May 8th, 2008
Which? magazine in the UK swabbed their Head Office computer keyboards and the results, with horror, revealed some computer keyboards had dangerously high levels of bacteria normally associated with a toilet.
In summary, 4 of the keyboards were so infested with germs they posed a health hazard that could give someone a bad stomach upset; two of them had “warning” levels of staphylococcus aureus, and one had 150 times the safe limit of bacteria, and was 5 times dirtier than the toilet seat.
The main cause of a germ-ridden keyboard is eating lunch at your desk, because bits of food that get into the keys are ideal breeding ground for millions of bacteria. The second cause is using the keyboard without washing your hands after going to the toilet or rest room, and a third cause is dust, because this traps moisture and makes the food-ridden keyboard even more appealing to bacteria.
http://www.which.co.uk/reports_and_campaigns/computers_and_internet/reports/computers/computer_advice/How%20to%20clean%20your%20PC/How_to_clean_your_PC_657_136984_2.jsp
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: bugs, hygiene, infectious diseases, micro-organismsShare This
By Elaine -- 3 comments
May 8th, 2008
Researchers have found marked genetic differences between brains of men who committed suicide and the brains of men who did not. Of those individuals studied, all had been victims of child abuse.
Even though the genetic sequence was the same in the suicide and non-suicide brains, researchers at the McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, led by Moshe Szyfa, discovered that epigenetic markings were different. That is, the researchers noted a chemical coating on genes that was influenced by environmental factors. In this unique study, the DNA of male suicide victims from Quebec was analysed. The 13 people who committed suicide all had been victims of child abuse.
“It’s possible the changes in epigenetic markers were caused by the exposure to childhood abuse, although in humans it’s difficult to establish causality between early childhood and epigenetic markers, in the way we have established this in animal subjects,”said Szyfa. “The big remaining questions are whether scientists could detect similar changes in blood DNA - which could lead to diagnostic tests - and whether we could design interventions to erase these differences in epigenetic markings”
“Our data are merely consistent with the hypothesis that early life events can alter the epigenetic status of genes that mediate neural functions, and thus contribute to individual differences in the risk for suicide,” conclude the authors.
For further information, click on the following link
http://www.plosone.org/article/fetchArticle.action?articleURI=info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0002085
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: DNA sequencing, epigenetics, Genetic Testing, Genetics of Disease, suicideShare This
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May 7th, 2008
Scientists and policy developers at the Translating ELSI, Ethical Legal Social Implications of Human Genetics Research conference have been mulling over the myriad of ethical arguments over testing and storing our kids’ DNA.
The biggest driver for the advancement of genetic testing is the ‘early detection improves outcomes’ argument and if an individual is found to be at risk of a particular disease then life-long surveillance is a remedy.
However, consider the scenario that you’ve just discovered that your 9 year old daughter has a risk of developing breast and ovarian cancer and your 6 year son is at risk of early-onset Alzheimer’s. Where do you go for advice? What can you do?
Another unique consideration is what happens to the biobank samples in the future when the child biobank donor has grown into an adult? What is the scope of parental permission, and is it necessary to obtain consent again when a child grows up are important questions. Also, what if researchers wish to use a sample donated earlier but they are unable to locate the individual who gave the sample? Is it ethical to use these or should the sample be destroyed?
Before these situations become more common, researchers and physicians planning to develop or use genetic testing technologies and information must find ways to talk to parents who are asking questions about just what will happen with their child’s samples and genomic data.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: bioethics, Genetic Ethics, Genetic information and education, Genetics and the LawShare This
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May 7th, 2008
Following my recent article on ethical guidelines for informed consent in genomic studies, a group of scientists met at the Translating ESLI conference in Cleveland to debate this whole ethical argument. This issue is particularly critical for genome-wide association studies and in establishing and using large biobanks.
It was universally acknowledged that consent forms are difficult to read for participants who do not have reading skills beyond middle school or high school, for example. As a result, these paticipants may be unaware of what exactly the research could mean to them.
Laura Beskow, a researcher at Duke University’s Institute for Genome Sciences and Policy worked with the Association of American Medical Colleges to start a working group on informed consent issues and what concerned participants.
Participants advised of a number of important questions that consent forms should answer regarding the use of their samples.:
1. Do the forms specify the nature of the research, and is consent for an indefinite period of time?
2. What kinds of confidentiality are participants granted, particularly in an environment of increasing large-scale genetic information-sharing for various studies?
3. Can and when particpants withdraw their specimens?
4. Will they have access to the results of particular findings related to their genetic information?
5. If participants are ever contacted by researchers wanting to use their samples for other studies, it must be crystal clear why they were contacted.
These studies present significant new challenges for consent and participation, including questions about the management and protection of personal information, the return of findings to individuals and to groups, and the potential commercial use of information and tissues that were donated for research.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: bioethics, consent, consent forms, Genetic Ethics, Genetic information and education, Genetics and the Law, informed consentShare This
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May 7th, 2008
(Image source: www.livingwithcfs.wordpress.com)
Researchers from St George’s Hospital, University of London have identified a biological basis for 7 different genetic types of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS).
The St George’s study looked at 55 patients from the US and UK with the condition, and carried out a genetic analysis of them and 75 healthy blood donors.
It identified the seven distinct subtypes of CFS/ME identified by a specific genetic pattern. These were linked to specific symptoms.
1. Type one had the worst anxiety and depression levels, along with poor sleep and high pain levels,
2. Type two was characterised by significant post-exercise fatigue and joint and muscle pains,
3. Type three was the mildest form of the disease,
3. Type four is linked to moderate levels of body pain and sleep problems,
5. Type five had stomach complaints and the most marked muscle weakness,
6. Type six was specifically connected to fatigue,
7. Type seven had the most severe symptoms including pain, swollen glands and headaches.
Type four and Type six were the most common forms of the condition.
Campaigners hope it will help counter the opinion, which remains in some quarters of the medical profession, that it is a psychological condition.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: CFS, Chronic fatigue syndrome, Genes, Genetic Testing, Genetics of Disease, Mental healthShare This
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May 5th, 2008
Scientists from Imperial College London and other international institutions have discovered a gene sequence that is associated with a 2cm expansion in waist circumference, a 2kg gain in weight, and a tendency to become resistant to insulin, which can lead to type 2 diabetes. The sequence is found in 50% of the UK population.
The study shows that the sequence is a third more common in those with Indian Asian than in those with European ancestry. This could provide a possible genetic explanation for the particularly high levels of obesity and insulin resistance in Indian Asians, who make up 25% of the world’s population, but who are expected to account for 40% of global cardiovascular disease by 2020.
The new gene sequence sits close to a gene called MC4R (Melancortin-4 Receptor), which regulates energy levels in the body by influencing how much we eat and how much energy we expend or conserve. The researchers believe the sequence is involved in controlling the MC4R gene, which has also been implicated in rare forms of extreme childhood obesity.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: Diabetes, DNA sequencing, Genetics of Disease, obesity, weight gainShare This
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May 4th, 2008
(Image courtesy of Ricardo Vidal at My Biotech Life)
Many thanks to Razib at Gene Expression for hosting Gene Genie#30, the carnival of genetics blogs. Click on the following link to get a great summary on all that is happening in the genetics blog word. There are some great articles, including some from G&H.
http://scienceblogs.com/gnxp/2008/04/gene_genie_30.php
Here are links to all the previous Gene Genie Carnivals.
Happy reading!
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: , featured genetics and health blogs, gene-genie, Genetics Blogging, genetics carnivalsShare This
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May 4th, 2008
GNA
(Source: John Chaput, University of Arizona)
Nanotechnology researchers are continually on the lookout for new building blocks to push innovation and discovery to scales much smaller than the tiniest speck of dust. At present DNA nanotechnology researchers are basically limited by what they can buy off the shelf.
In the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University, researchers led by John Chaput, are building synthetic molecules that assemble like DNA, but have additional properties not found in natural DNA. It’s called GNA. In the case of GNA, the sugar is the only difference with DNA. The five carbon sugar commonly found in DNA, called deoxyribose, is substituted by glycerol, which contains just three carbon atoms.
In nature, many molecules important to life like DNA and proteins, have evolved to exist only as right-handed. The GNA structures, unlike DNA, turn out to be ‘enantiomeric’ molecules, which in chemical terms means both left and right-handed. The ability to make mirror image structures opens up new possibilities for making nanostructures. The research team also found a number of physical and chemical properties that were unique to GNA, including having a higher tolerance to heat than DNA nanostructures.
Now, with a new material in hand, which John Chaput dubs ‘unnatural nucleic acid nanostructures,’ the group hopes to explore the limits on the topology and types of structure they can make.
http://pubs.acs.org/cgi-bin/abstract.cgi/jacsat/2008/130/i18/abs/ja800079j.html
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: DNA, GNA, nanotechnologyShare This
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May 4th, 2008
Osteoporosis
(Image source: www.soylabs.com)
An extensive genome-wide search has been undertaken to find the genes linked to osteoporosis and fracture. Five regions of interest have been identified that appear to warrant further scientific investigation.
The Garvan Institute for Medical Research collaborated with the Icelandic genetics company, deCode, in a project that looked at 1500 women from Garvan’s Dubbo Osteoporosis Epidemiology Study as well as more than 12,000 women from Iceland and Denmark.
The collaborative study examined more than 300,000 such markers and found 12 that were linked to bone mineral density and 6 linked to fragility fractures. Some of these SNPs are close to genes that are already known to be associated with osteoporosis.
The next step will be identifying what those genes are and how they might contribute to scientists understanding of osteoporosis and its prevention.
http://www.decode.com/News/2008_04_29.php
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: , deCode, DNA, DNA profiling, Genes, geneticn testing, Genetics of Disease, osteoporosis, SNPsShare This
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May 4th, 2008
(Photo source: www.female-alopecia.com)
Until now, Female Hair Loss has been difficult to predict and diagnose. That changes with today’s announcement that HairDX, LLC pioneers of consumer-friendly genetic tests for hair loss, has introduced a screening test using genetic markers strongly associated with Female Hair Loss (Female Androgenetic Alopecia).
The easy to understand test, which costs US$149, provides an accurate and understandable genetic analysis of a woman’s likelihood of developing this common type of hair loss.
“Helping women assess their risk for Female Hair Loss early in the course of their hair loss enables them to learn about potential treatment options and how they may prevent further hair loss,”says Dr. Sharon Keene, Chief Medical Officer for HairDX and former Chairman of the Annual Scientific Committee of the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgeons. “This is a treatable medical condition, and not a reason for embarrassment. Since most therapies for women are geared toward stabilizing hair loss, it is important to identify Female Androgenetic Alopecia as soon as possible and institute therapy when stabilization is most useful - before substantial hair is lost. Being informed can bring comfort and empowerment.”
For further information on this sensitive subject, do visit my b5 media fellow blogger Laura at Baldiness.
Elaine Warburton www.geneticsandhealth.com
Tags: baldness, female, female hair loss, Genetic TestingShare This
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