Genetics in the news, 3 studies

1. Human migration traced by mutations in maternal genes


From wired:

Researchers collected mitochondrial DNA, or mtDNA, from nearly 80,000 people, who received a report on how their ancestors came to live where they live.
[They gathered this information into a database, called The Genographic Project].

The database is the tip of the iceberg for a burgeoning field of science called genetic anthropology, which involves combining DNA data with physical evidence and histories of past civilizations. The database contains more samples than in any previous collection of its kind. As scientists study it further, they expect a detailed history of human migration in Europe will emerge.

This database and publication is freely available at PLoS (a peer-reviewed open-access journal published by the Public Library of Science) today.

2. Alcohol abuse risk is genetic
From physorg:

According to a study by the research group "Alcoholism and drug addiction", of the University of Granada (Universidad de Granada), although there are no specific reasons to become an alcoholic, many social, family, environmental, and genetic factors may contribute to its development. Thanks to this study, researchers have shown that the lack of endorphin is hereditary, and thus that there is a genetic predisposition to become addicted to alcohol.

They found that beta-endorphin levels of chronic alcoholics is lower than that of the general population. They determined that low beta-endorphin levels are associated with higher likelihood of alcohol addiction, and that the beta-endorphin levels are pre-set by birth.

3. Breast cancer development and prognosis is genetic
Also from physorg:

The chances of developing breast cancer are to some extent inherited, but important new findings suggest survival also runs in the family. Research published in the online journal Breast Cancer Research suggests that if a woman succumbs to breast cancer her daughters or sisters are over 60 percent more likely to die within five years if they develop the disease.

Exercise, the natural antidepressant: helping grow new brain cells

From Science Daily:

Exercise has a similar effect to antidepressants on depression. This has been shown by previous research. Now Astrid Bjørnebekk at Karolinska Institutet has explained how this can happen: exercise stimulates the production of new brain cells.

Though this study was done in rats, it did show that both exercise and antidepressant medications increase the formation of new cells in an area of the brain that is important to memory and learning.

Too bad HMOs don't include gym memberships in their coverage plans. Maybe someone should start an exercise rewards program. I remember enjoying the summer reading programs from the public library as a child. You would get a stamp for each book you read, and after a certain number of stamps, you could redeem them for prizes.

CDC Disease Cards

That's right, the Center for Disease Control has created a set of collectible cards of infectious disesases.

Originally designed for middle school students, these cards have already sold out. Fortunately, you can freely download and print these .pdf files from the CDC website.

My first instructables post: practice poi

A wonderful community website for sharing projects, instructions, and collaborative creativity.

http://www.instructables.com/

Here is my first instructables contribution:
Quick, easy practice poi for under $5



For more on poi, check out www.playpoi.com

MizPee.com, finding the cleanest, nearest public toilet, via your cell phone

Just what it says it does.

Dream sharing website/community

http://www.dreamcrowd.com/

Just what it sounds like, a place to ramble about your dreams, and have strangers and the 'dreamopedia' reference analyze it for you.

From the dreamcrowd intro screen:

Dreamcrowd is most certainly one of the most unique online communities in the world. It is based on the dreams that we have, what they mean, and what others think about them.

Our lives are driven by our dreams, both the ones that we have in our sleep and the ones that we envision while we're awake. Whether you've dreamt of a plan for world peace or that you had wings and could fly, you should share it!
You might be surprised what the community has to say about it.

The Dreamcrowd site provides a means to:

• Post dreamlogs to the Dreamcrowd site;
• Intepret common dream themes using our Dreamopedia; and
• See what others have to say.

Drugs are bad: smoking bad for alcohol, antidepressants bad for bones

Sure, this is common sense, but I never realized the magnitude of the neurocognitive damage.

Science Daily — Alcoholics frequently smoke. Anywhere from 50 to 90 percent of individuals in North America who seek alcoholism treatment are also chronic smokers. New findings indicate that smoking may interfere with alcoholics' neurocognitive recovery during their first six to nine months of abstinence from alcohol.

And, as if treating elderly depressed people wasn't difficult enough, between their hesitation in coming in to seek help, and the multitude of comorbid medical conditions, there is now the risk of worsening their osteoporosis if we give them SSRI antidepressants.

Science Daily — The class of antidepressant medications known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may be associated with an increased rate of bone loss in older men and women, according to two articles in the June 25 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.