Science and Health News

Genetic risk reports for Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and Hereditary Thrombophilia included in the FDA authorization, among others

For a few years, running has been fashionable. But there is a great difference between the physical demands of running a few kilometres and doing a marathon. Now Spanish researchers have concluded that genetics plays an essential role in success when completing this long distance.

Octopus, squid, and cuttlefish are famous for engaging in complex behavior, from unlocking an aquarium tank and escaping to instantaneous skin camouflage to hide from predators. A new study suggests their evolutionary path to neural sophistication includes a novel mechanism: Prolific RNA editing at the expense of evolution in their genomic DNA.

Today, at the Microbiology Society’s Annual Conference in Edinburgh, researchers will show that levels of cancer-causing human papillomavirus in Scotland have dropped 90% in young women, following a vaccination campaign that began in 2008. The researchers believe that this may itself lead to a 90% reduction in cervical cancer cases in Scottish women.

If you’ve been a night owl all your life and mornings are your nemesis, you may be able to blame a gene mutation for all those late nights.

Giant viruses appear to have evolved from smaller viruses (not from cells) based on presence of nearly complete set of translation-related genes.

NIH-funded groups preparing for next filovirus outbreak.

Population growth results in more daily smokers globally, but robust tobacco control programs slow the pace Several countries have shown remarkable progress in reducing the disabling effects and disease burden of tobacco smoking since 1990, demonstrating that progress is possible Unless daily smoking is significantly reduced from current levels, the total number of smokers will continue to rise and place tremendous burden on health systems