http://www.physorg.com/ en-us Physorg.com internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine. (PhysOrg.com) -- The first specific genetic mutation which can cause a potentially serious facial disfigurement has been identified by researchers at Oxford University. The finding, published online in the American Journal of Human Genetics, offers the promise of improved genetic counselling for parents at risk. http://www.physorg.com/news161612123.html Medicine & Health Fri, 15 May 2009 13:17:12 EST news161612123 A study published in the April 2009 issue of the medical journal Acta Pædiatrica is the first to report that birth defect rates in the United States were highest for women conceiving in the spring and summer. The researchers also found that this period of increase risk correlated with increased levels of pesticides in surface water across the United States. http://www.physorg.com/news157636896.html Medicine & Health Mon, 30 Mar 2009 13:02:09 EST news157636896 Comparing 500,000 snippets of human DNA put scientists from the University of Bonn on the right track. A genetic variant on chromosome 8 occurs with significantly higher frequency in people with cleft lip and palate than in the control group. The results are to be published in the forthcoming issue of the journal Nature Genetics. http://www.physorg.com/news155748720.html Medicine & Health Sun, 08 Mar 2009 16:33:45 EST news155748720 Smoking during the first trimester of pregnancy is clearly linked with an increased risk of cleft lip in newborns. Genes that play a role in detoxification of cigarette smoke do not appear to be involved. This is shown in a new study published in the journal Epidemiology. http://www.physorg.com/news148816410.html Medicine & Health Thu, 18 Dec 2008 09:53:30 EST news148816410 University of Iowa researchers and collaborators have found, in a previously identified gene, a variation that likely contributes to one in five cases of isolated cleft lip. It is the first time a genetic variant has been associated with cleft lip alone, rather than both cleft lip and palate. http://www.physorg.com/news142521586.html Medicine & Health Mon, 06 Oct 2008 14:19:46 EST news142521586 For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine have identified a series of genetic mutations that appear to be linked to significant risk for cleft palate and other dental abnormalities. These are devastating conditions that cause tremendous social isolation, and also are associated with decreased lifespan, a higher risk of cancer and increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, even after surgical repair. http://www.physorg.com/news140695929.html Medicine & Health Mon, 15 Sep 2008 11:12:09 EST news140695929 Researchers at the University Of Southern California School Of Dentistry have uncovered another clue behind the causes of cleft palate and the process that leads to palate formation. http://www.physorg.com/news137665958.html Biology Mon, 11 Aug 2008 09:32:38 EST news137665958