If you are a pregnant woman reading this, you are probably thinking that another ‘piece of advice’ about what you should and should not do, know, think, or feel is the last thing you need right now. After all, what you want to do is enjoy the glows and highs of being pregnant. However, knowing […]
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Let’s start simply. In order for our body to benefit from the proteins we eat, it has to be broken down into smaller parts called amino acids. There are special enzymes that edit or make changes to those amino acids so that the body can benefit from or use them. Along the same lines, fat […]
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So, your doctor or genetic counselor has advised you to have a chromosomal microarray test done. Chromosomal microarray is a mouthful and you are probably wondering what it actually is and perhaps even whether it hurts or not. We have all heard that famous “it’s all in your genes” statement, implying that most of who […]
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What do Sergei Rachmaninov and Niccolo Paganini have in common? At first, you may think it is their musical genius—and you are right. However, I bet you had no idea that both had a condition called Marfan Syndrome (more on that below). Rachmaninov is considered a genius in the field of music. The composer and […]
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The bond between the human and the canine species dates back centuries. Given a dog’s ability to be loyal and to love unconditionally, it comes as no surprise that the two species have been linked for longer than we can imagine. To paraphrase Josh Billings (a.k.a. the humorist and lecturer Henry Wheeler Shaw), “A dog […]
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Hearing the term hemophilia for the first time, some of us may ask who that is rather than what it is. So,starting off with inheritance patterns may not be the best approach. Before getting into the actual patterns of how hemophilia is passed through the generations, it might be wise to first discuss what it […]
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What is Fragile X? What is a carrier? And, most importantly, what is a Fragile X carrier and why is it so important to get tested? Let’s back up a whole lot, genetically speaking, and then bring it all back to Fragile X carrier and testing for it and the importance. Fragile X syndrome is […]
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Some of us may have heard of Factor V Leiden and know what this is all about. On the other hand, others may not be so sure. If you are among those who know what this is, keep reading for the amusement factor. However, if you are among those who think that Factor V Leiden […]
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Definitely. Genetic testing.We’ve all heard of it at some point or another. We probably all know a person or two who has had it done. (23andMe was the first company to offer DNA testing directly to consumers that look for ancestry information. Now it has expanded to diseases, as well.) Perhaps you have done it […]
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What is Cystic Fibrosis? Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a rare genetic disease that is life-threatening. It affects approximately 75,000 people in North America, Europe, and Australia.A total of 200,000 people are affected in the US with an approximate 1000 new cases per year. Americans of Caucasian origin are most likely to be diagnosed with cystic […]
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