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Financial crisis: How will it affect new drug development
It&amprsquo;s hard to imagine an industry that isn&amprsquo;t affected by the global financial crisis, and science is no exception. The credit crunch will slow the development of new medicines...
2008-10-29 07:08:44
Genetic clues to male baldness found
INT26International/ScienceGenetic clues to male baldness foundToronto, Oct 16 IANS Researchers have found two DNA variants in Caucasian men that could be linked to higher risk of male pattern baldness. Male pattern baldness is the most common form of baldness which leads to loss of hair in a well-defined pattern, beginning with the temples and resulting in a distinctive M-shaped hairline.But the new findings may lead to an early prediction about hair loss and a future treatment to check male pattern baldness which affects one in three males over the age of 45.As part of their research, medical scientists from McGill University in Montreal, GlaxoSmithKline Canadian consumer healthcare group, and King's College in London conducted a genome-wide association study of 1,125 Caucasian men who had been assessed for male pattern baldness, a McGill university release said. They found two previously unknown genetic variants on chromosome 20 one of the 23 pairs found in human beings that substantially increased the risk of male pattern baldness. To confirm these findings, they carried out further research on additional 1,650 Caucasian men."I would presume male pattern baldness is caused by the same genetic variation in non-Caucasians," said Brent Richards, an assistant professor in genetic epidemiology at McGill University. "But we haven't studied those populations, so we can't say for certain," he said, cautioning that the breakthrough does not mean a treatment or cure for male pattern baldness is imminent."We've only identified a cause," Richards said. "Treating male pattern baldness will require more research. But, of course, the first step in finding a way to treat most conditions it is to first identify the cause," he said."Early prediction before hair loss starts may lead to some interesting therapies that are more effective than treating late stage hair loss," added Tim Spector of King's College, London.Researchers have long been aware of a genetic variant on the X chromosome that was linked to male pattern baldness, said Richards."That's where the idea that baldness is inherited from the mother's side of the family comes from," he explained. "However it's been long recognised that there must be several genes causing male pattern baldness. Until now, no one could identify those other genes. If you have both the risk variants we discovered on chromosome 20 and the unrelated known variant on the X chromosome, your risk of becoming bald increases sevenfold," said Richards."What's startling is that one in seven men has both of those risk variants. That's 14 percent of the total population." It is estimated that about a third of all men are affected by male pattern baldness by age 45, taking a huge economic and social toll. Hair transplantation in the US alone cost $115 million in 2007, and therapy for male-pattern baldness globally generates many times more revenue.The findings have been published in the journal Nature Genetics.--Indo-Asian News Servicegs/pb/mj525 Words16101150
2008-10-16 02:00:00
Gene scan to predict hair loss
Genes that may increase by seven-fold the risk of early baldness amongst men have been uncovered by researchers.
2008-10-13 09:09:09
Gene variant turns Caucasian men bald
INT14International/HealthGene variant turns Caucasian men baldToronto, Oct 13 IANS Researchers have identified two genetic variants in Caucasians that increases the risk of baldness sevenfold among males, according to a study. About a third of all men are affected by the 'shiny pate syndrome' by the of 45. Expenditures for hair transplantation in the US alone exceeded $115 million in 2007, while global revenues for medical therapy for male-pattern baldness recently surpassed $405 million. Male baldness is the most common form of baldness, where hair is lost in a well-defined pattern beginning above both temples, and results in a distinctive M-shaped hairline. Estimates suggest more than 80 percent of cases are hereditary.This study was conducted by Vincent Mooser of GlaxoSmithKline, Brent Richards of McGill University's Faculty of Medicine and Tim Spector of King's College. Along with colleagues in Iceland, Switzerland and the Netherlands, researchers conducted a genome-wide association study of 1,125 Caucasian men who had been assessed for male pattern baldness. They found two previously unknown genetic variants on chromosome 20 that substantially increased the risk of male pattern baldness. They then confirmed these findings in an additional 1,650 caucasian men, according to a McGill University release."I would presume male pattern baldness is caused by the same genetic variation in non-Caucasians," said Richards, an assistant professor in genetic epidemiology, "but we haven't studied those populations, so we can't say for certain."Though the researchers consider their discovery to be a scientific breakthrough, they caution that it does not mean a treatment or cure for male pattern baldness is imminent."We've only identified a cause," Richards said. "Treating male pattern baldness will require more research. But, of course, the first step in finding a way to treat most conditions it is to first identify the cause.""Early prediction before hair loss starts may lead to some interesting therapies that are more effective than treating late stage hair loss," added Spector, of King's College and director of the TwinsUK cohort study.Researchers have long been aware of a genetic variant on the X chromosome that was linked to male pattern baldness, Richards said."That's where the idea that baldness is inherited from the mother's side of the family comes from," he explained. "However it's been long recognized that that there must be several genes causing male pattern baldness. Until now, no one could identify those other genes. If you have both the risk variants we discovered on chromosome 20 and the unrelated known variant on the X chromosome, your risk of becoming bald increases sevenfold."What's startling is that one in seven men have both of those risk variants. That's 14 percent of the total population!"These results were published on Sunday in Nature Genetics.--Indo-Asian News Service.St/jg 496 Words13101350
2008-10-13 04:01:06
Doctor faces jail in global drugs racket led by Indian-origin man
INT53International/Health/CrimeDoctor faces jail in global drugs racket led by Indian-origin manLondon, Oct 10 IANS An American doctor who is alleged to have banked more a million pounds for the Indian-born lynchpin in a global fake medicines racket is expected to be jailed next week.George Patino, a 48-year-old Mexican with a US passport, sold thousands of fake tablets, including Viagra, through the internet in a multi-million pound racket led by Indian-origin Ashish Halai of Hertfordshire.But a jury that last year jailed Halai and three of associates - salesman Gary Haywood, student Ashwin Patel and businessman Zahid Mirza - could not reach a verdict on Patino.Patino is alleged to have been taking up to 200 orders a day for drugs, including the impotence aid Viagra that did not work, reportedly charging 20 pounds for pills that cost 25 pence.At his retrial Thursday, Judge Nicholas Price granted him bail with the warning: "In my view there is only one appropriate sentence and that is one of an immediate period of custody."You must understand that I grant you bail in those circumstances. When you come to court on Tuesday you will be sentenced to a term of imprisonment.”Patino, who was nicknamed the King of Viagra by his associates, pleaded guilty to criminally netting 133,000 pounds. But he is alleged to have banked 1.3 million pounds in Singapore for scam linchpin Halai.The four other gang members were convicted last year of smuggling copies of medicines from Viagra to baldness ‘cures’ made in illicit factories in China and Pakistan.Mick Deats, head of enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, said: "Counterfeit medicines are dangerous. They are designed to deceive patients and health care professionals and generate vast profits."--Indo-Asian News Servicedds/vm308 Words10101802
2008-10-10 09:05:07
Hair Loss - 5 Natural Ways of Preventing Hair Loss
Best Syndication News If you are one of those men who have a foreboding feeling that you would soon be bald because your father or grandfather was bald, perhaps it would be helpful for you to know that there are ways to prevent possible hair loss. It really pays to do the necessary preventive measures now rather than wait for the baldness to begin. Here are some of the most natural ways of preventing hair loss:1. Eat Foods That Are Rich In SulfurSulfur is an element that is mainly found on nails and skin. This beauty mineral is able to promote hair growth because it improves the circulation of blood and it also has the capacity to decrease inflammation. Foods that are rich in sulfur are protein-rich foods such as meat, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, vegetables most especially onions. It has also been observed that sulfur creams greatly increase the chances of growing back lost hair. read more
2008-09-08 07:22:24

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Financial crisis: How will it affect new drug development

Genetic clues to male baldness found

Gene scan to predict hair loss

Gene variant turns Caucasian men bald

Doctor faces jail in global drugs racket led by Indian-origin man

Hair Loss - 5 Natural Ways of Preventing Hair Loss