Saint Louis University School of Medicine researchers are studying the effectiveness of a drug for patients with chronic hepatitis B that is currently used to treat HIV.
Hepatitis B patients currently take an antiviral called Hepsera, says Adrian Di Bisceglie, M.D., chief of hepatology at Saint Louis University School of Medicine. The drug under investigation in the study, called Tenofovir, is similar to Hepsera in that it is a “nucleotide analog” that helps stop the virus from
From zebra fish to humans, reproductive hormones govern behavioral responses to courtship signals. A new Emory University study conducted in songbirds suggests that hormones may also modulate the way the auditory system processes courtship signals. In other words, hormones may affect how the birds actually listen to courtship songs at certain times of the year when it’s time to reproduce.
Like many animals, songbirds put on their reproductive song and dance routine each spring: Ma
Clear gaps exist in countries affected by avian influenza
The Asia-Pacific region faces a number of challenges in preparing for an influenza pandemic, yet gaps and inconsistencies in plans across the continent could hinder an effective response to a pandemic, according to a new report1 presented today at the Lancet Asia Medical Forum 2006, Singapore.
Over 80% of human deaths from avian influenza (H5N1) recorded to date have occurred in South East Asia, 2 which sugg
By deleting a gene in certain parts of the brain, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have created mice that show deficits in social interaction that are reminiscent of humans with autism spectrum disorders.
The investigators also found physical abnormalities in the brains that mimic some cases of autism, showing that the research animals can be useful in studying the mysterious condition.
The finding — to be published in the May 4 issue of the journal Neuron —
Current interest in probiotics is motivated not only by the clinical data showing the efficacy of some probiotic bacteria, but also by the increasing antibiotic resistance of pathogenic bacteria (particularly in hospitals) and the rise of consumers’ demand for natural substitutes of drugs.
Among probiotic applications, reduction of diarrhea is probably the best-documented effect confirmed by recent meta-analyses. Research on Helicobacter pylori indicates that probiotics are unab
Maite Estevan Muguerza, a researcher of the University of Navarra, has improved existing treatments against brucellosis and sheep salmonella, by applying, in her doctoral thesis, techniques of micro- and nano-technology which permit the encapsulation of vaccines.
In this way the sustained liberation of the vaccine or antigenic compound is assured, so that it remains active in the body of the animal over the period of at least six months”. The existing treatments possess a limited effect du
A sophisticated new language learning method that uses technology to implement findings from neuroscience aims to be simplicity itself for adult learners.
Mobility within the European Union offers great prospects for both individuals and companies – but doing business in another country only makes sense if you can speak (or quickly learn) the local language. Unfortunately, recent statistics have shown that 51 per cent of EU citizens cannot speak a European language other than
A little more than one year after the spectacular descent of ESA’s Huygens on Saturn’s giant moon Titan, scientists from the probe’s Descent Imager/Spectral Radiometer (DISR) have released two new movies of the descent. These represent the best visual product from the mission obtained so far and the most realistic way yet to experience the landing on a far-away world.
These movies were built thanks to the data collected by DISR on 14 January 2005, during the 147-minutes plunge through Titan
Professor Luis Corrochano Peláez, from the Genetics Department of the University of Seville, and his PhD student Julio Rodríguez Romero, in collaboration with researchers of the Duke University of USA and the University of Salamanca, have identified a gene that allows Phycomyces fungus to react to light and orientate their growth toward it. Results will be published in the prestigious journal “Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA” next week. These researches are part of the scientif
Performance appraisals can actually be counter-productive for employees who are in the greatest need of training and further development. This fact is highlighted by Professor Bård Kuvaas from the BI Norwegian School of Management, based on a new research study.
There is almost not a single organisation, public or private, which does not conduct performance appraisals in one form or another. Performance appraisals are one of the most widely used tools within HR (Human Resources)
Both governments and the scientific community are mobilised to face the threat of a possible pandemic provoked by avian influenza. Whereas there is no need to alarm the population, we must design tools in order to fight influenza in case it develops. According to historical data and to the high genetic variability of influenza virus, the development of this pandemic is only a matter of time and that the appropriate circumstances are given.
The H5N1 virus, which affects the European fowl
Census of Marine Life scientists trawled rarely explored tropical ocean depths between the southeast US coast and the Mid-Atlantic Ridge to inventory and photograph the variety and abundance of zooplankton – small sea “bugs” that form a vital link in the ocean food chain – and other life forms.
Though relatively few in number compared with the uppermost ocean layer, scientists were amazed by the variety of tiny animals found at depths of 1 to 5 km (0.6 to 3 miles). Among thou
The inventor of DNA Fingerprinting at the University of Leicester, Professor Sir Alec Jeffreys, is to be honoured with a prestigious international accolade later this year, it has been announced.
Sir Alec, who is Royal Society Wolfson Research Professor in the Department of Genetics, is to be awarded the Dr H.P. Heineken Prize for Biochemistry and Biophysics 2006 by the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in recognition of the discovery of the revolutionary technique.
Scientists at the Umeå Plant Science Centre (UPSC) and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) report today about a breakthrough in our understanding of how the growth and development of forest trees is controlled. In an article published in the international journal Science, May 4, they show that the FT gene that was previously shown to control the flowering time of annual plants, also controls tree flowering.
With the help of this gene poplar trees can be stimulated
Geneticist specialists from the Institute of Biological Problems of the North, Far-East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, are reconstructing the picture of Eurasia colonization by the Slavs. According to the researchers’ opinion, the Slavonic men and women jointly developed the territory of the south of contemporary Russia. However, after the 9th century, women used to stay at home, and colonization of the east and north was mainly performed by men.
This conclusion was made by geneti
Activating the immune system by drugs without physician’s control is hazardous to health. S.F. Medvedev, Director of the Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences, recounted about that. According to him, if immunostimulant drugs are taken in case of any malaise, then, when intense work of the immune system is really needed for the organism, its reserves may fail.
I.D. Stolyarov, head of laboratory of neuroimmunology (Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Sciences), belie
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