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Psychiatric scientists at The Zucker Hillside Hospital campus of The Feinstein Institute for Medical Research have uncovered evidence of a gene that appears to influence intelligence. Working in conjunction with scientists at Harvard Partners Center for Genetics and Genomics in Boston, the Zucker Hillside team examined the genetic blueprints of individuals with schizophrenia, a neuropsychiatric disorder characterized by cognitive impairment, and compared them with healthy volunteers. They discovered that the dysbindin-1 gene (DTNBP1), which they previously demonstrated to be associated with schizophrenia, may also be linked to general cognitive ability. The study is reported in the May 15 print issue of Human Molecular Genetics, available online today, April 27.

"A robust body of evidence suggests that cognitive abilities, especially intelligence, are significantly influenced by genetic factors. Existing data already suggests that dysbindin may influence cognition," said Katherine Burdick, PhD, the study's primary author. "We looked at several DNA sequence variations within the dysbindin gene and found one of them to be significantly associated with lower general cognitive ability in carriers of the risk variant compared with non-carriers in two independent groups." Read more.... Source

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Scientists Identify Key Roadblock to Gene Expression

A team of researchers has provided, for the first time, a detailed map of how the building blocks of chromosomes, the cellular structures that contain genes, are organized in the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. The work identifies a critical stop sign for transcription, the first step in gene expression, and has implications for understanding how the AIDS virus regulates its genes. The findings would be reported in the 15 May 2008 issue of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/8/2008 9:03:14 PM)

How genes control blood proteins important to health

A new study shows how genes control levels of a number of blood proteins implicated in disease. The findings are the result of an international collaboration between researchers at the University of Exeter, the National Institute on Aging, and the Tuscany and Florence Health Agencies. Details, published May 9th in the open-access journal PLoS Genetics, determine how a number of of the key proteins within our blood are under genetic control,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/8/2008 8:50:30 PM)

The secret to long life may not be in the genes

A research on the bone health of one of the oldest persons in the world, who recently died at the age of 114, reveals that there were no genetic modifications which could have contributed to this longevity. The research team, directed by Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona professor Adolfo Dez Prez, pointed out a healthy lifestyle, a Mediterranean diet, a temperate climate and regular physical activity as the reasons for his excellent health. ........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/5/2008 8:16:30 PM)

Genes environment and drinking

Genes and the environment contribute differently to drinking among young adolescents. A 2001/2002 report by the World Health Organization observed that, among young people in western countries who began drinking before 16 years of age, the average age of initiation was 12 years of age. A new twins study from the Netherlands has observed that genetic factors appear to be involved in the early initiation of alcohol use, while common........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/5/2008 6:54:14 PM)

New Molecule May Lead to Anti-Heart Attack Drug

What happens before a heart attack (myocardial infarction) © gandhiji4 Dangerous clots of too many blood platelets will block the vessels, thereby causing a heart attack Research findings from gandhiji40 suggests that it is possible to dissolve the clots by a way of a clot-busting pill that attacks a receptor on the blood cells' surface When such kind of a pill happen, high risk patients can take it at the first sign of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/23/2008 4:08:25 PM)

Natural Sugar Tagatose To Treat Type 2 Diabetes

A recently published study (pdf file) indicates that tagatose, a type of natural sugar already approved by the U.S. FDA as a low-calorie sweetener, may be an effective drug for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes Tagatose is a sugar similar to fructose and can be found naturally in some dairy products. Only 20 percent of tagatose that is ingested is fully metabolized, principally in the liver, following a metabolic pathway identical to that of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/23/2008 3:59:59 PM)

Mechanism of Epigenetic Inheritance

Eventhough letters representing the three billion pairs of molecules that form the "rungs" of the helical DNA "ladder" are routinely called the human "genetic code," the DNA they comprise transmits traits across generations in a variety of ways, not all of which depend on the sequence of letters in the code. In some cases, rather than the sequence of "letters," it is the physical manner in which DNA is spun around protein spools called........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 4/22/2008 9:10:00 PM)

Will screening for aortic aneurysm be effective?

Pilot screening programmes for abdominal aortic aneurysms in men aged 65 are due to be launched in England this year, but is this move too hasty? Two experts debate the issue in this weeks BMJ. Around 90% of people with a ruptured aortic aneurysm die. But if the aneurysm is discovered before it ruptures and is repaired by an experienced vascular surgeon, mortality is around 7.4%, writes James Johnson, consultant surgeon at Halton General........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 4/17/2008 8:22:30 PM)

Ovarian cancer stem cells identified

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have identified, characterized and cloned ovarian cancer stem cells and have shown that these stem cells may be the source of ovarian cancers recurrence and its resistance to chemotherapy. These results bring us closer to more effective and targeted treatment for epithelial ovarian cancer, one of the most lethal forms of cancer, said Gil Mor, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics,........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 4/17/2008 8:11:13 PM)

MRI to detect prostate cancer

The use of MRI without endorectal coil can detect prostate cancer and provide undistorted images with diagnostic image quality and accurate tumor localization, as per a recent study conducted by scientists from The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. The 3T MRI datasets were acquired without an endorectal coil and were used during robotic surgery, said Steffen Sammet, MD, PhD, lead author of the study. Since the use of an endorectal coil........Go to the Cancer-blog (Added on 4/13/2008 9:40:26 PM)

Link Between Pain And Fatigue

A recent University of Iowa study reveals a biological link between pain and fatigue and may help explain why more women than men are diagnosed with chronic pain and fatigue conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. Working with mice, the researchers, led by Kathleen Sluka, Ph.D., professor in the Graduate Program in Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation Science in the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine,........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/7/2008 10:37:10 PM)

Allergies Can Have Deep Emotional Impact

If you or someone real close to you have allergies, you'd know that its impact on one's quality of life is not insignificant. It's easy for someone who has never suffered from allergies to say that I or allergic people are being melodramatic and are exaggerating, but I guess it takes another allergy sufferer to appreciate that it's not trivial, it's not something you can shrug off, not something to be dismissed. ........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/6/2008 7:46:58 AM)

Prednisone tablets less variable than marketed drugs

The U.S. Pharmacopeial (USP) Convention today announced results of a study comparing the dissolution variability of USP Prednisone Lot P Reference Standard tablets to two marketed drugs. Study results clearly show less variability in USP Prednisone Lot P tablets than in the marketed tablets. Dissolution testing of solid oral dosage forms plays a critical role in drug manufacturing because it indicates whether a drug will dissolve properly in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/1/2008 9:00:12 PM)

Artificial Enzymes That Also Undergo 'Evolution In A Test Tube'

Mankind triumphed in a recent 'competition' against nature when researchers succeeded in creating a new type of enzyme for a reaction for which no naturally occurring enzyme has evolved. This achievement opens the door to the development of a variety of potential applications in medicine and industry. Enzymes are, without a doubt, a valuable model for understanding the intricate works of nature. These molecular machines - which without them,........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 3/24/2008 8:24:26 PM)

Staph aureus resists our natural defenses

Scientists at the University of Washington have uncovered how the bacterium Staphylococcus aureus, including the notorious MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staph aureus) superbug strains, resists our body's natural defenses against infection. The work, which was featured on the cover of the March 21 issue of Science, could lead to new ways to fight the bacteria. Dr. Ferric Fang, UW professor of laboratory medicine and microbiology, and his UW........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 3/24/2008 8:19:49 PM)

Web-based tool to predict risk of bone fracture

$Web-based tool to predict risk of bone fracture$

It will soon be possible for anyone over 60 to predict their individual risk of bone fracture with the aid of a simple web-based tool, developed by the Sydney-based Garvan Institute of Medical Research. The tool will be accessible online from the end of March at www.fractureriskcalculator.com. Each person has a unique risk profile, a combination of five factors including sex, age, weight, history of previous fracture, number of falls in........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/9/2008 5:54:14 PM)

New stem cell technique improves genetic alteration

UC Irvine scientists have discovered a dramatically improved method for genetically manipulating human embryonic stem cells, making it easier for researchers to study and potentially treat thousands of disorders ranging from Huntington's disease to muscular dystrophy and diabetes. The technique for the first time blends two existing cell-handling methods to improve cell survival rates and increase the efficiency of inserting DNA into cells.........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/9/2008 4:36:55 PM)

Engineered protein shows potential as a strep vaccine

A University of California, San Diego-led research team has demonstrated that immunization with a stabilized version of a protein found on Streptococcus bacteria can provide protection against Strep infections, which afflict more than 600 million people each year and kill 400,000. In the March 7 issue of the journal Science, the scientists describe, for the first time, the detailed structure of the streptococcal M protein, which is critical........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 3/7/2008 5:37:12 AM)

New Treatment for Hepatitis C

Scientists at the OU Health Sciences Center have found a new use for an old drug. Their findings appear online Friday in the American Journal of Gastroenterology. The drug, Fluvastatin, has been approved since 1993 by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for the therapy of elevated cholesterol in adults. Millions of patients have taken Fluvastatin for cholesterol without difficulty. In a study of 31 veterans at the Veteran's........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/14/2008 8:31:56 PM)

Metoprolol around the time of surgery

Hamilton, ON (May 12, 2008) - Beta-blocker drugs may help prevent heart attacks during surgery, but they may increase the risk of death and major stroke, says a major study would be published online today by the prestigious medical journal, The Lancet. POISE is the worlds largest randomized trial addressing perioperative cardiac complications. POISE reviewed the effects of a beta-blocker versus placebo given to patients around the time of........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/12/2008 8:21:28 PM)

Gene for Kidney Failure Identified

Scientists have identified a gene known as Jund, which controls the activity of a group of cells thought to be responsible for potentially severe inflammation of the kidney. This discovery could offer a route for tackling the auto-immune destruction of kidney tissue which can occur in lupus patients, subsequently causing renal failure Jund regulates the activity of macrophages, cells which help us fight infection by eating up cellular debris........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/8/2008 6:57:53 PM)

Gene linked to alcohol and cocaine dependence

Prior family-based research had linked a broad region on chromosome 4q with alcohol dependence (AD). A new study has observed that nine of the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) DNA sequence variations in the 3 region of the tachykinin receptor 3 gene (TACR3), located within chromosome 4q, have a significant association with AD, especially those with more severe AD, and co-existing cocaine dependence. Results would be reported in the........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 5/5/2008 6:55:52 PM)

Virtual world therapeautic for addicts: UH study shows

Patients in treatment to overcome addictions have a new arena to test their coping skillsthe virtual world. A new study by University of Houston Associate Professor Patrick Bordnick observed that a virtual reality (VR) environment can provide the climate necessary to spark an alcohol craving so that patients can practice how to say no in a realistic and safe setting. As a therapist, I can tell you to pretend my office is a bar, and I can........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/28/2008 4:56:29 PM)

Unhealthy Habits Has Alzheimer's Link

By unhealthy habits it meant drinking and smoking © cell10 As reported recently by American researchers, heavy drinkers and smokers develop Alzheimer's disease seven years earlier than those who do not smoke and drink. At least that is their claim A study of 900 people aged over 60 found early onset was most likely in those who also had a high-risk gene The researchers said their findings showed heavy drinking and........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/23/2008 4:09:17 PM)

Product Alert: KFC Double Chocolate Chip Cakes

If you have food allergies, particularly to egg, milk, soy and/or tree nuts, don't think that KFC's "Double Chocolate Chip Cakes" are safe for you just because thre was no declaration that it contains these ingredients, because they actually do and KFC is recalling them for this reason The recalled cakes were distributed nationwide at KFC restaurants. They come in a round, 16-oz. package with a black or clear plastic........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/23/2008 4:00:07 PM)

Vitamin D in brain function

In a definitive critical review, researchers at Childrens Hospital & Research Center Oakland ask whether there is convincing biological or behavioral evidence linking vitamin D deficiency to brain dysfunction. Joyce C. McCann, Ph.D., assistant staff scientist and Bruce N. Ames, Ph.D., senior scientist at Childrens Hospital Oakland Research Institute (CHORI) conclude that there is ample biological evidence to suggest an important role for........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/21/2008 9:09:26 PM)

Study finds 1 in 5 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans suffer from PTSD

Nearly 20 percent of military service members who have returned from Iraq and Afghanistan -- 300,000 in all -- report symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder or major depression, yet only slight more than half have sought therapy, as per a new RAND Corporation study. In addition, scientists found about 19 percent of returning service members report that they experienced a possible traumatic brain injury while deployed, with 7 percent........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 4/17/2008 8:19:29 PM)

Treatment To Prevent Allergic Reactions to Food

Scientists at National Jewish Medical and Research Center are conducting trials to evaluate a method to prevent allergic reactions to food. They are feeding peanut- and egg-allergic people increasing doses of an investigational protein extract from the foods to see if they can induce the participants' immune systems to tolerate the food. "We hope these trials will lead to the development of the first active, preventive therapy for food........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 4/17/2008 8:17:49 PM)

Risk of first depression episode late in life

Even after the age of 70, people prone to feelings of anxiety, worry, distress and insecurity face a risk for a first lifetime episode of clinically significant depression, as per a unique study led by a University of Rochester Medical Center researcher. We assume that because depression has not developed for people with these personality traits by the age of 70 that it wont develop, said Paul R. Duberstein, Ph.D., professor of psychiatry........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/13/2008 9:14:33 PM)

Disrupted Sleep Can Increase Diabetes Risk

Each time your sleep is disrupted, you lose time of deep sleep. Deep sleep is also called short-wave sleep Now, according to a new study from the University of Chicago Medical Center, the lack of deep sleep can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes The University of Chicago study found that after only three nights of reduced slow-wave sleep, young healthy subjects became less sensitive to insulin. Although they needed more........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/6/2008 6:31:46 PM)

Bitter Melon Against Diabetes

And I thought bitter melon (or bitter gourd) is a local Filipino veggie?! Apparently, it is a traditional Chinese vegetable that is beneficial against diabetes Now in a groundbreaking partnership between East and West, Australia and China are analysing the reputed therapeutic effects of a traditional Chinese vegetable - the bitter melon Using high-end technology, researchers have been able to unlock its secrets and in the process may........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 4/6/2008 7:17:48 AM)

PTSD associated with more, longer hospitalizations

MAScientists from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is linked to more hospitalizations, longer hospitalizations and greater mental healthcare utilization in urban primary care patients. These findings are reported in the current issue of Medical Care. Previous studies suggest that trauma exposure and PTSD have considerable impact on health care use........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/27/2008 9:31:10 PM)

Examining human embryonic stem cell genome

Stem cell scientists from UCLA used a high resolution technique to examine the genome, or total DNA content, of a pair of human embryonic stem cell lines and observed that while both lines could form neurons, the lines had differences in the numbers of certain genes that could control such things as individual traits and disease susceptibility. The technique used to study the genome, which contains all the genes on 46 chromosomes, is called........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/27/2008 8:52:28 PM)

Risky teen behavior may not occur at home or school?

How can scientists track where teens go when not in or near home or school to see if this movement has an impact on health-related behavior such as smoking or sexual activity" The answer is through that ubiquitous teen accessory the cell phone. In a paper reported in the recent issue of the Journal of Adolescent Health scientists from Indiana University School of Medicine report on a pilot study which reviewed the feasibility of using........Go to the Health-articles (Added on 3/24/2008 8:21:59 PM)

Art on the Human Skin and Dermatographia

Ariana Page Russell is an artist and has dermatographia which is a skin condition described by Mayo Clinic.com Dermatographia is a condition in which lightly scratching your skin causes raised, red lines where you’ve scratched. It’s not serious, but it can be uncomfortable. In dermatographia, the skin cells are overly sensitive to minor injury, such as scratching. Signs and symptoms of dermatographia include redness, itching and........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/18/2008 7:45:14 PM)

Common origins for distinct clinical diagnoses

Scientists at Johns Hopkins have discovered that two clinically different inherited syndromes are in fact variations of the same disorder. Reporting in the recent issue of Nature Genetics, the team suggests that at least for this class of disorders, the total number and strength of genetic alterations an individual carries throughout the genome can generate a range of symptoms wide enough to appear like different conditions. Were finally........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/9/2008 4:21:58 PM)

Big Step In Examination Of Small Structures

A team led by a Purdue University researcher has achieved images of a virus in detail two times greater than had previously been achieved. Wen Jiang, an assistant professor of biological sciences at Purdue, led a research team that used the emerging technique of single-particle electron cryomicroscopy to capture a three-dimensional image of a virus at a resolution of 4.5 angstroms. Approximately 1 million angstroms would equal the diameter........Go to the Health-blog (Added on 3/5/2008 9:07:51 PM)

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