 18th century.
The subjects include Cynthia Long field, explorer and dragonfly expert; Maude Delap, who reared jellyfish and helped unravel their complex lifecycle, and Sophie Peirce, a pioneering aviator who successfully campaigned for women to be allowed to compete at the Olympic Games. Written by women it is published by Women in Technology and Science.
The introduction is written by historian Mary Cullen and the foreword by the former President, Mrs Robinson. (Published by WITS, £4.95)
Readers wishing to contact Science on Monday can email Science Editor Dick Ahlstrom at dahlstrom@irish-times.ie.