Craniofacial News and Research

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Discovery of new target in fight against osteoporosis, periodontitis

Osteoporosis and periodontitis are common diseases whose sufferers must cope with weakness, injury and reduced function as they lose bone more quickly than it is formed. While the mechanism of bone destruction in these diseases is understood, scientists have had less information about how bone formation is impaired.

19 May 2009

Genetics may help explain alcohol-related susceptibility and resistance

Drinking alcohol during pregnancy can lead to teratogenesis, the development of embryonic defects.

22 Apr 2009

Study findings have implications for development of pain-relieving drugs

Morphine and other opioids are widely used to treat both acute and chronic pain – yet their benefits are often limited because some people experience side effects or do not respond to them efficiently.

21 Apr 2009

Cancer vaccines receive orphan drug designation for advanced head and neck cancer

Two experimental vaccines from the University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) recently received a federal orphan drug designation for advanced head and neck cancer, according to a company official.

9 Apr 2009

Study on Haitian children shows poor diet contribute to gum disease

Haiti's children, already burdened with poverty and malnutrition, may have a health problem related to these chronic conditions -- gum disease.

1 Apr 2009

Research yields potential target for cancer, wound healing and fibrosis

Research conducted by Allison Berrier, PhD, Assistant Professor of Oral and Craniofacial Biology at the LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Dentistry, and colleagues, provides insights that may help scientists design novel approaches to control wound healing and fight diseases such as cancer and fibrosis.

20 Mar 2009

Risk factors for flat head syndrome

A new study by physician researchers from Hasbro Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital Boston identifies risk factors for the severity of asymmetrical head shapes, known as deformational plagiocephaly (DP), or more commonly as flat head syndrome.

11 Mar 2009

New study finds increased prevalence of left-handedness in children with facial development disorder

A new study by physician researchers from Hasbro Children's Hospital and Children's Hospital Boston has identified an increased prevalence in left-handedness in children with a congenital disorder known as hemifacial microsomia (HFM).

2 Mar 2009

Why do teeth form in a single row?

A system of opposing genetic forces determines why mammals develop a single row of teeth, while sharks sport several, according to a study published in the journal Science.

26 Feb 2009

Lack of specific gene plays role in autism

It is estimated that three to six out of every 1,000 children in the United States have autism - and the number of diagnosed cases is rising.

9 Feb 2009

Missing gene plays role in autism

It is estimated that three to six out of every 1,000 children in the United States have autism - and the number of diagnosed cases is rising.

8 Feb 2009

Safer optic nerve decompression surgery

Knowing about variations in the location of the optic nerve and ophthalmic artery can aid surgeons in performing optic nerve decompression - a delicate operation performed in patients with vision loss resulting from head injury, reports a study in the November Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.

21 Dec 2008

Botulinum toxin used to treat patients with masseteric muscle hypertrophy

For patients with an uncommon condition causing a swollen appearance of the lower face, treatment with botulinum toxin type A (Botox) provides an effective alternative to plastic surgery, according to a study in the November Journal of Craniofacial Surgery.

21 Dec 2008

Dental pulp stem cells show promise for use in cell therapy

Researchers at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center, Emory University, have discovered dental pulp stem cells can stimulate growth and generation of several types of neural cells.

12 Nov 2008

New advances in diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases

Researchers are presenting more than 450 abstracts on investigational findings in the diagnosis and treatment of allergic diseases at the ACAAI Annual Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 6-11. Following are highlights of some key studies in allergy-immunology.

11 Nov 2008

Researchers discover genetic basis for some common congenital birth defects

10 Nov 2008

Absence of ERK2 gene linked to birth defects

A multidisciplinary research team at Case Western Reserve University led by Gary Landreth, Ph.D., a professor in the School of Medicine's Department of Neurosciences, has uncovered a common genetic pathway for a number of birth defects that affect the development of the heart and head. Abnormal development of the jaw, palate, brain and heart are relatively common congenital defects and frequently arise due to genetic errors that affect a key developmental pathway.

10 Nov 2008

Scientist says research indicates need for effective HPV vaccine for women and men and a simple HPV screening test

A call to explore a broader use of HPV (human papillomavirus) vaccines and the validation of a simple oral screening test for HPV-caused oral cancers are reported in two studies by a Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center investigator.

3 Nov 2008

Researchers discover how Sonic hedgehog gene controls brain development

University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine researchers have discovered how the expression of the Sonic hedgehog gene is regulated during brain development and how mutations that alter this process cause brain malformations. The results appear online this month in Nature Genetics.

28 Oct 2008

Discovery of gene variant for cleft lip

About 20 percent of isolated cleft lip, one of the world's most common birth defects, may be due to a one-letter difference in the DNA sequence of a gene involved in facial development, researchers supported by the National Institutes of Health report.

6 Oct 2008