HealthNews.in

Scientists have found that a mutation in the gene encoding casein kinase Iδ (CKIδ) is associated with both the presence of migraine and advanced sleep phase. The resulting alterations (T44A and H46R) caused reduced enzyme activity.

Results of experiments on mice suggest that decreases in CKIδ activity can contribute to the development of migraine.

The large-scale Collaborative Oncological Gene-environment Study (COGS) has published over a dozen coordinated papers detailing the genetic and environmental bases of breast, ovarian, and prostate cancers.

The papers report over 70 new susceptibility loci for these 3 hormone-related cancers, and will help clarify the underlying mechanisms of carcinogenesis and develop clinically relevant cancer prediction models.

Almost half of the 70 known loci associated with overall breast cancer risk in women of European ancestry were also associated with risk in east Asian women. In addition, certain environmental factors, specifically alcohol consumption, seem to modify the association between some common variants and breast cancer risk.

Meta-analyses by the CREAM identified multiple new genes associated with refractive error and myopia.

Up to 30% of Western populations and 80% of Asians are short sighted. The genome-wide meta-analyses included over 37000 people from 27 studies of European ancestry and over 8000 from 5 Asian cohorts. 16 mutations that may be responsible for myopia were identified, in genes with functions in neurotransmission, ion transport, retinoic acid metabolism, extracellular matrix remodelling, and eye development.

A study of 420 people who followed a 20-week weight-loss treatment found that late lunch eaters lost less weight.

Approximately half the people ate lunch before 3pm and half afterwards. Energy intake, dietary composition, energy expenditure, appetite hormones, and sleep duration were similar in both groups. Late eaters were more likely to be evening types, had less energetic breakfasts, and skipped breakfast more frequently that early eaters. However, neither sleep duration nor CLOCK SNPs were independently associated with weight loss.

Eating patterns have changed considerably over the last few centuries.

Earwax type and armpit odour are genetically determined by a single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) located in the ABCC11 gene. East Asians usually have a genotype that produces dry earwax and no axillary odour, while Europeans and Africans are more likely to have wet earwax and axillary osmidrosis.

Researchers at the University of Bristol found that deodorant use is influenced by genotype, however there were many people who used deodorant despite not producing armpit odour (77.8%) and some who did not despite being genetically predisposed to be odoriferous (4.7%).

People can be sensitive to deodorant chemicals which may trigger conditions such as asthma and eczema, so it is important that people do not expose themselves and their families to deodorants that are not necessary.