Versatile bile acids

Could bile acids–the fat-dissolving juices churned out by the liver and gallbladder–also play a role in immunity and inflammation? The answer appears to be yes, according to two separate Harvard Medical School studies published in Nature. The findings of the two studies, both conducted in mice, show that bile acids promote the differentiation and activity…

Radical treatment of chronic oral infection before stem cell transplantation not necessary

A recently published study indicates that oral infections seem to have no association with the risk of stem cell transplantation patients dying of or getting a serious infection within six months of the procedure. A study collaboratively conducted by the University of Helsinki, the Helsinki University Hospital, the University of Basel and the University Hospital…

Less offspring due to territorial conflicts

Both species, humans and chimpanzees, can be extremely territorial, and territorial disputes between groups can turn violent, with individuals killing each other. In humans, such between-group competition can escalate to war and devastating loss of human life. Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology studied wild Western chimpanzees to find out whether territorial…