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Sex may become ‘old news’ when it comes to having babies says Australian scientist

According to researchers most couples over 30 will rely more on artificial methods to conceive. This prediction comes from John Yovich, Medical Director of Pivet Medical Centre, and a scientist acknowledged for his pioneering work in IVF, who calls human natural reproduction “a fairly inefficient process.”

18 May 2010

Ecological speciation linked to emergence of new fungal diseases in plants

A new commentary on the nature of pathogens is raising startling new questions about the role that fundamental science research on evolution plays in the understanding of emerging disease.

15 May 2010

Bioniche third-quarter consolidated revenues increase 111% to $15.6 million

Bioniche Life Sciences Inc., a research-based, technology-driven Canadian biopharmaceutical company, today announced financial results for its Fiscal 2010 third quarter, ended March 31, 2010.

12 May 2010

Manual provides laboratory methods, information and resources on new collection of model species

Mice, frogs, and E. coli are standard organisms in biology laboratories. But in the last few years, due in part to technical advances, the reduced costs of genome sequencing, and increased interest in evolution and development, the range of organisms used for research has greatly expanded. Scientists now have more flexibility in choosing a model system that might better address their specific research question.

7 May 2010

Scientists discover two body clock genes that may help find treatments for seasonal affective disorder

Scientists have discovered two "body clock" genes that reveal how seasonal changes in hormones are controlled and could ultimately help find treatments for seasonal affective disorder.

3 May 2010

Opinions: G8 summit; World Malaria Day; Family planning; Global Food Security Act

As G8 development leaders gather in Halifax, Nova Scotia, this week to discuss priorities for the upcoming summit, Josette Sheeran, executive director of the WFP, calls for world leaders to focus on the nutritional needs of mothers and children in developing countries in a Toronto Star opinion piece.

27 Apr 2010

New insight into mechanism regulating early mammalian development

Scientists at the Genome Institute of Singapore (GIS) have recently generated significant single cell expression data crucial for a detailed molecular understanding of mammalian development from fertilization to embryo implantation, a process known as the preimplantation period. The knowledge gained has a direct impact on clinical applications in the areas of regenerative medicine and assisted reproduction.

22 Apr 2010

New insights into yeast cells may help identify cancer cells and stem cells development: Study

Yeast cells decide whether to have sex with each other within two minutes of meeting, according to new research published today in Nature. One of the authors of the study, from Imperial College London, says the new insights into how yeast cells decide to mate could be helpful for researchers looking at how cancer cells and stem cells develop.

19 Apr 2010

MU researcher compiles evidence that supports Darwin's theory of sexual selection

In 1871, Charles Darwin sparked debate that continues today when he proposed that human sex differences evolved based on sexual selection. Sexual selection is Darwin's theory that certain physical, mental or psychological traits evolved because they aid in competition among individuals for access to preferred mates or because they are enhancements of traits that help to attract mates.

15 Apr 2010

New research highlights adverse effects of air pollution on human reproduction

Exposure to an increased level of air pollutants, especially nitrogen dioxide, has been associated with lower likelihoods of successful pregnancy among women undergoing in vitro fertilization, according to a team of fertility researchers.

13 Apr 2010

Prague hosts 12th European Congress of Endocrinology

The 12th European Congress of Endocrinology is taking place in Prague from 24-28 April 2010.

8 Apr 2010

ASPIRE 2010 focuses on A.R.T. issues

Infertility, defined as the failure to conceive after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected intercourse, may affect as many as 15 percent of couples around the world including Asia. Like other countries, China's infertility rate is on the rise increasing from 3 percent to 15 percent in the past 20 years. It is estimated that at least 40 million Chinese couples have difficulty in having children or are actually infertile.

7 Apr 2010

Traces of many medicines found in fish swimming in treated waste water

Researchers at Ume- University and the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have discovered that traces of many medicines can be found in fish that have been swimming in treated waste water. One such medicine, the hormone levonorgestrel, was found in higher concentrations in the blood of fish than in women who take the contraceptive pill. Elevated levels of this hormone can lead to infertility in fish.

5 Apr 2010

Recipients of Pfizer Canada's third Neuropathic Pain Research Awards Competition announced

Pfizer Canada is pleased to announce the recipients of its third Neuropathic Pain Research Awards Competition, which aims to fund and support Canadian innovation within independent neuropathic pain research in the areas of basic biomedical, clinical and health sciences.

31 Mar 2010

Canon launches REALiS SX7 Mark II D with DICOM Simulation Mode

Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the latest addition to the award-winning REALiS Multimedia Projector lineup, the SX7 Mark II D with DICOM Simulation Mode. In the medical-education field viewing monochrome digital X-Rays, CAT Scans and MRI's with accurate color and precise detail is of the highest importance and the REALiS SX7 Mark II D is able to meet this need on a scale much larger than traditional monitors.

31 Mar 2010

Cook Medical's new IVF culture-oil purification process reduces contaminant trace to below detectable limits

A new purification process developed by Cook Medical for culture oil used in assisted reproduction eliminates traces of contaminants below detectable limits of 0.1 parts per million. The oil is purified by a proprietary refining technique that removes hydrocarbon impurities, which can have adverse effects on fertilization and threaten the viability of the developing embryos. The culture oil viscosity, MEA and LAL parameters remain unchanged.

27 Mar 2010

British couples seek alternative fertility treatment in the US

With strict social and legal restrictions associated with third party reproduction, as well as limited egg donors available in the UK, an increasing number of British couples are traveling to the U.S. for alternative fertility treatments, such as egg donation. Unfortunately, the UK does not allow financial compensation for egg donors; this greatly reduces the number of available donors and presents major obstacles for many infertile couples, some of whom wait for an egg donor for two years or longer. Last year approximately 1200 egg donors were needed in the UK, and roughly 500 families were unable to find a donor.

24 Mar 2010

New combination drug treatment for parasitic intestinal roundworms shows promise

Several drugs currently in use or in development control parasitic worms in the same way. That concerns health workers In developing countries where reinfestations often require repeated treatments. If worms develop resistance to one drug, the other treatments would likely fail as well.

18 Mar 2010

Researchers identify a novel way to study species-specific reproductive behavior

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) have discovered that injecting a simple hormone into leeches creates a novel way to study how hormones and the nervous system work together to produce species-specific reproductive behavior.

17 Mar 2010

New SpermCheck Fertility home test kit for sperm level measurement

Infertility affects between 10 and 15 percent of couples worldwide. Surprisingly, problems with male fertility account for approximately 50 percent of infertility cases.

12 Mar 2010