The Human Dynasty

At the 16th Annual World Congress on Anti-Aging Medicine & Regenerative Biomedical Technologies in Las Vegas, Zannos Grekos, MD, director of Cardiac and Vascular Disease for Regenocyte Therapeutic (www.regenocyte.com), addressed physicians from around the world with a presentation on patients treated with pre-engineered Adult Stem Cells. In the presentation, Grekos showed the successful engraftment of stem cells into damaged organs and subsequent regeneration of tissue. The clinical success has spurred a project entailing growing organs for transplant from patients’ own stem cells using technology developed by National Aeronautic Space Association (NASA). In describing details of the stem cells project Grekos stated, “This is the logical next step in harnessing the regenerative power of stem cells. This will be the next phase in turning science into medicine.” (PRWeb Dec 22, 2008)

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/adult_stem/stem_cells/prweb1786234.htm

Further study of the 385m-year-old Attercopus spider has shown that it could not have spun webs as modern spiders do.

A groundbreaking study of popularity has found that genes elicit not only specific behaviors but also the social consequences of those behaviors.

The genes that in vertebrates establish the right and left sides of the body were thought to be of fairly recent origin, since fruit flies and nematodes don’t have them. A new study shows that snails do use the same genes as vertebrates, suggesting that these genes arose more than 500 million years ago in the first bilaterally symmetric organisms.

Reducing the activity of a gene called FKBP12 in the brains of mice affected neuron-to-neuron communication (synapse) and increased both fearful memory and obsessive behavior, indicating the gene could provide a target for drugs to treat diseases such as autism spectrum disorder, obsessive-compulsive disease and others, according to an article in the journal Neuron.

Neonatal diabetes is a rare form of diabetes that is usually detected within the first six months of life. Approximately 50 percent of cases of neonatal diabetes are caused by mutations in either the KIR6.2 gene or the SUR1 gene. A new article describes the development of a mouse model of neonatal diabetes that the authors believe provides new insight into the human disease.

There is a significant interaction between parents’ years of education and the heritability of reading disability. Researchers concluded that on average, poor instruction or lack of reading practice may often be the main influence on reading disabilities in families with low socioeconomic status, while genes may be the main influence on reading disability among children in families with high socioeconomic status and educational support.

(Michigan State University) A groundbreaking study of popularity by a Michigan State University scientist has found that genes elicit not only specific behaviors but also the social consequences of those behaviors.

(Association for Psychological Science) The results of a new study show that there is a significant interaction between parents’ years of education and the heritability of reading disability. The researchers concluded that on average, poor instruction or lack of reading practice may often be the main influence on reading disabilities in families with low socioeconomic status, while genes may be the main influence on reading disability among children in families with high socioeconomic status and educational support.

Scientists say they can watch genetic diseases unfolding in the laboratory after finding a way to reproduce affected cells.