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Quebec transplantation: 431 people receive 499 organs from 138 deceased donors

Owing to the generosity of Quebecers, 499 organs from 138 deceased donors in 2009 were transplanted into 431 recipients. Though there were 13 fewer donors than in 2008, Québec posted an average of more than 3.6 transplanted organs per deceased donor in 2009, placing the province among the leaders in Canada and even North America. "We're particularly proud of the sustained collaboration of professionals in hospitals in 2009," says Louis Beaulieu, chief executive officer of Québec-Transplant, the organization responsible for coordinating the organ donation process.

11 Feb 2010

HairDX introduces improved genetic baldness test, incorporates maternal and paternal influences

HairDX, developer of the first genetic test for predicting the risk of male and female pattern hair loss (Androgenetic Alopecia) today announced it is now able to provide doctors with an improved prediction by looking at genetic variants inherited from the mother combined with the risk for baldness attributed by the father.

10 Feb 2010

Around seven in every thousand morbidly obese people are missing part of their DNA

A small but significant proportion of morbidly obese people are missing a section of their DNA, according to research published today in Nature. The authors of the study, from Imperial College London and ten other European Centres, say that missing DNA such as that identified in this research may be having a dramatic effect on some people's weight.

4 Feb 2010

Study indicates dogs make excellent models for studying human genetic disorders

In the new Swedish-Finnish study, published in Nature Genetics, the researchers identified five loci that predispose to an SLE-related disease in Nova Scotia duck tolling retrievers.

31 Jan 2010

$Study shows hip fractures in elderly men are linked to impaired bone health in their grandsons$

Study shows hip fractures in elderly men are linked to impaired bone health in their grandsons

If your grandfather has had a hip fracture, you too could be at risk. Researchers at the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have been able to show, for the first time, a link between hip fractures in elderly men and impaired bone health in their grandsons.

30 Jan 2010

New insight into reprogramming of cells

A discovery by Babraham scientists brings new insight into how cells are reprogrammed and a greater understanding of how the environment, or factors like nutritional signals, can interact with our genes to affect health. As an embryo develops, cells acquire a particular fate, for example becoming a nerve or skin cell. The findings, reported online in the journal Nature, pinpoint a protein called AID as being important for complete cellular reprogramming in mammals.

28 Jan 2010

Combination of saliva test with ultra high-tech biopsy process may help prevent genetic disorders

Florida's largest fertility clinic announced it is the first in the state to offer promising new tests against birth defects: a coupling of technologies that will allow couples to avoid passing along more than 100 genetic diseases to their newborn.

22 Jan 2010

Statins may protect SCD children from pneumococcal infection

New research suggests a family of widely used cholesterol-lowering drugs might help protect individuals from serious illness following bacterial infection, including the pneumococcal infections that pose a deadly threat to those with sickle cell disease.

20 Jan 2010

Study shows an intriguing relationship between cancer-related genes and schizophrenia susceptibility

People who inherit a specific form of a gene that puts them on a road to schizophrenia may be protected against some forms of cancer, according to a new study by scientists at The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research.

20 Jan 2010

Research may pave for further studies on various human skin disorders

The leopard cannot change its spots, nor can the tiger change its stripes, but a new research report published in the January 2009 issue of the journal GENETICS tells us something about how cats end up with their spots and stripes

18 Jan 2010

Breast cancer and ovarian cancer tests not appropriate for all women, say experts

A genetic mutation can significantly increases a woman's risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer. But does that mean everyone should be tested?

18 Jan 2010

Scientists identify gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle

Scientists have identified a gene underlying a disease that causes temporary paralysis of skeletal muscle. The finding, they say, illustrates how investigations of rare genetic diseases can drive insights into more common ones.

8 Jan 2010

CSHL scientist discovers how bookmarking protein triggers leukemia

Each cell inherits genes from its parent as well as epigenetic information - what amounts to an instruction manual that specifies which genes should be activated or "expressed," when and to what level.

6 Jan 2010

Study identifies novel factor that causes Alzheimer's disease

Inheritance of an extra copy of the gene- β -amyloid precursor protein, APP, in individuals with Down syndrome leads to the inevitable development of early onset Alzheimer's disease, known to be linked to the deposition of Amyloid β peptide or Aβ in the brain.

5 Jan 2010

US-German team studies genome mutations

"While the long term effects of genome mutations are quite well understood, we did not know how often new mutations arise in the first place," said Detlef Weigel, director at the Max Planck Institute in Germany. It is routine today to compare the genomes of related animal or plant species.

3 Jan 2010

Discovery of common single-letter variant in SNP links parental origin to risk of T2D

Scientists at deCODE genetics, Inc. publish in the journal Nature the discovery of a version of a common single-letter variant in the sequence of the human genome (SNP) with a major impact on susceptibility to type 2 diabetes (T2D).

17 Dec 2009

Sperm genes may have a detrimental effect on longevity, says new study

Researchers in Japan have found that female mice produced by using genetic material from two mothers but no father live significantly longer than mice with the normal mix of maternal and paternal genes. Their findings provide the first evidence that sperm genes may have a detrimental effect on lifespan in mammals.

1 Dec 2009

Gene deletion can increase common complication of bone marrow transplants

A commonly inherited gene deletion can increase the likelihood of immune complications following bone marrow transplantation, an international team of researchers reports in the November 22 advance online issue of Nature Genetics.

23 Nov 2009

DNA banking: A step toward preserving history and improving the health of future generations

This Thanksgiving Day marks the sixth annual National Family History Day, a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services initiative to encourage families to discuss their health history. Holiday gatherings are excellent opportunities for discussing and documenting family disease backgrounds which can save the lives of loved ones through early detection and preventive measures.

17 Nov 2009

Poor mental health in children and teenagers impacts on the length of time they will stay in school: Study

"Our study shows that poor mental health in children and teenagers has a large impact on the length of time they will stay in school," says Dr. Lehrer. He notes a large number of school-based programs have recently been introduced to prevent childhood obesity through lifestyle changes, but suggests the net should be cast more widely. "It's important for policymakers to target health conditions that are not the easiest to identify - like inattention - but may have larger impacts on one's future."

13 Nov 2009