- - European weblog on food, health and environment
News - Week 11 - 2009
Sylvia Earle: How to protect the
oceans (TED Prize winner!)
HIV Adapts to ‘Escape’ Immune Response
The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) adapts so well to the body's defense system that
any successful AIDS vaccine must keep pace with the ever-changing immunological profile of
the virus, according to researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) and
the University of Oxford in England. A new study better describes HIV's ability to adapt
by spelling out at least 14 different "escape mutations" that help keep the
virus alive after it interacts genetically with immunity molecules that normally attack
HIV. The researchers analyzed genetic data from more than 2,800 HIV-infected patients on
five continents. The findings are published online in the journal Nature. "Key
genetic regions of HIV introduced into individuals of different ancestry in different
places have been evolving to a greater or lesser degree according to inherited factors
controlling immune response," said Richard Kaslow, M.D., a professor in the UAB
School of Public Health and a co-author of the study. "If HIV adapts differently in
genetically distinct hosts, the challenge ahead in vaccine design is formidable," he
said.
Many faces of diabetes in American
youth
New findings from the nation's largest study of diabetes in youth paint an alarming
picture of disease on the rise among every racial and ethnic group studied. Five articles
appearing in the March supplement of Diabetes Care provide a comprehensive picture of
diabetes in children and adolescents from five ethnic and racial groups in the United
States, including non-Hispanic whites, Hispanics, blacks, Asian/Pacific Islanders and
American Indians/Navajo Nation. The articles describe important aspects of the
epidemiologic, metabolic, behavioral and quality of care issues in youth with diabetes.
SEARCH, a multi-center study of patients diagnosed with diabetes before they were 20 years
old, is the largest surveillance effort of youth with diabetes conducted in the United
States to-date. The articles provide unique information about the burden of type 1 and
type 2 diabetes in youth from public health and clinical perspectives. "The incidence
rate of type 1 diabetes among U.S. non-Hispanic white youth is today one of the highest in
the world: one in about 4,200 youth develops type 1 diabetes annually," said Ronny A.
Bell, Ph.D., an associate professor of epidemiology and prevention at Wake Forest
University Baptist Medical Center and lead author of "Diabetes in non-Hispanic White
Youth," one of the five articles in publication. "This rate is higher than all
previously reported U.S. studies and many European studies. Type 2 diabetes is relatively
rare in non-Hispanic white youth, but incidence rates are still several-fold higher than
those reported by European countries." "We found that type 1 diabetes is more
common than type 2 diabetes in Hispanic American youth of all ages" said Jean
Lawrence, Sc.D., a research scientist and epidemiologist in the Department of Research and
Evaluation at Kaiser Permanente Southern California and lead author of "Diabetes in
Hispanic American Youth." "However, in youth age 15-19 the incidence of type 2
diabetes is higher than that of type 1 diabetes in girls but not boys. We also found that
over a third of the youth in this oldest age group with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes
had poor glycemic control, which increases their risk for future diabetes-related
complications."
Artificial disc replacement as good
or better than spinal fusion surgery
Spine surgeons at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and other U.S.
centers are reporting that artificial disc replacement works as well and often better than
spinal fusion surgery.The two procedures are performed on patients with damaged discs in
the neck. Researchers found patients who received an artificial disc lost less motion in
the neck and recovered faster than those who had a disc removed and the bones of the spine
fused. "Those who received the artificial disc either did equally as well or a little
bit better than those who had fusion surgery," says K. Daniel Riew, M.D., a cervical
spine surgeon at Washington University Orthopedics and Barnes-Jewish Hospital. "One
of the most important findings was that people who got the artificial disc were able to
preserve all of their motion." A disc in the spine is similar to a jelly donut, with
a squishy center surrounded by a tough outer portion. It functions like a shock absorber
between the vertebrae. When a disc ruptures, or becomes herniated, the squishy disc tissue
can spread into the spinal canal and press against nerves, causing numbness, weakness or
pain.
Building Strong Bones - Running May
Provide More Benefits Than Resistance Training, MU Study Finds
Osteoporosis affects more than 200 million people worldwide and is a serious public health
concern, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Resistance training often is
recommended to increase and prevent loss of bone mineral density (BMD), although previous
studies that examined the effects of resistance training in men produced varied results.
Now, in a new study, University of Missouri researchers have found that high-impact
activities, such as running, might have a greater positive effect on BMD than resistance
training. “The results of the study confirm that both resistance training and
high-impact endurance activities increase bone mineral density. However, high-impact
sports, like running, appear to have a greater beneficial effect,” said Pam Hinton,
associate professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Physiology in the MU
College of Human Environmental Sciences.
Study suggests surface water
contaminated with salmonella more common than thought
A new University of Georgia study suggests that health agencies investigating Salmonella
illnesses should consider untreated surface water as a possible source of contamination.
Researchers, whose results appear in the March issue of the journal Applied and
Environmental Microbiology, tested water over a one-year period in rivers and streams in a
region of south Georgia known for its high rate of sporadic salmonella cases. The team
found Salmonella in 79 percent of water samples, with the highest concentrations and the
greatest diversity of strains in the summer and after rainfall. “Streams are not
routinely tested for Salmonella, and our finding is an indication that many more could be
contaminated than people realize,” said Erin Lipp, associate professor in the UGA
College of Public Health. “We found our highest numbers in the summer months, and
this is also the time when most people get sick.” Lipp, who co-authored the study
with former UGA graduate student Bradd Haley and Dana Cole in the Georgia Division of
Public Health, said that although contaminated water used to irrigate or wash produce has
been linked to several well-publicized outbreaks of salmonellosis in recent years, the
environmental factors that influence Salmonella levels in natural waters are not well
understood. She said understanding how Salmonella levels change in response to variables
such as temperature and rainfall are critical to predicting—and ultimately
preventing—the waterborne transmission of the bacteria.
Researchers identify potential
therapeutic target in osteosarcoma
A receptor known to be active in bone metastases, but previously unexplored in primary
bone tumors, is a potential therapeutic target in osteosarcoma, investigators from The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center report in the March 1 issue of Cancer
Research. The researchers found that the protein - interleukin-11 receptor alpha (IL-11Ra)
- is highly expressed in primary osteosarcoma and in lung metastases from these tumors.
Their research suggests the possibility of delivering therapeutic agents directly to
osteosarcoma cells by targeting the receptor with circulating particles that display a
peptide mimic of the natural ligand that binds IL-11Ra. Osteosarcoma is the most common
primary malignant tumor of bone. "Existing treatment has not changed the prognosis
for osteosarcoma for the last 20 to 30 years," said lead investigator Valerae O.
Lewis, M.D., associate professor and chief of Orthopedic Oncology at M. D. Anderson.
"About 30 percent of patients still relapse and die of their disease. New therapeutic
strategies and agents are needed." The effectiveness of the current chemotherapy
regimens for osteosarcoma is limited by toxic side effects, including damage to the heart
and nerves, kidney failure and hearing loss, Lewis noted. Identification of a target
specific for osteosarcoma cells opens the door for the development of therapies that can
shut down the tumor cells without inflicting the collateral damage caused by conventional
osteosarcoma treatments. IL-11Ra is a target in bone metastasis; far less is known about
its attributes, if any, in primary tumors of bone. To address IL-11R? as a potential
molecular target in osteosarcoma, the authors confirmed the protein expression and
localization of IL-11Ra in several mouse and human osteosarcoma cell lines. In an
orthotopic mouse model of human osteosarcoma, the investigators found that the IL-11Ra not
only was markedly present in the primary osteosarcoma and in its metastases but was absent
from normal bone marrow and lungs.
Sicko
In this documentary, the director/writer Michael Moore exposes the dysfunctional North
American health care system, oriented to huge profits and not for their mission of saving
lives. Further, he shows the corruption in the political system, with members of
government and congress "bought" by the corporations and the situation of the
average American citizens, including those that volunteered to work in the rescue mission
of the September 11th. Then he travels to Canada, Great Britain and France to compare
their systems showing their hospital, doctors, staffs and patients. Last but not the
least, he shows that the prisoners in Guantanamo have better medical treatment than the
common people in USA, and he ends getting free treatment to the Americans that participate
along the documentary in Cuba.
Studying Vaccine Reactions in Fish?
Ja. In Children? Nei.
Autoantibodies were common in vaccinated fish vs unvaccinated controls and they reacted
with salmon cells/Ags in addition to their reactivity with mammalian Ags. Thrombosis and
granulomatous inflammation in liver, and immune-complex glomerulonephritis were common in
vaccinated fish.
Americas Watchdog Wants to Hear
From Homeowners in Florida, & All U.S. States Who Have Potentially Toxic Chinese
Drywall
Americas Watchdog & its Homeowners Consumer Center have been leading a national
investigation, and a state by state investigation into what could be extremely toxic
Chinese drywall in new homes, built after 2001, in Florida. Virginia, California, Arizona,
Nevada, Louisiana, New Jersey Texas and all other U.S. States. According to the Homeowners
Consumer Center, "the potentially toxic Chinese drywall was extensively used in new
U.S. home construction between 2004 & 2007. We want to talk to every homeowner, who
knows they have it, and or, owners who suspect they have it, so that we can help them
& try to protect them at the same time." The indicators of potentially toxic
Chinese drywall are a rotten egg/sulfur smell, repeated AC coil failures, electrical
wiring corrosion & even silver jewelry turning black.
Major Improvement in Individuals
with Common and Chronic Illnesses Related to Immune System Dysfunction
A new preparation highly beneficial in patients with ailments from common skin disorders
to hepatitis or HIV, is now available in the US without a prescription. Oral intake of the
GKL03 synthetic peptides induces modulation and regulation of the immune system. GKL03
(Thymrevit) is a demonstrably potent immmunomodulator effective in the short term. This
preparation was first used in 2004 on tumor patients whose immune system was significantly
weakened by chemotherapy or radiotherapy which had been carried out or recently
administered. All subjects felt significantly better in several chemotherapy phases each
time GKL-03 was taken, and also had better excersise tolerance in endurance test. Since
2004, ongoing clinical trials conducted in Germany, has shown GKL-03 to be adventageous in
those with tumourigenic disease, cancer or immuno deficiencies.
New evidence suggests electric hand
dryers in public toilets pose health risk
The electric hand dryers found in thousands of public toilets can dramatically increase
the number of bacteria on people's hands after washing them and contaminate the washrooms
where they are installed. In addition, paper hand towel use is highly beneficial for
improved hygiene in any other facilities open to the public, such as factories, offices,
bars and restaurants. Using paper towels results in a significant decrease in the numbers
of bacteria on the hands, a clear advantage compared with the increases observed for both
types of electric hand dryer tested in this study. In addition, paper towels are far less
likely to contaminate other washroom users and the washroom environment. Indeed, these
findings suggest that if either a warm air dryer or jet air dryer is the only drying
method available, in terms of bacterial numbers, a washroom user could be better off not
washing and drying their hands at all. Scientists at the University of Westminster
discovered the shocking findings during a study in which they compared the numbers of
bacteria on subjects' hands before and after they had washed them and then dried them in a
public washroom using either paper towels, a traditional warm air dryer or a new-style jet
air dryer. The scientists also carried out tests to establish whether there was the
potential for cross contamination of other washroom users and the washroom environment as
a result of each type of drying method.
New Book Sheds Light On Gluten
Intolerance Affecting Millions
Health problems caused by issues with wheat and other gluten grains affect many millions
of Americans. Unfortunately, the need for testing and treatment for celiac disease, wheat
allergies, and non-celiac gluten intolerance is still a mystery to most physicians and
patients. There are over 200 different maladies known to be associated with gluten
intolerance, yet millions suffer due to the lack of proper diagnosis and treatment. Dr.
Stephen Wangen's new book, "Healthier Without Wheat" finally cuts through the
confusion to help people and their physicians identify and treat their wheat and gluten
related health problems. This book explains, in down to earth language: wheat allergies,
celiac disease, non-celiac gluten intolerance, the range of symptoms they cause, and how
to test for and treat them. "Of the many books on celiac disease and gluten
intolerance on the market today, this is one of the best for both patients and those in
the medical field." - Library Journal . "Healthier Without Wheat" combines
the best available science with patient case stories to explain wheat allergies, celiac
disease and non-celiac gluten intolerance. Dr. Wangen describes how wheat and gluten
grains can cause a wide spectrum of medical problems from fatigue, IBS (irritable bowel
syndrome), and asthma, to osteoporosis. He explains why most people affected by wheat and
gluten are not correctly diagnosed and suffer for years with many problems including
anemia, chronic constipation, rashes, headaches, depression, and even fertility
difficulties. For physicians and patients alike, Dr. Wangen points out the pitfalls of
testing and the common interpretation errors. His explanations go into all the detail
needed by physicians, but with a simplicity easily understood by everyone else. He even
addresses the doctor's biggest challenge: when treatment doesn't work.
AstraZeneca tried to 'bury' bad
news on Seroquel drug
AstraZeneca tried to “bury” adverse medical studies about Seroquel, its
blockbuster drug, internal company memos released in an American court case have revealed.
US Study - Rage Kills
According to a recently released US study, rage kills, and so do other strong emotions
associated with stressful events. These emotions become deadly when they trigger irregular
heart beats (arrhythmia) and cardiac arrest.
TV may do no harm or good to babies
Whether watching television hurts or helps babies' development has divided researchers and
parents. A study released on Monday concluded it does neither.
Epstein-Barr Virus May Be
Associated with Progression of MS
Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), the pathogen that causes mononucleosis, appears to play a role
in the neurodegeneration that occurs in persons with multiple sclerosis, researchers at
the University at Buffalo and the University of Trieste, Italy, have shown. Multiple
sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune disease that can cause major disability. There currently
is no cure. "This study is one of the first to provide evidence that a viral agent
may be related to the severity of MS disease process, as measured by MRI," said
Robert Zivadinov, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of neurology in UB's Jacobs
Neurological Institute (JNI) and first author on the study.
New and unexpected mechanism
identifies how the brain responds to stress
Chronic stress takes a physical and emotional toll on our bodies and scientists are
working on piecing together a medical puzzle to understand how we respond to stress at the
cellular level in the brain. Being able to quickly and successfully respond to stress is
essential for survival. Using a rat model, Jaideep Bains, PhD, a University of Calgary
scientist and his team of researchers at the Hotchkiss Brain Institute have discovered
that neurons in the hypothalamus, the brain’s command centre for stress responses,
interpret ‘off’ chemical signals as ‘on’ chemical signals when stress
is perceived. “It’s as if the brakes in your car are now acting to speed up the
vehicle, rather than slow it down.” says Bains. This unexpected finding is being
published in the March 1st online edition of Nature Neuroscience. Normally, neurons
receive different chemical signals that tell them to either switch on or switch off. The
off signal or brake only works if the levels of chloride ion in the cells are maintained
at a low level. This is accomplished by a protein, known as KCC2. What Bains and
colleagues have shown is that stress turns down the activity of KCC2, thus removing the
ability of the brake, a chemical known as GABA, to work properly. A loss of the
brain’s ability to slow down may explain some of the harmful, emotional consequences
of stress. While the findings provide a new mechanistic explanation of how the brain
interprets stress signals, "there is still much work needed in the basic science of
this phenomenon before there are any new advances in the medical treatment of
stress," says Bains.
Research Uncovers Promising Target
To Treat Chronic Abdominal Pain
High levels of a protein linked to the way pain signals are sent to the brain led to a
decrease in abdominal pain in a recent study in mice. Researchers say the finding suggests
the protein might someday serve as the basis of new treatments for chronic pain associated
with a number of bowel disorders.The scientists at Ohio State University found that nearly
twice the normal amount of this protein, called EAAT2, or excitatory amino acid
transporter 2, decreased what is called visceral pain, or pain from internal organs, in
mice. The protein acts on glutamate, an amino acid and neurotransmitter that sends signals
to the brain that produce pain. The researchers found that a high level of EAAT2 appears
to force glutamate into cells, preventing it from interacting with receptors that enable
it to send the pain signals.
Study sheds new light on link
between obesity and infertility
Obese women have alterations in their ovaries which might be responsible for an egg's
inability to make an embryo, according to a new study accepted for publication in The
Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). Obese women
trying to become pregnant experience longer times to conception, even if they are young
and have a regular menstrual cycle. This study sought to determine if there are
alterations in an egg's environment in obese women which contribute to poorer reproductive
outcomes. "Characteristics of eggs are influenced by the environment in which they
develop within the ovary," said Dr. Rebecca Robker, PhD, of Adelaide University in
Australia and lead author of the study. "Our study found that obese women have
abnormally high levels of fats and inflammation in the fluid surrounding their eggs which
can impact an egg's developmental potential." According to Dr. Robker, the fats might
alter the very sensitive metabolism of the egg and such changes are known to be harmful to
embryo formation. In addition, inflammation can damage cells and when this happens to eggs
it can affect embryo survival. For this study, researchers followed 96 women seeking
assisted reproduction at a private clinic in South Australia from February 2006 to April
2007. Dr. Robker and her colleagues measured hormone and metabolite levels in follicular
fluid obtained from the subjects' ovaries during their egg collection procedures. They
found that obese women exhibited an altered ovarian follicular environment, particularly
increased metabolite and androgen activity levels, which may be associated with poorer
reproductive outcomes. "Obesity is well known to cause changes in blood lipids and
heightened inflammation which detrimentally affects a person's general health," said
Dr. Robker. "Our research shows that obesity similarly changes the environment in the
ovary which bathes and nourishes a woman's developing eggs."
Obesity linked to hormone imbalance
that impacts sexual quality of life
Hormonal changes and diminished sexual quality of life among obese men are related to the
degree of obesity, and both are improved after gastric bypass surgery according to a new
study accepted for publication in The Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM). "Previous studies have found that obesity is
correlated to lower sperm count and can be associated with infertility, but we wanted to
know if obesity was biologically associated with an unsatisfying sex life, and if so,
could it be reversible," said Dr. Ahmad Hammoud, MD, of the University of Utah and
lead author of the study. "Our results show that the answer to both questions may be
yes." For this study, researchers followed 64 men over two years who participated in
the Utah Obesity Study, which investigated the two-year morbidity of severely obese men
undergoing Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery compared to controls. Researchers measured
weight, BMI (body mass index) and reproductive hormone levels of participants at the
beginning of the study and once more two years later. Similarly subjects completed a
questionnaire designed to assess the impact of weight on quality of life in obese
individuals at the onset of the study and again two years later. "In our study
population, we found that lower testosterone levels and diminished ratings for sexual
quality of life were correlated with increased BMI," said Dr. Hammoud. "Subjects
who lost weight through bariatric surgery experienced a reduction in estradiol levels, an
increase in testosterone levels and an increase in ratings of sexual quality of
life."
Schizophrenia linked to signaling
problems in new brain study
Schizophrenia could be caused by faulty signalling in the brain, according to new research
published today in the journal Molecular Psychiatry. In the biggest study of its kind,
scientists looking in detail at brain samples donated by people with the condition have
identified 49 genes that work differently in the brains of schizophrenia patients compared
to controls. Many of these genes are involved in controlling cell-to-cell signalling in
the brain. The study, which was carried out by researchers at Imperial College London and
GlaxoSmithKline, supports the theory that abnormalities in the way in which cells 'talk'
to each other are involved in the disease. Schizophrenia is thought to affect around one
in 100 people. Symptoms vary but can include hallucinations, lack of motivation and
impaired social functioning. The disorder has little physical effect on the brain and its
causes are largely unknown. Some scientists believe that schizophrenia could be caused by
the brain producing too much dopamine, partly because drugs that block dopamine action
provide an effective treatment for the condition. Another theory is that the coat
surrounding nerve cells, which is made of myelin, is damaged in people with schizophrenia.
However, the new study found that the genes for dopamine and for myelin were not acting
any differently in schizophrenia patients compared with controls. Professor Jackie de
Belleroche, the corresponding author of the paper from Imperial College London said:
"The first step towards better treatments for schizophrenia is to really understand
what is going on, to find out what genes are involved and what they are doing. Our new
study has narrowed the search for potential targets for treatment." As well as
pointing towards signalling as the cause of schizophrenia, the new findings could also
lead to new ways of diagnosing the condition. At the moment, patients are diagnosed on the
basis of their behaviour.
Study shows potential for resolving
type 2 diabetes with bariatric surgery
As the incidence of obesity-induced type 2 diabetes mellitus continues to increase
worldwide, medical research indicates that surgery to reduce obesity can completely
eliminate all manifestations of diabetes. In a study published in the March 2009 issue of
The American Journal of Medicine, investigators analyzed 621 studies from 1990 to April of
2006, which showed that 78.1% of diabetic patients had complete resolution and diabetes
was improved or resolved in 86.6% of patients as the result of bariatric surgery. The
primary risk factor for type 2 diabetes is obesity, and 90% of all patients with type 2
diabetes are overweight or obese.The dataset included 135,246 patients where 3188 patients
reported resolution of the clinical and laboratory manifestations of type 2 diabetes.
Nineteen studies with 11,175 patients reported both weight loss and diabetes resolution
outcomes separately for the 4070 diabetic patients in those studies. Clinical findings
were substantiated by the laboratory parameters of serum insulin, HbA1c, and
glucose.Researchers observed a progressive relationship of diabetes resolution and weight
loss as a function of the operation performed: laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding,
gastroplasty, gastric bypass, and biliopancreatic diversion/duodenal switch (BPD/DS).
Gastric banding yielded 56.7% resolution, gastroplasty 79.7%, gastric bypass 80.3% and
BPD/DS 95.1%. After more than 2 year post-operative, the corresponding resolutions were
58.3%, 77.5%, 70.9%, and 95.9%. In addition, the percent excess weight loss was 46.2%,
55.5%, 59.7% and 63.6%, for the type of surgery performed, respectively.
Doctors endorse vegan and
vegetarian diets for healthy pregnancies
Well-planned vegetarian and vegan diets are healthful choices for pregnant women and their
children, and vitamin B12 needs can be easily met with fortified foods or any common
multivitamin, say doctors and dietitians with the Physicians Committee for Responsible
Medicine (PCRM). PCRM nutrition experts are available for comment in response to a new
Pediatrics study showing that low levels of vitamin B12 may increase the risk for neural
tube defects. The Pediatrics study is based on analysis of stored blood samples originally
collected during pregnancy from three groups of Irish women between 1983 and 1990. It's
not clear if any of the women were vegan, but the study clearly states that this
population was deliberately chosen because vitamin supplementation and food fortification
were rare at that time. The women lived in a region of traditionally high neural tube
defects prevalence, suggesting a moderately high genetic predisposition. Experts agree
that pregnant women can thrive on vegan diets. The American Dietetic Association, the
nation's largest organization of food and nutrition professionals, states that
"well-planned vegan and other types of vegetarian diets are appropriate for all
stages of the life cycle, including during pregnancy, lactation, infancy, childhood, and
adolescence." Vegetarian diets offer a number of nutritional benefits, including
lower levels of saturated fat and cholesterol and higher levels of fiber, folate, and
cancer-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals. "Women who follow vegan diets not
only have healthy pregnancies, they are often healthier than moms who consume meat,"
says Susan Levin, M.S., R.D., staff dietitian with PCRM. "By eating a variety of
fruits, vegetables, and other healthful vegetarian foods and including breakfast cereals
or other foods fortified with vitamin B12, mothers and their children can obtain all the
nutrients they need to thrive."
Optical techniques show continued
promise in detecting pancreatic cancer
Optical technology developed by a Northwestern University professor of biomedical
engineering has been shown to be effective in detecting the presence of pancreatic cancer
through analysis of neighboring tissue in the duodenum, according to clinical trial
results published in the journal Disease Markers. The promising new technology -- which
researchers hope could help raise the extremely low survival rate of pancreatic cancer
patients by aiding early detection -- uses novel light-scattering techniques to analyze
extremely subtle changes in the cells of the duodenum, part of the small intestine
neighboring the pancreas. The cells are obtained through a minimally invasive endoscopy.
The study shows that cells that appear normal using traditional microscopy techniques do
show signs of abnormality when examined using the Northwestern technique, which provides
cell analysis on the much smaller nanoscale. The technology was developed by Vadim
Backman, professor of biomedical engineering at the McCormick School of Engineering and
Applied Science at Northwestern, and Vladimir Turzhitsky, a graduate student in Backman's
lab. Clinical trials have been conducted in collaboration with Hemant Roy, M.D., director
of gastroenterology research at NorthShore University HealthSystem, and Randall Brand,
M.D., a gastroenterologist at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. In the study of
203 patients, the technique accurately discriminated with 95 percent sensitivity between
healthy patients and those with differing stages of the disease. (Only 5 percent of
patients were found to have been diagnosed with false negatives after testing.) The
specificity of the testing group was 71 percent. These results confirm those of an earlier
study of 51 patients published in August 2007 in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.The
larger number of patients in the more recent study allowed researchers to calculate the
"area under the receiver operator characteristic" (AUROC), which is an analysis
of the accuracy of the test in distinguishing healthy samples from diseased samples. While
the sensitivity and specificity of tests may vary based on the threshold set by
researchers for diagnosis, the AUROC measures the overall efficacy of the diagnostic
technique. The analysis showed an 85 percent AUROC for the Northwestern method.
(Clinically sound tests typically have an AUROC greater than 70 percent.)The study in
Disease Markers also reports promising results in detecting mucinous cyst lesions, which
are a precursor to cancer. If confirmed in further clinical trials, this approach may lead
to a method for early diagnosis.
Broccoli may help protect against
respiratory conditions like asthma
Here's another reason to eat your broccoli: UCLA researchers report that a naturally
occurring compound found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect
against respiratory inflammation that causes conditions like asthma, allergic rhinitis and
chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Published in the March edition of the journal
Clinical Immunology, the research shows that sulforaphane, a chemical in broccoli,
triggers an increase of antioxidant enzymes in the human airway that offers protection
against the onslaught of free radicals that we breathe in every day in polluted air,
pollen, diesel exhaust and tobacco smoke. A supercharged form of oxygen, free radicals can
cause oxidative tissue damage, which leads to inflammation and respiratory conditions like
asthma. "This is one of the first studies showing that broccoli sprouts — a
readily available food source — offered potent biologic effects in stimulating an
antioxidant response in humans," said Dr. Marc Riedl, the study's principal
investigator and an assistant professor of clinical immunology and allergy at the David
Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. "We found a two- to three-fold increase in
antioxidant enzymes in the nasal airway cells of study participants who had eaten a
preparation of broccoli sprouts," Riedl said. "This strategy may offer
protection against inflammatory processes and could lead to potential treatments for a
variety of respiratory conditions."
Hormone link to fat storage
It's a paradox that has flummoxed women for generations – their apparent ability to
store fat more efficiently than men, despite eating proportionally fewer calories. While
it has long been suspected that female sex hormones are responsible, a UNSW research
review has for the first time drawn a link between one hormone – oestrogen – and
its impact on fat storage for childbearing. On average, women have six to 11 percent more
body fat than men. Studies show oestrogen reduces a woman’s ability to burn energy
after eating, resulting in more fat being stored around the body. The likely reason is to
prime women for childbearing, the review suggests. "Female puberty and early
pregnancy – times of increased oestrogen – could be seen as states of efficient
fat storage in preparation for fertility, foetal development and lactation," the
study’s author Associate Professor Anthony O’Sullivan, from UNSW’s St
George Clinical School, said.
Water method for unsedated
colonoscopy
During a colonoscopy, the colon must be distended (expanded) in order to pass the
colonoscope through the full length of the colon to the cecum (the cul-de-sac lying below
the terminal ileum forming the first part of the large intestine or colon ). The
advancement of the scope into the cecum is termed cecal intubation and is mandatory for
colonoscopy to be effective. Air is the usual medium to distend the bowel. However, air
insertion can lengthen the colon (much like an accordion) and result in discomfort that
may prevent cecal intubation, particularly in the unsedated patient. The authors of this
study used warm water, rather than air, to distend the colon based on their prior
experience with this technique. They previously found that when water was infused into the
colon instead of air during colonoscope insertion, approximately 50 percent of the colon
exams could be completed without sedation. Based on this background information,
researchers in California hypothesized that the novel water method would enhance cecal
intubation and increase the proportion of patients willing to have another colonoscopy
with no sedation. An unsedated colonoscopy program was instituted in 2002 at the Veterans
Affairs Sepulveda Ambulatory Care Center in California. From June 2005 to May 2006, the
air method was used for colonoscopy. From June 2006 to October 2007 the water method was
used. With the latter method, the air pump was disabled and "warm to touch" tap
water in lieu of air was used. Sixty-two veterans were examined using the air method and
63 veterans were examined using the water method. The cecal intubation rate with the air
method was 76 percent, while the water method was 97 percent. The proportion of patients
who reported a willingness to repeat an unsedated colonoscopy was significantly higher
with the water method at 90 percent compared with 69 percent for the air method.
USC researchers identify gene
variant associated with both autism and gastrointestinal dysfunction
A study led by researchers at the University of Southern California (USC) and Vanderbilt
University have identified a specific gene variant that links increased genetic risk for
autism with gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. The findings suggest that disrupted
signaling of the MET gene may contribute to a syndrome that includes autism and
co-occurring gastrointestinal dysfunction, says principal investigator Pat Levitt, Ph.D.,
director of the Zilkha Neurogenetic Institute at the Keck School of Medicine of USC and
chair-designate of the Department of cell and neurobiology. The study will appear in the
March Issue of the journal Pediatrics and is now available online. Autism is a
developmental disorder characterized by deficits in communication abilities, social
behavior disruption and inflexible behavior. While gastrointestinal conditions are common
among individuals with autism, researchers have long debated whether co-occurring GI
dysfunction represents a unique autism subgroup, Levitt and lead author Daniel Campbell,
Ph.D., say. "Gastrointestinal disorders don't cause autism. Autism is a disorder of
brain development," Levitt says. "However, our study is the first to bring
together genetic risk for autism and co-occurring GI disorders in a way that provides a
biologically plausible explanation for why they are seen together so often." In the
brain, the MET gene is expressed in developing circuits that are involved in social
behavior and communication. Disturbances in MET expression result in alterations in how
these critical circuits develop and mature, Levitt explains. Research indicates that MET
also plays an important role in development and repair of the GI system. Researchers
analyzed medical history records from 214 families in the Autism Genetic Resource Exchange
(AGRE). They found that a variant in the MET gene was associated with autism specifically
in those families where an individual had co-occurring autism and a GI condition. The
study brings researchers closer to understanding the complex genetic risks for autism.
However, further research is needed, as different combinations of genes are likely to
result in different types of autism features, Levitt says. "We believe that there are
other genes that will help identify different subgroups of individuals who have autism
spectrum disorder," he says. "We also believe that there needs to be research
looking at whether the children with co-occurring GI dysfunction and autism have unique
features that will help us predict what treatments will be best for them."
Low levels of vitamin B12 may
increase risk for neural tube defects
Children born to women who have low blood levels of vitamin B12 shortly before and after
conception may have an increased risk of a neural tube defect, according to an analysis by
researchers at the National Institutes of Health, Trinity College Dublin, and the Health
Research Board of Ireland. Women with the lowest B12 levels had 5 times the risk of having
a child with a neural tube defect compared to women with the highest B12 levels. Women who
consume little or no meat or animal based foods are the most likely group of women to have
low B12 levels, along with women who have intestinal disorders that prevent them from
absorbing sufficient amounts of B12. Neural tube defects are a class of birth defects
affecting the brain and spinal cord. One type, spina bifida, can cause partial paralysis.
Another type, anencephaly, is a fatal defect in which the brain and skull are severely
underdeveloped. Researchers have known that taking another nutrient, folic acid, during
the weeks before and after conception can greatly reduce a woman's chances of having a
child with a neural tube defect. Folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin folate.
In the United States, cereal grains are fortified with folic acid to reduce the occurrence
of neural tube defects in the U.S. population. The study appears in the March Pediatrics.
The study's first author was Anne M. Molloy, Ph.D., Trinity College Dublin. Scientists
from the Health Research Board of Ireland and two NIH institutes, the Eunice Kennedy
Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development and the National Human
Genome Research Institute, also took part in the study. "Vitamin B12 is essential for
the functioning of the nervous system and for the production of red blood cells,"
said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of the NICHD. "The results of this study suggest
that women with low levels of B12 not only may risk health problems of their own, but also
may increase the chance that their children may be born with a serious birth defect."
Vitamin A signals offer clues to
treating autoimmunity
Distributed around the body, dendritic cells act as the security alarms of the immune
system. After sensing the presence of intruders, dendritic cells can transmit the alarm to
white blood cells or tell them to relax, depending on the signals they send out.
Researchers at the Emory Vaccine Center and Yerkes National Primate Research Center have
discovered that dendritic cells can respond to the same compound, through two different
receptors, by sending out both stimulatory and calming messages at once. The compound is
zymosan, a component of yeast cell walls. However, the finding could guide scientists in
designing vaccines against many infectious agents since the calming receptor is known to
respond to bacteria and viruses as well as yeast. In addition, silencing the calming
receptor's messages might boost the immune system's ability to fight a chronic infection.
The calming receptor, known as TLR2 (Toll-like receptor 2), uses vitamin A to transmit its
signals, which provides an explanation for the connection between vitamin A deficiency and
autoimmune diseases. Vitamin A deficiency has been linked to diseases such as rheumatoid
arthritis, lupus and type I diabetes. This "two signals at once" feature of the
immune system can be viewed as the result of an evolutionary tug of war, says senior
author Bali Pulendran, PhD, professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at Emory
University School of Medicine and Yerkes National Primate Research Center. "The
immune system has to provide a defense against infection, while avoiding the destruction
of too much of the body along the way," he says. "At the same time, pathogens
have evolved strategies to manipulate the immune system for their own purposes."
Vegetable-based drug could inhibit
melanoma
Compounds extracted from green vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage could be a potent
drug against melanoma, according to cancer researchers. Tests on mice suggest that these
compounds, when combined with selenium, target tumors more safely and effectively than
conventional therapy. "There are currently no drugs to target the proteins that
trigger melanoma," said Gavin Robertson, associate professor of pharmacology,
pathology and dermatology, Penn State College of Medicine. "We have developed drugs
from naturally occurring compounds that can inhibit the growth of tumors in mice by 50 to
60 percent with a very low dose." Robertson and his colleagues previously showed the
therapeutic potential of targeting the Akt3 protein in inhibiting the development of
melanoma. The search for a drug to block the protein led them to a class of compounds
called isothiocyanates. These naturally occurring chemicals found in cruciferous
vegetables are known to have certain cancer-fighting properties. However, the potency of
these compounds is so low that a successful drug would require large impractical amounts
of these compounds. Instead, the Penn State researchers rewired the compounds by replacing
their sulfur bonds with selenium. The result, they believe, is a more potent drug that can
be delivered intravenously in low doses. "Selenium deficiency is common in cancer
patients, including those diagnosed with metastatic melanoma," explained Robertson,
whose findings appear in the March edition of Clinical Cancer Research. "Besides,
selenium is known to destabilize Akt proteins in prostate cancer cells."
Underlying sleep problem linked to
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children
A study in the March 1 issue of the journal SLEEP suggests the presence of an intrinsic
sleep problem specific to attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and supports the
idea that children with ADHD may be chronically sleep deprived and have abnormal REM
sleep. Results show that children with ADHD have a total sleep time that is significantly
shorter than that of controls. Children in the ADHD group had an average total sleep time
of eight hours, 19 minutes; this was 33 minutes less than the average sleep time of eight
hours, 52 minutes, in controls. Children with ADHD also had an average rapid eye movement
(REM) sleep time that was significantly reduced by 16 minutes. According to the principal
investigator and the lead author, Reut Gruber, PhD, director of the Attention, Behaviour
and Sleep Lab at the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, results of the study were
encouraging, as the researchers were able to control for many confounding factors, which
reduced some of the confusion and contradictions discovered in previous studies. Measuring
sleep architecture in the children's beds at home using portable PSG, also allowed
researchers to better represent the natural sleep pattern, thus increasing the validity of
the study."I do not believe that sleep per se is the cause of ADHD, but it may make
the symptoms worse in children with sleep problems. There are reports in the literature in
which treating sleep problems led to improvement in ADHD symptoms but I suspect that these
results were seen in children with sleep apnea. More research needs to be done in order to
determine if sleep affects ADHD children with no primary sleep disorder." According
to the authors, ADHD is one of the most prevalent conditions in child psychiatry, and 25
percent to 50 percent of children and adolescents diagnosed with the disorder have
clinically reported sleep problems. Partial sleep loss on a chronic basis accumulates to
become a sleep debt, which can produce significant daytime sleepiness and neurobehavioral
impairment. Studies also have shown that disrupted sleep can affect daytime learning and
attention in childhood and can lead to ADHD-like symptoms.
Glutathione Depletion-Methylation
Cycle Block - A Hypothesis For the Pathogenesis of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
At the Seventh International Conference of the AACFS in 2004, the author proposed and
defended the hypothesis that glutathione depletion is an important part of the
pathogenesis of CFS.
Does Eating Fewer Calories Improve
the Brain?
This study is commendable because it is the first prospectively planned trial in older
adults to demonstrate memory benefits of a low-calorie diet. The replication in humans of
some of the findings seen in earlier animal studies provides an important proof of concept
step that will encourage and guide the design of larger future studies. Further, it
demonstrated improvements in the type of memory (delayed recall) that is typically the
first to fail in very early stages of Alzheimer’s disease.
Clues seen to how fructose may
promote diabetes
A new animal study may help explain why diets high in the sugar fructose have been linked
to insulin resistance, a precursor to type 2 diabetes.
Seaweed supplement may aid knee
arthritis
A mineral supplement derived from seaweed may help people with knee arthritis cut down on
painkillers, a preliminary study suggests.
Union of Concerned Scientists Says
No to GMO Corn for Biofuel
the Union of Concerned Scientists has urged the USDA to ban outdoor production of the new
corn, as well as “any other food crop genetically engineered to produce
pharmaceutical or industrial substances.”
Combining pesticides makes them
more deadly
Common agricultural pesticides that attack the nervous systems of salmon can turn more
deadly when they combine with other pesticides, researchers have found. Scientists from
the NOAA Fisheries Service and Washington State University were expecting that the harmful
effects would add up as they accumulated in the water. They were surprised to find a
deadly synergy occurred with some combinations, which made the mix more harmful and at
lower levels of exposure than the sum of the parts.
Tumor suppressors may prompt cancer
to return
The drugs, which include Pfizer's Sutent and Genentech's top-selling Avastin, are designed
to starve tumors by blocking the formation of new blood vessels that could nourish their
growth. But that tactic could incite the tumor to activate a sort of "guerrilla
warfare" campaign to evade the famine, said UCSF Professor Douglas Hanahan, one of
the senior authors of the paper. The original tumor might release individual cells that
can spread more invasive growths to other parts of the body, the UCSF team concluded based
on animal experiments.
Study sheds light on angiogenesis
inhibitors, points to limitations, solutions
A new generation of cancer drugs designed to starve tumors of their blood supply –
called “angiogenesis inhibitors”—succeeds at first, but then promotes more
invasive cancer growth—sometimes with a higher incidence of metastases, according to
a new study in animals. The research clarifies similar findings in other animal studies
and is consistent with some early evidence from a small number of clinical trials with
cancer patients. “People have thought that angiogenesis-inhibiting therapy should
hinder metastasis, but these studies show this is not necessarily the case,” says
Gabriele Bergers, PhD, co-author of a paper reporting the study in the March 3, 2009 issue
of the journal “Cancer Cell.” Bergers is an associate professor of neurosurgery
and anatomy at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). The scientists urge new
studies to determine if the drugs affect tumors in patients as they do in their mouse
models of human cancers. They call for preclinical and clinical trials combining
angiogenesis-inhibiting drugs with ones targeting the capability for invasion and
metastasis. Some treatment strategies already in clinical trials that pair angiogenesis
inhibitor drugs with chemotherapy, for example, might gain the first drug’s early
benefit without triggering subsequent invasion or metastasis, they note. “The ability
of angiogenesis inhibitors to starve tumors rather than poison them has been a true
breakthrough,” says Douglas Hanahan, PhD, professor of biochemistry and biophysics at
UCSF and co-senior author on the paper. “But they are not likely to be a one-stop
fix. No cancer drug has yet been found to cure most forms of human cancer. Therapies beat
it back, but almost inevitably the cancer develops some form of resistance.”
Estrogen mimics at low doses change
how brain cells manage dopamine
For the first time, scientists find that extremely low levels of some types of
environmental estrogens disrupt specialized brain cells and their ability to regulate
brain chemistry. All of the EEs tested changed the way cells released and reabsorbed
dopamine, an important chemical messenger that governs movement and pleasure. In some
cases, the responses were stronger when natural estrogens were mixed with one EE, as
exposures most likely occur in people and animals. These changes may explain how EEs
contribute to nervous system diseases, such as Parkinsons and schizophrenia, that are
caused by abnormal dopamine responses. Xenoestrogens and other estrogen mimics are
environmental contaminants that act in ways similar to -- but not exactly like -- natural
hormones such as estrogen. Exposure to these chemicals, particularly at very low levels,
can cause biological outcomes that are not predicted by traditional experimental
procedures.
"It's quite likely that chronic nutritional vitamin D deficiency puts all of us at
risk for developing debilitating, long-latency, chronic diseases," Wagner said.
"Diseases such as insulin-resistance, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer and
autoimmune diseases."
Vitamin B-12 may be more effective
than nortriptyline in improving painful diabetic neuropathy
In conclusion, vitamin B-12 is more effective than nortriptyline for the treatment of
symptomatic painful diabetic neuropathy.
The Controversy about a Possible
Relationship between Mobile Phone Use and Cancer
Methodologic considerations revealed that three important conditions for epidemiologic
studies to detect an increased risk are not met: a) no evidence-based exposure metric is
available ; b) the observed duration of mobile phone use is generally still too low ; c)
no evidence-based selection of end points among the grossly different types of neoplasias
is possible because of lack of etiologic hypotheses. Concerning risk estimates, selection
bias, misclassification bias, and effects of the disease on mobile phone use could have
reduced estimates, and recall bias may have led to spuriously increased risks. The overall
evidence speaks in favor of an increased risk, but its magnitude cannot be assessed at
present because of insufficient information on long-term use.
The Synergistic Toxicity of
Pesticide Mixtures
We observed addition and synergism, with a greater degree of synergism at higher exposure
concentrations. Several combinations of organophosphates were lethal at concentrations
that were sublethal in single-chemical trials.
Proximity to Traffic, Inflammation,
and Immune Function among Women in the Seattle
If the observed association between residential proximity to traffic and decreased NK
cytotoxicity is confirmed in other populations, our results may have implications for
local land use policy.
Developmental Exposure to
Polychlorinated Biphenyls Interferes with Experience
Developmental exposure to PCBs interferes with normal patterns of dendritic growth and
plasticity, and these effects may be linked to changes in RyR expression and function.
These findings identify PCBs as candidate environmental risk factors for
neurodevelopmental disorders, especially in children with heritable deficits in calcium
signaling.
Cats' Eye Diseases Genetically
Linked to Diseases in Humans
bout one in 3,500 people are affected with retinitis pigmentosa (RP), a disease of the
retina's visual cells that eventually leads to blindness. Now, a University of Missouri
researcher has identified a genetic link between cats and humans for two different forms
of RP. This discovery will help scientists develop gene-based therapies that will benefit
both cats and humans. "The same genetic mutations that cause retinal blindness in
humans also cause retinal blindness in cats," said Kristina Narfstrom, the Ruth M.
Kraeuchi-Missouri Professor in Veterinary Ophthalmology in the MU College of Veterinary
Medicine. "Now, cats with these mutations can be used as important animal models to
evaluate the efficiency of gene therapy. In addition, the eye is an ideal organ to use as
we examine the potential of gene replacement intervention because it offers an accessible
and confined environment."
'Pre-Diabetics' Face Heightened
Risk of Heart Disease
Older adults who have impaired glucose tolerance but who are not considered diabetic are
at elevated risk for heart disease and may benefit from preventive therapies, according to
a new study conducted by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva
University. The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology &
Metabolism, was led by Jill P. Crandall, M.D., associate professor of clinical medicine
and director of the Diabetes Clinical Trials Unit at Einstein. Diabetes becomes
increasingly common with age. An estimated 37 million Americans over the age of 65 have
diabetes, almost one-quarter of that population. Another 20 to 30 percent of seniors, an
estimated 7.5 to 11.1 million, are not clinically diabetic but have impaired glucose
tolerance, which is considered a form of "pre-diabetes." "In most cases,
this mild form of high blood glucose causes no symptoms and is often overlooked by both
doctors and patients, but studies have shown that it may be associated with increased risk
of heart disease," says Dr. Crandall. "The purpose of this study was to explore
the cardiovascular risk profile of older adults with pre-diabetes."
Penn Researchers Identify Source of
Cells that Spur Aberrant Bone Growth
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and the University of
Connecticut have pinpointed the source of immature cells that spur misplaced bone growth.
Unexpectedly, the major repository of bone-forming cells originates in blood vessels deep
within skeletal muscle and other connective tissues, not from muscle stem cells
themselves. The work also shows that cells important in the inflammatory response to
injury trigger skeleton-stimulating proteins to transform muscle tissue into bone.
New study shows how spikes in
nitrite can have
A new study provides insight into how a short burst in nitrite can exert lasting
beneficial effects on the heart, protecting it from stress and assaults such as heart
attacks. In this study, just published in Circulation Research, researchers at Boston
University School of Medicine have demonstrated for the first time that short elevations
in circulating levels of this simple anion are sufficient to have a lasting impact on the
heart by modulating its oxidation status and its protein machinery. Nitrite, an oxidation
product of the ubiquitous short-lived cell signaling molecule, nitric oxide (NO), was
until recently thought to be biologically inert at the relatively low levels found in the
body. Traces of nitrite are present in our diet and significant amounts are continuously
produced from nitrate, another oxidation product of NO and a constituent of green, leafy
vegetables. The suspicion that high levels of nitrite and nitrate may cause cancer, as
well as concerns about their risk to compromise the ability of red blood cells to deliver
oxygen to tissues, have led to strict regulations aimed at limiting our exposure to these
substances through drinking water and food products. In the past few years, however,
multiple research groups have shown that low concentrations of nitrite exert numerous
beneficial effects, ranging from anti-bacterial activities to increases in local blood
flow, and that they can somehow protect tissues from damage when oxygen is suddenly cut
off and then rapidly restored, as occurs during heart attacks and strokes. To study the
molecular underpinnings of this protective effect of nitrite, the researchers at Boston
University School of Medicine used a rat model in which they administered nitrite only
once, causing a short spike in circulating levels, as a way to simulate the types of
naturally occurring increases in nitrite that follow exercise or consumption of a meal
rich in nitrate.
Good co-parenting may reduce
children's problems
Warm, cooperative co-parenting between mothers and fathers may help protect children who
are at risk for some types of behavior problems, a new study suggests. Researchers found
that supportive co-parenting helped children who have difficulty regulating their behavior
and attention levels – what researchers call effortful control. The study looked at
changes in children’s level of aggressive behavior and other forms of “acting
out” as they went from 4 years old to 5 years old. Results showed that children who
had low levels of effortful control generally showed increases in these negative behaviors
over the course of the year – unless their parents had a supportive co-parenting
relationship.
Research trial appeal for pregnant
smokers
Mums-to-be across the East Midlands are being invited to take part in research that aims
to establish whether nicotine patches are safe and effective for pregnant smokers. Around
750 women have already signed up for the £1.3 million Smoking, Nicotine and Pregnancy
(SNAP) trial but a further 300 participants are being sought by the researchers in The
University of Nottingham’s Division of Primary Care. The call follows the recent
launch of a powerful Government campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of women
smoking in pregnancy and the extremely serious health risks it can pose to both the mother
and her unborn child. Around 30 per cent of pregnant women smoke and researchers say it
can cause significant health problems for the unborn child. It accounts for around 4,000
fetal deaths every year, including miscarriages, and can contribute to premature births,
low birth weight, cot death and asthma. It is also associated with problems later in
childhood, including attention deficit and learning difficulties. Smoking brings the fetus
into contact not just with nicotine but with a long list of other harmful chemicals.
Expert consensus is that using nicotine replacement therapy (NRT), such as patches, is
probably safer than smoking. However, while NRT can double a non-pregnant smoker’s
chances of giving up, pregnant women metabolise nicotine a lot faster so it cannot be
assumed that NRT will even work for them. The University of Nottingham trial will aim to
establish empirically that they are safe and effective.
Increased understanding of immune
system activation
Linda Andersson at Malmö University in Sweden has studied the ability of dendritic cells
to sample the surrounding environment. To understand how different materials are taken up
and what happens within the cells can for example facilitate the development of new
vaccines. “The immune system is a large and important part of ourselves and the
dendritic cells are important for the activation of this system”, Linda Andersson
says. “One task of the immune system is to protect the body from infections. The
dendritic cells have an unique ability to obtain samples from its environment and treat
the material, in process called endocytosis. In my study I have explored how dendritic
cells recognise and capture particles.” To study the endocytosing ability of
dendritic cells Linda Andersson has used zeolite particles and through them different
biomolecules are transported into the cell. With the help of zeolites you can follow
different paths and study what happens within the cell. “The result shows that
zeolites are an useful tool for studying endocytosis and that there are differences
between various dendritic cells”, Linda Andersson says.
Old Cells Work Differently
The agglutination and accumulation of proteins in nerve cells are major hallmarks of
age-related neurodegenerative illnesses such as Alzheimer's disease. Cellular survival
thus depends on a controlled removal of excessive protein. Scientists at Johannes
Gutenberg University Mainz have now discovered exactly how specific control proteins
regulate protein breakdown during the ageing process. Every protein in our cells has a
defined life span. At the end of this time and even sooner (e.g., in response to injury
caused by external factors such as oxidative stress), proteins are eliminated by means of
a specific protein degradation process. The quantity of proteins requiring elimination can
rise in the face of ongoing oxidative stress, as can occur during the ageing process and
in neurodegenerative illnesses. Damaged proteins that cannot be rendered harmless through
the cell's "protein purification plant" tend to aggregate and accumulate,
thereby threatening the survival of the cell. Nerve cells are especially susceptible to
such protein accumulation, and the agglutination of proteins in nerve cells is a
characteristic pathological symptom of a wide spectrum of age-associated neurodegenerative
illnesses in humans, such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. Effective
protein quality control is thus a requirement for the survival of all cells.
Cleansing toxic waste – with
vinegar
Engineers and environmental scientists at the University of Leeds are developing methods
of helping contaminated water to clean itself by adding simple organic chemicals such as
vinegar. The harmful chromium compounds found in the groundwater at sites receiving waste
from former textiles factories, smelters, and tanneries have been linked to cancer, and
excessive exposure can lead to problems with the kidneys, liver, lungs and kin. The
research team, led by Dr Doug Stewart from the School of Civil Engineering and Dr Ian
Burke from the School of Earth and Environment, has discovered that adding dilute acetic
acid (vinegar) to the affected site stimulates the growth of naturally-occurring bacteria
by providing an attractive food source. In turn, these bacteria then cleanse the affected
area by altering the chemical make-up of the chromium compounds to make them harmless.
“The original industrial processes changed these chemicals to become soluble, which
means they can easily leach into the groundwater and make it unsafe, says Dr Burke.
“Our treatment method reconverts the oxidised chromate to a non-soluble state, which
means it can be left safely in the ground without risk to the environment. As it is no
longer ‘bio-available’ it doesn’t present any risk to the surrounding
ecosystem.” Chromate chemicals have previously been successfully treated in situ in
neutral Ph conditions, but this study is unique in that it concentrates on extremely
alkaline conditions, which are potentially much more difficult to treat.
Nanosensors to prevent illnesses
Researchers at the Cidetec-IK4 technological centre have developed electrochemical sensors
that, amongst other functions, enable the detection of possible mutations in DNA in a more
rapid manner that has been achieved to date. The most notable aspect of the developed
research is that this detection of DNA has been employed solely as a concept test, to
study the viability of sensors. Thus, a wide range of possibilities has been opened for
the coming years, in which nanosensors will be able to be applied to detect other types of
molecules and even in the study of genetic illnesses. The scientific magazine NanoLetters,
published by the American Chemical Society, has reflected the importance of this research,
drawn up by a Cidetec-IK4 team in collaboration with the University of Berkeley and the
CSIC in a project for the manufacture of nanosensors, both optical and electrochemical.
The achievement of this research, and the reason the article was published in NanoLetters,
lies in the fact that the el sensor developed employs only a nanotransistor the cable of
which is a simple carbon nanotube. This has enabled the detection of non-modified DNA
probes. The sensor detects DNA sequences and, thus, could be employed in genetics and in
biotechnology. With certain genetic illnesses, the causal gene is known. Patients with a
specific sequence of genes develop a specific disease. What the sensor can do is to detect
these specific sequences of DNA given that, by its nature, it is highly selective.
Are vitamin supplements effective
in celiac disease patients?
The study demonstrates in agreement with earlier findings, that both the presence and the
severity of coeliac disease were determinants of homocysteine levels. The regular use of B
vitamin supplements was associated with higher serum vitamin B6, folate, and vitamin B12
and lower plasma homocysteine levels in patients with coeliac disease. Furthermore, B
vitamin supplements seem to have a protective role against the effect of villous atrophy
on homocysteine levels, irrespective to the genetic susceptibility status as manifested by
carrying the C677T polymorphism of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase.
Electroacupuncture protects
acetylsalicylic acid-induced acute gastritis in rats
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used as anti-inflammatory and
analgesic agents. However, they often cause gastrointestinal injury in gastric lesions by
inhibiting COX (cyclooxygenase) and detailed mechanism remains unclear. Thus, effective
strategies are required to protect the gastrointestinal mucosa. A research article to be
published on February 28, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this
question. The research team led by Dr. Choi from Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine
investigated the protective effects of acupuncture against NSAID-induced ulceration in a
rat model. In their study, 72 rats were randomly divided into three groups including
control (administered with distilled water), ASA group (administered 100 mg/kg ASA) and EA
group (administered EA + 100 mg/kg ASA). Each rat was fasted for 18 to 24hours before
experimentation, and lesion scores, gastric acidity, cyclooxygenase (COX)-1 and -2 mRNA
levels, and total nitric oxide (NO) concentration were measured. They found that the
lesion scores of the EA group were significantly lower than those of the NSAID-induced
ulceration group. Gastric acidity of NSAID-induced ulceration group and EA group was
reduced as compared to the control group. COX-1 and -2 mRNA levels were significantly
increased in the EA group as compared to the control and NSAID-induced ulceration group,
and NO levels were also significantly increased in the EA group as compared to the
NSAID-induced ulceration group.
Influence of 'obesity gene' can be
offset by healthy diet
Children who carry a gene strongly associated with obesity could offset its effect by
eating a low energy density diet, according to new research from UCL (University College
London) and the University of Bristol published today in PLoS ONE. The study, based on
data from a sample of 2275 children from the Bristol-based ALSPAC study (Children of the
90s) provides evidence that people might be able to avoid becoming obese if they adopt a
healthier diet with a low energy density – even those who carry the FTO gene,
identified as being a high risk gene for obesity. Dietary energy density (DED) refers to
the amount of energy consumed per unit weight of food, or number of calories per bite. A
low dietary energy density can be achieved by eating lots of water-rich foods like fruits
and vegetables and limiting foods high in fat and sugar like chocolate and biscuits. The
researchers looked at how DED affected the build up of fat in the body over a period of
three years in children aged between 10 and 13 years old. They found that children with a
more energy dense diet (more calories per bite) tended to have more fat mass three years
later and also confirmed that those carrying the high risk gene had greater fat mass
overall. When the researchers looked at whether children with the FTO gene had a stronger
reaction to an energy dense diet than children with a lower genetic risk they found that
they did not. These results indicate that if a child with a high genetic risk eats a diet
with fewer calories per bite, they may be able to offset the effect of the gene on weight
gain and so stay a healthy weight.
Fast-food density and neighborhood
walkability affect residents' weight and waist size
In a research article published recently by the American Journal of Epidemiology, Oregon
Research Institute (ORI) scientist Fuzhong Li, Ph.D., and colleagues show that a
high-density of fast food outlets was associated with an increase of 3 pounds in weight
and .8 inches in waist circumference among neighborhood residents who frequently ate at
those restaurants. In contrast, high-walkability neighborhoods were associated with a
decrease of 2.7 pounds in weight and 0.6 inches in waist size among residents who
increased their levels of vigorous physical activity during a one-year period. "This
is one of the few longitudinal studies that focus on change in individuals' body weight
over time in relation to their lifestyle behaviors and immediate living
environments," noted Dr. Li. "The uniqueness of this study lies in its
environment-person approach which we use to show that health-impeding environments, such
as a high density of fast-food outlets, together with residents' behavior, such as eating
fast food regularly, can have an unhealthy impact on body weight. On the other hand,
health-promoting environments, such as walkable neighborhood streets, in conjunction with
physically active residents, can have a positive impact on body weight over time."
said Dr. Li.
How stress unravels the brain's
structure
The helpless behavior that is commonly linked to depression and post-traumatic stress
disorder (PTSD) is preceded by stress-related losses of synapses—microscopic
connections between brain cells—in the brain's hippocampal region, researchers at
Yale School of Medicine report in the March 1 issue of Biological Psychiatry. The team
used a six-day treatment with the antidepressant desipramine to reverse helpless behavior
and restore hippocampal synapses in rats. "In clinical practice, the main problem
with antidepressants is that they require weeks to exert their effect," said lead
scientist on the project Tibor Hajszan, M.D., associate research scientist in the
Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale School of
Medicine. "Because there are ways to restore these lost hippocampal synapses in as
little as hours or even minutes, our laboratory is currently testing rapid-acting
antidepressants that could provide immediate relief from depressive symptoms." Mental
health disorders, including depression, are rapidly becoming the second largest public
health problem, said Hajszan. "This is magnified by the fact that current
antidepressant drugs remain ineffective in the majority of patients," he said.
One Drug May Help People Both Lay
Down the Drink and Put Out the Cigarette
A popular smoking cessation drug dramatically reduced the amount a heavy drinker will
consume, a new Yale School of Medicine study has found. Heavy-drinking smokers in a
laboratory setting were much less likely to drink after taking the drug varenicline
compared to those taking a placebo, according to a study published online in the journal
Biological Psychiatry. The group taking varenicline, sold as a stop-smoking aid under the
name Chantix, reported feeling fewer cravings for alcohol and less intoxicated when they
did drink. They were also much more likely to remain abstinent after being offered drinks
than those who received a placebo, the study found.
Stem cells could halt osteoporosis,
promote bone growth
While interferon gamma sounds like an outer space weapon, it's actually a hormone produced
by our own bodies, and it holds great promise to repair bones affected by osteoporosis. In
a new study published in the journal Stem Cells, researchers from the Research Institute
of the McGill University Health Centre explain that tweaking a certain group of
multipotent stem cells (called mesenchymal stem cells) with interferon (IFN) gamma may
promote bone growth. "We have identified a new pathway, centered on IFN gamma, that
controls the bone remodelling process both in-vivo and in-vitro," explains Dr.
Kremer, the study's lead author and co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the McGill
University Health Centre. "More studies are required to describe it more precisely,
but we are hopeful that it could lead to a better understanding of the underlying causes
of osteoporosis, as well as to innovative treatments."
Is one diet as good as another? U
of I study says no and tells you why
Any diet will do? Not if you want to lose fat instead of muscle. Not if you want to lower
your triglyceride levels so you'll be less likely to develop diabetes and heart disease.
Not if you want to avoid cravings that tempt you to cheat on your diet. And not if you
want to keep the weight off long-term. "Our latest study shows you have a better
chance of achieving all these goals if you follow a diet that is moderately high in
protein," said Donald Layman, a University of Illinois professor emeritus of
nutrition. The research was published in the March Journal of Nutrition. Layman's new
study followed the weight-loss efforts of 130 persons at two sites, the U of I and Penn
State University, during 4 months of active weight loss and 8 months of maintenance. Two
previous studies had looked at short-term weight loss; this one was designed to look at
long-term effects, he said. Although both plans were equal in calories, half the group
followed a moderate-protein diet (40% carbohydrates, 30% protein, 30% fat) while the other
followed a diet based on USDA's food-guide pyramid (55% carbohydrates, 15% protein, 15%
fat). "Persons in the first group ate twice the amount of protein as the second
group," said Layman. And the difference in protein made all the difference in
improved body composition and body lipids, he said.
Aluminum, silica in water affect
Alzheimer's risk
Higher levels of aluminum in drinking water appear to increase people's risk of developing
Alzheimer's disease, whereas higher levels of silica appear to decrease the risk,
according to French investigators.
Mortality With Antipsychotic Use in
Alzheimer Disease
Mortality in elderly patients with dementia markedly and progressively increases with
extended use of antipsychotics, according to the first long-term controlled study of risk
in this population. Earlier evidence of this risk was from short-term trials not exceeding
14 weeks.
Diet may be the key to staying
cancer free
A recently release report entitled Policy and Action for Cancer Prevention , published by
the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR),
has estimated about 45 per cent of colon cancer cases and 38 per cent of breast cancer
cases in the United States could be prevented.
Do your own HFCS study
Part of what makes HFCS such an unhealthy product is that it is metabolized in your body
more rapidly than any other sugar and because most of it is consumed in liquid (soft
drinks), making its negative metabolic effects significantly magnified, according to Dr.
Joseph Mercola, leader in the field of patient responsibility.
Immune Reaction to Metal Debris
Leads to Early Failure of Joint Implants
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center have identified a key immunological defense
reaction to the metals in joint replacement devices, leading to loosening of the
components and early failure. The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, won
the annual William H. Harris, MD Award for scientific merit from the Orthopaedic Research
Society. Currently posted online, it is expected to be published in the June issue of the
Journal of Orthopaedic Research. Over 600,000 total joint replacements are performed in
the United States each year. The vast majority are successful and last well over 10 years.
But in up to 10 percent of patients, the metal components loosen, requiring the patient to
undergo a second surgery. The loosening is often caused by localized inflammation, an
immune reaction to tiny particles of debris from the components themselves as they rub
against one another. No infection is involved. “As soon as joint replacement devices
are implanted, they begin to corrode and wear away, releasing particles and ions that
ultimately signal danger to the body’s immune system,” said Nadim Hallab,
associate professor at Rush University Medical Center and the study author. There are two
different types of inflammatory pathways: one that reacts to foreign bodies like bacteria
and viruses, which cause an infection, and another that reacts to “sterile” or
non-living danger signals, including ultraviolet light and oxidative stress. This is the
first time that researchers have shown that debris and ions from implants trigger this
danger-signaling pathway.
Proteomics Prove Accurate In
Identifying Liver Cancer
A study appearing in the January 15, 2008, issue of Clinical Cancer Research demonstrates
that a novel mass-spectrometry based form of proteomic profiling is more accurate than
traditional biomarkers in distinguishing liver cancer patients from patients with
hepatitis C liver cirrhosis, particularly with regard to identifying patients with small,
curable tumors. Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), the
study could help lead to earlier diagnostic methods – and subsequent treatments --
for liver cancer.
How Shift Work Can Adversely Affect
Health
Christos Mantzoros, MD, is Clinical Research Overseer of the Department of Endocrinology,
Diabetes and Metabolism at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC). Over the past 14
years, Mantzoros has studied the leptin hormone, which controls appetite and satiety,
publishing more than 110 original papers and several book chapters on the subject.In an
article in the March 2 Advance On-line issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences (PNAS), Mantzoros, together with colleagues from the Sleep Disorders Research
Program at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, describe new findings that help explain why
night-shift workers are at increased risk of metabolic and cardiac disease, including
obesity, diabetes and hypertension. And, among their key discoveries, is the important
role that leptin plays.
Ban on transfats
A local lawmaker is proposing banning trans fats from all Texas restaurants.
Vaccine Studies - Under the
Influence of Pharma
It was the pharmaceutical industry that told Congress in 1982 that they were going to
leave the nation without vaccines if they didn't get liability protection but have opposed
making it less difficult for vaccine victims to obtain federal compensation in the U.S.
Court of Claims under a 1986 law that gave them liability protection. It is Pharma
lobbyists, who bully the FDA into fast tracking vaccines like Gardasil and who sit at the
CDC's policymaking tables urging that new vaccines be recommended for use by all children
so they can persuade state legislators to mandate vaccines like influenza vaccine.
Interesterified Fat -- Is it Worse
Than Trans Fat?
Since that’s not about to happen, it’s time for a quick review of the bad news
about trans fats, followed by an investigation into what seems to be a fast-growing
substitute - interesterified fats.
Study Finds Possible Health Risk in
Certain Cooked Food
reports on a new study from Poland published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. Marek Naruszewicz and colleagues followed participants who ingested acrylamide
foods. The results suggested acrylamide, found particularly high in potato chips and
French fries, may increase the risk of heart disease. Acrylamide has already been
implicated as a carcinogen and neurotoxin.
Vitamin B12 may be what your brain
needs to keep aging at bay
People older than 60 who were not deficient, but had low levels of the vitamin, were three
to six times more likely to have brain volume loss than those who had the highest levels
of the vitamin.
Protein structure determined in
living cells
The function of a protein is determined both by its structure and by its interaction
partners in the cell. Until now, proteins had to be isolated for analyzing them. An
international team of researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University, Goethe University,
and the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) has, for the first time,
determined the structure of a protein in its natural environment, the living cell. Using
nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, the researchers solved the structure of a
protein within the bacterium Escherichia coli. "We have reached an important goal of
molecular biology", says Prof. Peter Güntert from the Goethe University's
Biomolecular Magnetic Resonance Center. (BMRZ) of The research results will be published
by the scientific journal Nature on March 5, 2009. Conventionally, proteins are extracted
from the cell, purified, and analyzed in single crystals or in solution. NMR spectroscopy
detects signals from the nuclei of hydrogen atoms that are ubiquitous in organic
molecules. Measurements in the living cell are challenging because it is difficult to
distinguish between the protein of interest and the many other proteins in the cytoplasm.
The Japanese researchers around Prof. Yutaka Ito solved this problem by introducing the
gene of a putative heavy-metal-binding protein into the model system Escherichia coli,
where the protein was in high concentration. The success of the measurements relies on the
method of "in-cell" NMR spectroscopy that was developed a few years ago by Prof.
Volker Dötsch from BMRZ at Goethe University. Dötsch was able to attribute signals from
living cells to specific proteins that he had labeled with the stable nitrogen isotope
N-15. However, it was not possible to calculate a three-dimensional structure. "About
two days of measurement time are required to measure a multidimensional NMR
spectrum", says Peter Güntert. "Unfortunately, the cells survive for only a 5-6
hours without supply of oxygen and nutrients. Güntert and his colleagues compensated for
the concomitant drastic reduction of the measurement time by computational reconstruction
of the complete spectrum. Then, they calculated a detailed three-dimensional structure of
the protein within E. coli cells using software that was developed in their research
group.
Magnetic nanoparticles navigate
therapeutic genes through the body
Health professionals send genes and healthy cells on their way through the bloodstream so
that they can, for example, repair tissue damage to arteries. But do they reach their
destination in sufficient quantities? Scientists of the PTB have developed a highly
sensitive measuring method with which the efficiency of this therapy can be investigated:
Small magnetic particles which are situated on the planted gene or on the planted cell can
with the aid of an external magnetic field be specifically directed to the location of the
damage. There the researchers determine, accurate to the picogram per cell, the quantity
of the magnetic material – and thus also the quantity of the therapeutically
effective genes or cells. In a joint study with the University of Bonn it became clear: By
means of the magnetic method it is possible to dramatically increase the efficiency of the
gene transfer in comparison to the non-magnetic method. Magnetic nanoparticles can support
or even enable gene transfer under clinically relevant experimental conditions. For the
transduction of human cells, gene carriers were coupled to magnetic nanoparticles and
dragged into the cells by magnetic field gradients. The efficiency of magnetic
transduction turned out to be much higher than the nonmagnetic procedure. An additional
welcome side effect is the "magnetization" of the cells after the incorporation
of nanoparticles. This may enable the targeted transport of the cells to regions of
interest.
Stem cell breakthrough gives new
hope to sufferers of muscle-wasting diseases
An experimental procedure that dramatically strengthens stem cells' ability to regenerate
damaged tissue could offer new hope to sufferers of muscle-wasting diseases such as
myopathy and muscular dystrophy, according to researchers from the University of New South
Wales (UNSW). The world-first procedure has been successfully used to regrow muscles in a
mouse model, but it could be applied to all tissue-based illnesses in humans such as in
the liver, pancreas or brain, the researchers say. The research team, which is based at
UNSW and formerly from Sydney's Westmead Children's Hospital, adapted a technique
currently being trialled in bone marrow transplantation. Adult stem cells are given a gene
that makes them resistant to chemotherapy, which is used to clean out damaged cells and
allow the new stem cells to take hold. A paper detailing the breakthrough appears in the
prestigious journal Stem Cells this week. The ability of adult stem cells to regenerate
whole tissues opens up a world of new possibilities for many human diseases, according to
the lead authors of the paper, Professor Peter Gunning, Professor Edna Hardeman and Dr
Antonio Lee, from UNSW's School of Medical Sciences. "The beauty of this technique is
that chemotherapy makes space for stem cells coming into muscle and also gives the stem
cells an advantage over the locals. It's the first strategy that gives the good guys the
edge in the battle to cure sick tissues," Professor Gunning said. "What has been
the realm of science fiction is looking more and more like the medicine of the
future," he said.
Immune cells from patients with
rheumatoid arthritis have prematurely aged chromosomes
Telomeres, structures that cap the ends of cells' chromosomes, grow shorter with each
round of cell division unless a specialized enzyme replenishes them. Maintaining telomeres
is thought to be important for healthy aging and cancer prevention. By this measure, T
cells, or white blood cells, from patients with the autoimmune disease rheumatoid
arthritis are worn out and prematurely aged, scientists at Emory University School of
Medicine have discovered. Compared with cells from healthy people, T cells from patients
with rheumatoid arthritis have trouble turning on the enzyme that replenishes telomeres,
they found. Reversing this defect could possibly help people prone to the disease maintain
a balanced immune system.The results are published online this week in Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences. In rheumatoid arthritis, T cells are chronically
over-stimulated, invading the tissue of the joints and causing painful inflammation. This
derangement can be seen as a result of the loss of the immune system's ability to
discriminate friend from foe, says senior author Cornelia Weyand, MD, PhD, co-director of
the Kathleen B. and Mason I. Lowance Center for Human Immunology at Emory University. In
childhood, new T cells are continually produced in the thymus, she says. But after about
age 40, the thymus "involutes" – or shrinks and ceases to function. After
that, the immune system has to make do with the pool of T cells it already has. "What
we see in rheumatoid arthritis is an aged and more restricted T cell repertoire," she
says. "This biases the immune system toward autoimmunity." Weyand, postdoctoral
fellow Hiroshi Fujii, MD, PhD, and their colleagues were interested in mechanisms of T
cells' premature aging, because scientists had previously observed that in rheumatoid
arthritis, T cells tend to shift the molecules on their surface and function differently.
They found the answer in telomerase, the enzyme that renews telomeres and is necessary to
prevent loss of genetic information after repeated cell division.
Study finds injectable birth
control causes significant weight gain and changes in body mass
Women using depot medroxyprogesterone acetate (DMPA), commonly known as the birth control
shot, gained an average of 11 pounds and increased their body fat by 3.4 percent over
three years, according to researchers at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB).
However, women who switched to nonhormonal contraception began to slowly lose the weight
and fat mass they gained – nearly four pounds over two years, while those who used
oral contraception after the shots gained an average of four additional pounds in the same
time span. The amount of weight gain was dependent on the length of time DMPA was used, as
the rate of weight gain slowed over time. The study, which appears in the March 4 issue of
the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is one of the most comprehensive
studies of its kind. DMPA is an injected contraceptive administered to patients every
three months. More than two million American women use DMPA, including approximately
400,000 teens. DMPA is relatively inexpensive compared to some other forms of birth
control, has a low failure rate and doesn't need to be administered daily, which
contributes to the contraceptive's popularity. "Women and their doctors should factor
in this new data when choosing the most appropriate birth control method," said lead
author Abbey Berenson, M.D., professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and
director of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research in Women's Health at UTMB. "One
concern is DMPA's link to increased abdominal fat, a known component of metabolic
syndrome, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke and diabetes,"
said Berenson. The study followed 703 women in two age categories, 16- to 24-years-old,
and 25- to 33-years-old, using DMPA, oral (desogestrel) or nonhormonal (bilateral tubal
ligation, condom or abstinence) contraception for three years. DMPA users who discontinued
this method and selected another form of birth control were followed for up to two
additional years. Throughout the course of the study, researchers compared changes in body
weight and composition and took into account the influence of age, race, caloric intake
and exercise, among other factors. When researchers compared all three groups, DMPA users
were more than twice as likely as women using nonhormonal or oral birth control to become
obese over the next three years. "The findings are worrisome; however, more research
is needed to determine if DMPA use directly contributes to obesity-related conditions and
puts patients' overall health at risk," said Berenson.
While Driving, Cell Phones =
Increased Fatalities
Cell phones are a danger on the road in more ways than one. Two new studies show that
talking on the phone while traveling, whether you’re driving or on foot, is
increasing both pedestrian deaths and those of drivers and passengers, and recommend
crackdowns on cell use by both pedestrians and drivers. The new studies, lead-authored by
Rutgers University, Newark, Economics Professor Peter D. Loeb, relate the impact of cell
phones on accident fatalities to the number of cell phones in use, showing that the
current increase in deaths attributed to cell phone use follows a period when cell phones
actually helped to reduce pedestrian and traffic fatalities. However, this reduction in
fatalities disappeared once the numbers of phones in use reached a “critical
mass” of 100 million, the study found. These studies looked at cell phone use and
motor vehicle accidents from 1975 through 2002, and factored in a number of variables,
including vehicle speed, alcohol consumption, seat belt use, and miles driven. The studies
found the cell phone-fatality correlation to be true even when weighing in factors such as
speed, alcohol consumption, and seat belt use. Loeb and his co-author determined that, at
the current time, cell phone use has a “significant adverse effect on pedestrian
safety” and that “cell phones and their usage above a critical threshold adds to
motor vehicle fatalities.” In the late 1980s and part of the 1990s, before the
numbers of phones exploded, cell phone use actually had a “life-saving effect”
in pedestrian and traffic accidents, Loeb notes. “Cell-phone users’ were able to
quickly call for medical assistance when involved in an accident. This quick medical
response actually reduced the number of traffic deaths for a time,” Loeb
hypothesizes.
Researchers find brain differences
between believers and non-believers
Believing in God can help block anxiety and minimize stress, according to new University
of Toronto research that shows distinct brain differences between believers and
non-believers. In two studies led by Assistant Psychology Professor Michael Inzlicht,
participants performed a Stroop task – a well-known test of cognitive control –
while hooked up to electrodes that measured their brain activity. Compared to
non-believers, the religious participants showed significantly less activity in the
anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a portion of the brain that helps modify behavior by
signaling when attention and control are needed, usually as a result of some
anxiety-producing event like making a mistake. The stronger their religious zeal and the
more they believed in God, the less their ACC fired in response to their own errors, and
the fewer errors they made. "You could think of this part of the brain like a
cortical alarm bell that rings when an individual has just made a mistake or experiences
uncertainty," says lead author Inzlicht, who teaches and conducts research at the
University of Toronto Scarborough. "We found that religious people or even people who
simply believe in the existence of God show significantly less brain activity in relation
to their own errors. They're much less anxious and feel less stressed when they have made
an error." These correlations remained strong even after controlling for personality
and cognitive ability, says Inzlicht, who also found that religious participants made
fewer errors on the Stroop task than their non-believing counterparts. Their findings show
religious belief has a calming effect on its devotees, which makes them less likely to
feel anxious about making errors or facing the unknown. But Inzlicht cautions that anxiety
is a "double-edged sword" which is at times necessary and helpful.
Bad behaviour may leave bad taste
in your mouth, says U of T research
In everyday language, people sometimes say that immoral behaviours "leave a bad taste
in your mouth." But this may be more than a metaphor according to new scientific
evidence from the University of Toronto that shows a link between moral disgust and more
primitive forms of disgust related to poison and disease. "Morality is often pointed
to as the pinnacle of human evolution and development," said lead author Hanah
Chapman, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology. "However, disgust is an
ancient and rather primitive emotion which played a key evolutionary role in survival. Our
research shows the involvement of disgust in morality, suggesting that moral judgment may
depend as much on simple emotional processes as on complex thought." The research was
published in Science on Feb. 27. In the study, the scientists examined facial movements
when participants tasted unpleasant liquids and looked at photographs of disgusting
objects such as dirty toilets or injuries. They compared these to their facial movements
when they were subjected to unfair treatment in a laboratory game. The U of T team found
that people make similar facial movements in response to both primitive forms of disgust
and moral disgust.
Kidney disease increases the risk
of stroke in patients
Chronic kidney disease increases the risk of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation
(AF), the most common type of heart arrhythmia, according to a new study by Kaiser
Permanente researchers in the current online issue of Circulation. It has long been known
that chronic kidney disease is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. This study is the
first to look at whether chronic kidney disease independently increases risk of stroke in
patients with AF. AF occurs when rapid, disorganized electrical signals in the heart's two
upper chambers (the atria) cause the heart to contract fast and irregularly, they explain.
The finding is an important addition to the evidence base because atrial fibrillation
affects more than 2.2 million Americans, particularly those 75 and older, and increases
the risk of stroke nearly four fold, according to the researchers. In this study, the
researchers looked at whether kidney disease increased the risk of ischemic stroke -- the
most common kind of stroke that occurs when an artery to the brain in blocked. The risk of
stroke varies according to several demographic and clinical characteristics and current
risk assessment strategies can be limited, according to the study's lead author Alan S. Go
MD, Director of the Comprehensive Clinical Research Unit at the Kaiser Permanente Division
of Research. "Our study suggests that kidney function may provide an additional clue
about how to best assess stroke risk and decide upon the best prevention strategy for
patients with AF," Go said.
Innappropriate drug prescriptions
wasting millions, raising health risks
A recent study in Oregon suggests that drugs designed for treating the most severe mental
illnesses are often prescribed at inappropriately low doses and at considerable expense,
for use in conditions where their benefit has not been established. In this case,
prescription drugs that might cost as much as $20 to $25 a day were being widely used to
treat problems for which they were not FDA-approved. Some of those problems could have
been addressed with generic medications costing $1 a day, with better results and less
risk of serious side effects. This is a reflection of widespread use of medications for
"off-label" uses that have not been carefully considered or approved by the Food
and Drug Administration, researchers said, some of which are unnecessarily raising medical
costs and reducing the effectiveness of health care. The research was done by scientists
in the College of Pharmacy at Oregon State University, the Department of Psychiatry at
Columbia University, and Oregon Health and Science University. It was published in the
Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, and funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"It's legal for a physician to prescribe a medication for something other than its
FDA-approved uses, and based on good studies or clinical judgment it may be
justified," said Daniel Hartung, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice at OSU.
"However, the approved uses are usually a pretty good proxy for real, proven
effectiveness. And if in fact drugs are being used inappropriately, it not only can be
very expensive but also pose an unnecessary health risk." Both of those problems were
found in this study.
Almost half of all adolescents
suffer low back pain
A study led by Catalan researchers confirms that 40% of adolescents have low back pain at
least once a month. However, the real effect of this pain is minimal in 90% of cases.
Another important piece of information: only 35% of adolescents have not had any type of
pain in the last month. The study, carried out by various Catalan research centres in
collaboration with two Swiss hospitals, analysed the prevalence of low back pain in Spain
and examined whether this discomfort affects the quality of life of adolescents. The
results showed that 40% of young people do have pain (over 24 hours of discomfort in the
past month). The research, published in the journal, Archives of Pediatrics &
Adolescent Medicine, was conducted in Barcelona and Freiburg. In the Swiss city the data
of all adolescents between 14 and 15 years old was recorded, while in Barcelona a
representative sample of the same age range was analysed. The study included a total of
1,470 participants. "It needs to be pointed out that the data from Barcelona is the
same as that from the city of Freiburg, which gives an idea of the universal nature of our
findings. Although both cities represent the Western world, they are two completely
different contexts", SINC was informed by Ferrán Pellisé, the main author of the
study and doctor from the Spinal Unit at the Vall d'Hebrón Hospital in Barcelona.
Vitamin D may prevent dementia,
study finds
CAN popping a vitamin D capsule help stave off dementia? That was what a medical study in
Britain seemed to suggest after it found a link between low levels of vitamin D and
increased risks of dementia.The report was published in the Journal Of Geriatric
Psychiatry And Neurology. The researchers found that in a sample of 1,766 people over 65
years old, those with lower levels of vitamin D have higher chances of suffering dementia.
Statin study - Lower cholesterol,
diminished joy of sex linked
The greater the drop in cholesterol from taking statin drugs, the more sexual pleasure is
reduced, suggests a study due Friday at the American Psychosomatic Society meeting in
Chicago.
New TAU Research Links Diabetes to
Cognitive Deterioration
Blindness, renal failure, stroke and heart disease are potential complications of type 2
diabetes, which currently afflicts more than 15 million Americans. Now research from Tel
Aviv University has found more worrying news ? type 2 diabetes can be a risk factor
accelerating cognitive decline and dementia. Dr. Tali Cukierman-Yaffe, a physician and
researcher from TAU’s Sackler School of Medicine, found that people with diabetes
were 1.5 more likely to experience cognitive decline, and 1.6 more likely to suffer from
dementia than people without diabetes. Her recent publication in the journal Diabetes Care
suggests that higher-than-average levels of blood glucose (blood sugar) may have a role in
this relationship.
Over-consumption of sugar linked to
aging
We know that lifespan can be extended in animals by restricting calories such as sugar
intake. Now, according to a study published in the journal PLoS Genetics, Université de
Montréal scientists have discovered that it's not sugar itself that is important in this
process but the ability of cells to sense its presence. Aging is a complex phenomenon and
the mechanisms underlying aging are yet to be explained. What researchers do know is that
there is a clear relationship between aging and calorie intake. For example, mice fed with
half the calories they usually eat can live 40 percent longer. How does this work? As part
of the PLoS Genetics study, Université de Montréal Biochemistry Professor Luis Rokeach
and his student Antoine Roux discovered to their surprise that if they removed the gene
for a glucose sensor from yeast cells, they lived just as long as those living on a
glucose-restricted diet. In short, the fate of these cells doesn't depend on what they eat
but what they think they're eating. There are two obvious aspects of calorie intake:
tasting and digestion. By the time nutrients get to our cells there is an analogous
process: sensors on the surface of the cell detect the presence of, for example, the sugar
glucose and molecules inside the cell break down the glucose, converting it to energy. Of
these processes, it is widely thought that the by-products of broken down sugars are the
culprits in aging. The study by Rokeach and Roux suggests otherwise. To understand aging,
Rokeach and Roux in collaboration with Université de Montréal Biochemistry Professors
Pascal Chartrand and Gerardo Ferbeyre used yeast as a model organism. At a basic level,
yeast cells are surprisingly similar and age much like human cells, as well as being easy
to study. The research team found that the lifespan of yeast cells increased when glucose
was decreased from their diet. They then asked whether the increase in lifespan was due to
cells decreasing their ability to produce energy or to the decrease in signal to the cells
by the glucose sensor. The scientists found that cells unable to consume glucose as energy
source are still sensitive to the pro-aging effects of glucose. Conversely, obliterating
the sensor that measures the levels of glucose significantly increased lifespan.
"Thanks to this study, the link between the rise in age-related diseases and the
over-consumption of sugar in today's diet is clearer. Our research opens a door to new
therapeutic strategies for fighting age-related diseases," says Professor Rokeach.
Impulsivity in kindergarten may
predict gambling behavior by sixth grade
Children whose teachers rated them as more impulsive in kindergarten are more likely to
start gambling behaviors by the sixth grade, according to a new study in the March issue
of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. Although gambling has become an
increasingly common activity among North American adults and teens, public health risks
remain the researchers conclude. “Problematic gambling in adults is associated with
substance use, depression and suicide, psychopathology, poor general health and a
multitude of family, legal and criminal problems,” says lead author Dr. Linda S.
Pagani, a psychosocial professor at the Université de Montréal and researcher at the
Sainte-Justine University Hospital Research Center. “Most disconcerting is how young
people seem more vulnerable than adults to gambling-related illness and suicide. In most
cases, data suggests that youth gambling is a precursor to pathological gambling in
adulthood.” Dr. Pagani, with colleagues from McGill University and the Université du
Québec à Montréal, studied 163 children who were in kindergarten beginning in 1999
(average age 5.5). At the start of the school year, teachers were asked to complete a
questionnaire rating their students' inattentiveness, distractibility and hyperactivity on
a scale from one to nine (higher values indicated a higher degree of impulsiveness).
Go green for healthy teeth and gums
With origins dating back over 4,000 years, green tea has long been a popular beverage in
Asian culture, and is increasingly gaining popularity in the United States. And while
ancient Chinese and Japanese medicine believed green tea consumption could cure disease
and heal wounds, recent scientific studies are beginning to establish the potential health
benefits of drinking green tea, especially in weight loss, heart health, and cancer
prevention. A study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology, the official
publication of the American Academy of Periodontology (AAP), uncovered yet another benefit
of green tea consumption. Researchers found that routine intake of green tea may also help
promote healthy teeth and gums. The study analyzed the periodontal health of 940 men, and
found that those who regularly drank green tea had superior periodontal health than
subjects that consumed less green tea. "It has been long speculated that green tea
possesses a host of health benefits," said study author Dr. Yoshihiro Shimazaki of
Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. "And since many of us enjoy green tea on a
regular basis, my colleagues and I were eager to investigate the impact of green tea
consumption on periodontal health, especially considering the escalating emphasis on the
connection between periodontal health and overall health." Male participants aged 49
through 59 were examined on three indicators of periodontal disease: periodontal pocket
depth (PD), clinical attachment loss (CAL) of gum tissue, and bleeding on probing (BOP) of
the gum tissue. Researchers observed that for every one cup of green tea consumed per day,
there was a decrease in all three indicators, therefore signifying a lower instance of
periodontal disease in those subjects who regularly drank green tea.
Love handles put the squeeze on
lungs
There's more bad news for people who carry excess weight around their waists - Not only is
abdominal obesity associated with diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease and a
host of other health problems collectively known as "metabolic syndrome," a new
study has found that a high waist circumference is strongly associated with decreased lung
function—independent of smoking history, sex, body mass index (BMI) and other
complicating factors. The study analyzed health information on more that 120,000 people
from the Paris Investigations Preventives et Cliniques Center, and assessed demographic
background, smoking history, alcohol consumption, as well as lung function, including FEV1
(forced expiratory volume in one second) and FVC (forced vital capacity, or the total
expiratory volume) with respect to BMI, waist circumference and other measures of
metabolic health.The results were published in the second issue for March of the American
Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. "After
adjustment for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, alcohol consumption, leisure time physical
activity and cardiovascular history, metabolic syndrome remained independently associated
with lung function impairment," wrote lead author Natalie Leone, M.D., of French
National Institute for Health and Medical Research. "We found a positive independent
relationship between lung function impairment and metabolic syndrome due mainly to
abdominal obesity." Abdominal obesity was defined as having a waist circumference of
greater than 35 inches for women and 40 inches for men. "[This] study demonstrated
that only mild abdominal adiposity, even with a normal body mass index (BMI), in
associated with lower FVC," said Paul Enright, M.D., of the University of Arizona, in
an accompanying editorial.
Brain tumors - New therapy
surprisingly successful
The combination of two drugs produces a critical improvement in the treatment of certain
brain tumours. This has been demonstrated by researchers at Bonn University working in
co-operation with German and Swiss colleagues in a current study. They treated 39 patients
who had been diagnosed with a so-called gliablastoma. The patients survived on average 23
months; with the standard therapy the mean would have been 14.6 months. Glioblastomas are
the most aggressive and the commonest brain tumours. Left untreated, they prove fatal
within just a few weeks. The study has been published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology
(doi: 10.1200/JCO.2008.19.2195). Even today, glioblastomas are untreatable –
something which even the new combination therapy cannot change. Nevertheless, Professor
Dr. Ulrich Herrlinger of Bonn University´s Schwerpunkt Klinische Neuroonkologie speaks of
an outstanding success: "This unusually manifest extension of the survival time has
surprised even us. Our results offer the opportunity to improve our grip on this
aggressive form of cancer. Now, further investigations involving a larger number of
patients are needed to optimise this therapy. Planning for this is already in hand in
Bonn". Up to now, doctors have treated glioblastomas using radiotherapy with
concomitant chemotherapy. The "gold standard" for this for the last few years
has been the active agent temozolomide. This is still celebrated as the most important
breakthrough in the treatment of glioblastomas. The researchers combined this preparation
with the drug lomustine. At the same time, the patients were given radiotherapy. The 39
patients thus treated survived the tumour for an average of 23.1 months. With the standard
therapy, this time is over one third shorter. Seven patients even survived for over four
years.
Children seriously affected when a
parent suffers from depression
Life is hard for the children of a parent suffering from depression. Children take on an
enormous amount of responsibility for the ill parent and for other family members. It is
therefore important for the health services to be aware of this and have support functions
in place for the whole family, and not just for the person who is ill. This is the
conclusion of a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden.
Registered Nurse Britt Hedman Ahlström has examined the way in which family life is
affected when a parent is suffering from depression. Nine families, including ten children
and young adults between the ages of 5 and 26, and eleven parents were included in the
study. The results show how the family's daily life changes and becomes more complicated
when a parent is suffering from depression. Uncertainty about what is happening has an
effect on the daily life of the entire family. Depression also means that the parent
becomes tired and exhausted, which then affects and weighs heavily on the children's daily
life. Depression changes the relationship between a parent and his/her children, since
they no longer communicate with each other as they used to. Family interplay and
reciprocity decrease. The depressed parent withdraws from the family, and the children
feel that they have been left to themselves.
New edition of the Tobacco Atlas
catalogues catastrophic toll of tobacco worldwide
Today World Lung Foundation and the American Cancer Society published The Tobacco Atlas,
Third Edition and released an online version of the document at TobaccoAtlas.org. This
comprehensive volume of research and its accompanying website graphically display how
tobacco is devastating both global health and economies. According to The Tobacco Atlas,
tobacco's estimated $500 billion drain on the world economy exceeds the total combined
annual expenditure on health in all low-and middle-income countries. The economic costs
come as a result of lost productivity, misused resources, ineffective taxation and
premature death * Because 25 percent of smokers die and many more become ill during their
most productive years, income loss devastates families and communities. * Cigarettes are
the world's most widely smuggled legal consumer product. In 2006, about 600 billion
smuggled cigarettes made it to the market, representing an enormous missed tax opportunity
for governments, as well as a missed opportunity to prevent many people from starting to
smoke and encourage others to quit. A ten percent increase in cigarette prices reduces
demand by up to five percent among adults, with even better results among young smokers. *
Tobacco replaces potential food production on almost 4 million hectares of the world's
agricultural land, equal to all of the world's orange groves or banana plantations. * In
developing countries, smokers spend great sums of money in proportion to their incomes
that could otherwise be spent on food, healthcare and other necessities.
