Children's health
06 Jul 2006
Scientists tame overactive Cystic Fibrosis protein
A team led by Johns Hopkins Children’s Centre scientists has identified and successfully tamed an overactive protein that plays a key role in cystic fibrosis (CF), a genetic disorder that interferes with the body’s ability to transport chloride in and out of cells. Using a tool called RNA interference…
Children's health
05 Jul 2006
Airborne Mould Spores Increase Kids' Risk for Multiple Allergies
University of Cincinnati (UC) researchers say exposure to a certain group of fungal spores -abundant in the air that we breathe every day – can make young children more susceptible to developing multiple allergies later in life. The team found that infants who were exposed to basidiospores and other…
Children's health
05 Jul 2006
Can Deadly Peanut Allergies Be Cured?
Just being in the same room as peanuts can send Liam Park into a violent allergy attack. And yet, the 4-year-old from Charlotte, N.C., intentionally eats peanut flour every day. Liam is part of a potentially groundbreaking study at Duke Medical Centre aimed at finding out whether children with…
Bone
05 Jul 2006
Youth Overweight Increases Risk of Bone Fractures, Muscle and Joint Pain
Children and adolescents who are overweight are more likely than their normal weight counterparts to suffer bone fractures and have joint and muscle pains, according to a study conducted at the National Institutes of Health. The researchers also found that the overweight youth in the study were more likely…
Children's health
04 Jul 2006
Engineering electrically conducting tissue for the heart
Experiments suggest an alternative to pacemaker treatment. Patients with complete heart block, or disrupted electrical conduction in their hearts, are at risk for life-threatening rhythm disturbances and heart failure. The condition is currently treated by implanting a pacemaker in the patient’s chest or abdomen, but these devices often fail over…
Children's health
27 Jun 2006
Baby Girls Born to Mothers Burdened by Stress May be at Increased Risk of Fibromyalgia
Stressful or traumatic events experienced during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the foetus, yet these effects may not become apparent until many years later, according to a study suggesting that girls born of such pregnancies may be at greater risk for developing a painful muscle condition called fibromyalgia as…
Children's health
27 Jun 2006
Newborn screening can cause unnecessary parental stress
Virtually all babies in the U.S. have their heels pricked soon after birth to get a blood sample for genetic testing. These “heel stick” tests identify rare metabolic disorders before they cause irreversible damage, but as more disorders are added to the screening – many states now test for 30…
Children's health
26 Jun 2006
Rare Disease's Gene May Illuminate Major Disorders
Oregon Health & Science University researchers have identified the gene behind a group of rare, progressive childhood disorders caused by an abnormal buildup of iron in the brain, which has implications for Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s. Discovery of the PLA2G6 gene, whose mutated forms trigger several genetic disorders categorised as…
Children's health
21 Jun 2006
Novel newborn screening can open door to treating rare but devastating diseases
Rare metabolic diseases such as Tay-Sachs, Fabry and Gaucher syndromes are caused by enzyme deficiencies and typically have crippling, even fatal, consequences starting at very early ages. Now a team of University of Washington scientists has developed a relatively simple screening process to detect enzyme deficiencies in newborns that will…
