Misled about Tuberculosis?

 A possible step forward in cancer treatment has been discovered by researchers at the National Jewish Health hospital in Denver, Colorado.

A team led by Dr Yosef Refaeli found that disrupting receptors in the surface of B-cells - a type of white blood cell - could inhibit growth of B-cell lymphoma, one of the fastest-growing forms of cancer. The receptors work with a particular cancerous protein encoding gene called MYC oncogene, speeding up lymphoma growth.

Dr Refaeli - also assistant professor of paediatrics - worked with colleagues at National Jewish Health and the University of California in San Francisco in experiments on mice.They found that a functioning B-cell receptor increased tumour development in mice.

Dr Refaeli, whose worked was published in the PLos Biology journal, said the findings showed B-cell receptors as "promising therapeutic targets for B-cell lymphomas".

 An international security consulting firm headed by a former Israeli soldier has unveiled a new, Big Brother-style security programme to enable clients to assess their security systems through an objective, third party review.

The programme was developed by Interfor Inc, of which Juval Aviv is president and chief executive officer.