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Experts analyse biological function of Shewanella-like protein phosphatase

Experts have disabled a unique member of the signalling proteins which are essential for the development of the malaria parasite. They have produced a mutant lackingthe ancient bacterial Shewanella-like protein phosphatase known as SHLP1 (pronounced shelph). This mutant is unable to complete its complex life cycle and is arrested in its development in the mosquito.

26 Feb 2013

ABCDE criteria non optimal for pediatric melanoma diagnosis

Conventional criteria for diagnosing melanoma may not be accurate in children and adolescents, suggest results published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

25 Feb 2013

Evidence could prove that humans have unique cortical brain networks

Our ancestors evolutionarily split from those of rhesus monkeys about 25 million years ago. Since then, brain areas have been added, have disappeared or have changed in function. This raises the question, 'Has evolution given humans unique brain structures?'. Scientists have entertained the idea before but conclusive evidence was lacking. By combining different research methods, we now have a first piece of evidence that could prove that humans have unique cortical brain networks.

25 Feb 2013

Researchers identify several genes associated with human neurological disorders

Scientists at the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) have identified several genes linked to human neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and spinal cord injury, in the sea lamprey, a vertebrate fish whose whole-genome sequence is reported this week in the journal Nature Genetics.

25 Feb 2013

Blog posts examine different contraceptive methods

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation's "Impatient Optimists" blog features an ongoing series titled "What's Your Method?" that provides posts about many of the contraceptive options for women and girls worldwide and how different organizations are working to ensure these methods become accessible options for women who want and need them.

24 Feb 2013

Evolution of PEPFAR necessary for continued success

PEPFAR has "met or even surpassed most" of its "bold goals," including "saving the lives of millions of people; supporting the scale-up of HIV prevention, care, and treatment; and strengthening systems and policies for the HIV response," Robert Black of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health writes in a Lancet opinion piece, noting the release of the Institute of Medicine's (IOM) "Evaluation of PEPFAR" on Wednesday.

22 Feb 2013

Researchers identify second B-cell attachment receptor for Epstein-Barr virus

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) affects more than 90 percent of the population worldwide and was the first human virus found to be associated with cancer. Now, researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) have broadened the understanding of this widespread infection with their discovery of a second B-cell attachment receptor for EBV.

21 Feb 2013

J Cell Mol Med, Microbial Biotechnology join Wiley Open Access publishing program

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., announced today that Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine and Microbial Biotechnology have joined the Wiley Open Access publishing program. All articles in these two journals are now open access and free to view, download and share.

20 Feb 2013

Scientists explore development of unique dentition of 'toothed whales'

Whales are mammals, but they don't look like the mammals living around us, as they have a triangular fluke for tail, no hind legs and no body hair. And inside their mouths, their teeth are unfamiliar too - being much simpler and 'peg like'. A multidisciplinary team of researchers have now married together the fossil record and the embryonic development process to investigate how the whale got its teeth.

19 Feb 2013

Clonal evolution explains unpredictable leukemia disease course

Scientists have revealed the complicated clonal evolution of chronic lymphocytic leukemia, giving insight into the variation in disease course and its response to treatment.

19 Feb 2013

Study describes pharmacological action of TZDs directly on pancreas

A scientific study published on the journal Diabetes, edited by the American Diabetes Association, describes for the first time the pharmacological action of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) —anti-diabetic drugs— directly on pancreas, the organ which produces insulin.

18 Feb 2013

Roles of diet, energy expenditures in rising obesity rates to be presented at AAAS meeting

William Leonard has conducted extensive research on the diets and ways of prehistoric populations. A paper on his research will be presented Friday, Feb. 15, at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

18 Feb 2013

Researchers explore cellular signals produced by the body in response to traumatic injury

When it comes to healing the terrible wounds of war, success may hinge on the first blood clot - the one that begins forming on the battlefield right after an injury. Researchers exploring the complex stream of cellular signals produced by the body in response to a traumatic injury believe the initial response - formation of a blood clot - may control subsequent healing.

18 Feb 2013

Dietary impacts, health changes and oral pathogen genomic evolution

DNA preserved in calcified bacteria on the teeth of ancient human skeletons has shed light on the health consequences of the evolving diet and behaviour from the Stone Age to the modern day.

18 Feb 2013

FDA approves Novartis’ Zortress to prevent organ rejection after liver transplantation in adults

Novartis announced today that the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Zortress (everolimus) for the prophylaxis of organ rejection in adult patients receiving a liver transplant.

16 Feb 2013

Researchers discover SCANR that helps protect a cell's genes against DNA interlopers

Gene wars rage inside our cells, with invading DNA regularly threatening to subvert our human blueprint. Now, building on Nobel-Prize-winning findings, UC San Francisco researchers have discovered a molecular machine that helps protect a cell's genes against these DNA interlopers.

15 Feb 2013

New research focuses on rapid identification of disease outbreaks

EcoHealth Alliance, the nonprofit organization that focuses on local conservation and global health issues, announced new research focused on the rapid identification of disease outbreaks in the peer reviewed publication, Journal of the Royal Society Interface.

15 Feb 2013

Researchers show how gene mutations shift and evolve over time in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Tumors are not factories for the mass production of identical cancer cells, but are, in reality, patchworks of cells with different patterns of gene mutations. In a new study, researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute show, more fully than ever before, how these mutations shift and evolve over time in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) - providing a strobe-like look at the genetic past, present, and future of CLL tumors.

15 Feb 2013

New paper advances scientific understanding of glycoproteins’ structure and function

A Simon Fraser University chemist is the lead author on a new paper that advances scientific understanding of the structure and function of glycoproteins, in particular the number and positioning of sugars on them.

14 Feb 2013

Global response to possible H5N1 flu outbreak could affect epidemic's course

"It's been a rough flu season this winter in the United States and Europe, but it could be worse. A lot worse," science writer Carl Zimmer states in National Geographic's "Phenomena: The Loom" blog.

10 Feb 2013