Our brains contain their own navigation system much like satellite navigation ("sat-nav"), with in-built maps, grids and compasses, neuroscientist Dr Hugo Spiers told the BA Festival of Science at the University of Liverpool today. The brain's navigation mechanism resides in an area know as the hippocampus, which is responsible for learning and memory and famously shown to be different in London taxi drivers in a Wellcome Trust-funded study carried out by Professor Eleanor Maguire at UCL (University College London).

That's right, cabbies have better brains for GPS. The study showed that a region of the hippocampus was enlarged in London taxi drivers compared to the general population. Even bus drivers do not have the same enlarged area, and general skill at navigating is not related to hippocampus size, suggesting that the difference is linked to 'The Knowledge' of the city's 250,000 streets built up by taxi drivers over many years.

Mayo Clinic investigators have demonstrated that stem cells can be used to regenerate heart tissue to treat dilated cardiomyopathy, a congenital defect, according to research published in Stem Cells.

The study expands on the use of embryonic stem cells to regenerate tissue and repair damage after heart attacks and demonstrates that stem cells also can repair the inherited causes of heart failure.

The team reproduced prominent features of human malignant heart failure in a series of genetically altered mice. Specifically, the "knockout" of a critical heart-protective protein known as the KATP channel compromised heart contractions and caused ventricular dilation or heart enlargement.

The University of Southampton is launching the world's largest-ever study of near-death experiences this week.

The AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation) study is to be launched by the Human Consciousness Project of the University of Southampton - an international collaboration of scientists and physicians who have joined forces to study the human brain, consciousness and clinical death.

The study is led by Dr Sam Parnia, an expert in the field of consciousness during clinical death, together with Dr Peter Fenwick and Professors Stephen Holgate and Robert Peveler of the University of Southampton. Following a successful 18-month pilot phase at selected hospitals in the UK, the study is now being expanded to include other centres within the UK, mainland Europe and North America.

Arthroscopic surgery is widely accepted as an effective treatment for osteoarthritis of the knee. It's a minimally invasive surgical procedure involving insertion of an arthroscope and other instruments into the joint through small incisions in order to remove cartilage fragments and smooth the joint surfaces. Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis affecting one in ten Canadians and 27 million Americans.

A landmark study conducted in London, Canada at The University of Western Ontario and Lawson Health Research Institute shows that a routinely practiced knee surgery is ineffective at reducing joint pain or improving joint function for sufferers of osteoarthritis. The study appears in the September 11th New England Journal of Medicine.

RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, North Carolina, September 10 /PRNewswire/ --

- New building in Singapore is home of region's largest clinical development organization

Quintiles Transnational Corp. announced today that it will expand its Singapore operations to meet the surging demand for its business in the Asia-Pacific region. The new regional headquarters will be double the size of its existing presence in Singapore and will be the home of the region's largest clinical development organization. Quintiles' Asia-Pacific growth also has led to expansion of seven local offices in the region and the addition of a new location in Indonesia.

ANTONY, France, September 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Stallergenes S.A. officially inaugurates its new pharmaceutical production unit, located in the Paris area.

Designed to comply with the most stringent EMEA (European Medicines Agency) and FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) standards, this unit will produce desensitisation treatments for all markets, primarily in Europe and North America.

This investment worth more than 20 million euros will incorporate the production of the active substance for the Oralair(R) Grasses tablet and increase the production capacity for Staloral(R), to meet the needs of an expanding international marketplace.

NEW YORK, September 10 /PRNewswire/ -- What: GoldenSource Corporation, a leading provider of enterprise data management (EDM) solutions, is participating in roundtable sessions and a panel discussion at FIMA Asia 2008. Hugh Stewart, vice president, EMEA and Asia, will contribute to a panel discussing the link between quality of reference data and its use as a business enabler. Stewart will also lead interactive roundtables at the conference on critical data management issues impacting financial services companies operating in Asia and how these can be tackled with the adoption of EDM strategies.

Where: FIMA Asia 2008, Orchard Hotel, Singapore

When: FIMA Asia 2008: September 16-17, 2008

BRIDGEWATER, New Jersey, September 10 /PRNewswire/ --

- Original Briefing Papers Used by NICE to Shape Its New Cost-Effectiveness Guidelines Offer Unique and Timely Insight for Honing Manufacturer Submissions