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. Targeted postmortem testing to identify genetic mutations associated with sudden unexplained death (SUD) is an effective and less expensive way to determine risk to relatives than comprehensive cardiac testing of first degree relatives, according to research presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2009. http://www.physorg.com/news177515762.html Medicine & Health Sun, 15 Nov 2009 13:56:53 EST news177515762 They may only be 1.5mm in size, but the tiny wasps that pollinate fig trees can travel over 160km in less than 48 hours, according to research from scientists at the University of Leeds. The fig wasps are transporting pollen ten times further than previously recorded for any insect. http://www.physorg.com/news177006844.html Biology Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:37:06 EST news177006844 Results of a long QT syndrome (LQTS) study published in the current issue of Circulation play an important role in understanding genetic testing's role in diagnosing disease, according to the senior author, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. A pediatric cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ackerman directs Mayo's Long QT Syndrome Clinic and is the director of the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory. http://www.physorg.com/news176649132.html Medicine & Health Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:30:02 EST news176649132 (AP) -- Britain is using genetic tests on some African asylum seekers in an effort to catch those who are lying about their nationality, drawing criticism from scientists and provoking outrage from rights groups. http://www.physorg.com/news176636210.html Medicine & Health Thu, 05 Nov 2009 10:20:01 EST news176636210 (AP) -- The population of endangered green sea turtles at SeaWorld in San Diego grew by 82 in October when the eggs hatched on Shipwreck Beach without human help. http://www.physorg.com/news176448931.html Biology Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:40:29 EST news176448931 Prozac works wonders for some depressed people, but not for others. In some cases, patients derive little benefit and at worst, it can lead to bizarre hallucinations and fits of rage. Researchers and doctors remain puzzled as to what causes the wide range of reaction to Prozac and similar antidepressants. http://www.physorg.com/news175862631.html Medicine & Health Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:10:01 EST news175862631 A new report finds widespread variations and frequent errors in HER2 testing -- a procedure recommended for all patients with invasive breast cancer. http://www.physorg.com/news174760517.html Medicine & Health Wed, 14 Oct 2009 18:10:01 EST news174760517 University of Wisconsin-Madison officials are lashing out at new recommendations from an influential federal panel that could dramatically weaken patent protection for the university's genetic research. http://www.physorg.com/news174490705.html Biology Sun, 11 Oct 2009 14:38:59 EST news174490705 A kidney condition that can arise in children and was until recently believed to disappear after puberty may persist into adulthood and cause significant long-term complications, according to a study appearing in an upcoming issue of the Clinical Journal of the American Society Nephrology (CJASN). The findings indicate that better treatment options are needed for children with the disorder, called minimal change nephrotic syndrome. http://www.physorg.com/news173034968.html Medicine & Health Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:20:01 EST news173034968 Two recent studies by Dartmouth researchers use individual genetic data to reveal the powers and limits of our current understanding of how the genome influences human health and what genes can reveal about the ancestry of the people of New Hampshire. http://www.physorg.com/news172231224.html Medicine & Health Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:01:25 EST news172231224 University of Utah medical researchers have identified a gene with mutations that cause febrile seizures and contribute to a severe form of epilepsy known as Dravet syndrome in some of the most vulnerable patients - infants 6 months and younger. http://www.physorg.com/news172157374.html Medicine & Health Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:30:07 EST news172157374 An Australian study of families with genetic risk of bowel cancer has found that 50 percent of participants declined genetic testing when informed of insurance implications. http://www.physorg.com/news171427618.html Medicine & Health Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:47:32 EST news171427618 A team of scientists led by CSIRO's Dr Kishore Prayaga has been awarded a prestigious Australian Museum Eureka Prize for its work to develop a simple genetic test which has the potential to end the need to dehorn cattle in Australia. http://www.physorg.com/news169898016.html Biology Wed, 19 Aug 2009 10:55:09 EST news169898016 In the area of genetic diagnosis of embryos, the choice of words matters as they can influence policies and perceptions, according to an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). http://www.physorg.com/news169735563.html Medicine & Health Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:00:02 EST news169735563 (PhysOrg.com) -- Mary had a little lamb, but only once a year. However, Cornell Sheep Program researchers have discovered an unusual form of a gene that prompts ewes to breed out of season as well as conceive at younger ages and more frequently. http://www.physorg.com/news168774058.html Biology Thu, 06 Aug 2009 11:00:01 EST news168774058 For the 29,000 patients in the United States with metastatic colorectal cancer, chemotherapy with irinotecan is a standard treatment that has been shown to improve survival. But for more than one in 10 of these patients, a variation in their DNA means that this treatment could result in a severe reduction in their white blood cell count, leading to a high risk of bacterial infection and possible subsequent death. A new genetic test can identify those with the variation in order to lower the treatment dose -- however, it has been unclear whether the testing is worthwhile. http://www.physorg.com/news167911053.html Medicine & Health Mon, 27 Jul 2009 10:57:58 EST news167911053 University of Utah researchers and their colleagues have identified the gene that is mutated in a hereditary form of a rare neuroendocrine tumor called paraganglioma (PGL). The gene, called hSDH5, is required for activation of an enzyme complex that plays a critical role in the chemical reactions that take place within cells to convert biochemical energy into usable energy. This study will be published in the journal Science, to be released online in Science Express on July 23, 2009. http://www.physorg.com/news167578591.html Medicine & Health Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:36:58 EST news167578591 Genetic testing services have recently begun to be advertised directly to the patient, and the results of the consumers' response can affect public health, as well as the future adoption of pharmacogenetic/genomic testing, according to a position paper from the American College of Clinical Pharmacology (ACCP) to be published in the August 2009 issue of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. The journal is published on behalf of the ACCP by SAGE. http://www.physorg.com/news167400827.html Medicine & Health Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:50:01 EST news167400827 (PhysOrg.com) -- As the popularity of take-home DNA kits to trace ancestry or calculate the risk for serious medical conditions grows, there is an increasingly critical need for federal oversight of "direct-to consumer" genetic testing, as well as of the use of DNA samples for research, according to researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, and several other academic institutions. http://www.physorg.com/news165763092.html Medicine & Health Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:19:29 EST news165763092 As scientists continue to decode the human genome and the information becomes publicly available, private companies that offer online genetic testing are multiplying. Scientists at the National Institutes of Health were concerned that perhaps these tests posed a risk. http://www.physorg.com/news165589045.html Medicine & Health Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:57:39 EST news165589045 The Stowers Institute's Xie Lab has revealed how the BAM protein affects germline stem cell differentiation and how it is involved in regulating the quality of stem cells through intercellular competition. The work was published today by PNAS Early Edition. http://www.physorg.com/news165234322.html Biology Fri, 26 Jun 2009 11:32:18 EST news165234322 (PhysOrg.com) -- The first comprehensive effort to pinpoint the genetic causes of learning disability has narrowed down the genes involved from a potential list of thousands to several dozen key genes. http://www.physorg.com/news165213310.html Medicine & Health Fri, 26 Jun 2009 05:36:04 EST news165213310 If you had cancer and a genetic test could predict the risk of the tumor spreading aggressively, would you want to know - even if no treatments existed to help you? http://www.physorg.com/news163096355.html Medicine & Health Mon, 01 Jun 2009 17:33:17 EST news163096355 Although a test for gene mutations known to significantly increase the risk of hereditary breast or ovarian cancer has been available for more than a decade, a new study finds that few women with family histories of these cancers are even discussing genetic testing with their physicians or other health care providers. In a report in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, which has been released online, investigators from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Institute of Health Policy and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute note that their findings illustrate the challenges of bringing genetic information into real-world clinical practice. http://www.physorg.com/news162133220.html Medicine & Health Thu, 21 May 2009 14:01:36 EST news162133220 The German parliament passed a law Friday outlawing secret genetic testing to determine the father of a child along with other privacy protection measures. http://www.physorg.com/news161602572.html Medicine & Health Fri, 15 May 2009 10:36:47 EST news161602572 Mothers who share cancer genetic test results with their children are more satisfied with their decision than those who decide not to tell, according to a new study by researchers at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center. The study also shows, for the first time, what role fathers play in disclosing mother's test results. These findings will be presented at the 45th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) in Orlando May 29 - June 2. http://www.physorg.com/news161544198.html Medicine & Health Thu, 14 May 2009 18:23:43 EST news161544198 Three reports describing advances in cystic fibrosis genetic testing appear in the May 2009 issue of The Journal of Molecular Diagnostics. http://www.physorg.com/news160057199.html Medicine & Health Mon, 27 Apr 2009 13:20:49 EST news160057199 Karin Cohn carries a genetic defect that led a half-dozen members of her family to develop early breast or ovarian cancer. She firmly supports allowing families like hers to screen embryos for the defect to ensure no future generations carry it. http://www.physorg.com/news158155350.html Medicine & Health Sun, 05 Apr 2009 13:03:38 EST news158155350 With a little spit and a few keyboard strokes, you can unlock the secrets of your DNA. At least, it seems that simple at an array of Internet sites that are pitching genetic tests directly to consumers. http://www.physorg.com/news156785035.html Medicine & Health Fri, 20 Mar 2009 16:24:41 EST news156785035 Women whose cells harbor harmful mutations in the BRCA genes are likely to view preventive mastectomy as the best way to reduce their risk and fears of developing breast cancer, despite other, less drastic options available. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the April 1, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The study's findings could help physicians and other clinicians as they discuss test results with women who undergo BRCA gene testing. http://www.physorg.com/news155810166.html Medicine & Health Mon, 09 Mar 2009 09:36:59 EST news155810166