News

Pregnancy brain lapses 'a myth'

Betterhumans News — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 16:02:07 GMT

Expectant mums need to stop blaming their bump for memory lapses, say experts who want to dispel the "baby brain" myth. Read more...(read more)

Growth factor gene shown to be a key to cleft palate

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Cleft palate has been linked to dozens of genes. During their investigation of one of these genes, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis were surprised to find that cleft palate occurs both when the gene is more active and...(read more)

Loss of gene function makes prostate cancer cells more aggressive

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Prostate cancer cells are more likely to spread to other parts of the body if a specific gene quits functioning normally, according to new data from researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Read more...(read more)

Scientists map out regulatory regions of genome, hot spots for diabetes genes

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Together with colleagues in Barcelona, researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill have generated a complete map of the areas of the genome that control which genes are "turned on" or "off." The discovery, made in pancreatic islet cells,...(read more)

Gene variation makes alcoholism less likely in some survivors of sexual abuse

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Exposure to severe stress early in life increases the risk of alcohol and drug addiction. Yet surprisingly, some adults sexually abused as children -- and therefore at high risk for alcohol problems -- carry gene variants that protect them from heavy...(read more)

3-D scaffold provides clean, biodegradable structure for stem cell growth

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 21:00:00 GMT

A natural material derived from crustacean shell and algae supports the growth of human embryonic stem cells. Read more...(read more)

Project set to map marks on genome

Betterhumans News — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 15:00:00 GMT

Consortium sets sights on the differences that make us different. Read more...(read more)

Loss of 'guardian angel' gene prompts premature birth

Betterhumans News — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 GMT

Mutation of a gene that helps protect the body from genetic instability leads to cellular and molecular changes in the pregnant uterus that trigger premature birth, according to a study appearing online Feb. 1 in the Journal of Clinical Investigation....(read more)

Memory failing? You may be at higher risk for stroke

Betterhumans News — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 GMT

People who experience memory loss or a decline in their thinking abilities may be at higher risk of stroke, regardless of whether they have been diagnosed with dementia, according to a new study published in the Feb. 2, 2010, print issue of Neurology,...(read more)

Evolution impacts environment, challenging traditionally held view, UC Riverside study finds

Betterhumans News — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 21:00:00 GMT

The traditional view is that ecology shapes evolution. Some research has suggested, however, that evolutionary processes reciprocate by influencing ecology in turn. Now a University of California, Riverside-led team of biologists presents evidence that...(read more)