The normal human karyotype has two sets of chromosomes, one set inherited from each parent, so that we have 46 chromosomes (22 pairs, including either an XX if you’re a female, or XY if male). But sometimes during cell division of the zygote (early in fertilization), the chromosomes don’t divide properly into their respective cells and the developing fetus carries an abnormal number of chromosomes in all cells of the body (termed aneuploidy). Usually the fetus does not survive into full term, but in some cases when the baby does, a rare chromosome disorder happens.
Trisomy happens when there are […]
Post from: Genetics & Health
Continue Reading October 1st, 2009
A good eight hours of sleep really does our life good, well into the twilight years! A new study has found that sleep abnormalities in midlife may be linked to the onset of Alzheimer’s later in life. Chronic sleep abnormalities include insomnia, late-night habits, sleep deprivation and irregular sleep habits.
Alzheimer’s is triggered as the peptide amyloid-beta transforms into plaque in the brain’s fluid, and amyloid-beta naturally increases during the day and decreases at night. Published in Science Express, neurologist Jae-Eun Kang and her colleagues found, in both men and mice, that concentrations of amyloid-beta increases during periods of sleep […]
Post from: Genetics & Health
Continue Reading September 30th, 2009
Music and cancer do not go together, and I mean that in the context of this new technology:
A project at Harvard Medical School created a program to translate the signals from cells into musical notes. Normal signals will sound harmonious, abnormal signals like those coming from cancer cells will sound awful.
Listen to this –
Using date from a pre-existing colon cancer study, bioinformatician Gil Alterovitz and his team created a program that transforms complex genomic information into musical notes, so that abnormal data will sound discordant.
“When things go awry, such as in the case of p53-null mutant […]
Post from: Genetics & Health
Continue Reading September 30th, 2009
Countries all over the world are taking serious steps to stop the swine flu pandemic. China began its mass vaccination last week. And by October 5, the United States will distribute the first wave of swine flu vaccines, good for 6 million to million people. But the swiftness of government health agencies and the World Health Organization to address this issue is evidence about how rapid the H1N1 influenza virus has spread.
It bears repeating that we need to take precautions in protecting ourselves and our families against the H1N1. What symptoms do you look for in swine flu? The […]
Post from: Genetics & Health
Continue Reading September 29th, 2009
In 2009 alone, over 190,000 females and 1,900 males have been diagnosed with breast cancer. But over the years, there have already been more than 10 million cancer survivors. With new research, early screening and treatment, the number of survivors grow. But there is much more work ahead to totally eradicate cancer of the breast and all the other types.
In support of Breast Cancer Awareness this October, several companies are running the Think Pink Campaign and donating their proceeds towards breast cancer foundations and research. One of these is Melange Perfume, which will donate 30% of all sales of their […]
Post from: Genetics & Health
Continue Reading September 29th, 2009
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