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Archaeological and genetic analysis may indicate that three skeletons buried in medieval graves in France may have been Muslim, according to a study published February 24, 2016 in the open-access journal PLOS ONE by Yves Gleize from the French National Institute for Preventive Archaeological Research (Inrap) and University of Bordeaux, France, Fanny Mendisco from University of Bordeaux, France, and colleagues.

Can we learn to live with--rather than kill--cancer? A new study suggests that frequent, low-dose chemotherapy that keeps tumor growth under control may be more effective than standard high-dose chemotherapy that seeks to eradicate cancer cells completely. The treatment strategy, which was tested in mice, flies in the face of conventional cancer therapy, which generally hits patients with the maximum drug dose possible to kill off the largest number of tumor cells. Despite aggressive treatment, complete cancer eradication is rare and toxic side effects all too common.

UI Scientist: Honeybee Hive Collapse Mystery Rooted in Hive Size

MOSCOW, Idaho - Feb. 24, 2016 -- University of Idaho professor Brian Dennis is helping scientists understand a baffling but vitally important puzzle: What is causing the decline of honeybees? Working in collaboration with William Kemp, a U.S. Department of Agriculture scientist and UI alumnus, Dennis has built a mathematical model that lays the blame squarely on the bees themselves.

BOSTON and DURHAM, N.C. - Investigators from the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) today announced key results from the HPTN 073 Study at the 2016 Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston, Massachusetts. The study showed high uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for prevention of HIV infection among Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) in the U.S. with the use of a novel coordinated counseling and care approach resulting in findings suggestive of a lower rate of HIV infection.

WHAT:

New findings suggest that black men who have sex with men (BMSM) with access to a novel coordinated care program can adhere to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a medication regimen that helps prevent HIV infection in uninfected individuals. Researchers reported their results today at a press conference at the Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI) in Boston.

What regulates the size of an organism's teeth? The reduced size of our back teeth, or molars, is one of the defining attributes separating modern humans from hominins (our extinct relatives). The earliest hominins, known collectively as australopiths (best exemplified by "Lucy," a member of the species Australopithecus afarensis), had larger teeth overall and their largest molar was positioned closer to the rear of the mouth. Fossil species within our own genus, Homo, not only had smaller teeth, but their biggest molar was situated closer to the middle of their jaw.

Organisms such as cacti and desert beetles can survive in arid environments because they've evolved mechanisms to collect water from thin air. The Namib desert beetle, for example, collects water droplets on the bumps of its shell while V-shaped cactus spines guide droplets to the plant's body.

A new University of British Columbia study shows that genetic counselling helps patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and similar conditions understand and cope with their illness.

The paper is published today in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

Monash University-led research has shown that the evolution of human teeth is much simpler than previously thought, and that we can predict the sizes of teeth missing from human fossils and those of our extinct close relatives (hominins).

An international team led by Australian researchers has studied the genetics of pancreatic cancer, revealing it is actually four separate diseases, each with different genetic triggers and survival rates, paving the way for more accurate diagnoses and treatments.

The significant findings also include 10 genetic pathways at the core of transforming normal pancreatic tissue into cancerous tumours. Some of these processes are related to bladder and lung cancers, opening up the possibility of using treatments for these cancers to also treat pancreatic cancer.

It's well known that genetic differences among individuals influence lifespan, but a new study appearing February 24 in Cell Systems suggests that differences in patterns of gene expression in youth may also predict longevity. Researchers of the shortest-lived vertebrate--the African turquoise killifish--found that when genes involved in a cell's energy production are less active at a young age, the animals tend to live longer.

Habitat destruction and the direct exploitation of species often occupy center stage in discussions of biodiversity perils. However, indirect harms, such as that posed by nitrogen pollution, remain underappreciated and poorly understood despite playing a key role in species declines. In an article for the journal BioScience, a team of environmental researchers led by Daniel Hernández of Carleton College, in Minnesota, outline the challenges associated with nitrogen.

A reduced glycerin formulation of tenofovir gel was found safe when used daily and around the time of sex, according to the first extended safety study of a rectal microbicide for HIV prevention from anal sex. Presented today at the 23rd Conference on Retroviruses and Opportunistic Infections (CROI 2016), the study, led by the U.S.

Just like other crops, trees can also be genetically modified in order to introduce new, useful characteristics. Although such trees offer many socio-economic and environmental benefits, complex and unpredictable EU procedures are hindering their introduction to the market. This is the conclusion reached by researchers in a joint text drawn up as part of a European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST) project about genetically modified trees.

AURORA, Colo. (Feb. 24, 2016) - Despite prices, promises and even ratings systems, all helmets approved for high school football players appear to offer similar protection against concussion, according to a new study from the Colorado School of Public Health at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus.