Scientists discover greater rates of mitochondrial mutations in children born to older mothers

mitochondria-maternal-age

A  normal mitochondria (left) contain distinctive folds known as cristae, but these folds are lost in damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria (right).

A team of Penn State scientists have discovered a “maternal age effect” that could be used to predict the accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations in maternal egg cells — and the transmission of these mutations to children — could provide valuable insights for genetic counseling. These mutations cause more than 200 diseases and contribute to others such as diabetes, cancer, Parkinson’s disease, and Alzheimer’s disease.

 

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Infant and Maternal Mortality Rates Increase in India

indian-surrogate-mother

India’s infant and maternal mortality rates lag  behind.

At the beginning of this millennium in year 2000, 189 countries and 23 international health agencies had pledged to reduce child under-5 mortality by two-thirds and maternal mortality by three-fourths by 2015. These were called the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) number 4 and 5. With only five years left for the target year, a clutch of international health agencies and NGOs have come out with ‘‘Countdown to 2015 — Decade Report (2000-2010)”.

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Men Prefer “The Girl Next Door” Look

Men Prefer “The Girl Next Door” Look Men Prefer

The average girl-next-door, right, with the ‘average’ shape is what men are looking for according to a new study

It is a finding that will quicken the hearts of size 14 women everywhere – gentlemen prefer Miss Average.

Men find the average shape of the girl-next-door more appealing than the ‘perfect’ proportions of models and centrefolds, a study found.
 

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Crack Babies – The Epidemic That Didn’t Happen

The Epidemic That Didn’t Happen 

 Baby addicted to cocaine

One sister is 14; the other is 9. They are a vibrant pair: the older girl is high-spirited but responsible, a solid student and a devoted helper at home; her sister loves to read and watch cooking shows, and she recently scored well above average on citywide standardized tests.

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Smoking During Pregnancy Predisposes Children To Aggression

Smoking During Pregnancy Predispose Children To Aggression

 

Women who smoke during pregnancy risk delivering aggressive kids according to a new Canada-Netherlands study published in the journal Development and Psychopathology. While previous studies have shown that smoking during gestation causes low birth weight, this research shows mothers who light up during pregnancy can predispose their offspring to an additional risk: violent behaviour.

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Mother’s Stress Contributes To Overweight Children

Mother’s Stress Contributes To Overweight Children 

A mother’s stress may contribute to her young children being overweight in low income households with sufficient food, according to a new Iowa State University study published in the September issue of Pediatrics, the professional journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics. The study analyzed data collected from 841 children in 425 households in the 1999-2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

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