http://medicalxpress.com/ en-us Medical Xpress internet news portal provides the latest news on Health and Medicine. A single genetic defect on the X chromosome that can result in a wide array of conditions—from learning and emotional difficulties to primary ovarian insufficiency in women and tremors in middle-aged men—occurs at a much greater frequency than previously thought, research led by the UC Davis MIND Institute has found. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-12-genetic-defect-fragile-x-related-disorders.html Genetics Thu, 20 Dec 2012 19:00:05 EST news275246640 Over the last 50 years, the spotting of newborn's blood onto filter paper for disease screening, called Guthrie cards, has become so routine that since 2000, more than 90% of newborns in the United States have had Guthrie cards created. In a study published online in Genome Research, researchers have shown that epigenetic information stored on archived Guthrie cards provides a retrospective view of the epigenome at birth, a powerful new application for the card that could help understand disease and predict future health. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-08-archived-guthrie-cards-purpose.html Genetics Wed, 22 Aug 2012 17:09:47 EST news264874172 Investigators at Nationwide Children's Hospital, working with the DNA Sequencing Core Facility at the University of Utah, have developed an approach to newborn screening (NBS) for the life-threatening genetic disorder, Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) and potentially other muscular dystrophies. As a model for NBS, the approach published online in January in the Annals of Neurology provides evidence that this approach could be implemented if approved by regulatory bodies at a state level or alternatively through the Secretary's Advisory Committee on Heritable Disorders in Newborns and Children. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-newborn-screening-dmd-international.html Neuroscience Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:04:13 EST news251395428 Almost every newborn in the United States is pricked on the heel within hours of birth for a few drops of blood that are then tested for conditions like PKU, sickle cell anemia, and cystic fibrosis. But then the sample is often put on small piece of blotter paper and filed away by the state. Few parents know about these millions of residual dried blood spots. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-03-raiders-lost-blood.html Medical research Tue, 13 Mar 2012 10:20:01 EST news250852039 Scientists have developed a rapid method that can be used to simultaneously screen patients for a range of genetic and acquired clinical conditions from a single dried blood spot. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-11-screening-method-range-clinical-conditions.html Diseases, Conditions, Syndromes Wed, 16 Nov 2011 10:40:53 EST news240662446 With millions of newborns' blood samples stored in a Michigan bio-bank, researchers are working to determine public attitudes toward the practice of using the blood spots for medical research. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-09-msu-engages-newborn-blood.html Other Wed, 21 Sep 2011 14:04:38 EST news235832289 Infants of human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infected mothers who were treated before and after birth with the protease inhibitor lopinavir-ritonavir were more likely to experience adrenal dysfunction, including life-threatening adrenal insufficiency in premature infants, compared with a zidovudine-based regimen, according to a preliminary report in the July 6 issue of JAMA. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-07-hiv-medication-adrenal-dysfunction-newborns.html HIV & AIDS Tue, 05 Jul 2011 17:15:09 EST news229104878 Government guidelines published today on the use of dried blood spots collected during mandatory newborn screening underemphasize the importance of getting the public on board with the practice, according to University of Michigan researcher. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-06-vital-residual-newborn-screening-specimens.html Health Tue, 14 Jun 2011 17:01:26 EST news227289668 Scientists at Queen's University Belfast have pioneered a new needle-free test to take the sting out of medicine testing in premature babies. The research will not only lead to greater accuracy in prescribing, but will also significantly reduce the trauma of such tests for newborn infants and their families. http://medicalxpress.com/news/2011-04-queen-needle-free-premature-babies.html Health Wed, 13 Apr 2011 09:37:23 EST news221906223