31 March, 2009
In a genetic engineering breakthrough that could help everyone from bed-ridden patients to elite athletes, a team of American researchers—including 2007 Nobel Prize winner Mario R. Capecchi—have created a "switch" that allows mutations or light signals to be turned on in muscle stem cells to monitor muscle regeneration in a living mammal.

31 March, 2009
A UCSF research team has developed a technique to distinguish benign moles from malignant melanomas by measuring differences in levels of genetic markers. Standard microscopic examinations of biopsied tissue can be ambiguous and somewhat subjective,

30 March, 2009
Fear of the dentist plagues more than 80 percent of American adults, and more than half say fear may keep them from going to see the dentist, according to a new survey by the American Association of Endodontists (AAE). Because poor dental care can lead to serious health problems, the AAE is tackling the issue head on as part of its third annual Root Canal Awareness Week, which takes place March 29 - April 4.

30 March, 2009
A congenital heart disease that often leads to death in newborns is significantly more common during the summer, leading researchers to believe that the environment, and not just genes that affect the heart, may play a role in causing "mini-epidemics" of this disease.

A cardiac surgeon from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center presents

29 March, 2009
DaVinci Biosciences, in collaboration with Luis Vernaza Hospital in Ecuador, have announced the publication of study results demonstrating the safety and feasibility of its acute and chronic spinal cord injury treatment platform in Cell Transplantation, a peer-reviewed journal focused on regenerative medicine.

28 March, 2009
Considerably more people than previously believed are allergic to the most common fragrance ingredient used in shampoos, conditioners and soap. A thesis presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden found that over 5% of those who underwent patch testing were allergic to the air oxidized form of the fragrance ingredient linalool.

27 March, 2009
Results of a Mayo Clinic study show that a simple, noninvasive finger sensor test is "highly predictive" of a major cardiac event, such as a heart attack or stroke, for people who are considered at low or moderate risk, according to researchers.

The study will be presented Tuesday, March 31, 2009 at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Session in Orlando.

27 March, 2009
Phantom limbs, often described after amputation, are also experienced as an extra limb in patients who are paralyzed on one side following a stroke. Referred to as supernumerary phantom limb (SPL), patients can usually perceive these limbs as a vivid somatosensory presence of an extra limb, but generally cannot see or intentionally move them.

26 March, 2009
Azadinium spinosum causes mussel poisoning by the production of azaspiracid (left: light microscopic image, right: SEM). Credit: Urban Tillmann, Alfred Wegener Institute

The origin of the neurotoxin azaspiracid has finally been identified after a search for more than a decade.

26 March, 2009
The activity in one brain structure can predict people's preferences, according to new research in the March 25 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience. The study shows that even when people rate options similarly, they will choose the one that causes more activation in the caudate nucleus, a brain region involved in anticipating reward.