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Diet and genetics dictate adult jaw shape

Researchers at Johns Hopkins found that use over time and not just genetics informs the structure of jaw bones in human populations. The researchers say these findings may be used to predict the diet of an ancient population, even if little evidence exists in the fossil record. It can also make it easier for scientists to pinpoint the genetic relationship between fossils.

6 Aug 2011

Aggressive medication leads to growth of drug-resistant pathogens

New research raises troubling concerns about the use of aggressive drug therapies to treat a wide range of diseases such as MRSA, C. difficile, malaria, and even cancer.

4 Aug 2011

Zalicus second quarter revenue decreases to $1.8 million

Zalicus Inc. today reported financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2011.

3 Aug 2011

Conference to focus on connection between fluid balance and hypertension

Each day we consume liquids in order to keep hydrated and maintain our body's fluid balance. But just as a water balloon can get overtaxed by too much liquid, the human body is negatively affected when it retains fluids because it is unable to eliminate them properly. One of the key variables influencing how much fluid we hold in our bodies is ordinary table salt.

3 Aug 2011

Sea Squirts found to have pacemaker cells similar to human heart

An international team of molecular scientists have discovered that star ascidians, also known as sea squirts, have pacemaker cells similar to that of the human heart. The research, published in the JEZ A: Ecological Genetics and Physiology, may offer a new insight into the early evolution of the heart as star ascidians are one of the closest related invertebrates to mammals.

2 Aug 2011

Manual of Clinical Microbiology now available as a digital edition

ASM Press announces the availability of the newest edition of its authoritative reference for clinical laboratory professionals. The Manual of Clinical Microbiology, 10th edition, is available in both print and, for the first time, a digital edition.

2 Aug 2011

Mathematical model predicts progress of tumors from early stages to metastasis

Researchers from the University of Miami (UM) and the University of Heidelberg in Germany have developed a mathematical model to understand and predict the progress of a tumor, from its early stages to metastasis, in hopes of creating highly personalized treatment strategies for patients who have cancer. The findings are published in Nature's new online journal Scientific Reports.

1 Aug 2011

Scientists study how nervous system translates sensory information into coordinated motor output

Escape responses are some of the most studied behaviors by neurobiologists who want to understand how the brain processes sensory information. The ability to evade predators plays a vital role in the process of natural selection.

30 Jul 2011

Scientists examine relationship between REM sleep behaviour disorders, Parkinson's disease

Patients suffering REM sleep behaviour disorders dream nightmares in which they are attacked and pursued, with the particularity that they express them by screaming, crying, punching and kicking while sleeping.

30 Jul 2011

SMRT DNA sequencing technology reveals genetic profile of German E. coli bacteria

An international team of scientists has successfully employed single molecule, real-time DNA sequencing technology from Pacific Biosciences of California, Inc. to provide valuable insights into the pathogenicity and evolutionary origins of the highly virulent bacterium responsible for the German E. coli outbreak.

28 Jul 2011

New study finds home setting nurtures better food choices

Can a cozy dining table and nice music prompt people to reach for the greens and go light on dessert? So suggests a new study probing why people tend to eat more-nutritious meals at home than away from home. The findings, based on data from 160 women who reported their emotional states before and after meals, add to mounting evidence that psychological factors may help override humans' wired-in preference for high-fat, sugary foods.

28 Jul 2011

UM researchers unravel genomic code of German E. coli bacteria

A team led by University of Maryland School of Medicine Institute for Genome Sciences researchers has unraveled the genomic code of the E. coli bacteria that caused the ongoing deadly outbreak in Germany that began in May 2011.

28 Jul 2011

New research shows unique nature of human brain aging

Brains shrink in humans, potentially causing a number of health problems and mental illnesses as people age, but do they shrink to the same extent in the closest living relatives to humans--the chimpanzees? New research says no, making the extreme amount of brain shrinkage resulting from normal aging in humans unique.

28 Jul 2011

Carcinogenesis is just another form of speciation, proposes new theory

Cancer patients may view their tumors as parasites taking over their bodies, but this is more than a metaphor for Peter Duesberg, a molecular and cell biology professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

27 Jul 2011

THERAPY trial to evaluate benefits of catheter-based intervention for acute ischemic stroke

During the opening session of the SNIS Annual Meeting, J Mocco, MD, MS, Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery at The University of Florida in Gainesville, FL, announced the IDE approval and initiation of THERAPY, an industry-sponsored randomized controlled trial designed to prove the clinical benefit of interventional treatment of acute ischemic stroke.

26 Jul 2011

The evolution of hospice from its charitable roots to big business

As hospice care has evolved from its charitable roots into a $14 billion business run mostly for profit, patients ... and their families have paid a steep price, according to lawsuits and federal investigations.

26 Jul 2011

Discovery challenges current thinking on origin of malaria parasite

The agent of malaria has been found in the greater spot-nosed monkey, also known as putty-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus nictitans), a small African primate derived from a line different to that of humans, gorillas and chimpanzees.

22 Jul 2011

Humans' desire to kill rats has only made them stronger

Over millennia, mice have thrived despite humanity's efforts to keep them at bay. A Rice University scientist argues some mice have found two ways to achieve a single goal -- resistance to common poison.

22 Jul 2011

Key finding sheds new light on common bleeding disorders

A simple cut to the skin unleashes a complex cascade of chemistry to stem the flow of blood. Now, scientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have used evolutionary clues to reveal how a key clotting protein assembles. The finding sheds new light on common bleeding disorders.

21 Jul 2011

New report: Global cardiac catheters market to reach US$2.1B by 2015

The global cardiac catheters market is forecast to reach US$2.1 billion by 2015 at a CAGR of 12.9% during the analysis period 2009-2015, according to a new report available on companiesandmarkets.com.

20 Jul 2011