Connection Between Epigenome, Selective Mutability, Evolution, and Human Disease
Li, Harris et al., PLoS Genetics
Researchers at the Baylor College of Medicine and elsewhere propose a "connection between the epigenome, selective mutability, evolution, and human disease" based on the findings of their study on associations of structural mutability with germline DNA methylation and with non-allelic homologous recombination mediated by low-copy repeats. "Combined evidence from four human sperm methylome maps, human genome evolution, structural polymorphisms in the human population, and previous genomic and disease studies consistently points to a strong association of germline hypomethylation and genomic instability," the Baylor-led team writes.
Fewer Cuts or Fewer Left to Cut?
April 06, 2010
Derek Lowe at In the Pipeline says he hopes a report from Challenger, Gray & Christmas holds. That outplacement consultancy firm says that layoffs in the pharmaceutical industry have slowed: March 2010 saw 308 cuts, which, the report says is well off last year's pace. Lowe says how you interpret the news relies on your worldview. "Perhaps there just aren't so many people to cut any more, at least not at early-2009 rates. But it may be that things have bottomed out. The real question will be whether the industry can get back to adding jobs in the US," he writes.