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Researchers examine impact of genetic ancestry on measures of lung function

Americans with lung disease may face a far greater level of lung damage than either they or their doctor suspect, depending on their individual genetic heritage, according to research published online July 7 in the New England Journal of Medicine. The research implications range from diagnosing the severity of asthma, to disability decisions or eligibility for lung transplants, researchers say.

13 Jul 2010

Researchers discover gene mutation that causes auditory neuropathy

Researchers have identified a gene mutation that causes a rare form of hearing loss known as auditory neuropathy, according to U-M Medical School scientists. In the study published online today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA, U-M's Marci Lesperance, M.D., and Margit Burmeister, Ph.D. led a team of researchers who examined the DNA of individuals from the same large family afflicted with the disorder.

13 Jul 2010

$Binge-drinking teenagers at risk for future osteoporosis, bone fractures$

Binge-drinking teenagers at risk for future osteoporosis, bone fractures

Binge-drinking teenagers may be putting themselves at risk for future osteoporosis and bone fractures, according to researchers at Loyola University Health System.

13 Jul 2010

Manuscript based on study of Clarient InsightDx Mammostrat to be published in Breast Cancer Research

Clarient, Inc., a premier technology and services resource for pathologists, oncologists and the pharmaceutical industry, today announced that a manuscript based on a study of Clarient InsightDx Mammostrat, a test used to classify the risk of recurrence of breast cancer following surgery and chemotherapy, will be published in an upcoming edition of Breast Cancer Research, a prominent peer-reviewed medical journal.

12 Jul 2010

Researchers explore range of potential new fuel sources in nature

On the long and difficult road toward a carbon-neutral source of transportation fuels, the U.S. Department of Energy is pursuing a diversified approach. This effort involves exploring a range of potential new fuel sources in nature: from plants that may serve as cellulosic feedstocks-fast-growing trees and perennial grasses on land-to oil-producing organisms in aquatic and other environments, such as algae and bacteria.

12 Jul 2010

Drosophila fly study may aid in staving off diseases in humans using defensive bacteria

It has been a basic principle of evolution for more than a century that plants and animals can adapt genetically in ways that help them better survive and reproduce.

12 Jul 2010

Two missing genes can develop aggressive form of leukaemia in mice: Research

A completely new mechanism that leads to the development of a certain type of leukaemia could eventually be targeted by new treatments, according to research published in Nature Immunology today (Sunday).

12 Jul 2010

Subtle mutation affecting epigenome may lead to inherited form of mental retardation: Researchers

A subtle mutation affecting the epigenome –- a set of dynamic factors that influence gene activity -- may lead to an inherited form of mental retardation that affects boys, find researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. The disorder, which also involves cleft lip or cleft palate, appears to hinge on an enzyme working in a biological pathway that may offer several potential drug targets.

12 Jul 2010

Sirtuin1 protein promotes memory, brain flexibility: MIT researchers

The same molecular mechanism that increases life span through calorie restriction may help boost memory and brainpower, researchers at MIT's Picower Institute for Learning and Memory report in the July 11 issue of Nature.

12 Jul 2010

New method enhances delivery of DNA payloads into cells

Chang Lu and his chemical engineering research group at Virginia Tech have discovered how to "greatly enhance" the delivery of DNA payloads into cells. The description of their work will be featured on the cover of Lab on a Chip (issue 16), the premier journal for researchers in microfluidics.

9 Jul 2010

Males with faulty BRCA2 genes at risk of breast cancer

Men who carry a faulty version of the BRCA2 gene have an estimated one-in-15 chance of developing breast cancer by the time they reach 70, British scientists have found.

9 Jul 2010

Musashi 2 protein predicts progression of AML and CML, identify researchers

Researchers at Whitehead Institute and Children's Hospital Boston have identified a protein, called Musashi 2, that is predictive of prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and chronic myeloid leukemia patients.

9 Jul 2010

Research findings may help scientists understand how muscle and heart diseases develop

Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified a previously unknown mechanism by which cells direct gene expression, the process by which information from a gene is used to direct the physical and behavioral development of individuals. The research, which may help scientists gain insight into how muscle and heart diseases develop, is published in the July 8th issue of Nature.

9 Jul 2010

Study identifies a region in human genome that is linked to FSGS

An in-depth study of a family with multiple generations affected by kidney disease has identified a previously unknown location for a gene abnormality causing focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.

9 Jul 2010

Researchers report how mature red blood cells form

We take our blood for granted, but its creation requires a complicated series of steps, starting with the formation of blood stem cells during early embryonic development, followed by progressive differentiation into the progenitors of red cells, white cells and platelets, and ultimately the full set of blood cells.

9 Jul 2010

Research finding uncovers alternative treatments for people with hereditary colorectal cancer

By solving the three-dimensional structure of a protein involved in repairing DNA errors, a group of McMaster University researchers have revealed new avenues to develop assessment tools and alternative treatments for people living with hereditary colorectal cancers.

9 Jul 2010

WaferGen Biosystems announces closing of $7.2M registered direct offering

WaferGen Biosystems, Inc., a leading developer of state-of-the-art genomic analysis systems, today announced the closing of a $7.2 million registered direct offering. The amount raised includes $1 million from the Chairman and CEO, Alnoor Shivji, and approximately $500,000 in the aggregate from four other members of the board of directors of WaferGen.

9 Jul 2010

Japanese scientists identify long-elusive enzyme necessary for proper regulation of cilia

It's safe to say that cilia, the hairlike appendages jutting out from the smooth surfaces of most mammalian cells, have long been misunderstood - underestimated, even.

8 Jul 2010

MicroRNA-212 plays key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction: Study

Scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have found that a particular type of genetic material plays a key role in determining vulnerability to cocaine addiction and may offer an entirely new direction for the development of anti-addiction therapies. In animal studies, the scientists found that a molecule called microRNA-212 was increased in the brains of test animals that had extended access to cocaine.

8 Jul 2010

York University study shows misoprostol prevents cell communication

A York University study has shown for the first time how the drug misoprostol, which has been linked to neurodevelopmental defects associated with autism, interferes with neuronal cell function.

8 Jul 2010