You are what you eatOctober 21st, 2009 WASHINGTON - The popular adage "you are what you eat" is literally true, according to a new research that claims a person's diet has a profound influence on his or her brain. The findings offer insight into the neurobiological factors behind the obesity epidemic in the world.
Sudden death heart defect passed by sperm donor to 9 of his 24 children; one died at age 2October 20th, 2009 Sperm donor passed on sudden death heart defectCHICAGO — A sperm donor passed on a potentially deadly genetic heart condition to nine of his 24 children, including one who died at age 2 from heart failure, according to a medical journal report. Two children, both now teenagers, have developed symptoms and are at risk for sudden cardiac death, the report says.
High fat diet during pregnancy 'ups severe liver disease risk in offspring'October 14th, 2009 WASHINGTON - In a new study, researchers at the University of Southampton have found that a high fat diet during a woman's pregnancy makes her offspring more likely to develop a severe form of fatty liver disease when they reach adulthood. The research has been published in the journal Hepatology.
Pregnant women who ignore asthma pass it on to kidsOctober 6th, 2009 TORONTO - Women who avoid treating asthma during pregnancy are likely to transmit the condition to their offspring, say results from a study that examined more than 8,000 families in Canada. A team from the University of Montral (U-M), Hpital du Sacr-Cur de Montral (HdSE) and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre found that 32.6 percent of children born to mothers who ignored their asthma during pregnancy developed the respiratory illness themselves.
Expectant mums shouldn't give up asthma medication: StudyOctober 6th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Women who shun asthma medications during pregnancy face increased risk of transmitting the condition to their offspring, reveals a new study. The research team from the Universite de Montreal, the Hopital du Sacre-Cur de Montreal and Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Centre has revealed that 32.6 percent of children born to mothers who neglected to treat their asthma during pregnancy developed the respiratory illnessin later life.
Stem cell transplantation may correct rare genetic disorder in kidsSeptember 18th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scripps Research Institute scientists have offered new hope for parents whose children suffer from the rare genetic disorder 'cystinosis' by showing through an experiment on mice that stem cell transplantation can successfully correct the defect. "After meeting the children who suffer from this disease, like an 18-year-old who has already had three kidney transplants, and the families who are desperately searching for help, our team is committed to moving toward a cure for cystinosis, a lysosomal storage disorder.
Three sewing needles removed from woman's heart - after 23 years!September 16th, 2009 NEW DELHI - In a strange case of heart surgery, three sewing needles were removed from the heart of a woman after 23 years. Doctors in Zhengzhou, capital of Henan province, were successful in taking out the 4-cm-long needles that were stuck in Jiang's heart, reports the China Daily.
Gene linked to male infertility identifiedSeptember 16th, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists from Virginia Commonwealth University have identified a gene that may contribute to male infertility. The research team hopes that the new findings would lead to new approaches to male contraception.
Scientists give evolutionary explanation for fertility problemsSeptember 9th, 2009 WASHINGTON - While environmentalists blame pollution and psychiatrists people's stressful lifestyles for fertility problems in about 10 per cent of all couples hoping for a baby, Tel Aviv University researchers have now come up with a different suggestion. Dr. Oren Hasson, an evolutionary biologist in the university's Department of Zoology, says that the reproductive organs of men and women are currently involved in an evolutionary arms race, and the fight is yet not over.
Missing protein in rare genetic brain disorder restoredSeptember 7th, 2009 WASHINGTON - By using protease inhibitors, researchers at the University of California-San Francisco (UCSF) have restored to normal levels a key protein that is involved in early brain development, and causes the rare brain disorder lissencephaly. Reduced levels of the protein called LIS1 have been shown to cause lissencephaly, which is characterized by brain malformations, seizures, severe mental retardation and very early death in human infants.
How birds and mammals evolved to have 4-chambered heartsSeptember 3rd, 2009 WASHINGTON - Scientists have discovered the first genetic link that can explain how the heart evolved from being a three-chambered to four-chambered organ. The discovery has shed light on how cold-blooded birds and mammals became warm-blooded.
Infant with protruding heart stable after operation: doctorsSeptember 3rd, 2009 NEW DELHI - Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Thursday operated upon an infant born with a protruding heart and pushed the organ within the body after creating space for it. The 8-day-old boy is now said to be "stable and recovering".
Doctors may operate on infant with protruding heart ThursdaySeptember 1st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Tuesday said that the condition of the six-day-old baby with a protruding heart is "stable" and that they may perform a cardiac surgery on him Thursday. "The baby is alright and we will perform a second exchange blood transfusion on the baby Wednesday to rule out any infection.
Still alive: Child with protruding heart has multiple disordersAugust 31st, 2009 NEW DELHI - Describing the infant with a protruding heart as a "miracle boy", doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Monday said the five-day-old boy was suffering from multiple disorders, including a hole in the heart. "During a complete check-up we found the baby has multiple disorders.
Genetic analysis challenges human-chimp interbreedingAugust 29th, 2009 LONDON - A genetic analysis has called into question the controversial claim that early humans and chimpanzees interbred before splitting into separate species. In 2006, David Reich and his colleagues at the Broad Institute in Cambridge, Massachusetts, compared the genomes of humans, chimps and three other primate species, and found that the separation of ancient humans from our closest cousins was more complex than a clean break.
