The US scientists say that antidepressants that are taken by millions of men to alleviate depression may harm their sperm.

The researchers gave the antidepressant paroxetine to a small number of healthy men for four weeks and found that these men had far higher levels of sperm with damaged DNA.

The outcomes of the study have been reported in New Scientist magazine and they do not necessarily indicate that these men would have serious problems to become a father. But a UK fertility specialist considers them a cause for concern.

In UK, Paroxetine is sold as Paxil or Seroxat and it is considered one of the most prescribed antidepressants.
continue reading Antidepressants may cause bad semen quality

According to a new study, the levels of an enzyme, which is considered vital for protecting against age-related cell damage, may boost by taking right foods and more exercise.

In this US study published in The Lancet Oncology, 24 men were asked to bring healthy lifestyle changes and the researchers found that there was an average 29% increase in the levels of telomerase among these people.

Telomeres, which protect and cap the ends of chromosomes that have DNA, are repaired and lengthened by telomerase. With increasing age, telomeres begin to shorten and become susceptible to death and this very damage or death of cells cause disease and ageing in people.

There are many factors that become the cause of shorter-than-average telomeres including obesity, smoking and a sedentary lifestyle.
continue reading Healthy lifestyle hampers cell ageing, a new study suggests

The genomics scientists of Philadelphia are duplicated gene-linked research of another group with regard to obesity and came out with interesting conclusions. This extended research bettered an indicator to a specific variant of DNA. This means identification of a gene associated with obesity across the world is possible. Once the gene is identified, it can be sliced and tailor used according to various needs.

The research findings suggest that the DNA variant which was spotted in the African-American children could be indicating of the primitive DNA change that happened in the black continent, the place from where supposedly man originated.

The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Center for Applied Genomics scientists’ team, Struan Grant et al studied the FTO gene that was identified by erstwhile British Scientists’ team during last year. The FTO gene was associated with the obesity in children and adults. There is no discount to the point that environment conditions contribute to obesity, the gene cannot be ruled out and obesity is controlled by familial genes.

continue reading Obesity Gene Marker Fine Tuned by Gene Hunters

“For an effective transfer of genetic material carried by a plasmid, “BioShuttle” technology is an appropriate tool” the results demonstrated by a study.

The beginning of cancer can be described as a genetic accident. More than 200 genes play a role in the generation of cancer. The genetic malfunction can be compensated by introducing one or more therapeutic genes in to the target cells for the treatment of genetic diseases. For the efficient transport of therapeutic genetic material in to the nucleus of the target cells are the direct passage through the nuclear envelope in to the nucleus and the quick transport across the plasma membrane in to the cytosol. To overcome these barriers numerous delivery systems have been developed such as viral vectors, ultrasound and non-viral peptide based carrier systems.

continue reading BioShuttle-A New Technology for Mediated Plasmid Transfer