Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study on current insect repellants confirms need for better insect repellants

Fire up the citronella-scented tiki torches, and slather on the DEET: Everybody knows these simple precautions repel insects, notably mosquitoes, whose bites not only itch and irritate, but also transmit diseases such as West Nile virus, malaria and dengue. Now, Johns Hopkins scientists have discovered what it is in the bugs' molecular makeup that enables citronellal (the aromatic liquid used in lotions, sprays and candles) and DEET, to deter insects from landing and feeding on you. A better understanding of these molecular-behavioral links already is aiding the team's search for more effective repellants.

26 Aug 2010

Ataxin 2 gene mutation contributes to Lou Gehrig's disease: Research

An international study led by biologists and neuroscientists from the University of Pennsylvania has identified a new genetic risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease.

26 Aug 2010

Vitamin D may be effective in preventing allergies in patients cystic fibrosis, asthma

Vitamin D may be an effective therapy to treat and even prevent allergy to a common mold that can cause severe complications for patients with cystic fibrosis and asthma.

26 Aug 2010

Research finds adenovirus impact on cell's suicide program pave way for new cancer therapy

A novel mechanism used by adenovirus to sidestep the cell's suicide program, could go a long way to explain how tumor suppressor genes are silenced in tumor cells and pave the way for a new type of targeted cancer therapy, report researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies in the Aug. 26, 2010 issue of Nature.

26 Aug 2010

Today's Opinions: Applying comparative effectiveness research to a range of health indicators; Australia's model health care system; What about blocked stem cell research?

Significant comparative effectiveness research (CER) efforts should be dedicated to understanding the effectiveness of investments across broad determinants of health instead of focusing primarily within the health care domain alone (David Kindig and John Mullahy, 8/25).

26 Aug 2010

Celera granted US patent on LPA gene variant's association with increased risk for myocardial infarction

Celera Corporation today announced that the United States Patent and Trademark Office has issued United States Patent 7,781,168 relating to methods of determining heart attack risk by detecting the Ile4399Met genetic polymorphism in the protease-like domain of LPA.

25 Aug 2010

Continuous boosting of natural painkiller shuts down brain cell receptor response

ERepeatedly boosting brain levels of one natural painkiller soon shuts down the brain cell receptors that respond to it, so that the painkilling effect is lost, according to a surprising new study led by Scripps Research Institute and Virginia Commonwealth University scientists. The study has important implications for drug development.

25 Aug 2010

Bisphenol A chemical may shorten reproductive lifespan in women: Research

A study posted today (Wednesday, August 25) at the online site of the journal Biology of Reproduction reports that exposure of pregnant female mice to the endocrine-disrupting chemical bisphenol A may produce adverse reproductive consequences on gene expression in fetal ovaries as early as 12 hours after the mother has first been exposed to the chemical.

25 Aug 2010

Study identifies four genetic variants associated with ESRD disease in Chinese diabetic patients

Examination of a gene involved in cell signaling finds that four common variants of this gene are associated with the development of end-stage renal disease in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study in the August 25 issue of JAMA.

25 Aug 2010

Researchers identify specific gene responsible for Kuf's disease

A North Carolina State University researcher has helped to locate and identify a gene responsible for a fatal neurodegenerative disease that affects American Staffordshire terriers. This same gene may be responsible for a similar rare, fatal disease in humans. Its discovery will lead to improved screening and diagnosis of the disease in dogs and is the first step in working toward a cure for both canines and humans.

25 Aug 2010

Mayo researchers develop new laboratory cell lines to study anaplastic thyroid cancer

To their deep dismay, researchers at Mayo Clinic discovered several years ago that laboratory samples of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) they were using to help them find new treatments for this lethal disease were probably some other kind of cancer. It quickly became evident that the situation in their lab was common throughout the world. Up to half of the cell lines that were supposed to originate from patients with this rare thyroid cancer were either colon or melanoma cancer.

25 Aug 2010

Increasing levels of neuropeptide Y, receptors can counteract seizures: Research

Research in recent years has shown that the brain tries to counteract seizures. One of the ways it does this is by increasing levels of a protein-like molecule called neuropeptide Y and the expression of certain receptors for it.

25 Aug 2010

Researchers identify molecular signals that impact male fertility: Research

Male infertility is a common medical problem, affecting millions of men in the United States annually. Its causes include an inability to make productive sperm. Now, using yeast as a model organism, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine are beginning to identify the molecular signals that could in part underlie that problem.

25 Aug 2010

Also in Global Health News: IDUs in Kenya; Haiti recovery; Pandemic preparedness; Somalia hunger; HIV in Mozambique; Strengthening immune system against HIV

In Kenya, "[i]ntravenous drug users (IDUs) have been largely ignored by the government's HIV programmes on the basis that drug-taking is illegal, but a new policy is being drafted with the aim of reducing HIV transmission among this high-risk group," IRIN/PlusNews reports. The article includes comments from Nicholas Muraguri, head of the National AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Programme, who said that the policy would treat drug use as a health issue, not a criminal one.

25 Aug 2010

National Fibromyalgia Association, RemedyMD partner to build fibromyalgia research registry

The National Fibromyalgia Association has partnered with RemedyMD® to provide a national database that will aggregate data from a wide variety of sources to provide a complete disease registry for fibromyalgia research. It offers new hope to sufferers since this will represent the first time that researchers have the opportunity to look at all data relevant to fibromyalgia in order to identify patterns which lead to more effective diagnosis and treatment.

24 Aug 2010

LabCorp launches IL-28B gene test for HCV infection

Laboratory Corporation of America® Holdings announced today the nationwide availability of a genetic test to detect the presence of a single polymorphism within the IL-28B gene that has been reported to help predict a person's response to certain hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapies.

24 Aug 2010

Epilepsy Therapy Project, EF announce recipients of New Therapy Grants Program

The Epilepsy Therapy Project (ETP) and the Epilepsy Foundation (EF) today announced the latest grant recipients of its New Therapy Grants Program, a unique joint venture of the non-profit epilepsy organizations, to advance promising epilepsy research in clinical development. The grant awards, totaling approximately $200,000 in funding, will support an experimental gene therapy that directly targets epileptogenic brain tissue, as well as an electrode system that has the potential to improve the efficacy of surgical therapies for certain epilepsy syndromes.

24 Aug 2010

Researchers find gene sequences of MLV in chronic fatigue syndrome patients' blood samples

Researchers have found murine leukemia viruses (MLV) related gene sequences in blood samples collected from patients diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) and some healthy blood donors, according to a study published online today by the scientific journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

24 Aug 2010

WHO calls on countries to prevent, control spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria

Amid the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance, the WHO on Friday urged countries to take greater action to limit the spread of drug-resistant bacteria, CIDRAP News reports. "Calling such pathogens 'a growing and global public health problem,' the WHO said, 'Countries should be prepared to implement hospital infection control measures to limit the spread of multi-drug resistant strains and to reinforce national policy on prudent use of antibiotics, reducing the generation of antibiotic resistant bacteria,'" according to the news service (Roos, 8/20).

24 Aug 2010

Research finds variation in sex chromosome may cause lupus in men

Genes reside along long chains of DNA called chromosomes. UCLA researchers have found that a variation in a gene on the sex chromosome X may enhance an immune response that leads to lupus in men.

24 Aug 2010

Gene News and Research

Latest Gene News and Research

Study on current insect repellants confirms need for better insect repellants

Ataxin 2 gene mutation contributes to Lou Gehrig's disease: Research

Vitamin D may be effective in preventing allergies in patients cystic fibrosis, asthma

Research finds adenovirus impact on cell's suicide program pave way for new cancer therapy

Today's Opinions: Applying comparative effectiveness research to a range of health indicators; Australia's model health care system; What about blocked stem cell research?

Celera granted US patent on LPA gene variant's association with increased risk for myocardial infarction

Continuous boosting of natural painkiller shuts down brain cell receptor response

Bisphenol A chemical may shorten reproductive lifespan in women: Research

Study identifies four genetic variants associated with ESRD disease in Chinese diabetic patients

Researchers identify specific gene responsible for Kuf's disease

Mayo researchers develop new laboratory cell lines to study anaplastic thyroid cancer

Increasing levels of neuropeptide Y, receptors can counteract seizures: Research

Researchers identify molecular signals that impact male fertility: Research

Also in Global Health News: IDUs in Kenya; Haiti recovery; Pandemic preparedness; Somalia hunger; HIV in Mozambique; Strengthening immune system against HIV

National Fibromyalgia Association, RemedyMD partner to build fibromyalgia research registry

LabCorp launches IL-28B gene test for HCV infection

Epilepsy Therapy Project, EF announce recipients of New Therapy Grants Program

Researchers find gene sequences of MLV in chronic fatigue syndrome patients' blood samples

WHO calls on countries to prevent, control spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria

Research finds variation in sex chromosome may cause lupus in men

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