Category Archives: Medicinal News

In the zebra finch, an extra chromosome exists in the reproductive, or germline, cells. (Songbirds have 40 chromosomes and 41 with the extra chromosome.) Known as the germline-restricted chromosome, its sequence is largely unknown and none of its genes have been identified, until now. Using sophisticated genome-sequencing techniques, American University researchers have identified the first...

In a new research article, a team of international researchers argue that the Tapanuli Orangutan -- a species discovered last year in Sumatra, Indonesia, and one of the rarest animals on the planet -- could lose its battle for survival, unless decisive steps are taken to rescue it.

When a baby is taken from its mother for even a brief period early in life, this traumatic event significantly alters the future, adult function of the brain, according to a new animal model study from the School of Science at IUPUI. These changes in the brain are similar to disturbances in brain structure and...

What happens in a crocodile's brain when it hears complex sounds? An international research team headed by Dr Felix Ströckens from the Department of Biopsychology at Ruhr-Universität Bochum (RUB) has provided the answer to this question. In a first, the researchers examined a cold-blooded reptile using functional MRI. They were thus able to determine that...

Five genes that affect sociality-related behaviour in chickens have been identified by researchers at Linköping University in Sweden. Several of the genes have been previously linked to nervous system function or behaviour. The new study, which is published in Genetics, is the first that assigns these genes a role in sociality.

Putting policies in place that are designed to protect biodiversity but are based on only one key species 'value' could inadvertently put some of our best loved wildlife in jeopardy, new research has shown.