- - European weblog on food, health and environment
News - Week 29 - 2008
Video - Horizon Space Tourists -
BBC
Pomegranate Ranked Healthiest Fruit
Juice
A new University of California, Los Angeles, study ranked 10 beverages by their levels of
disease-fighting antioxidants—and pomegranate juice came out on top.
U.S. shift to GM crops hits home /
Trading houses struggle to buy soybeans that don't alarm consumers
Japanese foodmakers are struggling to secure enough ordinary soybeans as food prices soar
and U.S. farmers increasingly turn to GM soybeans. The surging prices enable farmers to
rake in profits even with GM soybeans, which used to be less profitable than non-GM
soybeans.
Creating dogma - Part 4 of
'Cholesterol conspiracies and contortions'
Last week’s column suggested the science underpinning beliefs (1) LDL cholesterol
causes heart disease and (2) lowering cholesterol levels with drugs will prevent heart
disease and prolong life in most people is so weak it is tantamount to dogma. Yet, we
spent $33 billion last year on cholesterol-lowing drugs.
Surgical Reconstructive Screws
Cause Unexplained Allergy In Man
Researchers at the University of Athens Hospital provide supportive testimony with a
scientific review of a 30 year old patient who complained of inability to focus mentally,
rash, chronic fatigue, decreased sex drive, and hair loss. Detailed allergy testing showed
a positive value for biodegradable poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA). As it turns out, the patient
had two PLLA screws placed after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstructive surgery
on his knee. His symptoms began a few months after the surgery and produced a systemic
allergic reaction.
Good cholesterol helps heart, but
study shows it also helps memory
A new British-French study finds that people with higher levels of “good”
cholesterol (HDL) performed better on memory tests than people with lower levels of
high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.
Het wordt steeds duidelijker dat ons westerse gezondheidszorgsysteem steeds grotere
problemen oplevert; zowel financieel als voor onze gezondheid. Statistieken in Amerika
laten zien dat de oorzaak van overlijden door de conventionele geneeskunde oploopt tot
800.000 personen per jaar in 2001. Ter vergelijking - de doodsoorzaak door hartziekten is
in dat jaar 700.000 personen en door kanker 550.000.
A single, oral dose of vitamin A, given to infants shortly after birth in the developing
world can reduce their risk of death by 15 percent, according to a study conducted by
researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. The study is published
in the July 2008 edition of the journal Pediatrics.
Many epidemiologic studies have associated use of infant formulas with increased risk of
sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). A review study found those who were formula-fed were
2.11 times more likely to suffer SIDS than those who were breastfed.
Australian scientists say they have discovered a link between childhood eczema and the
onset of asthma in adults.A study has found those who had childhood eczema were twice as
likely to develop asthma.
Claims that Scotland's childhood asthma pandemic has been due to the infestation of
Scottish homes with house dust mites have been looked at by a BBC Scotland investigation.
Rise in Adverse Reactions To
Gardasil Cervical Cancer Vaccine
An annual report of the Gardasil cervical cancer vaccine has shown that there has been a
1600% surge in adverse reaction to the injection among those that have been immunised.
Dizziness, nausea and even collapse are some of the reported reactions.
UI scientist writes book of simple
truths about food
Fred Kummerow never wondered which one to spread on his toast. He knew butter was better
for us more than half a century ago, and he explains why in his new book,
"Cholesterol Won't Kill You But Trans Fat Could - Separating Scientific Fact from
Nutritional Fiction in What you Eat."
An article on May 6 Daily Mail from the United Kingdom warned that the chemical, bisphenol
A, is an estrogen-like compound, which mimics the female hormone estrogen, and can pass
from clear plastics into milk, water and juice, particularly when containers are heated.
While studies have yet to be conducted to directly examine BPAs' influence on humans, past
animal studies have found low doses of the chemical to be associated with early-stage
prostate and breast cancers, early puberty and decreased sperm count.
Electromagnetic Interference From
Radio Frequency Identification Inducing Potentially Hazardous Incidents in Critical Care
Medical Equipment
In a controlled nonclinical setting, RFID induced potentially hazardous incidents in
medical devices. Implementation of RFID in the critical care environment should require
on-site EMI tests and updates of international standards.
Cancer risk from cellphone use is
still a matter for study
The study found that children who used cellphones, and whose mothers used cellphones
during pregnancy were 80% more likely to have behavioral problems such as emotional
symptoms, inattention, hyperactivity and problems with peers compared with children who
had no cellphone exposure as fetuses or in early childhood. Children whose mothers used
cellphones during pregnancy but who had no other cellphone exposure were 54% more likely
to have behavioral problems.
Older adults who are low in B vitamins or have elevated levels of a blood protein called
homocysteine may be at increased risk of suffering a hip fracture, new study findings
suggest.
Sensory Perception of Food and
Insulin-Like Signals Influence Seizure Susceptibility
Food deprivation is known to affect physiology and behavior. Changes that occur could be
the result of the organism's monitoring of internal and external nutrient availability. In
C. elegans, male mating is dependent on food availability; food-deprived males mate with
lower efficiency compared to their well-fed counterparts, suggesting that the mating
circuit is repressed in low-food environments. This behavioral response could be mediated
by sensory neurons exposed to the environment or by internal metabolic cues. We
demonstrated that food-deprivation negatively regulates sex-muscle excitability through
the activity of chemosensory neurons and insulin-like signaling. Specifically, we found
that the repressive effects of food deprivation on the mating circuit can be partially
blocked by placing males on inedible food, E. coli that can be sensed but not eaten. We
determined that the olfactory AWC neurons actively suppress sex-muscle excitability in
response to food deprivation. In addition, we demonstrated that loss of insulin-like
receptor (DAF-2) signaling in the sex muscles blocks the ability of food deprivation to
suppress the mating circuit. During low-food conditions, we propose that increased
activity by specific olfactory neurons (AWCs) leads to the release of neuroendocrine
signals, including insulin-like ligands. Insulin-like receptor signaling in the sex
muscles then reduces cell excitability via activation of downstream molecules, including
PLC-? and CaMKII.
Control switches found for immune
cells that fight cancer, viral infection
Medical science may be a significant step closer to climbing into the driver's seat of an
important class of immune cells, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine
in St. Louis report in Nature Immunology.
As a 2007 study by Rosalind J. Neuman, PhD, and Richard D. Todd, MD, PhD, the Blanche
Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry and professor of genetics, shows, prenatal smoking can
seriously affect unborn children who carry one or more candidate genes for attention
deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). With one of these genes, their risk triples; with
two, it goes up ninefold; and with three, it rises to 16 times the normal level.
Pressured proteins - A little
pressure in proteomics squeezes 4-hour step into a minute
Many coaches inspire better performance by pressuring their teams. Now, proteomics
researchers are using pressure to improve the performance of their analyses. In a simple
solution to a time-consuming problem, the researchers have found that adding pressure
early in their protocol squeezes four hours of waiting -- often allowed to last overnight
for convenence -- into a minute. The result brings researchers closer to "proteomics
on the fly."
UNC study ties ending moderate
drinking to depression
Scientific evidence has long suggested that moderate drinking offers some protection
against heart disease, certain types of stroke and some forms of cancer. But new research
shows that stopping drinking – including at moderate levels – may lead to health
problems including depression and a reduced capacity of the brain to produce new neurons,
a process called neurogenesis.
A gene that is overexpressed in 20 percent of breast cancers increases the number of
cancer stem cells, the cells that fuel a tumor’s growth and spread, according to a
new study from the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center. The gene, HER2,
causes cancer stem cells to multiply and spread, explaining why HER2 has been linked to a
more aggressive type of breast cancer and to metastatic disease, in which the cancer has
spread beyond the breast, the researchers say. Further, the drug Herceptin, which is used
to treat HER2-positive breast cancer, was found to target and destroy the cancer stem
cells. Results of the study appear online in the journal Oncogene.
The Disclosure Project is a nonprofit research project working to fully disclose the facts
about UFOs, extraterrestrial intelligence, and classified advanced energy and propulsion
systems. We have over 400 government, military, and intelligence community witnesses
testifying to their direct, personal, first hand experience with UFOs, ETs, ET technology,
and the cover-up that keeps this information secret.
Ph.D., nuclear engineer, retired Lieutenant Colonel (U.S. Army), CEO of CTEC, Inc.,
Director of the Association of Distinguished American Scientists, and Fellow Emeritus of
the Alpha Foundation's Institute for Advanced Study. Tom is a theoretical conceptualist
active in the study of scalar electromagnetics, advanced electrodynamics, unified field
theory, KGB energetics weapons and phenomena, free energy systems, electromagnetic healing
via the unified field action of extended Sachs-Evans electrodynamics, and human
development. Particularly known for his work establishing a theory of overunity electrical
power systems, scalar electromagnetic weapons, energetics weapons, and the use of
time-as-energy in both power systems and the mind-body interaction.
The Motionless electromagnetic generator (MEG) is a proposed device which is most notable
for claims of over-unity operation, a feat which would violate the first law of
thermodynamics. Allegedly, the device can eventually sustain its operation in addition to
powering a load without application of external electrical power, by extraction of vacuum
energy from the immediate environment. The U.S. Patent 6,362,718 was granted to inventors
Thomas E. Bearden, Stephen L. Patrick, James C. Hayes, James L. Kenny, and Kenneth D.
Moore.
Diabetes linked to male
infertility; excess sugars in the body have direct effect on sperm quality
Diabetes in men has a direct effect on fertility, a scientist told the 24th annual
conference of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on Wednesday 9
July. Dr. Con Mallidis from Queen's University, Belfast, UK, said that, despite the
prevailing view that it had little effect on male reproductive function, the Belfast group
had shown that diabetes caused DNA damage in sperm.
Ionophore reverses Alzheimer's
within days in mouse models
Scientists report a remarkable improvement in Alzheimer's transgenic mice following
treatment with a new drug. The study, published by Cell Press in the July 10th issue of
the journal Neuron, provides the first demonstration that an ionophore, a compound that
transports metal ions across cell membranes, can elicit rapid and pronounced improvement
in neuropathology and cognitive function in mouse models of Alzheimer's Disease (AD).
Recent research has implicated dysregulation of metal ions in the brain, particularly
copper and zinc, in the pathogenesis of AD and the damaging accumulation of amyloid beta
(A?) protein that is characteristic of this devastating disease. The ionophore clioquinol
(CQ), an 8-hydroxyquinoline, has been shown to increase intracellular copper and zinc
levels and decrease A? levels in cultured cells and in the brains of transgenic (Tg) AD
mice. However, further studies in mice and humans demonstrated that brain entry of CQ was
quite limited.
Hepatitis C Virus May Need Help of
Enzyme to Cause Liver Disease, Pitt Study Finds
A key enzyme may explain how hepatitis C infection causes fatty liver – a buildup of
excess fat in the liver, which can lead to life-threatening diseases such as cirrhosis and
liver cancer, report University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health and School
of Medicine researchers. The study, published in the July 9 online issue of Hepatology,
shows that an enzyme known to play a major role in lipid production, fatty acid synthase
(FAS), was highly elevated in human liver cells exposed to the hepatitis C virus. While
preliminary, the research suggests that testing for elevated levels of FAS could help
determine which patients with hepatitis C virus may go on to develop more serious,
long-lasting health consequences brought on by fatty liver.
Schizophrenia Linked to Dysfunction
in Molecular Brain Pathway Activated by Marijuana
Alterations in a molecular brain pathway activated by marijuana may contribute to the
cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, according to a report in the July issue of Archives
of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.Expression of the cannabinoid 1
receptor (CB1R), the site of action of the main chemical ingredient of marijuana, is
significantly reduced in the brains of individuals with schizophrenia. Activation of CB1R
impairs signaling by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an important neurotransmitter
essential for core cognitive processes such as working memory. The use of marijuana in
individuals with schizophrenia appears to worsen this deficit in GABA synthesis.
A team of scientists from the Dublin-Oxford NIBRT Glycobiology Laboratory have developed a
system which can pinpoint potential "biomarkers" of early forms of cancer, by
looking at structures of specific sugar molecules which are attached either to proteins of
cancerous cells or to proteins involved in the host response. The availability of such
cancer biomarkers could also allow disease progression and response to therapy to be
monitored more easily and accurately than is currently possible.
A protein found in immune cells may be a reliable marker for schizophrenia risk, report
researchers in a new proteomics study appearing in the July issue of Molecular and
Cellular proteomics. Schizophrenia is a severe and complex psychiatric illness that
affects about 1% of the population. Diagnosis currently relies on subjective clinical
interviews and the assessment of ambiguous symptoms, which frequently leads to delayed
diagnosis and treatment. As such, biomarkers that would indicate schizophrenia risk or
onset would be extremely useful. Sabine Bahn and colleagues sought to find such a
"protein fingerprint" in the blood (due to its accessibility). They compared
protein profiles of schizophrenia patients and controls using mass spectrometry and
identified two peaks highlighting a significant change. These were identified as alpha
defensins, proteins responsible for killing microbes and viruses in the innate immune
response.
A dietary cocktail that includes a type of omega-3 fatty acid can improve memory and
learning in gerbils, according to the latest study from MIT researchers that points to a
possible beverage-based treatment for Alzheimer's and other brain diseases.
Professor Marion Leboyer of the Psychiatry Genetic Team INSERM and director of the
specialized French research foundation for psychiatric disorders, Fondation FondaMental,
Paris, will present at the 21st ECNP Congress the compelling neurobiological story of
discovering the first autism genes. Thereby she will highlight new findings on the role of
gene mutations, their association with synapse abnormalities, and -- surprisingly -- a
connection between circadian rhythms and autism risk. These insights will nurture applied
projects on the development of new therapeutic strategies.
Fish oil and red yeast rice studied
for lowering blood cholesterol
In the July issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, a group of researchers from Pennsylvania
examine whether an alternative approach to treating high blood cholesterol may provide an
effective treatment option for patients who are unable or unwilling to take statins.
Patients unaware of link between
smoking and bladder cancer
Even though cigarette smoking accounts for up to half of all bladder cancer cases, few
people are aware of the connection -- including more than three-quarters of patients who
have bladder cancer, according to a new study from the University of Michigan
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Wake Forest researchers say popular
fish contains potentially dangerous fatty acid combination
Farm-raised tilapia, one of the most highly consumed fish in America, has very low levels
of beneficial omega-3 fatty acids and, perhaps worse, very high levels of omega-6 fatty
acids, according to new research from Wake Forest University School of Medicine. The
researchers say the combination could be a potentially dangerous food source for some
patients with heart disease, arthritis, asthma and other allergic and auto-immune diseases
that are particularly vulnerable to an "exaggerated inflammatory response."
Inflammation is known to cause damage to blood vessels, the heart, lung and joint tissues,
skin, and the digestive tract. "In the United States, tilapia has shown the biggest
gains in popularity among seafood, and this trend is expected to continue as consumption
is projected to increase from 1.5 million tons in 2003 to 2.5 million tons by 2010,"
write the Wake Forest researchers in an article published this month in the Journal of the
American Dietetic Association. They say their research revealed that farm-raised tilapia,
as well as farmed catfish, "have several fatty acid characteristics that would
generally be considered by the scientific community as detrimental." Tilapia has
higher levels of potentially detrimental long-chain omega-6 fatty acids than
80-percent-lean hamburger, doughnuts and even pork bacon, the article says.
Androgen deprivation therapy for
localized prostate cancer not associated with improved survival
A therapy that involves depriving the prostate gland the male hormone androgen is not
associated with improved survival for elderly men with localized prostate cancer, compared
to conservative management of the disease, according to a study in the July 9 issue of
JAMA.
Liver Protein Associated with Type
2 Diabetes in Older Adults
The presence of a protein expressed by the liver which inhibits insulin action may
identify individuals more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, according to a new study led
by a researcher from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, to be
published July 9 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA.) Researchers
led by Joachim H. Ix, M.D., M.A.S., assistant professor in the Division of Nephrology and
Hypertension and the Division of Preventive Medicine at UC San Diego and at the San Diego
Veterans Affairs Healthcare System, found that higher serum levels of a protein called
fetuin-A, produced by liver cells, was associated with type 2 diabetes in humans,
independent of other risk factors.
Jefferson Researchers Show Antibody
to Breast Cancer-Secreted Protein Blocks Metastasis
Scientists at the Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia have
made a key discovery about the mechanism of breast cancer metastasis, the process by which
cancer spreads. Focusing on a gene dubbed “Dachshund,” or DACH1, they are
beginning to pinpoint new therapeutic targets to halt the spread of cancer.
Some antidepressants associated
with gastrointestinal bleeding
A class of antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) appear
to be associated with bleeding in the upper gastrointestinal tract, according to a report
in the July issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
The effects appear increased when antidepressants are combined with other stomach-harming
medications and decreased when acid-suppressing agents are used.Since the early 1990s,
case reports have suggested an association between SSRIs and bleeding in the upper
gastrointestinal (GI) tract, according to background information in the article. "The
wide use of this drug class requires research to provide more accurate risk estimates, to
identify factors that may further increase the risk and, in particular, to determine
whether using acid-suppressing agents may reduce the risk," the authors write.
"It is also important to determine whether venlafaxine hydrochloride, a new
antidepressant related to SSRIs, also increases the risk of bleeding, as some individual
case reports have suggested."
Stanford researchers find molecule
that kills kidney cancer cells
Kidney cancer patients generally have one option for beating their disease: surgery to
remove the organ. But that could change, thanks to a new molecule found by Stanford
University School of Medicine researchers that kills kidney cancer cells.
Researchers identify cancer
preventive properties in common vitamin supplement
Early laboratory research has shown that resveratrol, a common dietary supplement,
suppresses the abnormal cell formation that leads to most types of breast cancer,
suggesting a potential role for the agent in breast cancer prevention. Resveratrol is a
natural substance found in red wine and red grapes. It is sold in extract form as a
dietary supplement at most major drug stores.
Scientists from Germany have recently discovered that extracts of a traditional herbal
remedy derived from Tabebuia impetiginosa can act to delay the absorption of dietary fat
in animal models. They believe that the extract could be incorporated into a food
supplement which may not only reduce obesity, but also lessen the risk of development of
type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease.
Aggressive treatment of childhood
eczema could help prevent asthma, says new study
More aggressive treatment of childhood eczema may be an important step in preventing
asthma, says a new Australian study. The study, published online in the Journal of Allergy
and Clinical Immunology, calls for trials of aggressive therapies against childhood eczema
in attempt to reduce the incidence of asthma in later life. The study, conducted by the
University of Melbourne, Monash University and Menzies Research Institute in Tasmania, has
followed more than 8500 people who are part of the Tasmanian Longitudinal Health Study
from the ages of seven to 44. Lead author John Burgess, from the University of
Melbourne’s Melbourne School of Population Health, says the study is the first to
demonstrate an association between childhood eczema and asthma into middle age.
More research needed into
beneficial food compounds
More research is needed into food compounds which could reduce the risk of heart disease,
according to a systematic review of trials carried out so far. Dr Lee Hooper from the
University of East Anglia (UEA) led a group of scientists who analysed 133 studies on the
effects of flavonoids and flavonoid-rich food sources on heart disease related risk
factors. It is known that consuming certain foods may reduce the risk of cardiovascular
disease and increased attention is being focused on flavonoids, a diverse group of
compounds that occur naturally in many commonly consumed fruits, vegetables, herbs, grains
and drinks. The health benefits associated with flavonoids were reported as early as 1930,
but limited data and a small number of studies have made it difficult for scientists to
make specific recommendations regarding flavonoid consumption and health.
PRESS RELEASE - This material forms around a third of the average packet of washing powder
and helps refine 99 per cent of the world's petrol*. It is also used to clean up nuclear
waste. This extremely useful material is a zeolite. In its natural form it originates from
volcanoes but it is synthesised for commercial purposes. A European team of scientists has
revealed, for the first time, its chemical structure using the ESRF. This research,
published in Nature Materials on 22 June, opens doors to more effective zeolites in the
future.
Myelin accelerates stimuli -
Shedding light on the mechanisms of myelin formation in the central nervous system
To allow nerve cells to transmit information efficiently over long distances, advanced
life forms have developed a mechanism known as saltatory conduction. This is made possible
by an insulating sheath of myelin that forms at certain intervals around the axonal
extensions of nerve cells that specialize in the transmission of stimuli. In disorders
such as multiple sclerosis or leukodystrophy, the formation or function of the myelin is
disturbed. Previously, the molecular mechanisms of myelin formation were not well
understood. Two projects undertaken by the Department of Molecular Cell Biology of the
Faculty of Biology at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz have now made a
significant contribution towards understanding these complex cellular processes.
According to EU funded researchers,
taking fish oil supplements in late pregnancy might reduce the risk of children developing
asthma
In the context of European research on early nutritional programming, a team of
researchers has traced the children born from mothers who had taken part in a trial.
According to their work, the risk of developing asthma was reduced by 63% in those whose
mothers had been given fish oil supplements during the last trimester of their pregnancy.
This study is part of the EU funded EARNEST project with scientists from 38 institutions
in 16 European countries. It is published today in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.
Not the protein, but its location
in the cell, determines the onset of leukemia
The white blood cells in our body combat foreign intruders, such as viruses and bacteria.
However, in leukemia, the formation of white blood cells is disturbed: the cells that
should develop into white blood cells multiply out of control without fully maturing. This
process disrupts the production of normal blood cells, making patients more susceptible to
infections. T-ALL, a particular form of leukemia, is the most prevalent cancer in children
under 14 years of age and occurs predominantly between the ages of two and three. At the
moment, with an optimal treatment using chemotherapy, over half of the children are cured.
But scientists hope to be able to develop targeted therapies that are less toxic than
chemotherapy, based on knowledge of the biological processes behind T-ALL.
Technology which will make it possible to semi-automate the process for detecting
cancerous tumours more precisely is being developed by academics at the University of
Hertfordshire. Dr Soodamani Ramalingam and her team at the University are developing 3-D
object recognition and image processing so that it will be possible to get a more accurate
picture of human tumours so that cancers can be identified and treated accordingly.
CT Scans Emit Massive Doses of
Radiation, Promote Cancer
A British government report has called for tighter regulation of private clinics that
offer full-body computed tomography (CT) scans, saying that such scans expose patients to
a massive and cancer-promoting blast of radiation.
Cancer Is Not A Disease - It's A
Survival Mechanism
Did you know that 95% of all cancers appear and disappear on their own, and that treating
them actually prevents them from being cured? The prominent cancer researcher and
professor at the University of California, Dr. Hardin Jones, admitted: "Patients are
as well, or better off, untreated....My studies have proven conclusively that cancer
patients who refuse chemotherapy and radiation actually live up to four times longer than
treated cases, including untreated breast cancer cases." In Cancer Is Not A Disease,
bestselling author and internationally acclaimed health expert, Andreas Moritz, proves the
point that cancer is not a separate illness, but the result of specific, identifiable
causes. Removing these causes sets the precondition for the body, mind and emotions to
become healed, meaning, whole again. Medical intervention, on the other hand, attempts to
remove the symptoms of disease with almost complete disregard to their cause(s). This is
not only unscientific and unethical, but also life endangering. Each year over 900,000
people in the U.S. lose their lives needlessly to medical treatment. Even one single dose
of chemotherapy or radiation can be fatal for both the tumor and the patient. The success
record of modern cancer therapy is dismal, even less than the weakest placebo response. On
average, remission occurs in about 7% of all cancers, not because of, but despite these
aggressive treatments.
This Web site is a resource for neurologists and other healthcare professionals involved
in the diagnosis and treatment of Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy
(CIDP).
Study concludes that bowel
preparation with oral sodium phosphate is equivalent to fasting before capsule endoscopy
in patients with obscure GI bleeding
According to a new study from researchers in France, bowel preparation with oral sodium
phosphate for capsule endoscopy in patients with obscure gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding is
no better at cleansing the small bowel than the standard method of preparation, which is
an eight-hour fast before the procedure. The study appears in the June issue of GIE
Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American
Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
Rutgers research identifies brain
cells related to fear
Potentially paving the way for more effective treatments of anxiety disorders, a recent
Nature report by Denis Paré, professor at the Center for Molecular and Behavioral
Neuroscience at Rutgers University, Newark, has identified a critical component of the
amygdala's neural network normally involved in the extinction, or elimination, of fear
memories. His research was published online by Nature on July 9, 2008, and is scheduled to
appear in the print edition later in July.
UGA researchers discover mechanism
that explains how cancer enzyme winds up on ends of chromosomes
Researchers at the University of Georgia's Franklin College of Arts and Sciences have
shown a mechanism that explains how two essential components of human telomerase --
normally active only in early prenatal development but turned back on during cancer growth
-- are "recruited" from distinct sites in the cell to the telomere, an area at
the end of a chromosome that normally protects it from destruction.
Mobilizing white blood cells to the
lung - New discovery could lead to an improved influenza vaccine
Findings just published in the scientific journal Immunity by researchers at the Trudeau
Institute shed new light on how a previously-unknown messaging mechanism within the human
immune system prompts specific influenza-fighting cells to the lung airways during an
infection.
Researchers hack final part of the
immune system code
A group of researchers from the University of Copenhagen and the Biocenter at the
Technical University of Denmark have managed to decipher the final part of the immune
system's key codes.
FDA Claims Cancer-Causing Chemical
in Infant Formula is "Safe"
In spite of the fact that the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) has been shown in laboratory
studies to affect the endocrine system, the FDA continues to call it safe, saying that its
presence in infant formula should not be cause for concern.
A study from the March issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has stated that
a plant based diet can ward off muscle loss. After age 65, most people lose 4.4 pounds of
lean tissue. In this study, 400 male and female volunteers aged 65 or older ate a diet
higher in potassium –- or an alkalizing, plant based diet.
Mothers say GFCF (autism) diet is
working for their kids
“Once they go on this diet, you usually see a great calming,” said Dr. Kendal
Stewart, a neuro-otologist, board certified in ear, nose and throat disorders with
training in neurology and neurosurgery. He says autistic children all have troubled immune
systems. “These kids do have a higher rate of having sensitivities to wheat and
casein,” said Dr. Stewart.
Four Out of Five Sunscreens May Be
Hazardous to Your Health
The Environmental Working Group, a Washington-based nonprofit, has released an
investigation of nearly 1,000 brand-name sunscreens that says four out of five don't
adequately protect consumers and may contain harmful chemicals.
