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Growing evidence indicates that exposure to irregular patterns of light and darkness can cause the human circadian system to fall out of synchrony with the 24-hour solar day, negatively affecting human health - but scientists have been unable to effectively study the relationship between circadian disruptions and human maladies.

A study published July 18 in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology describes a new model for understanding the way in which HIV escapes the immune system's attempts to destroy it. The paper, written by researchers from Utrecht university, The Netherlands, analyzes the interactions between the immune system and an elusive, mutating virus. In order to avoid recognition by the human immune system, HIV generates viral variants called "escape mutants.

Evolution may provide us with the most abundant phenotypes (observable genetic characteristics) rather than the fittest, according to a new theory published on July 18 in the open-access journal PLoS Computational Biology. That is, natural selection may be optimal for choosing the most fit organism of the moment, but evolutionary biologists question if the process leads to the optimal organisms in the long run. Researchers from The university of Texas at Austin, led by Drs.

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(Economic & Social Research Council) Standards in stem cell research help both scientists and regulators to manage uncertainty and the unknown, according to new research funded by the Economic and Social Research Council. Efforts to standardize practices across different labs is, however, a balancing act where the autonomy of scientists and fragility of living material need to be weighed against the need for comparable data.

Galderma Pharma S.A., a global specialty pharmaceutical company focused on dermatology, has announced that Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare has approved Differin® Gel 0.1% (adapalene), a novel topical treatment for acne vulgaris in Japan. The drug will be marketed in Japan by Galderma KK, the fully-owned Japanese arm of Galderma, and strategic alliance partner Shionogi.

New Cancer Stem Cell Identified - A Potential Metastatic disease Target? Researchers from Weill Cornell medical College have identified a type of cancer stem cell that might initiate metastatic cancer, which spreads beyond the original, primary tumor site and to other locations within the body. For the first time, scientists have revealed that the molecular profiles of these cancer stem cells are much different than those located in primary tumors.

Background: Drug resistance can be complex with several mutations co-existing in the same cell. Transcriptional profiling is ideally suited for studying complex resistance genotype and has the potential to lead to novel discoveries. We generated full genome 70-mer oligonucleotide microarrays for all protein coding genes of the human protozoan parasites Leishmania major and Leishmania infantum. These arrays were used to monitor gene expression in methotrexate resistant parasites. Results: Leishmania is a eukaryotic organism with minimal control at the level of transcription initiation and few genes were differentially expressed without concomitant changes in DNA copy number. One exception was found in Leishmania major where the expression of whole chromosomes was down-regulated. The microarrays have highlighted several mechanisms by which the copy number of genes involved in resistance was altered. These include gene deletion; formation of extrachromosomal circular or linear amplicons

People with certain common genetic variations that affect their nicotine receptors seem to be at higher risk for becoming life-long nicotine addicts if they begin smoking before they turn 17, a new study says.

Writing in the July 11 edition of the journal science, an international team of U.S. and Australian investigators describe their findings, which were made in the Transantarctic Mountains, and their significance ...