13-05-2013

Injection of human stem cells into mice with tumors slowed down tumor growth, finds research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Stem Cell Research & Therapy. Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), isolated from bone marrow, caused changes in blood vessels supplying the tumor, and ...

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08-04-2013

Non-invasive 'liquid biopsies' can find metastatic or recurrent prostate cancer, in a low cost assay suitable for most healthcare systems, finds research published in Genome Medicine. Genomic signatures of prostate cancer, isolated from plasma DNA, display abnormal copy numbers of specific ...

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27-08-2009

Watermelon juice can be a valuable source of biofuel. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open access journal Biotechnology for Biofuels have shown that the juice of reject watermelons can be efficiently fermented into ethanol. Wayne Fish worked with a team of researchers at the ...

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05-08-2009

The active ingredient in many insect repellents, deet, has been found to be toxic to the central nervous system. Researchers writing in BMC Biology say that more investigations are urgently needed to confirm or dismiss any potential neurotoxicity to humans, especially when deet-based ...

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04-08-2009

An area of chromosome 6 that affects cattle carcass weight has been identified using two different Japanese species. Knowledge of this four-gene region, described in BMC Genetics, should be useful in breeding beef cattle. Akiko Takasuga, from the Shirakawa Institute of Animal Genetics, led a ...

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30-07-2009

The first ever genetic linkage map for a non-avian member of the Class Reptilia has been developed. Researchers writing in BMC Genomics have constructed a first-generation genetic linkage map for the saltwater crocodile Crocodylus porosus. Dr Lee Miles, from the University of Sydney, worked ...

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12-08-2008

A study of 228 women has revealed genetic variants responsible for body shape. Based on work in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster, research published in BMC Genetics identifies natural variation in the human LAMA5 gene as a key determinant of weight. As the prevalence of obesity and ...

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30-04-2008

Although drug prescriptions are notoriously difficult to read, prescribing errors due to a lack of knowledge of drug properties are a worse problem. Now, a new information icon system has been developed by researchers in France. The researchers describe their system, a graphical language for ...

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