Katherine Unger Baillie

A bitter taste may elicit a grimace, and indeed many bitter substances are toxic and should be avoided. Yet some foods and drugs taste bitter but promote or protect health—think broccoli or quinine.

This weekend at the National Dog Show in Oaks, Pa., more than 2,000 specially bred canines will compete for prizes within their breed and group, and a select number will vie for the “Best in Show” trophy.

Evolution does not operate with a goal in mind; it does not have foresight. But organisms that have a greater capacity to evolve may fare better in rapidly changing environments. This raises the question: does evolution favor characteristics that increase a species’ ability to evolve?

Skin provides a first line of defense against viruses, bacteria and parasites that might otherwise make people ill. When an injury breaks that barrier, a systematic chain of molecular signaling launches to close the wound and re-establish the skin’s layer of protection.

It’s no coincidence that the expression “to leave a bitter taste in one’s mouth” has a double meaning; people often have strong negative reactions to bitter substances, which, though found in healthful foods like vegetables, can also signify toxicity. For this reason, the ability to sense bitterness likely played an important role in human evolution.

After Evelyn Galban, a neurosurgeon and lecturer in the Department of Clinical Studies-Philadelphia in the School of Veterinary Medicine, examined a recent patient—a dog nam

For years, scientists have observed that tumor cells from certain breast cancer patients with aggressive forms of the disease contained low levels of mitochondrial DNA. But, until recently, no one was able to explain how this characteristic influenced disease progression. 

When an X-ray reveals the worst possible news—that a pet dog’s limp turns out to be caused by a cancerous tumor—owners have limited options. Amputation and repeated rounds of chemotherapy can extend a pet’s life, but at substantial costs, financial and otherwise.

Each year, millions of men are screened for prostate cancer using the prostate-specific antigen, or PSA, test. An abnormal result can lead some of these otherwise healthy men to pursue aggressive treatment, causing harm at questionable benefit.

By the time bone cancer is diagnosed in a pet dog, it is often too late to save the animal’s life. Instead, the goal of treatment is to keep the dog as comfortable and free of pain as possible for as long as possible.