Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) retain the extraordinary capacity to differentiate into different cell types of an adult organism, including pancreatic β-cells. For this particular lineage, although a lot of effort has been made in the last ten years to achieve an efficient and reproducible differentiation protocol, it was not until recently that this aim was roughly accomplished. Besides, s...

The aim of this paper is to provide a summary of GSF evaluations, audit reports and research studies that we are currently aware of, to inform ongoing spread, development and further research of the Gold Standards Framework, as part of the NHS End of Life Care Programme. In the light of the current changes within the NHS, further issues are arising related to end of life care, community palliat...

Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a rare disease associated with inactivating mutations of AR that disrupt male sexual differentiation, and cause a spectrum of phenotypic abnormalities having as a common denominator loss of reproductive viability. No established treatment exists for these conditions, however there are sporadic reports of patients (or recapitulated mutations in cell lines...

a Istituto di Medicina Legale, Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy b Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, New York, New York, USA c Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, Basic Research Program, SAIC-Frederick, Frederick, MD 21702, USA d Laboratory of Genomic Diversity, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD 21702, USA e Mpala Research Center, P.O. Box 5...

Alpine glaciers have receded substantially over the last century in many regions of the world. Resulting changes in glacial runoff not only affect the hydrological cycle, but can also alter the physical (i.e., turbidity from glacial flour) and biogeochemical properties of downstream ecosystems. Here we compare nutrient concentrations, transparency gradients, algal biomass, and fossil diatom spe...

The Semipalatinsk Test Site (STS) in Kazakhstan was one of the major sites used by the former USSR for testing nuclear weapons for more than 40 years. Since the early 1990s, agricultural activities have been re-established there by neighbouring collective and private farms. Therefore, it has become important to evaluate the radiological situation and the current and future risk to people living...