Petra Wester’s charming shot of a Namaqua rock mouse (Aethomys namaquensis) lapping the nectar of the Pagoda Lily (Whiteheadia bifolia), wowed the judging panel for this year’s BMC Ecology image competition. In this Q&A we find out more about the woman behind the lens and her winning entry. Fascinated by nature as a child,… Read more »
Influenza is a contagious viral respiratory infection, which typically occurs as epidemics during the winter months in temperate zones. It is usually mild and uncomplicated, but may occasionally cause severe disease, particularly in vulnerable populations. Seasonal influenza vaccination is the single most effective protective measure against the virus. Since 2008, annual surveys of influenza vaccination… Read more »
The origins of Thylacocephalans, bizarre arthropods extinct for over 80 million years, has long been shrouded in mystery. The discovery of a new species, the oldest yet found, is described today in BMC Evolutionary Biology, giving us new insight into the evolution and lifestyle of this remarkable predator. Extinct and enigmatic The fossil record… Read more »
The mosquitoes are swarming. With the raising global temperatures, they are venturing away from their tropical countries of residence and exploring new territories. As the mosquitoes relocate themselves they also bring various diseases with them, including dengue fever. There are regular cases of dengue reported in China, Indonesia, Taiwan and Vietnam, but even these endemic… Read more »
BMC Medical Research Methodology will be heading next week to Vienna for the 35th Annual Conference of the International Society for Clinical Biostatistics (ISCB). The conference will focus on issues such as design and analysis of clinical trials, methods in biostatistics and development of clinical prediction models. The journal is sponsoring one Conference Award… Read more »
Woodrats living in the deserts of the US have a pretty poor selection of foods on offer. Juniper bushes and cactuses used to make up the majority of their diet. While I do love a bit of juniper once it’s made into gin, Monty Python’s life of Brian showed us, if any proof were needed, that… Read more »
Decline in HIV-1 resistant mutations • Beyond ENCODE? • As dead as the Dodo and twice as mysterious• Back pain beliefs • Circulating tumour cells: prognosis in metastatic breast cancer? Infectious Diseases : Decline in HIV- 1 resistant mutations Drug resistant strains of HIV-1 remain a major constraint on the long term control of… Read more »
BMC Psychology is looking forward to next week as the journal heads to Washington D.C for the American Psychological Association Annual Convention. The APA convention is the largest gathering of psychologists and psychology students in the world, promising to showcase exciting developments at the leading edge of psychological research, with delegate numbers reaching 14 000…. Read more »