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Increased Risk Of Birth Defects Linked To Maternal Smoking
Babies whose mothers smoked during pregnancy were more than twice as likely to have a cleft palate or lip as those whose mothers didn't, according to research results released today. Although the study confirms earlier findings, it is unique because it did not rely on women's self-reported smoking habits during pregnancy. Instead, researchers used the more reliable method of measuring the levels of cotinine, a metabolite of nicotine, in the blood from about 500 pregnant women.

Genetic Variant Plays Role In Cleft Lip
University of Iowa researchers and collaborators have found, in a previously identified gene, a variation that likely contributes to one in five cases of isolated cleft lip. It is the first time a genetic variant has been associated with cleft lip alone, rather than both cleft lip and palate.

Susceptibility To Cleft Palate Revealed By Genetic Profile
For the first time, researchers from the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine have identified a series of genetic mutations that appear to be linked to significant risk for cleft palate and other dental abnormalities. These are devastating conditions that cause tremendous social isolation, and also are associated with decreased lifespan, a higher risk of cancer and increased susceptibility to psychiatric disorders, even after surgical repair.

Alternate Pathway That Leads To Palate Development
Researchers at the University Of Southern California School Of Dentistry have uncovered another clue behind the causes of cleft palate and the process that leads to palate formation. Cleft palate is one of the most common congenital birth defects, occurring in one out of every 700 live births. Clefts are more common in children of American Indian, Hispanic or Asian descent. While males are twice as likely to have a cleft lip, females are twice as likely to have a cleft palate.

Alcohol Binges Early In Pregnancy Increase Risk Of Infant Oral Clefts
A new study by researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National Institutes of Health, shows that pregnant women who binge drink early in their pregnancy increase the likelihood that their babies will be born with oral clefts.

California Legislature Takes Up Multiple Health Care Bills
"More than a dozen health bills are advancing through the [California] Legislature," some of which contain elements of a health care overhaul plan backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) that passed the state Assembly but was rejected in the Senate earlier this year, the

Research Findings Change The Way Doctors Perform Cleft Palate Surgery
Research by Dr. Damir Matic, a scientist with Lawson Health Research Institute in London, Ontario is changing the way cleft palate surgeries are performed throughout North America and around the world. Matic has been conducting research to determine the optimal time to close the gum tissue of cleft palate patients. His research suggests that it is best to wait until the child is older.

Gene For Branchio-Oculo-Facial Syndrome Discovered By Researchers
In a collaborative effort, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) have discovered that deletions or mutations within the TFAP2A gene (Activating Enhancer-Binding Protein) result in the distinctive clefting disorder Branchio-Oculo-Facial syndrome (BOFS). This rare disorder is characterized by specific skin anomalies involving the neck and behind the ear, eye abnormalities, a typical facial appearance, and frequently cleft lip and palate.

Keynoters, Symposia, Workshops Highlight Dental Research Meeting
Following is a summary of the keynote presentations, symposia, and workshops that will anchor the 37th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Dental Research, convening April 2 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel. Keynote Presentations Wednesday, April 2 * "Optimizing the Survival of Ceramic Prostheses: Lessons Learned from the Analysis of Clinical Failures", Susanne Scherrer (University of Geneva, Switzerland), 3:15 p.m.