Twins News and Research

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Scientists identify genetic mutations in endometrioid endometrial carcinoma

Parents of twins often tell them apart through subtle differences such as facial expression, moles, voice tone and gait. Similarly, physicians treating women with endometrial cancer must be able to distinguish between different versions of this disease form that, on the surface, appear the same.

4 Sep 2014

Around 9.6% of women diagnosed with dry eye disease, treated with artificial tear eye drops

The symptoms of dry eye disease include the sensation of grit in the eye, frequently accompanied by itching, burning and visual disturbance. The causes are poorly understood.

3 Sep 2014

Permanent atrial fibrillation twins risk of stroke than paroxysmal AF

Permanent atrial fibrillation (AF) doubles the risk of stroke compared to paroxysmal AF, according to research in more than 6 000 patients presented at ESC Congress today by Dr Thomas Vanassche from Belgium. The findings suggest that a simple clinical assessment of the type of AF can help doctors to better estimate stroke risk.

2 Sep 2014

Fitness-related traits in bipolar disorder relatives may explain disease persistence

Unaffected twins of patients with bipolar disorder show enhanced neurocognitive function and positive temperament traits, research shows.

21 Aug 2014

Twin study supports psychosis continuum

A study of adolescent twins suggests that similar factors influence psychotic experiences regardless of their severity, consistent with a psychosis continuum.

6 Aug 2014

Epigenetic control of serotonin transporter predicts human brain function

The tiny addition of a chemical mark atop a gene that is well known for its involvement in clinical depression and posttraumatic stress disorder can affect the way a person's brain responds to threats, according to a new study by Duke University researchers.

4 Aug 2014

Study of twins shows that genetic variant provides greater resistance to effects of sleep deprivation

Researchers who studied 100 twin pairs have identified a gene mutation that may allow the carrier to function normally on less than six hours of sleep per night. The genetic variant also appears to provide greater resistance to the effects of sleep deprivation.

1 Aug 2014

Viewpoints: GOP lawsuit against Obama on health law is not a 'stunt'; 'wisdom' lacking in the House; the danger of cyberattacks on hospitals

"So sue me" is President Obama's message to Congress. And on Wednesday the House of Representatives took up his taunt, authorizing a lawsuit to challenge the president's failure to faithfully execute provisions of the Affordable Care Act as passed by Congress. The House lawsuit is no "stunt," as Mr. Obama has characterized it.

1 Aug 2014

New electrical pattern in brains predicts how well individual animals fare in stressful situations

Some people can handle stressful situations better than others, and it's not all in their genes: Even identical twins show differences in how they respond.

30 Jul 2014

Researchers collaborate to tackle rare diseases

Support from a network of leading researchers across Europe specialised in a rare auto-immune disease with unmet medical needs could help test several novel treatments

22 Jul 2014

Viewpoints: Problems in training docs; impact of HHS' territory decision; what Halbig decision might mean

ast week's burst of world disorder was ideal for a news dump, and the White House didn't disappoint: On no legal basis, all 4.5 million residents of the five U.S. territories were quietly released from ObamaCare.

22 Jul 2014

Marmoset's unique rapid reproductive system sheds new light on evolution and primate biology

A team of scientists from around the world led by Baylor College of Medicine and Washington University in St. Louis has completed the genome sequence of the common marmoset - the first sequence of a New World Monkey - providing new information about the marmoset's unique rapid reproductive system, physiology and growth, shedding new light on primate biology and evolution.

21 Jul 2014

Study: Genetics plays major role in development of autism

Using new statistical tools, Carnegie Mellon University's Kathryn Roeder has led an international team of researchers to discover that most of the genetic risk for autism comes from versions of genes that are common in the population rather than from rare variants or spontaneous glitches.

21 Jul 2014

Cannabis use and schizophrenia ‘share genetic risk’

Variants of genes that predispose people to developing schizophrenia also predispose them to using cannabis, a study of more than 2000 people has found.

3 Jul 2014

Research findings provide promising news for couples considering in-vitro fertilization

Using computer-automated, time‐lapse photography of embryos in the laboratory during in-vitro fertilization may improve embryo selection, potentially increasing the chances of pregnancy among women undergoing the procedure, according to new research from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and five other fertility centers.

3 Jul 2014

Obesity before pregnancy can lead to preterm births

Women who are obese before they become pregnant face an increased risk of delivering a very premature baby, according to a new study of nearly 1 million California births.

25 Jun 2014

Longer looks: Caregivers effort to stay well; patients who turn to religion for cures; new views on postpartum depression

More than 65 million people, or 29 percent of the U.S. population, provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family members or friends during any given year, and spend an average of 20 hours per week providing that care.

20 Jun 2014