Scientists Find Gene That Triggers Menstruation

Some inherit a male Y chromosome with a higher risk

(NEWSER) - Men represent about two-thirds of heart disease sufferers, and a new study offers a possible hint as to why—men with a certain genetic ancestry were 50% more likely to be afflicted. The study analyzed 3,233 white UK men and examined their male Y chromosomes, which are passed down from dad. Up to 20% of the men belonged to "haplogroup I," one of 13 known ancient ancestry branches, and that group's risk was drastically higher, Scientific American reports. More»

Supplements don't prevent fractures, either

(NEWSER) - Calcium supplements may make heart attacks more likely in older patients, a new study suggests. Researchers looking to confirm calcium supplements' ability to prevent bone fractures instead found the patients taking the supplements were 30% more likely to suffer a heart attack, the BBC reports. And it turns out the pills are not very good at preventing fractures, either. More»

First-of-its-kind drug slows, stops tumor growth

(NEWSER) - A first-of-its-kind drug has been developed to fight genetic breast cancer, with an initial round of human trials showing “very promising” results, reports the Times of London. The drug Olaparib works by blocking a protein that makes cancer cells containing the genetic default unable to repair themselves. The drug shrank tumors or stopped their growth in 40% of cases studied. More»

Periodontitis patients should cut out risk factors, scientists say

(NEWSER) - Scientists have identified a link between gum disease and heart disease, the BBC reports, finding the same genetic variation in a group of patients with heart disease and a group with severe periodontitis. “Now we know for sure that there is a strong genetic link, patients with periodontitis should try to reduce their risk factors … at an early stage,” said the head researcher. More»

(NEWSER) - Cancer will surpass heart disease as the world’s preeminent killer by 2010, Reuters reports. A WHO study concluded that cancer cases will double between 2000 and 2020, and almost triple by 2030, largely because of increased tobacco use in developing countries. In men, who are more likely to contract the disease, lung cancer is most prevalent; in women, breast cancer is the most common form. More»