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Maternal use of valproate during pregnancy increases risk of autism in offspring

Maternal use of valproate (a drug used for the treatment of epilepsy and other neuropsychological disorders) during pregnancy was associated with a significantly increased risk of autism in offspring, according to a study in the April 24 issue of JAMA.

24 Apr 2013

Content of exosomes mirrors aggressiveness of brain tumour, study shows

"Current wisdom says that cells are closed entities that communicate through the secretion of soluble signalling molecules. Recent findings indicate that cells can exchange more complex information - whole packages of genetic material and signalling proteins.

19 Apr 2013

Reports showcase potential of scientists working together to find breast cancer predictors

Two new reports issuing in Science Translational Medicine today showcase the potential of teams of scientists working together to solve increasingly complex medical problems.

18 Apr 2013

High levels of blood cholesterol increase risk of AD and heart disease

Researchers at the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome and the University of Colorado School of Medicine have found that a single mechanism may underlie the damaging effect of cholesterol on the brain and on blood vessels.

16 Apr 2013

Gold nano-bullets to defeat cancer

Cutting edge research into an experimental therapy that deploys nano-particles of gold in the fight against cancer earned an Alberta high school student, 16, top national honours today in the 2013 "Sanofi BioGENEius Challenge Canada" (SBCC).

11 Apr 2013

Kansas joins other states as lawmakers approve bold new abortion restrictions

Analysis follows Kansas lawmakers' decision to place bold new restrictions on abortion, including defining life as beginning at conception. Gov. Sam Brownback is expected to sign the bill. Also, Alaska lawmakers also pass their own bill further restricting abortion.

11 Apr 2013

Researchers discover injectable protein to reverse symptoms of dangerous conditions

The creation of new blood vessels in the body, called "angiogenesis," is usually discussed in connection with healing wounds and tumors. But it's also an ongoing process in the female reproductive tract, where the growth and breaking of blood vessels is a normal part of the menstrual cycle. But abnormal growth of blood vessels can have painful consequences and resultant pathologies.

4 Apr 2013

Pregnancy-related events increase women's risk of deadly blood clot: Study

Newly identified pregnancy-related events, such as stillbirth or pre-term birth, may dramatically increase a woman's risk of developing a potentially deadly blood clot immediately after pregnancy, according to the results of a large, population-based study published online today in Blood, the Journal of the American Society of Hematology.

3 Apr 2013

Preterm birth and low birth weight are most frequent causes of infant death, study reveals

A study by University of Alabama at Birmingham researchers published April 1, 2013, in the journal Pediatrics showed that increasing numbers of premature and other low birth weight infants are the leading cause for the leveling off of infant mortality and neonatal mortality rates in the United States.

1 Apr 2013

Wash. bill to mandate abortion coverage awaits state Senate vote

Washington's Reproductive Parity Act would be the first state law to require insurance plans to cover abortion.

26 Mar 2013

Opposing views on health law's birthday; Krauthammer calls for compromise with Obama on entitlements, taxes

A year ago, the Affordable Care Act's outlook appeared uncertain, with the Supreme Court decision on the law's legality and a contentious election fight over its merits still on the horizon.

25 Mar 2013

TGen researcher explores latest findings about children born with limited mobility

Dr. Lisa Baumbach-Reardon, an Associate Professor at the Translational Genomics Research Institute, will lead a panel discussion about Arthrogryposis (ARGY) today at the 2013 American College of Medical Genetics Annual Clinical Genetics Meeting.

21 Mar 2013

Texas lawmakers consider stricter licensing for abortion clinics

In Texas, a state Senate committee is considering a bill that Democrats say would effectively ban abortion.

21 Mar 2013

SSRI antidepressants taken during pregnancy do not impact infant's growth over the first year

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants taken by a woman during pregnancy do not impact her infant's growth over the first year, reports a new study from a Northwestern Medicine scientist.

20 Mar 2013

Federal judge strikes Mo. law exempting some from health law's birth control mandate

A federal judge has ruled that a Missouri law exempting moral objectors from the health law's mandate on birth control coverage cannot stand.

20 Mar 2013

First Edition: March 19, 2013

Today's headlines include coverage of a new report about the troubling reach of Alzheimer's disease.

19 Mar 2013

Studies show prenatal nutrition may affect gene function in children's health

Pioneering studies by U. S. Department of Agriculture-funded research molecular geneticist Robert A. Waterland are helping explain how the foods that soon-to-be-moms eat in the days and weeks around the time of conception-or what's known as periconceptional nutrition-may affect the way genes function in her children, and her children's health.

13 Mar 2013

Link between folic acid supplements and reduced risk of autism

Women who take a vitamin B9 supplement (folic acid) during the beginning weeks of their pregnancy can cut the risk of having a child with autism in half. But the supplement has no effect if it is started more than 8 weeks into the pregnancy.

12 Mar 2013

Quest Diagnostics offers access to a new non-invasive prenatal test developed by Natera

Quest Diagnostics (NYSE:DGX), the world’s leading diagnostic information services company, and Natera, a leading innovator in prenatal genetic testing, today announced that Quest Diagnostics will offer physicians access to Panorama™, a new non-invasive prenatal test developed by Natera.

From Quest Diagnostics 21 Feb 2013

Periconceptional folic acid intake may reduce risk of autistic disorder in children

In a study that included approximately 85,000 Norwegian children, maternal use of supplemental folic acid from 4 weeks before to 8 weeks after the start of pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of autistic disorder in children, according to a study appearing in the February 13 issue of JAMA.

13 Feb 2013