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Human parechovirus is a harmless virus which is encountered by most infants and displays few symptoms. Suspected of triggering type 1 diabetes in susceptible people, research methods need to take this 'silent' virus into consideration. This comes from findings in a study from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

Sure, they're polygamous, but male emus and several other ground-dwelling birds also are devoted dads, serving as the sole incubators and caregivers to oversized broods from multiple mothers. It is rare behavior, but research described in the Dec. 19 Science found that it runs in this avian family, all the way back to its dinosaur ancestors.

Background:During flowering central anther cells switch from mitosis to meiosis, ultimately forming pollen containing haploid sperm. Four rings of surrounding somatic cells differentiate to support first meiosis and later pollen dispersal. Synchronous development of many anthers per tassel and within each anther facilitates dissection of carefully staged maize anthers for transcriptome profiling. Results:Global gene expression profiles of seven stages representing 29 days of anther development are analyzed using a 44K oligonucleotide array querying ~80% of maize protein-coding genes. Mature haploid pollen containing just two cell types expresses 10,000 transcripts. Anthers contain five major cell types and express >24,000 transcript types: each anther stage expresses ~10,000 constitutive and ~10,000 or more transcripts restricted to one or a few stages. The lowest complexity is present during meiosis. Large suites of stage-specific and co-expressed genes are identified throug

Ohio State university scientists believe they are the first in the world to study the molecular underpinnings of cancer by probing individual bonds between an asbestos fiber and human cells.

Chimpanzees recognize their pals by using some of the same brain regions that switch on when humans register a familiar face, according to a report published online on December 18th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication. The study-the first to examine brain activity in chimpanzees after they attempt to match fellow chimps' faces-offers new insight into the origin of face recognition in humans, the researchers said.

By applying an old theory that has been used to explain water flow through soil and the spread of forest fires, researchers may have an answer to a perplexing ecological and evolutionary problem: why locusts switch from an innocuous, solitary lifestyle to form massive swarms that can devastate crops and strip fields bare. Their report, published online on December 18th in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication, concludes that once the insects' ranks grow to a certain threshold size, banding together prevents predators from moving from one patch of insects to the next and easily picking the bugs off one by one.

MIKE MULLIGAN Staff Reporter When it comes to interpreting the Bears' 2008 season, there seems to be as much folklore and legend as fact-based analysis or statistical research. Here are a few myths ab...

WASHINGTON, DC (MARKET WIRE) While air purifiers are often advertised as a great gift for 'the person that has everything,' Santa may want to do some research first before putting them under the tree this holiday season. Some air purifiers may actually create a health hazard without significantly improving indoor air quality, according to researchers, government agencies and respected consumer advocates.

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Leukemia cells use powerful chemical signals to lure healthy blood-forming stem cells into their cancerous lairs, where they lose their power to make healthy blood cells, U.S. researchers said on Thursday.

Prof. Moein Moghimi (Professor of Biopharmacy and Nanomedicine, Department of Pharmaceutics and Analytical chemistry) and colleagues have received 28 million DKK (approximately 3.75 million Euros) from the Danish Council for Strategic Research (DSF) to set The Centre for Pharmaceutical Nanotechnology and Nanotoxicology (CPNN) at the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences starting April 2009.