News - Week 21 - 2009
Biological Timekeeper Studies
Reveal New Temperature Regulator and Track Clock Protein across a Day
Dartmouth Medical School geneticists have made new inroads into understanding the
regulatory circuitry of the biological clock that synchronizes the ebb and flow of daily
activities, according to two studies published May 15. Research on the relationship
between clocks and temperature, reported in Cell, offers insight into a longstanding
puzzle of temperature compensation: why the 24-hour circadian rhythm does not change with
temperature when metabolism is so affected. A related study, in Molecular Cell, tracks a
clock protein in action, mapping hundreds of highly choreographed modifications and
interactions to provide the first complete view of regulation across a day.
Chronic Infection Now Clearly Tied
to Immune-System Protein
he reason deadly infections like human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C never
go away is because these viruses disarm the body's defense system. Researchers at the
University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) have discovered that a key immunity protein must
be present for this defense system to have a chance against chronic infection. Research up
to now has tried but failed to decipher the cross-talk between 'killer T-cells' and
'helper T-cells' in the fight against viruses. The new UAB study finds this cross-talk can
only happen in the presence of interleukin-21, a powerful immune system protein. If
interleukin-21 is missing for whatever reason, then the immune system's anti-viral efforts
fail, said Allan Zajac, Ph.D., an associate professor in UAB's Department of Microbiology
and lead author on the study.
A surprise 'spark' for
pre-cancerous colon polyps
Researchers at Huntsman Cancer Institute (HCI) at the University of Utah studied the
events leading to colon cancer and found that an unexpected protein serves as the
"spark" that triggers formation of colon polyps, the precursors to cancerous
tumors. "Our findings will certainly raise some eyebrows," says oncological
sciences graduate student Reid Phelps, first author of the study, which will be published
Friday, May 15 in the journal Cell. "We expect the conventional wisdom regarding
colon tumor development to be reconsidered, together with some resistance to our
alternative explanation." The study in zebrafish and human cells discovered that a
protein, known as C-terminal binding protein 1, or CTBP1, was the spark that initiated
colon polyp formation, not the protein beta-catenin, as previously thought. With this new
information, future treatments that prevent tumor progression can be developed. The
research centered on the mutation of a tumor-suppressor gene called APC – a mutation
previously found to be present in 85 percent of all colon cancers. Since then, research
labs around the world have developed theories about how the gene works in colon cancer
development. "Our work reveals new information about how the APC protein functions to
prevent colon tumor formation. This new information opens new possibilities treating and
preventing colon cancer. " says David Jones, Ph.D., a professor of oncological
sciences at the University of Utah and senior director of early translational research at
HCI. "We want to know what happens immediately following mutation of the APC gene
mutation as a way of understanding how we might intervene. If you're trying to match
therapies with a specific genetic mutation, it helps to understand the earliest steps in
tumor formation, as well as the downstream consequences." APC stands for adenomatous
polyposis coli. It is classified as a tumor suppressor gene. Before the new study,
scientists believed that following APC mutation, faulty cell communication caused by a
particular protein known as beta-catenin resulted in colon polyp formation. Colon polyp
formation precedes the development of colon cancer.
Ginger quells cancer patients'
nausea from chemotherapy
People with cancer can reduce post-chemotherapy nausea by 40 percent by using ginger
supplements, along with standard anti-vomiting drugs, before undergoing treatment,
according to scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center. About 70 percent of
cancer patients who receive chemotherapy complain of nausea and vomiting. "There are
effective drugs to control vomiting, but the nausea is often worse because it
lingers," said lead author Julie L. Ryan, Ph.D., M.P.H., assistant professor of
Dermatology and Radiation Oncology at Rochester's James P. Wilmot Cancer Center. The
research will be presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in the
Patient and Survivor Care Session on Saturday, May 30, in Orlando, Fla. "Nausea is a
major problem for people who undergo chemotherapy and it's been a challenge for scientists
and doctors to understand how to control it," said Ryan, a member of Rochester's
Community Clinical Oncology Program Research Base at the Wilmot Cancer Center. Her
research is the largest randomized study to demonstrate the effectiveness of ginger
supplements to ease the nausea. Previous small studies have been inconsistent and never
focused on taking the common spice before chemotherapy.
Early childhood health
interventions could save billions in health costs later in life
Promoting the health of young children, before five years of age, could save society up to
$65 billion in future health care costs, according to an examination of childhood health
conducted by researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The
results are published in the May 15, 2009, issue of Academic Pediatrics. "Our review
found convincing evidence that the four health problems we studied—early life tobacco
exposure, unintentional injury, obesity and mental health—constitute significant
burdens on the health of preschool-age children and are antecedents of health problems
across the life span," said Bernard Guyer, MD, lead author of the study and the
Zanvyl Kreiger Professor of Children's Health with the Bloomberg School's Department of
Population, Family and Reproductive Health. "These health problems affect
approximately one-third to one-half of children born in the U.S., and we estimated that
total lifetime societal cost could be about $50,000 per child—which translates to
$65—100 billion for the entire birth cohort of children. The currently available
research justifies targeted investments in early childhood health promotion as a means to
averting future health costs and improving overall health during their life span."
Researchers conducted a systematic review of early childhood interventions using multiple
health databases: PubMEd, PsycINFO, National Health Service Economic Evaluation Database,
the National Bureau of Economic Research working paper database and EconLit. Guyer and his
colleagues examined the magnitude of the future effects of tobacco exposure, unintentional
injury, obesity and mental health. They looked at prevalence of these issues during the
target age period, their cost implications across the life span, the availability of
preventive interventions in this period of life and evidence indicating that prevention of
these problems early in life would pay off or save costs in the future. Researchers found
that the available evidence for the effectiveness of intervention in this age group was
strongest in the case of preventing tobacco exposure and controlling unintentional
injuries.
ISU study finds link between
individual stress and teens being overweight or obese
Stress may indeed be a direct contributor to childhood obesity. That's according to a new
Iowa State University study finding that increased levels of stress in adolescents are
associated with a greater likelihood of them being overweight or obese. The study of 1,011
adolescents (aged 10-15) and their mothers from low income families living in three cities
-- Boston, Chicago and San Antonio -- was posted on the Web site of the Journal of
Adolescent Health (http://www.jahonline.org/inpress), which will publish it in the August
issue. Forty-seven percent of the teens in the sample were overweight or obese, but that
percentage increased to 56.2 percent among those who were impacted by four or more
stressors. "We found that an adolescent or youth who's more stressed -- caused by
such things as having poor grades, mental health problems, more aggressive behavior, or
doing more drugs and alcohol -- is also more likely to be overweight or obese," said
lead author Brenda Lohman, an Iowa State assistant professor of human development and
family studies (HDFS).
Vitamin D insufficiency linked to
bacterial vaginosis in pregnant women
Bacterial vaginosis (BV) is the most common vaginal infection in US women of childbearing
age, and is common in pregnant women. BV occurs when the normal balance of bacteria in the
vagina is disrupted and replaced by an overgrowth of certain bacteria. Because having BV
puts a woman at increased risk for a variety of complications, such as preterm delivery,
there is great interest in understanding how it can be prevented. Vitamin D may play a
role in BV because it exerts influence over a number of aspects of the immune system. This
hypothesis is circumstantially supported by the fact that BV is far more common in black
than white women, and vitamin D status is substantially lower in black than white women.
This relation, however, has not been rigorously studied. To assess whether poor vitamin D
status may play a role in predisposing a woman to BV, Bodnar and coworkers at the
University of Pittsburgh and the Magee-Womens Research Institute studied 469 pregnant
women. The results of their investigation are published in the June 2009 issue of the
Journal of Nutrition. This prospective epidemiologic study investigated the relation
between vitamin D status and BV in 209 white and 260 black women at <16 wk of pregnancy
with singleton gestations. Blood samples were taken, and serum analyzed for
25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D], a marker of vitamin D status. 25(OH)D levels below 80
nmol/L are typically considered insufficient. Pelvic examinations were performed, and
Gram-stained vaginal smears were assessed to diagnose BV.
Break through in the treatment of
bacterial meningitis
It can take just hours after the symptoms appear for someone to die from bacterial
meningitis. Now, after years of research, experts at The University of Nottingham have
finally discovered how the deadly meningococcal bacteria is able to break through the
body’s natural defence mechanism and attack the brain. The discovery could lead to
better treatment and vaccines for meningitis and could save the lives of hundreds of
children. Bacterial meningitis in childhood is almost exclusively caused by the
respiratory tract pathogens Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and
Haemophilus influenzae. The mechanism used by these lethal germs to break through the
blood brain barrier (BBB) has, until now, been unknown.
New research confirms milestone
study on blood pressure meds
New research supports the findings of a landmark drug comparison study published in 2002
in which a diuretic drug or “water pill” outperformed other medications for high
blood pressure. A scientific team including investigators from The University of Texas
Health Science Center at Houston reports the findings in the May 11 issue of the Archives
of Internal Medicine.About one in three adults in the United States has high blood
pressure, which, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), can
lead to a host of health problems including heart failure, coronary heart disease, stroke
and kidney failure. The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart
Attack Trial (ALLHAT) is the largest high blood pressure treatment trial ever conducted
and compared the impact of four classes of blood pressure drugs on 42,418 high-risk
patients between 1994 and 2002. High blood pressure in adults is defined as 140/90 mm Hg
or above. “We looked at data since the trial ended to make sure our message
hasn’t changed. And, it hasn’t. Diuretic drugs work as well or better than other
medications in preventing heart failure,” said Barry Davis, M.D., Ph.D., study
co-author, Guy S. Parcel Chair in Public Health and director of the Coordinating Center
for Clinical Trials (CCCT) at The University of Texas School of Public Health.
Implantable device offers
continuous cancer monitoring
Surgical removal of a tissue sample is now the standard for diagnosing cancer. Such
procedures, known as biopsies, are accurate but only offer a snapshot of the tumor at a
single moment in time. Monitoring a tumor for weeks or months after the biopsy, tracking
its growth and how it responds to treatment, would be much more valuable, says Michael
Cima, MIT professor of materials science and engineering, who has developed the first
implantable device that can do just that. Cima and his colleagues recently reported that
their device successfully tracked a tumor marker in mice for one month. The work is
described in a paper published online in the journal Biosensors & Bioelectronics in
April. Such implants could one day provide up-to-the-minute information about what a tumor
is doing -- whether it is growing or shrinking, how it's responding to treatment, and
whether it has metastasized or is about to do so.
Immune exhaustion driven by antigen
in chronic viral infection
A main reason why viruses such as HIV or hepatitis C persist despite a vigorous initial
immune response is exhaustion. The T cells, or white blood cells, fighting a chronic
infection eventually wear out. Researchers at Emory Vaccine Center have demonstrated that
exhaustion is driven by how the immune system detects infecting viruses. To recognize the
presence of a viral infection, T cells must be presented with bits of viral protein in a
molecular frame supplied by other cells in the body -- called MHC (major
histocompatibility complex) class I molecules. In mice infected by lymphocytic
choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), T cells became more or less exhausted depending on how much
properly framed viral protein was available. Insights from the research could guide
efforts to revive the immune system in people with chronic viral infections. The results
are published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Working with Vaccine Center director Rafi Ahmed, PhD, postdoctoral fellow Scott Mueller,
PhD, examined the effects of limiting what kind of cells could display the viral antigens.
Ahmed is professor of microbiology and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine
and a Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar. By performing bone marrow transplants on
genetically engineered mice, Mueller created mice with MHC class I molecules on blood and
immune system cells but missing from other cells such as nerve cells and connective
tissue. LCMV infects both cells that come from bone marrow and cells that don't. But the
roles each type of cell plays in communicating the infection to the immune system is
different. "We were trying to sort out which of several factors contribute to T cell
exhaustion, such as viral antigen, inflammation and where the immune system encounters the
virus," Mueller says. "What came out of these experiments allowed us to answer a
broad question: the role of antigen in driving exhaustion."
UCLA study shows traumatic brain
injury haunts children for years
Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) is the single most common cause of death and disability in
children and adolescents, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Now, according to
a new study by UCLA researchers, the effects of a blow to the head, whether it's mild or a
concussion, can linger for years. Reporting in the May issue of the journal
Neuropsychology, Talin Babikian, lead author and a UCLA post-doctoral fellow, and senior
author Robert Asarnow, a UCLA professor of psychiatry, analyzed 28 selected articles about
TBI that were published between the years 1988 and 2007, quantifying for the first time a
summary of all of the available literature on the effects of a traumatic brain injury on
the developing brain of a child or adolescent. The key and surprising finding, the authors
say, was that over time, children and adolescents with a severe traumatic brain injury
appear to fall even farther behind their peers than one would expect, making intervention
and monitoring especially important in this group. Various levels of TBI in children were
included in the studies that were reviewed. The extent of a brain injury is typically
based on the "Glasgow Coma Scale" or GCS, a standard clinical tool to measure
severity of a brain injury. It includes a person's eye/pupil response, motor response, and
verbal communication to determine injury severity--mild, moderate, or severe TBI. The
children in the studies were sorted by TBI severity and the time since their injury. All
three severity levels were examined, and follow-up exams were done on average 0-5 months,
6-23 months, or 24+ months after injury, for 14 key aspects of neurocognition.
Cognition already seriously
impaired in first episode of schizophrenia
Significant and widespread cognitive problems appear to exist in schizophrenia in its
earliest phase, making it very hard for people with the disorder to work, study or be
social, according to a new study published by the American Psychological Association.
Understanding the early and central role of cognitive problems may help clinicians to more
accurately diagnose incipient schizophrenia by telling it apart from other
neuropsychiatric disorders that also have cognitive problems, such as attention-deficit
hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It could also allow them to provide more appropriate
treatment. Combining schizophrenia's cognitive warning signs with family history and signs
of worsening daily functioning may also aid early diagnosis. Should improved early
treatments become available, early diagnosis could make it possible to ease or even
prevent these problems. These were among the conclusions of a meta-analysis conducted by
researchers at Harvard Medical School and SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse,
N.Y. The researchers examined 47 previously published, peer-reviewed studies of
first-episode schizophrenia that involved 43 separate samples comprising 2,204 patients
and 2,775 largely age- and gender-matched control participants. Results of this new
analysis appear in the May issue of Neuropsychology, which is published by the American
Psychological Association. The psychologists sorted the studies' collective findings
into10 areas of neurocognition, including general cognitive ability, attention, memory,
and various verbal, motor and visuospatial skills. Among their main findings - In the very
first episode of schizophrenia, cognitive problems were already broad and serious. Early
impairment approached or matched the severity of problems seen in patients who had been
sick for a while. People experiencing their first episode of schizophrenia had
significantly worse performance on all cognitive measures than healthy controls who were
largely matched for gender and age. Patients struggled the most with processing speed and
with verbal learning and memory, especially when encoding information. Although many
psychiatric and neurological illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, affect processing speed,
schizophrenia seems to disrupt it more profoundly.
Early study data shows hypnotherapy
boosts quality of life and health for ulcerative colitis patients
One of Laurie Keefer's patients was afraid to be a bridesmaid in a friend's wedding,
others worried about traveling with the boss or even going to parties in peoples' homes.
The patients have ulcerative colitis, a nasty gastrointestinal disease that flares without
warning and makes it vital for them to find a bathroom fast. The disease is often
diagnosed when people are in their late 20s and early 30s. The flare-up is like having a
severe stomach bug that can drag on for weeks. It ruins vacation plans, causes lengthy
absences from work and generally messes up peoples' lives at a time when they are trying
to build careers and meet a romantic partner or marry. But some of Keefer's patients are
less fearful these days and starting to embrace activities they once avoided. They've been
taking part in a new National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research study to test
whether hypnotherapy can extend the time between their flare-ups. Currently, the
treatments for ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, include a fistful of
pills -- up to a cumbersome 12 a day that reduce the risk of flares but that many forget
to take, as well as steroids or surgery to remove their colon. In an early look at the
data for the ongoing study, Keefer, a clinical health psychologist and an assistant
professor of medicine at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, is
finding that treatment with hypnotherapy enabled some subjects' to socialize more and get
involved in activities such as eating at restaurants, exercising and road trips. Some
subjects feel less impaired by their disease and are better at remembering to take their
pills. The patient who was afraid to stand up at a friend's wedding is now going to be a
bridesmaid. The patient who was nervous about getting on a plane with the boss is now
taking business trips with him. The study will be enrolling a total of 80 patients over
three years and will track the progress of each patient for one year. Thus far, 27
subjects have enrolled in the study and completed the required eight weeks of hypnotherapy
sessions. As a part of the study, subjects also listen to special relaxation tapes up to
five times per week.
Novel therapy may prove effective
in treatment of 30 percent of cancers
A ground-breaking Canada-wide clinical trial led by Dr. Katherine Borden, at the Institute
for Research in Immunology and Cancer (IRIC) of the Université de Montréal, has shown
that a common anti-viral drug, ribavirin, can be beneficial in the treatment of cancer
patients. Published in the journal Blood (First Edition), the study demonstrates that
ribavirin suppresses the activities of the eIF4E gene in patients. This gene is
dysregulated in 30 percent of cancers including breast, prostate, head and neck, colon and
stomach cancer. The study, inspired by the exciting discoveries made by Dr. Borden at
IRIC, was a joint project between her research group, who monitored molecular events in
trial patients, and Dr. Sarit Assouline of the Segal Cancer Centre, Jewish General
Hospital, who led the clinical part of the trial. The integration of these two teams made
it possible to rapidly move from a research lab to patient tests. The study team targeted
the gene by giving trial participants a mimic of its natural target, ribavirin. "Our
results are the first to show that targeting eIF4E in humans is clinically
beneficial," explains Dr. Borden. "We also found that ribavirin not only blocks
eIF4E, it has no side effect on patients." The trial studied patients with M4/M5
acute myeloid leukemia who had undergone several other treatments that had previously
failed. "We had striking clinical improvements with even partial and complete
remissions," indicated Assouline. Dr. Wilson Miller, director of the Clinical
Research Unit, Jewish General Hospital, and co-investigator in the trial added: "It's
rare that discoveries in basic research move to clinical so quickly and
successfully."
Golden rice an effective source of
vitamin A
he beta-carotene in so-called "Golden Rice" converts to vitamin A in humans,
according to researchers at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu) and Tufts University
in an article that appears in the current issue of the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition. Golden Rice was developed in the early 1990s with a grant from the Rockefeller
Foundation with the goal of creating rice that had beta-carotene -- a vitamin A precursor
– in the rice grain. In its current form, Golden Rice contains 35 micrograms of
beta-carotene per gram. "We found that four units of beta-carotene from Golden Rice
convert to one unit of vitamin A in humans," said Dr. Michael Grusak, associate
professor of pediatrics at the USDA/ARS Children's Nutrition Research Center at BCM and
Texas Children's Hospital. They determined this by feeding five healthy adults a specific
amount of specially-labeled Golden Rice and measured the amount of retinol, a form of
vitamin A, in the blood. Vitamin A deficiency is prevalent in many parts of the world
where poorer community members rely on rice as their major food source. People who lack
adequate amounts of this vitamin can have vision problems or even blindness as a
result."By incorporating vitamin A into the major crop that is consumed, we would be
able to make it accessible to the majority of people in the area," said Grusak.
Additional research is necessary before Golden Rice is made commercially available. The
next steps of the research include incorporating this technology into the rice grains
found in various regions and continuing testing the conversion rates in humans.
Chronic diarrhea unresponsive to
conventional medication - Are you taking lansoprazole?
Lansoprazole is a proton pump inhibitor which powerfully suppresses gastric acid
production and is widely prescribed for chronic use in gastroesophageal reflux disease.
Lansoprazole uncommonly causes chronic watery diarrhea unresponsive to conventional
medication as a symptom of collagenous colitis. This association has recently been
reported and is not widely known. Correct diagnosis and treatment without this knowledge
is impossible. Discontinuation of lansoprazole results in the prompt resolution of
diarrhea. A 70-year old woman developed watery diarrhea 4 to 9 times a day. She had
interstitial pneumonia at 67 and reflux esophagitis at 70. Lansoprazole 30 mg/day had been
prescribed for reflux esophagitis for nearly 6 months. Lansoprazole was withdrawn due to
its possible side effect of diarrhea. Colonoscopy disclosed diffuse cloudiness of the
mucosa which suggested ulcerative colitis. Consequently sulfasalazine 2 g/day was started.
The patient's diarrhea dramatically disappeared the following day. However, biopsy
specimens showed subepithelial collagenous thickening and infiltration of inflammatory
cells in the lamina propria confirming the diagnosis of collagenous colitis. One month
after sulfasalazine therapy was initiated, both colonoscopic and histological
abnormalities resolved completely. Five months later the diarrhea recurred. The findings
on colonoscopy and histology were the same as before confirming a diagnosis of collagenous
colitis relapse. The author found that the patient had been taking lansoprazole again
three months ahead of the recent episode of diarrhea. Withdrawal of lansoprazole promptly
resolved the diarrhea. Endoscopic and histological abnormalities were also completely
resolved similar to the first episode. Retrospectively, the date of commencement of
sulfasalazine and the discontinuation of lansoprazole in the first episode was found to be
the same. The author concluded that the patient had lansoprazole-associated collagenous
colitis.
Hyperferritinemia is another
surrogate marker of advanced liver disease
High serum ferritin, being a hallmark of hereditary hemochromatosis , is frequently found
in chronic hepatitis C, alcoholic or non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and non-alcoholic fatty
liver disease patients . A study in Italy has investigated the link between ferritin and
steatosis in a non-obese cohort of non-alcoholic patients. In southern European
populations, high ferritin levels, after exclusion of diagnosis of HH, represent a risk
factor for steatosis and clinical relevance, being associated with low platelet count.
Patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection often have elevated serum iron
indices, but these do not accurately reflect hepatic iron content, nor are they able to
predict clinically important endpoints, such as progression of fibrosis and responsiveness
to interferon-based regimens. Studies that attempt to link iron and the course of chronic
hepatitis C have been inconclusive. In chronic hepatitis C, steatosis is a common
histological finding, occurring in 30%-70% of such patients. The biological mechanism
underlying steatosis in HCV infection is not definitively understood, and is considered to
be multifactorial with metabolic mechanisms, including insulin resistance and iron
overload. A research article to be published on May 7, 2009 in the World Journal of
Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team led by Professor Licata from
Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit of Palermo University analyzed in a cross-sectional
study, a cohort of non-obese, non-alcoholic patients with compensated chronic liver
disease characterized by elevated serum ferritin levels, of varying etiology, excluding
hemochromatosis, to reassess the link between hyperferritinemia and other markers of the
metabolic syndrome, mainly steatosis. All data provide further evidence that
hyperferritinemia might be another surrogate marker of advanced liver disease of any
etiology.
Youths Use Drink Labels to Choose
Strongest Drink at Lowest Cost
Contrary to the industry's position that visible drink labels will promote responsible
drinking, young people are, instead, using these visible standard drink labels to increase
or even maximize the amount of alcohol they consume at the lowest cost possible. According
to a study in the Drug and Alcohol Review Journal published by Wiley-Blackwell, young
people in Australia have very high awareness of standard drink labeling. However, this was
predominately to help them choose the drinks that would get them drunk in the shortest
time possible. The labels also served as guides, ‘advising' them on which drink would
reduce the time needed to get drunk and the least amount they would need to drink - hence
getting the best ‘value' for their money. The study entitled "The impact of more
visible standard drink labeling on youth alcohol consumption: helping young people drink
(ir)responsibly?" examines the young people's perceptions of standard drink labeling,
the purposes for which they use the labels and the potential impact on their alcohol
consumption.
Worldwide success in treatment of
liver tumours
Leicester consultant surgeon who has developed a pioneering technique using microwaves to
destroy liver tumours has treated more than 100 patients in the UK and other patients are
now being treated internationally. Worldwide, about one million people a year die of
primary liver cancer, with another million dying with secondary liver cancer where the
cancer has spread from other tumour sites such as cancer of the colon. The incidence of
primary liver cancer is gradually increasing in the Western world, but it is very common
in Asia and the Far East where it is associated with endemic hepatitis. Most patients with
liver cancer are deemed inoperable but with thedevelopment of this microwave equipment,
literally thousands of patients worldwide could be offered curative treatment, even if
they have established liver cirrhosis. Mr David M Lloyd, MBBS, MD, FRCS, a consultant
surgeon with University Hospitals Leicester NHS Trust, is also acclaimed for his
innovative work in keyhole surgery. The University of Leicester has awarded him an
Honorary Senior Lectureship, and earlier this month he won the title of Honoured Citizen
of the Year for the City of Leicester. David Lloyd’s research, in collaboration with
Professor Nigel Cronin and Dr. Peter Clegg at the University of Bath, has led to the
development and production of a microwave generator and probe, now being manufactured by
Acculis Ltd, UK. The treatment of more than 100 patients with liver cancer has resulted in
curing or extending life for many of them, whose life prognosis was less than twelve
months. More than one third of the patients treated are still alive after three years and
some have been, quite simply, pronounced cured and discharged. The earliest patient to be
discharged is one of David Lloyd’s trial patients treated nine years ago. Several
more are alive and well five years after receiving treatment. The importance of this
application of microwave technology is immense, as Mr Lloyd explained: “The technique
will have a significant effect on liver cancers, because we are operating on people who
have been declared inoperable. Someone with cirrhosis of the liver can’t be operated
on in a conventional way to remove a tumour, but we can place a microwave probe in by
keyhole or percutaneous (through the skin) methods and can destroy these tumours.”
Modulation of immune function by
dietary lectins in rheumatoid arthritis
Despite the almost universal clinical observation that inflammation of the gut is
frequently associated with inflammation of the joints and vice versa, the nature of this
relationship remains elusive. In the present review, we provide evidence for how the
interaction of dietary lectins with enterocytes and lymphocytes may facilitate the
translocation of both dietary and gut-derived pathogenic antigens to peripheral tissues,
which in turn causes persistent peripheral antigenic stimulation. In genetically
susceptible individuals, this antigenic stimulation may ultimately result in the
expression of overt rheumatoid arthritis (RA) via molecular mimicry, a process whereby
foreign peptides, similar in structure to endogenous peptides, may cause antibodies or
Tlymphocytes to cross-react with both foreign and endogenous peptides and thereby break
immunological tolerance. By eliminating dietary elements, particularly lectins, which
adversely influence both enterocyte and lymphocyte structure and function, it is proposed
that the peripheral antigenic stimulus (both pathogenic and dietary) will be reduced and
thereby result in a diminution of disease symptoms in certain patients with RA.
Placement of Dental Implants
Results in Minimal Bone Loss
Dental implants are frequently used as a replacement for missing teeth in order to restore
the patient’s tooth function and appearance. Previous research demonstrates that the
placement of a dental implant disrupts the host tissue in the area of the implant, so
practitioners often focus their treatment planning to carefully maintain the
patient’s bone and gum tissue surrounding the implant. A recent study published in
the Journal of Periodontology found that the majority of bone remodeling occurred in the
time between the implant placement and final prosthesis placement.
Too much information - Process
thinking can lead to difficult choices
Choosing among products can be more difficult if you tend to think more about the process
of using an item rather than the outcome of the purchase, according to a new study in the
Journal of Consumer Research. "Marketers often try to tempt consumers to buy their
products by encouraging them to imagine themselves using the product," write authors
Debora Viana Thompson (Georgetown University), Rebecca W. Hamilton (University of
Maryland, College Park), and Petia K. Petrova (Dartmouth College). But this
"process-oriented" thinking can lead to confusion. "In this research, we
show that when consumers are choosing among products, focusing on the process of using a
product (versus on the outcomes) can increase decision difficulty and hinder consumers'
motivation to subsequently implement their choices," the authors explain. Consumer
decisions often involve trade-offs between means and end benefits, such as weighing
quality versus price, rewards versus risks, or enjoyment versus effort. Process-oriented
thinkers tend to focus on both ends and means, making decisions more difficult. For
example, in one experiment, participants were asked to choose between a small apartment
that required a short commute and one that was larger but required a longer commute. The
researchers instructed participants to either think about how living in the apartment
would affect their daily routine and habits (process-oriented thinking) or to think about
what they would gain from living in the apartment (outcome-oriented thinking).
"Process-oriented participants thought about both the size of the apartment and the
length of the commute, were less likely to choose the larger apartment, and experienced
more difficulty making the choice," the authors write.
Taking folic acid for a year before
pregnancy may reduce risk of preterm birth
Women who take folic acid supplements for at least one year before they become pregnant
may cut their risk of having a premature baby by half, according to research published
this week in the online journal, PLoS Medicine. The study links pre-conceptional folate
supplementation of at least one year to reduced early premature delivery rates of 50 to 70
percent, regardless of age, race or other factors. Of particular note is the drop in very
early premature births, those babies who are at the greatest risk of complications such as
cerebral palsy, mental retardation, chronic lung disease, and blindness. The study is an
observational analysis based on the self-reporting of folate supplementation by 38,033
participants in an earlier trial sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH.) The
current study only examined singleton pregnancies and excluded pregnancies with medical or
obstetrical complications such as preeclampsia, chronic hypertension, or other
abnormalities. "Through the NIH trials, we received highly accurate evidence of
gestational age enabling us to determine that folate supplementation for at least one year
is linked to a 70 percent decrease in very early preterm deliveries (20 to 28 weeks
gestation) and up to a 50 percent reduction in early preterm deliveries of 28 to 32
weeks," said Radek Bukowski, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor, in the Department of
Obstetrics and Gynecology, at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, the
lead study author.
Trauma experienced by a mother even
before pregnancy will influence her offspring's behavior
A new study in rats at the University of Haifa reveals: Trauma experienced by a mother
even before pregnancy will influence her offspring's behavior. *"The findings show
that trauma from a mother's past, which does not directly impact her pregnancy, will
affect her offspring's emotional and social behavior. We should consider whether such
effects occur in humans too," stated Prof. Micah Leshem who carried out the study.* A
mother who experienced trauma prior to becoming pregnant affects the emotional and social
behavior of her offspring. This was discovered for the first time in a new study that was
carried out at the University of Haifa and published in the journal Developmental
Psychology in a Special Section on "The Interplay of Biology and the Environment
Broadly Defined." The effects of trauma that a mother experienced in the course of
pregnancy are known from earlier research, but until now the influence of adversity before
conception has not been examined. The present research, carried out by Prof. Micah Leshem
and Alice Shachar-Dadon of the University of Haifa and Prof. Jay Schulkin of the
Georgetown University School of Medicine, is the first to examine these influences. The
researchers chose to investigate rats, as social mammals with cerebral activity that is
similar in many ways to that of humans. The present study examined three groups of rats:
one group was put through a series of stress-inducing activities two weeks before mating,
allowing the female time to recover before becoming pregnant; the second group was
similarly treated over the course of a week immediately prior to mating; and the third,
control group, were not given any form of stress. When the rats' offspring reached
maturity (at 60 days), the researchers examined their emotional behavior – anxiety
and depression – and social behavior. The main finding revealed that trauma
experienced by the females prior to conception had varied effects on the offspring.
According to Prof. Leshem, these effects varied between groups and between male and female
offspring; but their behavior was without doubt different from that of the rats from the
control group.
Ben-Gurion U of the Negev study
demonstrates link between appetite and elderly mortality
A new study by a Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) researcher reveals a linkage
between elderly people's appetite and mortality rates, with those who report impaired
appetite more likely to die sooner. The study, published in the May issue of the Journal
of Nutrition, Health & Aging, demonstrated a link between the Daily Activity Energy
Expenditure (DAEE-- an accurate measurement of total physical activity), appetite and
mortality among well functioning community-dwelling adults. Information on an elderly
patient's eating habits may be important for health providers regarding risk for patient
deterioration and mortality. "These findings are important because they show how
subjective appetite measurement can predict death, even when adjusting for health and many
other variables," said Dr. Danit Shahar, a researcher with BGU's S. Daniel Abraham
International Center for Health and Nutrition and Department of Epidemiology. "Past
studies failed to show an association with survival. It was thought that decreased
appetite may be an indicator or a result to other health problems, and that malnutrition,
rather than low appetite was associated with mortality."
A stronger backbone - DHEA hormone
replacement increases bone density in older women
Taking a DHEA supplement combined with vitamin D and calcium can significantly improve
spinal bone density in older women, according to a new study from a Saint Louis University
scientist and his colleagues at Washington University. "The results of our study are
very promising. Similar studies have demonstrated much smaller benefits for bone than we
found. However, calcium and vitamin D deficiencies, which are present in half of older
adults, may have prevented DHEA from improving bone density in the earlier studies,"
said Edward Weiss, Ph.D., associate professor of nutrition and dietetics at Saint Louis
University's Doisy College of Health Sciences and lead author of the study. "In our
study, we supplemented all participants with calcium and vitamin D to ensure that
deficiencies were not present. This may explain why our study showed more favorable
effects on bone density." DHEA (dehydroepiandrosterone), a naturally occurring
steroid hormone produced in the adrenal gland, gonads and brain, decreases with age.
According to Weiss, low DHEA concentration has been associated with low bone density,
which lead researchers to question whether restoring DHEA levels could improve or preserve
bone health. The two-year study divided men and women, ages 65 to 75 years old, into two
groups. The first group received the DHEA supplement, vitamin D and calcium for two years.
The control group received a placebo, vitamin D and calcium for the first year and then
received the DHEA supplement the second year in place of the placebo. The effects of the
treatment differed for men and women. After the first year, women in the test group
experienced an approximate 2 percent increase in bone density, while women in the control
group did not see an increase. After the second year when both groups took the DHEA
supplement, women in the test group experienced an additional 2 percent increase for a
total of approximately 4 percent, while women who switched from placebo to DHEA also
experienced an approximate 2 percent increase. The same treatment, however, did not offer
similar benefits for older men. Instead, men in both the test and control groups
experienced a 1 to 2 percent increase in spinal bone density. According to researchers,
the results suggest that vitamin D and calcium supplements, which were give to both
groups, could be responsible for the increase in bone density.
Equality of the sexes? Not always
when it comes to biology
When it comes to immunity, men may not have been dealt an equal hand. The latest study by
Dr. Maya Saleh, of the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre and
McGill University, shows that women have a more powerful immune system than men. In fact,
the production of estrogen by females could have a beneficial effect on the innate
inflammatory response against bacterial pathogens. These surprising results were published
today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. More specifically, estrogen
naturally produced in women seems to block the production of an enzyme called Caspase-12,
which itself blocks the inflammatory process. The presence of estrogen would therefore
have a beneficial effect on innate immunity, which represents the body's first line of
defence against pathogenic organisms. "These results demonstrate that women have a
more powerful inflammatory response than men," said Dr. Saleh. This study was
conducted on mice that lack the Caspase-12 gene, meaning that the mice were extremely
resistant to infection. The human Caspase-12 gene was implanted in a group of male and
female mice, yet only the males became more prone to infection. "We were very
surprised by these results, and we determined that the estrogen produced by the female
mice blocked the expression of the human Caspase-12 gene," explained Dr. Saleh.
"We were also able to locate where the estrogen receptor binds on the gene in order
to block its expression, which indicates that the hormone exerts direct action in this
case." Since these experiments were conducted using a human gene, the researchers
consider these results to be applicable to humans. This feature of the female innate
immune system might have evolved to better protect women's reproductive role. The positive
effect of natural estrogen on our resistence to infection is also exhibited with synthetic
hormones such as 17-beta-estradiol. This finding might therefore open the door to new
therapeutic applications that reinforce the immune system, but a question remains: will
men be amenable to the idea of being treated with an exclusively female hormone?
UMMS researchers isolate first
'neuroprotective' gene in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
A genetic variant that substantially improves survival of individuals with amyotrophic
lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig's disease, has been indentified by a
consortium of researchers led by John Landers, PhD, Associate Professor of Neurology and
Robert Brown, MD, DPhil, Chair and Professor of Neurology at the University of
Massachusetts Medical School. Discovery of the KIFAP3 gene variant is reported in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. "This report is the first to
describe genetic factors that determine rate of progression in ALS," said Brown.
"The finding reflects a truly international collaboration in which physicians and
scientists from nearly 20 teams in several countries worked together to use new methods in
genetics to understand ALS." ALS is a progressive, neurodegenerative disorder
affecting the motor neurons in the central nervous system. As motor neurons die, the
brain's ability to send signals to the body's muscles is compromised. This leads to loss
of voluntary muscle movement, paralysis and eventually death from respiratory failure. In
1993, a team of researchers led by Dr. Brown discovered the first gene linked to familial
ALS, a protein anti-oxidant known as superoxide dismutase, or SOD1. Earlier this year, Dr.
Brown and his colleagues discovered a mutation in the FUS/TLS gene which is estimated to
account for 5 percent of inherited ALS cases. There are only four genes known, that when
mutated, cause familial ALS. The KIFAP3 gene variant is the first to be linked with the
rate of progression in ALS. To isolate the KIFAP3 gene variant, a consortium of
researchers from the U.S., Mexico, Israel and Europe examined more than 300,000 genetic
variants in over 1,800 people with ALS and nearly 2,200 unaffected controls. The approach
is based on the assumption that naturally occurring gene variations can influence both
disease susceptibility and the way a disease runs its course once underway. During their
search, the consortium detected a beneficial variant of the KIFAP3 gene which was
associated with an increase in survival time of 40 to 50 percent.
Scientists discover how smallpox
may derail human immune system
University of Florida researchers have learned more about how smallpox conducts its deadly
business — discoveries that may reveal as much about the human immune system as they
do about one of the world's most feared pathogens. In findings to be published this week
in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
scientists describe how they looked at all of the proteins produced by the smallpox virus
in concert with human proteins, and discovered one particular interaction that disables
one of the body's first responders to injury — inflammation. "This virus that
has killed more humans than any other contains secrets about how the human immune system
works," said Grant McFadden, Ph.D., a professor of molecular genetics and
microbiology at the College of Medicine and a member of the UF Genetics Institute.
"I'm always amazed at how sophisticated these pathogens are, and every time we look,
they have something new to teach us about the human immune system." With researchers
from the University of Alberta, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a
private company called Myriad Genetics, UF researchers for the first time systematically
screened the smallpox proteome — the entire complement of new proteins produced by
the virus — during interactions with proteins from human DNA. These
protein-on-protein interactions resulted in a particularly devastating pairing between a
viral protein called G1R and a human protein called human nuclear factor kappa-B1, which
is believed to play a role in the growth and survival of both healthy cells and cancer
cells by activating genes involved in immune responses and inflammation. "One of the
strategies of the virus is to inhibit inflammation pathways, and this interaction is an
inhibitor of human inflammation such that we have never seen before," McFadden said.
"This helps explain some of the mechanisms that contribute to smallpox pathogenesis.
But another side of this is that inflammation can sometimes be harmful or deadly to
people, and we may learn a way to inhibit more dangerous inflammation from this
virus."
Brains come before beauty in
boosting one’s career earnings
Nice guys may finish last, but it’s the smart ones that come in first with the
lookers close behind, according to a University of Florida study that finds people with
intelligence earn more in their lifetime than those who are attractive or self-confident.
“While beauty matters to career success, brains matter most,” said Timothy
Judge, a UF management professor whose research is published in the May issue of the
Journal of Applied Psychology. “If you were somehow able to choose from being smart,
good-looking or self-confident, our study shows that while you’d want all three
qualities, brains are the most important to economic success.” Intelligence is
rewarded early in life with positive strokes from teachers, which boosts self-confidence
and encourages future academic success, he said. “Smart people do better in their
careers because they are more likely to be educated and are more confident in their
abilities,” Judge said. “And it’s also possible that smart people make
better career choices, learn more on the job, negotiate for pay more effectively and adapt
better to changes in the workplace.” The results emphasize the need for employers to
be fair in their hiring and not unduly influenced by a job candidate’s appearance, he
said.
Study Finds Iron Levels Not
Predictive of Survival For Form of Blood Cancer
Iron chelating drugs have been heavily promoted for use in patients with primary
myelofibrosis (PMF), a form of blood cancer often treated with blood transfusion. These
drugs, however, which withhold available iron in the body, are highly expensive and
potentially toxic. A new study published in American Journal of Hematology finds that
their increased use has been propagated by non-evidence based, and often
industry-sponsored, statements and opinions, rather than original research, and that the
conclusions are often based on poor data. The study shows that the degree of anemia in
patients suffering from PMF, age and need for red blood cell transfusion at diagnosis were
stronger predictors for patient survival than serum ferritin level (a protein that stores
iron), which is often used as a proxy for iron overload in the blood. “Although iron
chelation therapy in PMF would probably lower serum ferritin level in such patients, its
value in terms of meaningful health outcomes remains dubious,” says Dr. Ayalew
Tefferi of the Mayo Clinic, principle author of the study.
Research says older people need
more sun
Spending more time in the sunshine could help older people to reduce their risk of
developing heart disease and diabetes. Exposure to sunlight stimulates vitamin D in the
skin and older people are more likely to have a vitamin D deficiency due to the natural
aging process and changes in lifestyle. Researchers at the University of Warwick have
shown vitamin D deficiency is significantly associated with metabolic syndrome, a
combination of medical and metabolic disorders that increase the risk of developing
cardiovascular disease and diabetes. The research team, led by Dr Oscar Franco at Warwick
Medical School, investigated the association between vitamin D levels in the blood and the
prevalence of metabolic syndrome in 3,262 people aged 50-70 years old in China. His team
found a high correlation between low vitamin D levels and the prevalence of metabolic
syndrome. They found 94% of people in the study had a vitamin D (25-hydroxyvitamin D)
deficiency or insufficiency. The results showed 42.3% of these people also had metabolic
syndrome. The results of the study, published in Diabetes Care journal, are consistent
with the findings of other studies in Western populations and Dr Franco suggests vitamin D
deficiency could become a global health problem. He said "Vitamin D deficiency is
becoming a condition that is causing a large burden of disease across the globe with
particular deleterious impact among the elderly. Our results are consistent with those
found in British and American populations. We found that low vitamin D levels were
associated with an increased risk of having metabolic syndrome, and was also significantly
associated with increased insulin resistance." Dr Franco said there were many factors
which could explain why older people had less vitamin D in their blood, including changes
in lifestyle factors such as clothing and outdoor activity.
Research finds Kava safe and
effective
Researchers at the University of Queensland in Australia have found a traditional extract
of Kava, a medicinal plant from the South Pacific, to be safe and effective in reducing
anxiety. To be published online this week in the Springer journal Psychopharmacology, the
results of a world-first clinical trial which found that a water-soluble extract of Kava
was effective in treating anxiety and improving mood. The Kava was prescribed in the form
of tablets. Lead researcher Jerome Sarris, a PhD candidate from UQ’s School of
Medicine, said the placebo-controlled study found Kava to be an effective and safe
treatment option for people with chronic anxiety and varying levels of depression.
“We’ve been able to show that Kava offers a natural alternative for the
treatment of anxiety, and unlike some pharmaceutical options, has less risk of dependency
and less potential of side effects,” Mr. Sarris said.
New evidence of how high glucose
damages blood vessels could lead to new treatments
New evidence of how the elevated glucose levels that occur in diabetes damage blood
vessels may lead to novel strategies for blocking the destruction, Medical College of
Georgia researchers say. They found a decreased ability of blood vessels to relax resulted
from increased activity of a natural mechanism for altering protein form and function,
says Dr. Rita C.Tostes, physiologist in the MCG School of Medicine. The researchers
suspect increased modification of proteins by a glucose-derived molecule is a player in
vascular problems associated with hypertension, stroke and obesity as well. One aftermath
of high glucose levels is low levels of the powerful vasodilator nitric oxide in blood
vessels, a shortfall that increases the risk of high blood pressure and eventual narrowing
of the vessels, researchers reported at the American Society of Hypertension 24th Annual
Scientific Program in San Francisco during a joint session with the Council for High Blood
Pressure. "We know diabetes is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and we
think this is one of the reasons," Dr. Tostes says.
Brain's problem-solving function at
work when we daydream
A new University of British Columbia study finds that our brains are much more active when
we daydream than previously thought. The study, published in the Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences, finds that activity in numerous brain regions increases when
our minds wander. It also finds that brain areas associated with complex problem-solving
– previously thought to go dormant when we daydream – are in fact highly active
during these episodes. "Mind wandering is typically associated with negative things
like laziness or inattentiveness," says lead author, Prof. Kalina Christoff, UBC
Dept. of Psychology. "But this study shows our brains are very active when we
daydream – much more active than when we focus on routine tasks."For the study,
subjects were placed inside an fMRI scanner, where they performed the simple routine task
of pushing a button when numbers appear on a screen. The researchers tracked subjects'
attentiveness moment-to-moment through brain scans, subjective reports from subjects and
by tracking their performance on the task. The findings suggest that daydreaming –
which can occupy as much as one third of our waking lives – is an important cognitive
state where we may unconsciously turn our attention from immediate tasks to sort through
important problems in our lives. Until now, the brain's "default network" –
which is linked to easy, routine mental activity and includes the medial prefrontal cortex
(PFC), the posterior cingulate cortex and the temporoparietal junction – was the only
part of the brain thought to be active when our minds wander. However, the study finds
that the brain's "executive network" – associated with high-level, complex
problem-solving and including the lateral PFC and the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex
– also becomes activated when we daydream. "This is a surprising finding, that
these two brain networks are activated in parallel," says Christoff. "Until now,
scientists have thought they operated on an either-or basis – when one was activated,
the other was thought to be dormant." The less subjects were aware that their mind
was wandering, the more both networks were activated.
UNC study identifies genetic cause
of most common form of breast cancer
The discovery of tumor-suppressor genes has been key to unlocking the molecular and
cellular mechanisms leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation – the hallmark of
cancer. Often, these genes will work in concert with others in a complex biochemical
system that keeps our cells growing and dividing, disease free. Now researchers at the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine and UNC Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that defects in one gene, called p18, may override
the rest, eventually leading to cancer. This discovery, combined with new laboratory
techniques, will help scientists identify and test new treatments for luminal-type tumors,
which account for between 70 and 80 percent of all breast cancers, but are generally
slower growing than other types. The results of the research appear in the May 2009 issue
of Cancer Cell. Defects in the p18 gene have been observed in different types of human
cancer. Senior study author Yue Xiong, Ph.D., William R. Kenan Jr. Distinguished Professor
of biochemistry and biophysics, observes, "When this gene is not expressed or is
deleted, cells have no braking mechanism. They will continue to grow and divide until they
turn into cancer."
Study reveals conflict between
doctors, midwives over homebirth
Two Oregon State University researchers have uncovered a pattern of distrust – and
sometimes outright antagonism – among physicians at hospitals and midwives who are
transporting their home-birth clients to the hospital because of complications. Oregon
State University assistant professor Melissa Cheyney and doctoral student Courtney Everson
said their work revealed an ongoing conflict between physicians and midwives that is
reflective of discord across the country. The pair recently examined birth records in
Oregon's Jackson County from 1998 through 2003, a period when that county saw
higher-than-expected rates of prematurity and low birth weight in some populations. The
researchers wanted to assess whether those rates were linked to idwife-attended
homebirths. The findings revealed that assisted homebirths did not appear to be
contributing to the lower-than-average health outcomes and, in fact, that the homebirths
documented all had successful outcomes. But even more importantly to Cheyney, discussions
with doctors and midwives uncovered a deep gulf between the two groups of birthing
providers, with doctors expressing the firm belief that only hospital births are safe,
while midwives felt marginalized, mocked and put on the defensive when in contact with
physicians. "We've been getting insight into their world view, and it's been quite
illuminating," Cheyney said. Cheyney, who is a practicing midwife in addition to
being an assistant professor of medical anthropology and reproductive biology, said she
was surprised that physicians, when presented with scientifically conducted research that
indicates homebirths do not increase infant mortality rates, still refuse to believe that
births outside of the hospital are safe."Medicine is a social construct, and it's
heavily politicized," she said.
New tissue scaffold regrows
cartilage and bone
MIT engineers and colleagues have built a new tissue scaffold that can stimulate bone and
cartilage growth when transplanted into the knees and other joints. The scaffold could
offer a potential new treatment for sports injuries and other cartilage damage, such as
arthritis, says Lorna Gibson, the Matoula S. Salapatas Professor of Materials Science and
Engineering and co-leader of the research team with Professor William Bonfield of
Cambridge University. "If someone had a damaged region in the cartilage, you could
remove the cartilage and the bone below it and put our scaffold in the hole," said
Gibson. The researchers describe their scaffold in a recent series of articles in the
Journal of Biomedical Materials Research. The technology has been licensed to
Orthomimetics, a British company launched by one of Gibson's collaborators, Andrew Lynn of
Cambridge University. The company recently started clinical trials in Europe. The scaffold
has two layers, one that mimics bone and one that mimics cartilage. When implanted into a
joint, the scaffold can stimulate mesenchymal stem cells in the bone marrow to produce new
bone and cartilage. The technology is currently limited to small defects, using scaffolds
roughly 8 mm in diameter. The researchers demonstrated the scaffold's effectiveness in a
16-week study involving goats. In that study, the scaffold successfully stimulated bone
and cartilage growth after being implanted in the goats' knees. The project, a
collaboration enabled by the Cambridge-MIT Institute, began when the team decided to build
a scaffold for bone growth. They started with an existing method to produce a skin
scaffold, made of collagen (from bovine tendon) and glycosaminoglycan, a long
polysaccharide chain. To mimic the structure of bone, they developed a technique to
mineralize the collagen scaffold by adding sources of calcium and phosphate.
Muscular dystrophy diagnosis
delayed almost 2.5 years in boys
Boys show signs of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD) for 2 ˝ years before they obtain a
diagnosis and disease-specific treatment, about the same length of delay children have
endured for the past 20 years despite advances in genetic testing and treatment. A simple
and inexpensive blood test for any boy with symptoms and signs of motor delays and
abnormalities could speed up the process while pilot studies on newborn screening are
conducted. Recent University of Rochester Medical Center research published in the Journal
of Pediatrics shows that boys who are eventually diagnosed with DMD show signs of the
disease for more than a year before families bring it to the attention of a health care
provider. It takes another year before these children are screened with a serum CK test
– a simple and inexpensive blood test for creatine kinase, an enzyme that leaks out
of damaged muscle. "The CK test is an easily available and cheap test," said
Emma Ciafaloni, M.D., associate professor of Neurology at the University of Rochester
Medical Center and author of the paper. "If they get the test and the diagnosis
earlier, they can start treatment earlier and access the best care in the appropriate
clinics and the best available services in their school. Early diagnosis will avoid
unnecessary and costly tests and numerous unnecessary referrals to the wrong specialists.
Parents and maternal relatives can also seek genetic counseling before they plan to have
more children." DMD, the most common muscular dystrophy in children is a particularly
devastating form of the disease that affects 1 in 3,500 boys. It is an X-linked recessive
genetic disease with onset of symptoms in boys between 2 and 6 years old. It progresses
rapidly, rendering patients wheelchair bound by 10 or 11 years old. Most patients die in
their mid-late 20s.
Diet prescribed to lower blood
pressure also reduces women's risk of heart failure
The DASH diet was initially developed to help patients lower their blood pressure, but a
large study led by investigators at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC)
demonstrates that women who followed the diet also significantly reduced their risk of
developing heart failure. Published in today's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine,
the findings offer still more evidence that a diet high in plant foods and low in sugar
and saturated fats is good for your cardiac health. "High blood pressure is always of
concern because it has the potential to lead to major adverse events, including strokes,
heart attacks and heart failure," explains senior author Emily Levitan, ScD, a
research fellow in the Cardiovascular Epidemiology Research Center at BIDMC. She and her
coauthors, therefore, hypothesized that the DASH diet (short for Dietary Approaches to
Stop Hypertension) would also reduce a woman's risk of heart failure through its blood
pressure lowering effects as well as its secondary effects on cholesterol and other
heart-disease risk factors. The DASH diet, which has been shown to lower blood pressure in
randomized clinical studies, is plentiful in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products
and whole grains. "These foods are high in potassium, magnesium, calcium and fiber,
moderately high in protein, and low in saturated fat and total fat," explains
Levitan. A life-threatening condition that develops when the heart can no longer pump
enough blood to meet the body's needs, heart failure (also known as congestive heart
failure) is usually caused by existing cardiac conditions, including high blood pressure
and coronary artery disease. Heart failure is the leading cause of hospitalization among
patients 65 and older, and is characterized by such symptoms as fatigue and weakness,
difficulty walking, rapid or irregular heartbeat, and persistent cough or wheezing.
Swine flu - What does it do to
pigs?
The effects of H1N1 swine flu have been investigated in a group of piglets. Scientists
writing in BioMed Central's open access Virology Journal studied the pathology of the
virus, finding that all infected animals showed flu-like symptoms between one and four
days after infection and were shedding virus two days after infection. Roongroje
Thanawongnuwech led a team of researchers from Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, who
infected 22-day old pigs with both the H1N1 strain of swine flu and the less dangerous
H3N2 subtype. He said, "The results demonstrated that both swine flu subtypes were
able to induce flu-like symptoms and lung lesions in weanling pigs. However the severity
of the disease with regard to both gross and microscopic lung lesions was greater in the
H1N1-infected pigs". All infected pigs developed respiratory symptoms such as nasal
discharge, coughing, sneezing and conjunctivitis. Upon pathological examination, lung
lesions large enough to be seen by the naked eye were observed. According to
Thanawongnuwech, "These lesions were characterized by dark plum-colored, consolidated
areas on lung lobes and were most severe two days after infection, especially in the
H1N1-infected pigs, where approximately a third of the lung was covered". The course
of infection was limited to less than a week and none of the animals died.
Thus the bile does not overflow
A consequence of the different cancers of the hepatobiliary system is blocked bile ducts.
However, artificial catheters known as "stents" can remediate this problem.
Stents are medical implants which reopen narrowed bile ducts to allow the outflow of bile.
However, bacteria colonize these catheters forming dense communities, so-called biofilms.
Inside these biofilms, bacteria are not only protected from the immune response initiated
by the host but also from antibiotics. Since the bacterial community is unable to be
controlled via antibiotics, the catheters become blocked by the biofilms, which then have
to be exchanged on a regular basis, an invasive process. Scientists of the
Helmholtz-Centre for Infection Research (HZI) in Braunschweig have analyzed biliary stents
from patients being treated at the medical clinics in Salzgitter and Braunschweig. They
would like to know which bacteria inhabit these stents so that such knowledge can
facilitate the development of medications tailored to combat against development of these
biofilms. The HZI-Scientists identified specific bacterial species as main colonizers of
these stents. In addition they statistically evaluated the composition of the bacterial
communities of the catheters. Their results have now been published by the scientific
journal International Society for Microbial Ecology Journal. The Scientists of the HZI
Department "Microbial Pathogenesis" used material from biliary stents of
patients where old catheters had been replaced by new ones. For this reason, they
collaborated with the Surgery Clinic of the Braunschweig General Hospital and the
Department of Internal Medicine of the Klinikum Salzgitter. The Klinikum Salzgitter is the
most specialized and experienced clinic for biliary stent replacement in the region, where
each week patients receive new biliary stents. "This had the advantage that we could
compare a huge set of samples" Dietmar Pieper, Group leader in the Department of
Microbial Pathogenesis said. "This huge set of samples could only be analyzed as we
did not try to culture the bacteria on plates, but used sophisticated culture-independent
methods" Pieper said. The main goals of the scientists were to determine the
composition of the bacterial communities in different biliary stents, their interactions
with each other and which bacteria most often occur.
Closer to an effective treatment
for gum disease in smokers
Scientists in the USA have discovered why smokers may be more prone to chronic gum disease
(periodontitis). One of the bacteria responsible for this infection responds to cigarette
smoke – changing its properties and the way it infects a smokers mouth. The study
published recently in the Society for Applied Microbiology journal Environmental
Microbiology, showed that the bacterium Porphyromonas gingivalis adapts and changes its
DNA and membrane proteins in response to cigarette smoke. Several genes of P. gingivalis
associated with its virulence (infectivity), detoxification, oxidative stress mechanisms
and DNA repair are altered by exposure to cigarette smoke. As a result, the expression of
a number of the proteins in the cell membrane is changed. This affects important
characteristics of the bacterial cells themselves and how the immune system recognizes
this pathogen. This could explain why smokers are more likely to be resistant to treatment
for periodontitis and are more susceptible to oral disease caused by infection with P.
gingivalis. Finding an effective treatment for smokers infected with P. gingivalis will be
easier now that these changes in the bacterium's 'properties' have been identified.
University of Louisville researcher, Dr David Scott said: "It has long been known
that smokers are more susceptible to periodontitis than are non-smokers. However, the
reasons why are not so clear. Our study shows, for the first time, that components in
cigarette smoke alter key characteristics of a major bacterial pathogen which,
subsequently, changes how our immune system reacts to it. It may turn out that we need to
develop alternate treatment plans for smokers and non-smokers".
Compounds in spinal fluid
associated with faster decline among individuals with mild dementia
Levels of biomarkers in the cerebrospinal fluid of individuals with very mild dementia may
be associated with the rate at which their thinking, learning and memory skills decline,
according to a report in the May issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives
journals. Finding effective treatments for Alzheimer's disease will likely depend on early
identification of patients, according to background information in the article.
"Because there is a growing emphasis on enrolling individuals with less cognitive
impairment into clinical trials of putative anti–Alzheimer's disease agents, methods
are needed that will identify individuals with very mild dementia of the Alzheimer's type
who are more likely to exhibit measurable cognitive decline during the study," the
authors write. Barbara J. Snider, M.D., Ph.D., and colleagues at Washington University
School of Medicine, St. Louis, studied 49 individuals with a diagnosis of very mild
dementia of the Alzheimer type. Participants underwent a lumbar puncture to obtain a
sample of cerebrospinal fluid, which was tested for several biomarkers associated with
Alzheimer's disease, including alpha-beta peptide 1-42 (A?42), tau and phosphorylated tau
181 (ptau 181). All the participants had at least one follow-up assessment an average of
3.5 years later. "The rate of dementia progression was significantly more rapid in
individuals with lower baseline cerebrospinal fluid A?42 levels, higher tau or ptau 181
levels or high tau: A?42 ratios," the authors write.
Eating fish, nuts and olive oil may
be associated with reduced risk of age-related blindness
Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids
and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease
age-related macular degeneration, according to two reports in the May issue of Archives of
Ophthalmology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. By 2020, as many as 3 million Americans
are expected to have late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to
background information in one of the articles. AMD is the leading cause of severe vision
loss among individuals older than 65 in the developed world. Established risk factors
include age, genetic markers and smoking (the only consistently reported modifiable risk
factor). In one report, Jennifer S.L. Tan, M.B.B.S., B.E., of Westmead Hospital,
University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues studied 2,454 participants in the Blue
Mountains Eye Study, which began in 1992 to 1994. At that time, participants completed a
food frequency questionnaire that was analyzed to determine their intake of various fatty
acids. Digital photographs of the retina were used to assess the development of AMD five
and 10 years later. After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, eating one serving of fish
per week was associated with a 31 percent lower risk of developing early AMD. The
association was stronger among individuals with a lower intake of linoleic acid, an
unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils. Eating one to two
servings of nuts per week was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of early AMD.
"In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that increased intake of
omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and regular consumption of fish and/or nuts in the
diet may protect against the development of early AMD," the authors write. These
fatty acids may protect the eyes by preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries or
reducing inflammation, blood vessel formation and oxygen-related cell damage in the
retina. Joint effects of protection against AMD were suggested between the consumption of
these foods and other factors, such as smoking, intake of unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids
or beta carotene and the ratio of total blood cholesterol to HDL or "good"
cholesterol. "These findings also suggest that an appropriate balance among various
nutrients is essential for maximizing nutritional benefit," they continue. Further
studies are needed to determine whether changing an individual's diet or recommending
supplementation could prevent or delay the development of AMD.
Real and Simulated Acupuncture
Appear More Effective Than Usual Care for Back Pain
Three types of acupuncture therapy—an individually tailored program, standard therapy
and a simulation involving toothpicks at key acupuncture points—appear more effective
than usual care for chronic low back pain, according to a report in the May 11 issue of
Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Back pain costs Americans
at least $37 billion annually, according to background information in the article. Many
patients with this condition are unsatisfied with traditional medical care and seek help
from complementary and alternative care providers, including acupuncturists. "Back
pain is the leading reason for visits to licensed acupuncturists, and medical
acupuncturists consider acupuncture an effective treatment for back pain," the
authors write. Several recent studies have suggested that simulated acupuncture, or
shallow needling on parts of the body not considered key acupuncture points, appear as
effective as acupuncture involving penetrating the skin. To expand on these results,
Daniel C. Cherkin, Ph.D., of Group Health Center for Health Studies, Seattle, and
colleagues compared four different types of treatment in a randomized clinical trial
involving 638 adults (average age 47) with chronic low back pain at Group Health in
Seattle and Kaiser Permanente Northern California in Oakland. During the seven-week
treatment period, 157 participants received 10 acupuncture treatments in a manner
individually prescribed by a diagnostic acupuncturist; 158 underwent a standardized course
of acupuncture treatments considered effective by experts for low back pain; 162 received
10 sessions of simulated acupuncture, in which practitioners used a toothpick inside of an
acupuncture needle guide tube to mimic the insertion, stimulation and removal of needles;
and 161 received usual care. Participants reported changes in their symptoms and in the
amount of dysfunction caused by their back pain by phone after eight, 26 and 52 weeks.
"Compared with usual care, individualized acupuncture, standardized acupuncture and
simulated acupuncture had beneficial and persisting effects on chronic back pain,"
the authors write. At the eight-week follow-up, 60 percent of the participants receiving
any type of acupuncture (individualized, standardized or simulated) experienced a
clinically meaningful improvement in their level of functioning, compared with 39 percent
of those receiving usual care. At the one-year follow-up, 59 percent to 65 percent of
those in the acupuncture groups experienced an improvement in function compared with 50
percent of the usual care group.
Small Promotional Items from Drug
Companies May Influence Medical Students' Attitudes
Exposure to small promotional items from pharmaceutical companies, such as clipboards and
notepads, appears to influence medical students' unconscious attitudes toward the marketed
product, according to a report in the May 11 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one
of the JAMA/Archives journals. Students whose medical school restricts marketing practices
had less favorable attitudes toward the product following exposure to the items, while
those at a school with no such limitations responded more favorably. "Discussions
about the influence of pharmaceutical promotion on physicians often focus on gifts and
payments of relatively large economic value," the authors write as background
information in the article. "The underlying assumption is that smaller gifts are
unlikely to exert influence on prescribing decisions." However, marketing and
psychological research suggests that even trivial items can sway attitudes and behaviors.
David Grande, M.D., M.P.A., of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, and
colleagues conducted a randomized controlled experiment involving 352 third- and
fourth-year medical students. Of these, 154 were enrolled at the University of
Pennsylvania School of Medicine (Penn), which has a policy prohibiting most gifts, meals
and samples from drug companies. The other 198 attended the University of Miami Miller
School of Medicine (Miami), which permits these marketing practices. One hundred and
eighty-one of the participants were randomly assigned to be unknowingly exposed to small
branded promotional items for the cholesterol-lowering medication Lipitor, including a
clipboard and notepad used when they signed in to study appointments. The other 171
students received no such priming. All of the participants completed a test of implicit
attitudes toward Lipitor (one of the most heavily promoted brand-name statins in the
United States) and Zocor (which is available generically and considered to be equally
effective). The test involved matching the brands to attributes of the brands (such as
pleasant and unpleasant) in a computerized image- and word-association test. Differences
in reaction times help reveal unconscious attitudes. The students also reported their
explicit (conscious) attitudes toward both drugs by completing a questionnaire about
safety, superiority, efficacy and convenience.
29 percent of cancer studies report
conflict of interest
Nearly one-third of cancer research published in high-impact journals disclosed a conflict
of interest, according to a new study from researchers at the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center. The most frequent type of conflict was industry funding of
the study, which was seen in 17 percent of papers. Twelve percent of papers had a study
author who was an industry employee. Randomized trials with reported conflicts of interest
were more likely to have positive findings. "Given the frequency we observed for
conflicts of interest and the fact that conflicts were associated with study outcomes, I
would suggest that merely disclosing conflicts is probably not enough. It's becoming
increasingly clear that we need to look more at how we can disentangle cancer research
from industry ties," says study author Reshma Jagsi, M.D., D.Phil., assistant
professor of radiation oncology at the U-M Medical School. The researchers looked at 1,534
cancer research studies published in prominent journals. Results of this current study
appear online in the journal Cancer. "A serious concern is individuals with conflicts
of interest will either consciously or unconsciously be biased in their analyses. As
researchers, we have an obligation to treat the data objectively and in an unbiased
fashion. There may be some relationships that compromise a researcher's ability to do
that," Jagsi says.
City-dwellers have higher risk of
late-stage cancer than rural residents
People who live in urban areas are more likely to develop late-stage cancer than those who
live in suburban and rural areas. That is the conclusion of a new study published in the
June 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society. The
study's results indicate a need for more effective urban-based cancer screening and
awareness programs. Diagnosing cancer at an early stage can improve outcomes. Studies show
certain groups, such as low income populations, are more likely to be diagnosed with
cancer at later stages. While some studies have also found that geography can affect the
timing of cancer diagnoses, research on rural-urban disparities has produced mixed and
conflicting findings. To investigate the rural and urban differences in late-stage cancer
diagnoses, Sara L. McLafferty, Ph.D., of the University of Illinois and Fahui Wang, Ph.D.,
of Louisiana Sate University analyzed data from the Illinois State Cancer Registry from
1998 to 2002. The investigators noted that Illinois is an appropriate area to study
because it encompasses a diverse range of geographic regions from the densely populated
Chicago metropolitan area to low-density, remote rural areas. They assessed late-stage
cancer diagnoses of the four major types of cancer (breast, colorectal, lung, and
prostate) throughout the state, comparing data from cities with those from less-populated
regions. The researchers found that for all four cancers, risk was highest in the most
highly urbanized area (Chicago) and decreased as areas became more rural. However, in the
most isolated rural areas, risk was also high. Risks were considerably low among patients
living in large towns in rural areas.
Smoking interferes with recovery
from alcohol-related brain damage
Alcohol-use disorders (AUDs) can damage the brain, particularly the frontal and parietal
cortices, although this damage is at least partially reversible with sustained abstinence
from alcohol. Chronic smoking is extremely common among individuals with AUDs. A new study
has used longitudinal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain blood flow to show that
smoking makes it harder for brain blood flow to recover from long-term heavy
drinking.Results will be published in the August issue of Alcoholism: Clinical &
Experimental Research and are currently available at Early View. "The brain's frontal
lobes are involved in higher-order cognitive function, such as learning, short-term
memory, reasoning, planning, problem solving, and emotional control," explained
Anderson Mon, senior research fellow in the department of radiology at the University of
California, San Francisco and corresponding author for the study. "The parietal lobes
are involved in aspects of attentional regulation and visuospatial processing. Chronic and
excessive drinking is associated with neurobiological abnormalities in these regions,
which contribute to the cognitive dysfunction frequently observed in those with AUDs after
detoxification." Cerebral perfusion is a measure of the amount of blood flow to brain
tissue per unit time. A normal, uninterrupted flow of blood through the brain is necessary
to supply brain tissue with sufficient essential compounds and oxygen for normal
metabolism, and will also carry away metabolic byproducts. The brain is only about 1/50th
of total body weight, but it demands about 20 percent of the heart's oxygen-rich blood.
"In general, AUDs are associated with reduced perfusion," said Mon. "With
abstinence from alcohol, brain perfusion abnormalities may recover, but there are several
factors that may influence recovery, such as age, diet, exercise, genetic predispositions
and – the topic of our research –other substances such as tobacco
products." Mon and his colleagues measured brain perfusion in the frontal and
parietal cortices of three groups of study participants: 19 non-smoking alcohol-dependent
(ALC) patients, and 22 smoking ALC patients at one and five weeks of abstinence from
alcohol; as well as 28 age-matched non-smoking, light-drinking controls. Results showed
that even though cerebral perfusion among the ALC individuals, as a whole, improved with
abstinence from alcohol, those ALC who were chronic smokers demonstrated significantly
less perfusion recovery, particularly in the frontal lobes.
Study in Nature Medicine
establishes major new treatment target in diseased arteries
Removing a single protein prevents early damage in blood vessels from triggering a
later-stage, frequently lethal complication of atherosclerosis, according to research
published online today in the journal Nature Medicine. By eliminating the gene for a
signaling protein called cyclophilin A (CypA) from a strain of mice, researchers were able
to provide complete protection against abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA). The aorta is the
main artery carrying blood from the heart, and AAA is a progressive outward dilation of
the aorta under the stress of blood pressure due to a breakdown in the vessel's structural
integrity. AAA leads to 15,000 deaths a year, mostly in aging men, when aneurysms rupture
to spill blood into the abdomen, a fatal event in 90 percent of cases. Adding to the
study's importance, AAA shares vital biochemical pathways with atherosclerosis, the
leading cause of heart attack and stroke. Thus, drugs that target CypA could potentially
address both AAA and atherosclerosis. When study mice were engineered to remove their CypA
gene, none from that group developed AAA in the face of the hypertension and high
cholesterol known to accelerate it. In contrast, 78 percent of mice with
"normal" amounts of CypA developed AAA under the same conditions, 35 percent
with a fatal rupture. The team also found high CypA levels in the rupture-prone vessels of
humans with AAA, and that major drugs like statins reduce CypA levels, which may partly
explain their benefit. "It is extremely unusual for the removal of one protein to
provide absolute protection, but it makes perfect sense because cyclophilin A promotes
three of the most destructive forces in blood vessels – oxidative stress,
inflammation and matrix degradation," said Bradford C. Berk, M.D., Ph.D., professor
of Medicine within the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute at the University of
Rochester Medical Center, and senior author of the study. "We are working to design
anti-CypA drugs that will diminish the disease processes underlying AAA, atherosclerosis
and hypertension."
Preclinical work shows how one gene
causes severe mental retardation
Researchers at Duke University Medical Center and the University of North Carolina have
discovered in mice how a single disrupted gene can cause a form of severe mental
retardation known as Angelman syndrome. In a study published in the journal Nature
Neuroscience, they found that the gene, UBE3A, is needed so that neurons in the brain can
form and adjust their connections to other neurons for storing sensory information. They
also made a promising discovery: When the mice were deprived of sensory stimulation, the
brain connections could be recovered, a finding that indicated a pharmaceutical or
behavioral treatment might be possible in the future. The scientists undertook this
project because of the developmental-onset period seen in Angelman syndrome, typically
when children are between one and two years old. It is during this time in humans that the
cortex, the sheet of convoluted folds at the surface of the brain, undergoes profound
rearrangements driven by sensory experiences – the experience of seeing reorganizes
the visual cortex, for example, during the same time period when the deficits are becoming
obvious in Angelman syndrome, part of the autism spectrum of disorders. "We wanted to
look at an animal model to learn if this experience-dependent reorganization of the cortex
was abnormal in animals that were missing the gene," said Michael Ehlers, M.D.,
Ph.D., a Duke professor of neurobiology and co-senior author of the study. "We looked
at the visual cortex, because in this well-studied model, we could precisely control the
sensory stimulus and study the mice in the light or the dark. We speculated that similar
deficits may be happening in areas of the cortex that are important for language,
cognition and emotion, all of which are quite abnormal in Angelman syndrome
patients." The authors found that brains cells in Angelman syndrome mice lacked the
ability to appropriately strengthen or weaken in the cortex, an area of the brain
important for cognitive abilities. Angelman syndrome is one among a small family of single
gene, autism-related, neurodevelopmental disorders. Children with the condition appear to
respond normally to stimuli during their first year, but around 12-18 months, they start
missing milestones of cognitive development and language, typically learning only a 2-3
words over their lifetime. "When we have experiences, connections between brain cells
are modified so that we can learn," said Ben Philpot, Ph.D., a University of North
Carolina professor in Cell and Molecular Physiology and co-senior author of the study.
"By strengthening and weakening appropriate connections between brain cells, a
process termed synaptic plasticity, we are able to constantly learn and adapt to an
ever-changing environment."
New EU regulations force cosmetics
firms to abandon safety tests in animals
New European Union (EU) regulations restricting use of animals to test the safety of
shampoo, nail polish, and other personal care products are forcing cosmetic makers to seek
alternative ways to test these products, according to an article scheduled for the May 11
issue of Chemical & Engineering News, ACS' weekly newsmagazine. C&EN senior
correspondent Marc Reisch explains in the cover story that an EU regulation now restricts
use of animal testing, and will totally ban it effective in 2013. "Its influence is
far reaching because it will affect substances imported into the EU and because EU
regulations are often adopted in other countries," the article notes. As a result,
cosmetic makers are evaluating safety with so-called in vitro or "test tube"
testing, simulations of cosmetic effects with computers, and safety information in
existing databases. Some manufacturers express concern because EU officials have not yet
validated all of the new testing methods and worry that the regulations could stifle
development of innovative cosmetic ingredients.
The LR protein helps
meningitis-causing bacteria target the brain
Bacterial meningitis is the potentially fatal bacterial infection of the brain and spinal
cord (which together are known as the CNS). While many viruses that can infect nerve cells
in the CNS bind the protein LR, and this interaction plays a key role in targeting the
viruses to the CNS (a process known as CNS tropism), it is not known whether this protein
also mediates the CNS tropism of meningitis-causing bacteria. However, in a new study,
Dlawer Ala'Aldeen, Elaine Tuomanen, and colleagues, at Queen's Medical Centre, United
Kingdom, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, have revealed the molecular
basis for bacterial interactions with LR. Using several in vitro and in vivo approaches in
rodent and human brain cells, the researchers showed that the three common
meningitis-causing bacteria bound to the same region of the LR molecule, known as the
adhesion recognition site. The authors therefore suggest that interruption of the
bacteria/LR interaction may serve as a therapeutic target for bacterial meningitis.
Driving to work increases risk of
heart attack
People who drive to work run a considerably greater risk of having a heart attack than
those who are physically active on the way to work. This is shown in a new dissertation by
Patrik Wennberg at Umeĺ University in Sweden. Patrik Wennberg’s studies elucidate
how various types of physical activity influence the risk of heart attack. Those who
regularly drive to work run a 70 percent greater risk compared with those who walk, bike,
or take the bus to work. The positive effect on weight and blood fats and the beneficial
effects on propensity to experience blood clots and inflammation seems to be able to
explain a substantial part, 40 percent of the reduced risk among those who are physically
active on the way to work. High levels of recreational physical activity also lead to a
lower risk of having a heart attack. High levels of physical activity at work also entail
a lower risk of heart attack, but only in men.
Blood glucose control more
important for patients with diabetes than previously believed
It is even more important than previously believed that patients with diabetes accurately
maintain their blood glucose levels at a normal, low level. Even small improvements can
make a great difference in the long term. These are the conclusions of a thesis recently
presented at the Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden. The studies have
been carried out by statistical analysis of patients’ records for patients at several
diabetes clinics in western Sweden. A large American study is also included in the thesis.
New statistical methods and extensive data collection have made it possible to analyse and
study in detail the effects of treatments in a long-term perspective.“Our results
show that the risk of complications 10-15 years after the start of treatment probably
decreases significantly following even small improvements in blood glucose control. If the
treatment of all Swedish diabetes patients could be even slightly improved, we believe
that tens of thousands of cases of injuries to the eyes, kidneys, heart, nerves and brain
could be prevented”, says physician Marcus Lind, author of the thesis.
Two glasses of wine a day helps to
reduce quantity of fat in liver
The author of the thesis is Ms Elizabeth Hijona Muruamendiaraz, a graduate in Biochemistry
specialising in Dietetics and Nutrition, and has entitled her PhD, Effect of resveratrol
on simple, non-alcoholic hepatic esteatosis in a murine model. The director of the thesis
was Luis Bujanda Fernández de Piérola from the department of Physiology at the Faculty
of Medicine and Odontology at the UPV/EHU. Ms Elizabeth Hijona is currently working as a
researcher in Digestive Systems at the Hospital Donostia.
Folic Acid Supplementation and
Spontaneous Preterm Birth - Adding Grist to the Mill?
Tere is increasing evidence that recommended supplementation levels are inadequate to
optimize pregnancy outcome. Studies from North and South America show that low-level
fortification of flour prevents at most only 40% of NTDs, because such fortification
provides only a quarter of the recommended daily intake [16],[17]. Bukowski and
colleagues' study confirms that fewer than 20% of women follow recommendations for
additional folate, while in settings without mandatory fortification of flour, such as
most of Europe, as few as 5% of women take the recommended 400 ľg dose in the three
months prior to conception [10]. Higher daily doses result in higher folate levels, and
there is a continuous dose–response relationship between early pregnancy folate
levels and NTD prevention [18]. Compelling arguments have been made to increase mandatory
flour fortification levels 2–4 fold and pre-pregnancy folic acid tablets to 4–5
mg per day, aiming to prevent around 85% of NTDs [17]. There is little downside, now that
earlier concerns about folic acid unmasking vitamin B12 deficiency appear resolved, and
the evidence on whether folate supplementation increases twinning remains inconclusive
[19],[20].Does Bukowski and colleagues' study provide additional impetus for an increase
in the recommended dose of folic acid [19]? No, that would be premature in the absence of
intervention studies to substantiate folic acid reducing very preterm birth. This is
particularly important given the experience with cardiovascular disease, where
epidemiological evidence suggested protective effects of folic acid supplementation that
were not borne out in subsequent randomized trials [21]. In the interim,
super-supplementation can be justified entirely on the basis that it would double the
number of NTDs prevented.
Calcium Bentonite Clay - Safe
Protection from Environmental Toxins
During the past few months, there has been an outbreak of reports of chemicals,
pharmaceuticals, pesticides and toxins being found in our water supply, our food, our air,
our soil....just about everything we come in contact with it seems. But, armed with the
proper information, there`s no reason to live in a state of fear. Of course, measures must
be taken to remove these harmful substances from our eco-system, but until that dream
becomes a reality, you can protect yourself and your loved ones with calcium Bentonite
clay. Used both externally and internally, calcium Bentonite clay safely removes toxins
from your system.
Big Pharma Synthetic Fish Oil is
Not Quite Working as Intended
GlaxoSmithKline released their new "Drug" Lovaza, a synthetic version of the
Omega 3 Fatty Acids found in fish oil. But the highly refined oil isn`t performing as well
in real life usage as the drug makers had hoped. It`s indication for use in moderately
elevated cholesterol levels is coming into question as new research is showing that it is
actually RAISING bad cholesterol levels and essentially negating its beneficial effects.
Why You Should Avoid Fructose
Sweetened Beverages
A new study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (April 20th, 2009) shows
the difference in how the sugars fructose and glucose affect the body. Fructose showed
more harmful effects such as increasing belly fat, higher cholesterol levels and increased
insulin resistance. The study was conducted by Peter J. Havel, PhD, of the University of
California in the United States.
Protect Yourself from MSG and
Aspartame Excitotoxicity
The first line of defense against the two most commonly used and pernicious food
additives, MSG and aspartame, is avoidance. However, complete avoidance is not possible
for everyone all the time. MSG, monosodium glutamate, has been disguised with several
different names. Aspartame or its primary constituent, aspartic acid, along with disguised
variations of MSG, have even shown up in food products or supplements sold in health food
stores!
Natural Vitamin E Slashes Lung
Cancer Risk by 55 Percent
A higher intake of vitamin E can cut the risk of lung cancer by more than half,
researchers from the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center has found. In a new
study published in the International Journal of Cancer, researchers used the National
Cancer Institute's Health Habits and History Questionnaire and Food Frequency
Questionnaire to assess the dietary intakes of 1,088 lung cancer patients and 1,414
healthy participants. Participants were further surveyed about various lifestyle factors,
including smoking.
A Hundred Health Sapping
Neurotoxins are Hidden in Packaged and Restaurant Food
What is it that stands between you and vibrant health? People who have spent a fortune on
supplements, gotten plenty of exercise and bought high quality food still find themselves
unable to answer this question. For many of them, the answer lies in neurotoxins hidden in
even the most healthy sounding foods, including many foods labeled as organic. These
ingredients often cause serious reactions, including migraines, insomnia, asthma,
depression, anxiety, aggression, chronic fatigue, and even ALS. They may be responsible
for the swelling numbers of children diagnosed as ADHD.
Researchers Identify Pathway to
Reactivate Myelin Repair
UMDNJ researchers have identified a key pathway that could lead to new therapies to repair
nerve cells’ protective coating stripped away as a result of autoimmune diseases such
as Multiple Sclerosis (MS). An article reporting their findings will appear in the May 13
online edition of the Journal of Neuroscience. Myelin is fatty material that coats and
protects the ends of nerve cells. The loss of myelin and myelin-producing cells impairs
the ability of nerves to conduct signals. A severe loss may lead to erosion of nerve
tissues and result in permanent damage. “In people with MS that is
relapsing-remitting, the body can replace myelin that has been stripped away,”
explained Teresa L. Wood, Ph.D., the study’s lead investigator. “But, after
repeated attacks, that process of replacement no longer functions well,” she added.
“Our data demonstrate that a novel cellular pathway, called the mammalian target of
rapamycin (mTOR), regulates the generation of new myelin-producing cells
(oligodendrocytes) and the production of myelin in immature rodent cells,” Wood said.
She is a professor in the Department of Neurology & Neurosciences and the Rena Warshow
Chair in Multiple Sclerosis at the UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical School. More work is needed to
determine if the key to reactivate remyelination is to stimulate the pathway or if
environmental impediments, such as inflammation, also must be overcome to allow the
pathway to function normally. “Now at least we know a target to go after to promote
repair,” she said. The researchers’ work may also lead to new therapies for
other disorders where the myelin-producing cells are affected, such as autism, Alzheimer's
disease, and perinatal brain injury.
How to Build a Bigger Brain
UCLA researchers report that certain regions in the brains of long-term meditators were
larger than non-meditators. Specifically, meditators showed significantly larger volumes
of the hippocampus and areas within the orbito-frontal cortex, the thalamus and the
inferior temporal gyrus — all regions known for regulating emotions.
A “Light Bulb” Moment for
People with Dementia
Change the lighting; improve your health. It’s a strategy researchers from Case
Western Reserve University’s Frances Payne Bolton School of Nursing and the School of
Medicine, the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center at the Louis Stokes
Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center (GRECC), Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute’s
Lighting Research Center and GE Consumer & Industrial have begun to test in a
long-term care facility where daylight, which has proven health benefits, is not readily
available.The researchers removed some standard fluorescent lighting and installed new
blue-white lamp prototypes developed by GE scientists at the company’s Nela Park
campus. Research team members hypothesize that periods of blue light, like daylight, can
help regulate the sleep-wake rhythm, which is a behavioral pattern linked to the 24-hour
biochemical circadian cycle of the hormone melatonin. Depending on the level of the
hormone, people are awake or sleepy. The researchers want to regulate the sleep-wake cycle
by regulating the amount of exposure to blue-white (wakefulness) and yellow-white
(sleepiness) light. By increasing exposure to blue-white light during the day and
yellow-white light in the evening, researchers hope to help patients regulate their
sleep-wake cycles so that they are more awake during the day and more asleep at night.
Patricia Higgins, associate professor at the Bolton School of Nursing and one of the lead
investigators, says the project may prove to be especially beneficial for people suffering
from dementia. In a recently conducted pilot study with five male patients, each suffering
from dementia and living in a long-term care facility, researchers installed the
blue-white lights in an activities room where most residents gathered for meals and
daytime activities.
Mobile phones 'more dangerous than
smoking'
Mobile phones could kill far more people than smoking or asbestos, a study by an
award-winning cancer expert has concluded. He says people should avoid using them wherever
possible and that governments and the mobile phone industry must take "immediate
steps" to reduce exposure to their radiation.
Participants in antidepressant drug
trials are atypical patients, UT Southwestern researchers report
One reason antidepressant medication treatments do not work as well in real life as they
do in clinical studies could be the limited type of study participants selected,
researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
Lactate test made easy
The lactate value indicates levels of fitness. At present, athletes have to visit a doctor
to have it measured. A new analytical device will make things easier in future: athletes
can wear it and check their lactate readings during training. Performance athletes need to
know their blood lactate level. It indicates how much lactic acid has collected in their
blood as a result of physical exertion and enables conclusions to be drawn about their
fitness. Professional athletes therefore regularly have to attend performance diagnosis
sessions. As they pedal a cycle ergometer at various levels of exertion, a doctor takes
blood samples from an earlobe. A special device then measures the concentration of lactate
in the blood.Such scenarios will soon be a thing of the past. Using a miniaturized
measuring system, performance and leisure athletes will in future be able to monitor their
lactate readings themselves – including during training. Normally the analytical
devices are quite big and cost several thousand euros. “We have found a way of
miniaturizing the measurement system so that it can be accommodated in an ear clip. The
results could be radioed by the ear clip to a training wristwatch or a cellphone,”
says Thomas van den Boom, group manager at the Fraunhofer Institute for Microelectronic
Circuits and Systems IMS in Duisburg.An electrochemical method is used to measure the
lactate value. In a chemical reaction, an enzyme triggers a redox flow from the lactate
which can be measured using electrodes. The measurement system, which could be installed
for example in an ear clip, consists of two microchips: the innovative nanopotentiostat
fits on a chip measuring just two by three millimeters and costs less than one euro.
“The second chip incorporates microelectrodes which we have developed for this
purpose and which we can couple with the nanopotentiostat,” explains van den Boom.
Radiation Treatment for Breast
Cancer Causes Cancer in the Other Breast
Young women who receive radiation treatment after breast cancer surgery are significantly
more likely to later develop cancer in the other breast than women who did not undergo
such radiation. The findings come from a study, published online in the Journal of
Clinical Oncology, on more than 7,000 women who were treated for breast cancer in
Netherlands between the years of 1970 and 1986. All study participants were diagnosed with
breast cancer before the age of 71.
Children raise their parents
Whatever Prime Minister Balkenende may say, values are learnt at home; but not only from
parents. Dutch researcher Annette Roest studied the role of the family in passing on
personal values. Parents influence their children. But children also influence their
parents. And parents influence each other. For her research Roest made use of written
interviews with fathers, mothers and children of intact two-parent families that were
conducted over a period of ten years. The first interview took place in 1990, when 660
families took part, and the last was conducted in 2000, with 295 families remaining. The
researcher argues for a clear distinction between value transmission and value similarity.
Many researchers make no distinction between the two, but on the basis of her research,
Roest concludes that such a distinction should be made. Although a personal value can be
passed on from father to son, this does not mean that father and son will share exactly
the same values later on. A measurement at a single point in time can measure similarities
but not transmission or change, whereas a measurement taken at several points in time can.
One in five girls in upper
secondary school suffers from school burnout
The transition from basic education to upper secondary school is a challenge for many
young people. According to a study of school burnout at different stages of school and
higher education, upper secondary school is a particularly challenging stage for many
young people. Success-oriented female upper secondary school pupils are at the greatest
risk: up to 20 cent of them suffer from school burnout. Burnout is a phenomenon to be
taken seriously, as it can lead to depression. “These girls are high achievers but
they also develop burnout. They tend to develop feelings of inadequacy, in particular, in
upper secondary school. By contrast, boys who enter upper secondary school tend to develop
more of a cynical, negative stance towards school,” says Professor Katariina
Salmela-Aro of the University of Jyväskylä, who is in charge of the research. The study
was carried out at the Academy of Finland’s Centre of Excellence in Learning and
Motivation Research, and comprised 1,800 young people. The study focused particularly on
students’ trajectories to well-being or problems during transitional stages in their
education. “Transitions from one stage of education to the next have an impact on the
well-being of young people and they need support during these life stages. A healthy level
of self-esteem is a protective factor,” Salmela-Aro says.
Human role in Indonesian polluting
forest fires - Guido van der Werf in Nature Geoscience
The large forest fires that sweep through Indonesia in dry periods are not only the result
of severe drought. A team of researchers, including Veni grant winner Guido van der Werf,
has analysed the density of smog during forest fires. They have now established that the
intensity of the forest fires is directly linked to population density and land use.
Nature Geoscience published the results of the research on 22 February. The biggest
problem of the fires in Indonesia is not the fire itself but the poisonous smoke released.
Due to this smoke, the number of people killed by fires in Indonesia is probably many
times higher than that in Australia this year. Furthermore, the smog also causes severe
damage to the environment. Knowledge about the causes of these fires is essential for
improved predictions of major fire years.
Agricultural aromatherapy
Could essential oils extracted from lavender be used as a natural herbicide to prevent
weed growth among crops? Research carried out in Italy and reported in the current issue
of the International Journal of Environment and Health suggests the answer may be yes.
Elena Sturchio of the National Institute of Health and Safety at Work in Rome and
colleagues there and at the Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, and the
Department Crop Production, at Tuscia University, in Viterbo, have investigated the
inhibitory effects on weed growth of aromatic oils, or mixtures of phytochemicals, from
plants such as lavender, Lavandula officinalis. Essential oils, are as the name suggests,
often the plant's "essence" in terms of odour. Essential oils are complex
chemical mixtures of natural products made by the plant for its own purposes, including
terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes and phenols. Indeed, several plant essential oils are
present as natural inbuilt herbicides and pesticides. Synthetic pesticides and herbicides
have been in common use for decades and have protected crops from parasites, insects,
bacteria, viruses, fungi, and eliminated weeds. However, by virtue of their design, these
substances are toxic and in some cases thought to be carcinogenic. Their incorrect use or
inadvertent exposure have been the focus of numerous studies on animal and human health,
the results of which have led to serious initiatives to find alternative approaches to
pest and weed control.Other researchers have investigated the potential of essential oils
from cinnamon plants, and peppermint to prevent seed germination of some weed species
found in the Mediterranean region. Sturchio and colleagues have investigated the effects
of lavender oil on root growth in a plant, Vicia faba in trials. This weed has large
chromosomes and so was also amenable to studies in the laboratory that investigated the
genetic toxicity of the essential oil on the weed. Their analysis showed the oil to be
effective at killing the weed even at low concentration. Moreover, the oil affects growth
of soil microbes and fungi involved in crop growth. The team concludes that,
"Essential oils could be useful as potential bioherbicides as an alternative strategy
to the chemical remedy." They add that, "The use of phytochemicals permits the
development for more sustainable agriculture at low environmental impact. Further studies
are now needed to evaluate use of such oils "in the field".
Andalusian researchers prove the
efficiency of Huelva-grown shrub to recover polluted soil
Researchers of the University of Seville and IRNASE (Institute of Natural Resources and
Agrobiology), of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) have checked in controlled
trials the efficiency of Erica andevalensis or heather from Andévalo -an endemic shrub
from the province of Huelva and the Portuguese area of the Alentejo- in the recovery of
soils contaminated with heavy metals. This shrub is characterized by growing in acid soils
and areas with a high mining activity. The research group of the Faculty of Medicine of
Seville University, led by Professor Benito Valdés. has validated this natural recovery
model in an article published in journal Science Total Environment. Andalusian scientists
will expand their studies in the river Odiel basin and those of Riotinto (Huelva) and the
Portuguese mining areas of Baixo Alentejo. Researchers, led by Dr. Sabina Rossini Oliva,
carried out studies on cryo-scanning electron microscopy (SEM) in different field samples.
This way the team found and quantified the distribution of the different chemicals in
leaves, stems and roots. The analysis revealed that the heather from Andévalo is a specie
that does adapt to draughtiness and hydric stress; which does not have mechanisms of
compartimentación for copper-‘we had not found a place in the plant accumulating
such metal', Dr. Rossini pointed out; and it is capable of blocking lead and iron at a
radical level, thus avoiding their toxic effects in the plant. ‘That is to say, it is
a specie that is suitable to revegetate polluted soil' the researcher assured.
Arsenic in irrigation water is
transferred to crops
A team of researchers from the University of Valladolid (UVA) and the Salamanca Institute
of Natural Resources and Agrobiology (IRNASA-CSIC) has shown that potatoes irrigated with
arsenic-rich water contain this element at levels up to 35 times higher than crops on
which this water was not used. The scientists have also confirmed the impact of water with
high arsenic content on beet, carrot and wheat crops. "The objective of the work we
carried out was to gain an understanding of the impact of arsenic-rich subterranean waters
on soil and wheat, potato, sugar beet and carrot crops", Amelia Moyano Gardini, a
professor at the UVA's University School of Agrarian Engineering and co-author of the
study with other experts from the engineering school of the Spanish National Research
Council (CSIC)'s IRNASA centre, tells SINC. In order to carry out the study, which has
been published recently in the Journal of Environmental Monitoring, the scientists
selected 23 sites located in the south of the province of Valladolid and the north of the
province of Segovia, an agricultural region known for the presence of arsenic in its
subterranean waters (between 38 and 136 micrograms/litre). The researchers analysed the
arsenic levels in both the soil and the four crops, and compared the data with samples
gathered from three control sites irrigated with water containing very little arsenic (5
?g/l or less). The results show that arsenic levels, both in the ground (which reached
levels of up to 36 milligrams/kg) and in the plants, were higher in the sites irrigated
with water containing higher levels of this element in comparison to those in the control
areas. The levels of dissolved arsenic in water reached 0.9 mg/kg in some samples, which
is in excess of the 0.04 mg/kg limit set for agricultural use.
Cigarettes to the rescue?
veryone knows that smoking can kill you, but did you know that it may help with your
allergies? A new study shows that cigarette smoke can prevent allergies by decreasing the
reaction of immune cells to allergens. Smoking can cause lung cancer, pulmonary disease,
and can even affect how the body fights infections. Along with many harmful effects,
smoking cigarettes has a surprising benefit: cigarettes can protect smokers from certain
types of allergies. Now, a study recommended by Neil Thomson, a member of Faculty of 1000
Biology and leading expert in the field of respiratory medicine, demonstrates that
cigarette smoke decreases the allergic response by inhibiting the activity of mast cells,
the major players in the immune system's response to allergens. Researchers at Utrecht
University in the Netherlands found that treatment of mast cells with a cigarette
smoke-infused solution prevented the release of inflammation-inducing proteins in response
to allergens, without affecting other mast cell immune functions. The mast cells used in
the study were derived from mice, but it is likely that the same anti-allergy effect will
hold true in humans. While taking up smoking to cure allergies is unwise, Thomson
concludes that the findings presented in this study are "consistent with a dampening
of allergic responses in smokers."
Folic acid to prevent congenital
heart defects
The Canadian policy of fortifying grain products with folic acid has already proved to be
effective in preventing neural tube defects. The latest article published in the British
Medical Journal by a group of researchers from the McGill Adult Unit for Congenital Heart
Disease (MAUDE Unit), the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC)
and McGill University, shows that folic acid also decreases the incidence of congenital
heart defects by more than 6%. According to Raluca Ionescu-Ittu, a PhD candidate on the
team, "this decrease is very significant and probably underestimated. During the
study period, there was an increase in other factors associated with a higher prevalence
of congenital heart defects, so without the fortification we would probably have seen an
increase in these defects." Since December 1998, all grain products sold in Canada
have been fortified with folic acid with 0.15 mg of folate per 100 g of flour. Thanks to
provincial databases, the researchers showed that the rate of congenital heart defects
between 1999 and 2005 was 1.47 per 1000 births compared to 1.64 per 1000 births between
1990 and 1999 for a decrease of 6.2% per year after 1999. Despite the success of this
initiative, prevention efforts are still necessary to encourage future mothers to take
folic acid supplements. "The level of fortification was established to avoid negative
side effects in the general population," explained Ms. Ionescu-Ittu. "However,
this level is not quite sufficient for women planning a pregnancy, who should start taking
folic acid supplements at least three months before becoming pregnant." Researchers
are constantly assessing the beneficial effects of folic acid on the various aspects of
embryonic and infant development. Natural sources of the vitamin, such as fruit or green
vegetables, might not provide sufficient doses for pregnant women. Most gynecologists
therefore recommend supplements in addition to a healthy diet rich in folic acid.
MDC researchers unravel key
mechanism in pathogenesis of osteoporosis
Osteoporosis, or bone loss, is a disease that is most common in the elderly population,
affecting women more often than men. Until now, it was not clear exactly how the disease
develops. Researchers of the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC)
Berlin-Buch, Germany, have now elucidated a molecular mechanism which regulates the
equilibrium between bone formation and bone resorption. Dr. Jeske J. Smink, Dr. Valérie
Bégay, and Professor Achim Leutz were able to show that two different forms of a gene
switch – a short isoform and a long isoform – determine this process. The MDC
researchers hope these findings will lead to new therapies for this bone disease. (EMBO
Journal)*. In osteoporosis, excessive bone resorption occurs. The bones lose their density
and are therefore prone to breakage. Even minor falls can lead to serious bone fractures.
The interplay between two cell types determines bone density: bone forming cells
(osteoblasts) and bone resorbing cells (osteoclasts). The equilibrium between these two
cell types is strictly regulated to prevent the formation of either too much or too little
bone.
Immunotherapy effective against
neuroblastoma in children
A phase III study has shown that adding an antibody-based therapy that harnesses the
body's immune system resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children living
disease-free for at least two years with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, a hard-to-treat
cancer arising from nervous system cells, is responsible for 15 percent of cancer-related
deaths in children. The researchers reported their findings – the first to show that
immunotherapy could be effective against childhood cancer – online May 14, 2009 on
the American Society of Clinical Oncology website in advance of presentation June 2.
"This establishes a new standard of care for a traditionally very difficult cancer in
children," said lead author Alice Yu, MD, PhD, professor of pediatric
hematology/oncology at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the
Moores UCSD Cancer Center. "High-risk neuroblastoma has always been a frustrating
cancer to treat because, despite aggressive therapy, it has a high relapse rate." The
therapy targets a specific glycan (a complex sugar chain found on the surface of cells) on
neuroblastoma cells called GD2, which inhibit the immune system from killing cancer cells.
The antibody – ch14.18 – binds to this glycan, enabling various types of immune
cells to attack the cancer.
Glutamine supplements show promise
in treating stomach ulcers
Nearly 20 years ago, it was discovered that bacteria known as Helicobacter pylori were
responsible for stomach ulcers. Since then, antibiotics have become the primary therapy
used to combat the H. pylori infection, which affects approximately six percent of the
world population and is also a primary cause of stomach cancer. But today the bacteria is
growing increasingly resistant to antibiotics. Now a study led by scientists at Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
demonstrates that the amino acid glutamine, found in many foods as well as in dietary
supplements, may prove beneficial in offsetting gastric damage caused by H. pylori
infection. Reported in the May 2009 issue of the Journal of Nutrition., the findings offer
the possibility of an alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of stomach ulcers.
"Our findings suggest that extra glutamine in the diet could protect against gastric
damage caused by H. pylori," says senior author Susan Hagen, PhD, Associate Director
of Research in the Department of Surgery at BIDMC and Associate Professor of Surgery at
Harvard Medical School. "Gastric damage develops when the bacteria weakens the
stomach's protective mucous coating, damages cells and elicits a robust immune response
that is ineffective at ridding the infection." Eventually, she notes, years of
infection result in a combination of persistent gastritis, cell damage and an environment
conducive to cancer development. Glutamine is a nonessential amino acid naturally found in
certain foods, including beef, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products and some fruits and
vegetables. L-glutamine – the biologically active isomer of glutamine – is
widely used as a dietary supplement by body builders to increase muscle mass. Hagen and
her coauthors had previously shown that glutamine protects against cell death from H.
pylori-produced ammonia. "Our work demonstrated that the damaging effects of ammonia
on gastric cells could be reversed completely by the administration of L-glutamine,"
explains Hagen. "The amino acid stimulated ammonia detoxification in the stomach
– as it does in the liver – so that the effective concentration of ammonia was
reduced, thereby blocking cell damage."
Study Indicates High Blood Pressure
Could Be Caused By A Common Virus
A new study suggests for the first time that cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common viral
infection affecting between 60 and 99 percent of adults worldwide, is a cause of high
blood pressure. Led by researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) and
published in the May 15, 2009 issue of PLoS Pathogens, the findings also show that in
conjunction with other risk factors the virus can lead to the development of
atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. “CMV infects humans commonly all over
the world,” explains co-senior author Clyde Crumpacker, MD, an investigator in the
Division of Infectious Diseases at BIDMC and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical
School. “This new discovery may eventually provide doctors with a whole new approach
to treating hypertension, with anti-viral therapies or vaccines becoming part of the
prescription.” A member of the herpes virus family, CMV affects all age groups and is
the source of congenital infection, mononucleosis, and severe infection in transplant
patients. By the age of 40, most adults will have contracted the virus, though many will
never exhibit symptoms. Once it enters the body, CMV usually remains latent in the body
until the immune system is compromised.
Researchers identify key proteins
needed for ovulation
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health and other institutions have identified
in mice two proteins essential for ovulation to take place. The finding has implications
for treating infertility resulting from a failure of ovulation to occur as well as for
developing new means to prevent pregnancy by preventing the release of the egg. The
proteins, called ERK1 and ERK2, appear to bring about the maturation and release of the
egg. The study, appearing in the May 15 issue of Science, was funded in part by two NIH
institutes, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human
Development (NICHD) and the National Cancer Institute (NCI). "Ovulation results from
a complex interplay of chemical sequences," said Duane Alexander, M.D., director of
the NICHD. "The researchers have identified a crucial biochemical intermediary
controlling the release of the egg. The finding advances our understanding and may one day
contribute to new treatments for infertility as well as new ways to prevent pregnancy from
occurring." The study's senior author, JoAnne Richards, Ph.D., of Baylor College of
Medicine, worked with Esta Sterneck and Peter Johnson, of the NCI's Center for Cancer
Research; with Heng-Yu Fan and Zhilin Liu of Baylor; Masayuki Shimada, of Hiroshima
University, in Japan; and Stephen Hedrick, of the University of California, San Diego. The
immature egg is contained inside a covering of cells, known as the ovarian follicle. The
follicle is made largely of cells known as granulosa cells. Each month, the pituitary
gland releases follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone which cause the egg
and the ovarian granulosa cells surrounding it to grow and develop into a mature follicle.
Midway through the woman's monthly cycle, the pituitary releases a large surge of
luteinizing hormone, which causes the follicle to rupture, releasing the egg cell. The
granulosa cells in the ruptured follicle transform into luteal cells. Previously,
researchers did not know how luteinizing hormone triggered the ovary's release of the egg
and the production of progesterone by the granulosa cells. In the current study, the
researchers discerned that luteinizing hormone appears to signal the release of molecules
known as extracellular-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK 1 and ERK 2). In turn, these
molecules trigger a chain of chemical sequences that bring about the release of the egg,
the transformation of granulosa cells into luteal cells, and the production of
progesterone. ERK1 and ERK2 are a critical nexus between the surge in luteinizing hormone
and ovulation, explained the NICHD project officer for the study, Louis V. De Paolo,
Ph.D., chief of the NICHD Reproductive Sciences Branch. "This a key chemical pathway
that affects not only ovulation, but egg cell maturation and granulosa cell
differentiation into luteal cells," Dr. De Paolo said.
Perceived cancer risks may not
reflect actual risks or prevention needs
Working with a population of individuals at risk for gastrointestinal cancers, researchers
at Fox Chase Cancer Center have learned that many people misjudge their actual degree of
cancer risk and, therefore, their true need for prevention support. Strategies for
accurately assessing cancer risk are critical for appropriately targeting educational,
counseling, and diagnostic resources to prevent cancer in as many individuals as possible,
the investigators say. The study, to be presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the
American Society of Clinical Oncology, evaluated participants in the Gastrointestinal
Tumor Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase. With the growth in genetic cancer risk
assessment in recent years, Fox Chase clinicians and scientists have seen increasing
numbers of patients enrolling in the Center's risk assessment programs, including those
for breast, ovarian, melanoma, prostate, and gastrointestinal cancers. Risk for
gastrointestinal cancers, the focus of the current study, is established through family
and personal histories of gastrointestinal cancers and/or colorectal polyps, as well as
genetic testing. "The goal of our study was to improve how we think about and direct
our prevention resources," says Michael Hall, M.D., medical oncologist at Fox Chase
and lead author on the study. "We examined clinical cancer prevention needs among
individuals seeking gastrointestinal risk evaluation, including in our assessment their
estimated personal risk, risk beliefs, and interest in genetic testing." The study
evaluated 398 individuals from 278 families enrolled in the Gastrointestinal Tumor Risk
Assessment Program at Fox Chase over a nine-year period. The program provides risk
assessment to people seeking evaluation for a risk of a gastrointestinal or related
cancer. Participants were required to sign an informed consent and complete a health
history questionnaire prior to counseling, education, and genetic services. Results showed
that more than 17 percent of the individuals were at high-risk; 70 percent were at
moderate-to-high risk; and 12 percent were at low-risk.
Gene Signature May Predict Patient
Response to Therapy for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors
Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center uncovered a genetic pattern that may help predict
how gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients respond to the targeted therapy
imatinib mesylate (Gleevec). Moreover, their findings point to genes that could be
suppressed in order to make these tumors respond more readily to imatinib. Lori Rink, PhD,
a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Andrew K. Godwin, PhD, at Fox Chase, presents
their findings at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The study uses tumor specimens collected as part of a Phase II trial on the use of the
drug before surgical resection for GIST, which is led by the Radiation Therapy Oncology
Group, a national clinical cooperative group funded by the National Cancer Institute.
“Imatinib has been the first drug that has really made a dent in GIST progression
– up to 80 percent response – yet some GIST patients have little or no response
to the drug,” says Rink. “We are looking to see how we can help clinicians make
better decisions in applying imatinib or additional therapies to their GIST
patients.” Rink and her colleagues followed 63 GIST patients in the RTOG trial, who
were given imatinib before surgery for primary or recurrent tumors. Using tumor samples
collected before and after the patients were given the drug, the researchers studied which
genes were active in the tumors and then compared these profiles of gene expression to how
well the tumors responded to short-term imatinib treatment. According to Rink, they found
a selection of 38 genes that were expressed higher in tumors that did not respond well to
imatinib. Of these, they identified 20 KRAB-zinc finger genes that encode for proteins
that typically act as transcriptional repressors of other genes. Ten of these genes, Rink
says, are located to a single section of Chromosome 19.
Should Parents Share the Results of
BRCA1/2 Genetic Testing with Their Children?
If you learned that you were at high risk of cancer because you carry the hereditary
BRCA1/2 gene mutation, would you tell your children? A recent study at Fox Chase Cancer
Center not only considered that question, but also took it to the next level and studied
the parent perceptions of the impact of such a decision on children. The study will be
presented at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. BRCA1/2
are hereditary gene mutations that indicate an increased risk of developing breast cancer.
"We know that many people who carry the BRCA1/2 gene mutation share their genetic
test results with their children," explained Angela Bradbury, MD, medical oncologist
at Fox Chase and lead author on the study. "What we did not know was the impact this
communication has on their children." In order to learn the impact this has on
children, researchers evaluated results from 163 parents who had BRCA1/2 testing. Of
those, 52 tested positive for BRCA1/2. Just over 100 parents (66 percent) shared their
results with at least one of their children, which totaled 323 children who were between
the ages of 5 – 25. The child's age and parent cancer history had a direct
correlation to whether or not they shared the results. Not surprising, those without a
BRCA1/2 mutation were more likely to communicate test results than parents with a
mutation. Among parents who disclosed their results, few reported negative reactions from
their children (9 percent) or that their child did not understand the information (11
percent). Overall, most parents reported that their children handled the information well,
although negative reactions were more frequent among certain subgroups (younger children
and those of parents with a mutation or a variant of uncertain significance).
Long-term study results validate
efficacy of CT scans for chest pain diagnosis
The first long-term study following a large number of chest pain patients who are screened
with coronary computerized tomographic angiography (CTA) confirms that the test is a safe,
effective way to rule out serious cardiovascular disease in patients who come to hospital
emergency rooms with chest pain, according to new research from the University of
Pennsylvania School of Medicine which will be presented Friday, May 15, 2009 at the
Society for Academic Emergency Medicine's annual conference. Chest pain is a common and
costly health complaint in the United States, bringing 8 million Americans to hospital
emergency departments each year. Although just five to 15 percent of those patients are
found to be suffering from heart attacks or other cardiac diseases, more than half are
admitted to the hospital for observation and further testing. CTA streamlines the process
and provides a faster, and less expensive way to evaluate which patients have an acute
coronary syndrome that require treatment. "The ability to rapidly determine that
there is nothing seriously wrong allows us to provide reassurance to the patient and to
help reduce crowding in the emergency department," says lead author Judd Hollander,
MD, professor and clinical research director in Penn's department of Emergency Medicine.
"The use of this test is a win-win." Among patients enrolled in the trial after
getting a negative scan – a scan showing no evidence of dangerous blockages in the
coronary arteries – no patients in the study had heart attacks or required bypass
surgery or placement of cardiac stents in the year following their test. The authors say
the findings provide a roadmap for how to appropriately and cost-effectively use this
advanced imaging technology, which generates lifelike, three-dimensional photos of the
heart and the matrix of blood vessels that surround it. Investigators followed 481
patients who received negative CTA scans for one year after their hospital visit. The
patients studied had a mean age of 46. While 11 percent of patients were rehospitalized
and 11 percent received additional cardiac testing – stress tests or cardiac
catheterizations – over the following year, none had heart attacks or needed
revascularization procedures to prop open blocked coronary arteries. One patient in the
study died of an unrelated cause during the year.
Genetic marker may predict early
onset of prostate cancer
Fox Chase Cancer Center researchers have identified a genetic marker that is associated
with an earlier onset of prostate cancer in Caucasian men who have a family history of
prostate cancer. If the data are confirmed, the marker may help clinicians personalize
prostate cancer screening. Veda Giri, M.D., a medical oncologist and director of the
Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program at Fox Chase, will present the data at the annual
meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology on Saturday, May 30. "Genetic
testing for prostate cancer is not yet clinically well characterized as it is for breast,
ovarian cancer and colon cancer," Giri says. "Markers such as this one are
useful because they may help clinicians distinguish between men who are at risk for
earlier onset of disease where intensive screening approaches can be discussed. Men who do
not carry genetic markers of risk may not need such screening measures." More than
half of all prostate tumors carry a fusion gene called, TMPRSS2-ERG, which may have a role
in prostate cancer formation. Recently, scientists reported that a single nucleotide
polymorphism, called the Met160Val SNP (also referred to as rs12329760), is associated
with the gene fusion. Specifically, prostate cancer patients who carry the T allele of
Met160Val are more likely to have a prostate tumor with the gene fusion than patients who
have the C allele. To find out if the T allele is clinically relevant in men who are at
high risk of developing prostate cancer but do not yet have the disease, Giri and
colleagues genotyped 631 men enrolled in the Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program at
Fox Chase. Overall, while there were differences in the distribution of the alleles by
race, the risk allele did not have a major contribution to disease in 400 African American
men or in 231 Caucasian men with a family history of prostate cancer. They then evaluated
this marker in 183 Caucasian men who have a family history of prostate cancer undergoing
follow-up in the Prostate Cancer Risk Assessment Program. They found that the high risk
allele was associated with a 2.5-fold increased risk of developing prostate cancer,
relative to the low risk allele. Additionally, more men carrying the high risk allele
developed prostate cancer earlier than men not carrying the risk allele. "We need
longer follow-up to know the precise time frame for cancer development, but we have
learned some information on the difference in time to diagnosis from this study,"
Giri says.
