- - European weblog on food, health and environment
News - week 45 - 2007
Video - The Pill Increases Heart
Diseases
CFIDS Association Launches New
Research Initiative for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Today
The CFIDS Association of America today
launched a new initiative to advance research in the field of chronic fatigue syndrome
(CFS) and accelerate progress in developing treatments for this illness. The research
initiative is designed to build a new model for bridging the gap between CFS science and
medicine, and it includes a campaign to raise one million dollars over a one-year period
to fuel the program. This is the largest CFS research campaign to date in the United
States.
"This new program represents a
visionary approach to CFS research that has applications for many fields of science,"
says Dr. Suzanne Vernon, who will lead the program as the CFIDS Association's new
scientific director. "There has been tremendous progress made by CFS researchers
around the world in the last decade, and we now understand an enormous amount about the
pathophysiology of CFS, and about the body systems that are broken or altered by this
disease. But what is lacking is a mechanism for sharing
this progress and information not only among investigators spread out across the globe who
are working in disparate fields, but among health care professionals and patients."
Vernon, who has 17 years of experience as a
microbiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and who led the
Molecular Epidemiology Program in the CDC's CFS research group from 1997 to 2007, says
this mechanism isn't all that's been missing in the world of CFS science. A whole network
is needed.
"There has been no organization,
academic institution or agency that has taken on the enormous task of bringing all this
information together, connecting the dots and forging new collaborations across the
globe," said Dr. Vernon. "Because of the enormous progress made in recent years,
this is a critical time for determining CFS research needs and directions -- decisions
that will have implications that will be felt for decades. The
CFIDS Association is really on the cutting edge in recognizing the need to bridge the gap
between CFS science and medicine, and for taking the leadership reins to start building
the framework for that bridge in a way that has the potential to catapult the field
forward."
A million-dollar fund-raising campaign for
CFS research is part of the new research initiative. "The pace of progress we're
making is too slow and we need an infusion of funds to move the field forward
faster," says Kimberly McCleary, president and CEO of the CFIDS Association.
Specific elements of the new CFIDS
Association research initiative include:
- Revamping the Association's own research
grants program, which has
funded $4.8 million in research so far, in order to expedite progress
in the search for biomarkers, treatments and a cure
- Building strong collaborations with CFS researchers across the world
to identify synergies, gaps and opportunities that warrant higher
priority
- Developing new opportunities for scientists to share ideas, knowledge
and data to advance the field
- Surveying other fields of research for findings and scientific
approaches of potential relevance to CFS
- Securing a new infusion of federal research funding for CFS
- Attracting new investigators from a number of disciplines to the field
of CFS research.
Dr. Vernon believes that the research
advances made in recent years should give all CFS patients hope, which has therapeutic
value of its own. "But with this new initiative, within a few years we want to be
able to offer more than hope to patients and their families, whose lives have been so
altered by this debilitating illness. We want to be able to offer
effective treatment interventions. Until we have a cure, that's the next important
step."
Benjamin Luft, MD, a professor and
infectious disease specialist at SUNY at Stony Brook, said today that the CFIDS
Association's research initiative and "the appointment of Suzanne Vernon to lead the
program is a coup for both the Association and all who care about understanding and
treating this elusive condition. Dr. Vernon's work at the CDC demonstrated a unique
capacity to bring together various disciplines to understand chronic fatigue syndrome.
This work serves as a paradigm for understanding diseases that are caused by a
multiplicity of factors. Ultimately this knowledge is our best hope for effective
therapy."
About the CFIDS Association of America
The CFIDS Association was founded in 1987
to stimulate high-quality CFS research, improve the ability of health care professionals
to diagnose and manage the illness, secure a meaningful response to CFS from the federal
government, provide educational information for patients and their families, and build
widespread public awareness of CFS. The organization has invested more than $25 million in
education, public policy and research and is the largest charitable funder and advocate of
CFS research in the U.S.
Video - Researchers Look To Lettuce
For Diabetes Cure
Researchers' discovery may lead to
hypertension treatment
Researchers at Cornell University and the
Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research have identified a hormone from human urine
that opens the door to developing novel medications to control sodium levels and treat
hypertension.
Researchers at NIST used their expertise in
radiation science to help a young company create weakened, harmless versions of
malaria-causing parasites that, in turn, are being used to create a new type of vaccine
that shows promise of being more effective than current malaria vaccines.
UBC researchers discover
'instruction manual' that tells cancers how to hide from immune system
A mechanism that creates an
"invisibility cloak" for certain cancer cells and allows them to hide from the
immune system has been uncovered by a team of researchers at the University of British
Columbia.
Video - Chronic Lower Back Pain
Sees New Treatment Trial
Researchers identify molecules with
interesting anti-clotting properties
Virginia Commonwealth University
researchers have discovered a new mechanism to inhibit key enzymes that play a major role
in clotting disorders, which could lead to novel therapies to treat clots in the lungs and
those localized deep in the body in areas such as the legs.
Video - The best country to live in
- left out of the movie "Sicko"
Fish Really May Be Brain Food
There may be truth to old adage that eating
fish can make you smarter, according to three new studies. Each suggests that fish intake,
particularly the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids in fish, may improve cognitive
performance. A Norwegian study of more than 2,000 elderly people found that those who ate
more than 10 grams per day of fish had markedly better test scores and a lower prevalence
of poor cognitive performance than those who ate less than 10 grams of fish a day. The
more fish a person ate, the greater the effect. People who ate about 75 grams a day of
fish had the best test scores.
Mitochondria send death signal to
cardiac cells, study shows
Scientists have determined how cardiac
cells die just as emergency treatments restore blood flow to a heart in distress, a
paradox that has long puzzled doctors who are able to relieve pain in patients suffering
from blocked arteries but can't stop the damage caused by the renewed rush of blood. The
discovery may lead to new ways to save that dying tissue.
Researchers discover natural
herbicide released by grass
Cornell University researchers have found
that certain varieties of common fescue lawn grass come equipped with their own natural
broad-spectrum herbicide that inhibits the growth of weeds and other plants around them.
Globalization has led to an increase in
invasions by new species around the world and this is costing agriculture and the
environment dearly. Invasive animals often thrive at the expense of their close indigenous
relatives and a paper published today in Science within the Science Express Web site
provides some insights into why.
New insight into the link between
genetics and obesity
Scientists have acquired new insight into
how the 'obesity gene' triggers weight gain in some individuals. Their findings, reported
online today in Science Express, could have implications for the future treatment of
obesity as well as adult-onset diabetes.
The inconsistent expressions related to
schizophrenia are newly structured in a recent study by researchers at the Universitas
Pompeau Fabra and Oxford University. Marco Loh, Edmund Rolls and Gustavo Deco have created
a dynamical system framework to discuss the disorder, publishing on Nov. 9, 2007 in the
journal PLoS Computational Biology. The dynamical framework put forth in this study may
better the understanding of the symptoms of schizophrenia, therefore culminating in better
treatment for those with the disorder.
A molecular switch is linked to a
common breast cancer
Researchers have discovered that a
molecular switch in the protein-making machinery of cells is linked to one of the most
common forms of lethal breast cancer worldwide. The discovery by researchers at NYU School
of Medicine could lead to new therapies for the cancer, called locally advanced breast
cancer.
Body-weight regulation scientists
give perspective on obesity-related research
The health effects of obesity involve
complex interactions between many body organs that can obscure insight into underlying
mechanisms. A more complete understanding of the common underlying defects that occur at
the cellular level might prove productive in uncovering the causes and consequences of
obesity.
In the study, exposure to glucose and
fructose (monomeric sugar building blocks of carbohydrates) reduced the production of SHGB
in vitro by a human liver cell line and in vivo by the liver of mice engineered to express
human SHGB. Decreased production of SHGB was mediated by decreased expression of a protein
that stimulates the gene that makes SHGB (HNF-4-alpha) and was associated with increased
amounts of the fat palmitate in the liver cells. Importantly, glucose- and
fructose-induced decreases in SHGB production were prevented by inhibiting palmitate
generation. These data provide a mechanistic link between excess sugar and carbohydrate
consumption and decreased levels of SHGB, indicating the reason it is a good marker of the
metabolic syndrome.
Two faces for TNF-alpha in
antiviral and antitumor immunity
Antagonists of the soluble factor TNF-alpha
are used to treat individuals with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases mediated by immune
cells known as T cells, e.g. rheumatoid arthritis. Despite this there are contradictory
reports as to the effects of TNF-alpha on T cell responses. New research in mice by Pamela
Ohashi and colleagues at the Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, has provided a potential
explanation for these contradictory reports by demonstrating that the inflammatory milieu
is a critical factor in determining the importance of TNF-alpha to the T cell response.
Keep in mind mercury is used in flu vaccins
(Thimerosal) and amalgam fillings......
Another study links mercury to damage to
T-cell defense system, see:
Potential Immunotoxic Effect of Thimerosal
Compound Alters Dendritic Cell Response in Vitro
Thimerosal, an ethylmercury-based compound
used for decades as a vaccine preservative, has previously been linked to neurotoxic
effects. New research reveals that it may also affect the immune system by altering how
dendritic cells respond to biochemical signals [EHP 114: 1083–1091; Goth et al.].
Dendritic cells are influential primary
actors in the immune system's response to infectious invasion of the body. Once activated,
a single dendritic cell can direct hundreds of T cells against an infectious agent. This
ability, however, depends on the dendritic cell responding appropriately to signals.
Previous studies by other researchers have
indicated that thimerosal is an immunotoxicant, but its specific targets were unknown.
Hypothesizing that dendritic cells might be sensitive targets, the researchers cultured
bone marrow–derived dendritic cells from mice and assayed how both mature and
immature cells responded to activation following treatment with thimerosal. They
especially focused on the responses of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate and ryanodine
receptors (IP3R and RyR, respectively), which are known thimerosal targets. These
gatekeepers of intracellular calcium stores are essential for signaling activities
affecting dendritic cell function and maturation.
The team showed for the first time that
both mature and immature dendritic cells express isoforms of these receptors, IP3R1 and
RyR1. Upon activation with the cellular energy source adenosine triphosphate, immature
control cells responded with a measurable rise and fall in intracellular calcium
concentration that involved RyR1 building upon the initial IP3R1-controlled calcium
release and afterward working with IP3R1 to bring calcium down to resting levels.
Exposure to thimerosal at concentrations as
low as 20 ppb altered the time course of these responses, however, and prolonged the
length of time that intracellular calcium levels remained elevated. One possible
consequence of these sustained calcium levels is a change in the rate and timing of
dendritic cells' secretion of interleukin-6, a chemical that triggers further immune
system action. Exposure to thimerosal at concentrations above 200 ppb caused immature
dendritic cells to die.
The continuing use of thimerosal in some
vaccines and other products warrants further investigation of possible immunotoxic effects
of this compound and its constituent ethylmercury. The researchers also note that the
human RyR1 gene is highly polymorphic, an observation that raises several questions about
the role of RyR1 in the immune system's genetic vulnerability to mercury.
Chemical compound present in
detergents produce bacteria alterations in agricultural soils
A research project conducted by the
University of Granada followed the activity of farm grounds due to the increasing presence
of linear alkyl benzene sulphonate, a chemical compound whose active ingredient can be
found in most detergents. The high demand of water for farming, the use of distilled water
and the use of biological mixtures cause the presence of this chemical component in soils.
Further evidence that genetics has
a role in determining sexual orientation in men
Is sexual orientation something people are
born with -- like the color of their skin and eyes -- or a matter of choice? Canadian
scientists have uncovered new evidence which shows genetics has a role to play in
determining whether an individual is homosexual or heterosexual.
Video - Hazards from Microbes &
Chemicals in Drinking Water
UI finding may eventually help
tailor treatment for depression
When a treatment works for one person's
depression, it does not always work for another person's. Findings from the University of
Iowa may one day help doctors have a better idea of who will benefit from specific
antidepressants, increasing the likelihood of successful treatment. The study focused on a
gene associated with the availability of serotonin, a chemical that at low levels can
affect mood and sleep. The researchers found that among people with a variation in this
gene, women were more likely than men to have altered processes related to serotonin.
Blocking effects of viral
infections may prevent asthma in young children
Babies who get severe respiratory viral
infections are much more likely to suffer from asthma as they get older. Now researchers
at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have pinpointed a key step in the
development of asthma in mice after a severe respiratory infection. They suggest that
medications designed to interfere with this mechanism could potentially prevent many cases
of childhood asthma.
Fat cells send message that aids
insulin secretion
The body's fat cells help the pancreas do
its job of secreting insulin, according to research at Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis. This previously unrecognized process ultimately could lead to new
methods to improve glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetic or insulin-resistant people.
Obesity research boosted by
watching hunger in the brain
Scientists can now measure how full or
hungry a mouse feels, thanks to a new technique which uses imaging to reveal how neurons
behave in the part of the brain which regulates appetite. Researchers hope the technique,
which uses magnetic resonance imaging, will enable a far greater understanding of why
certain people become obese when others do not, and why different people have different
appetites.
Treat all patients with rare lung
disease to prevent stroke, say doctors
Treatment should be offered to all people
with a particular rare lung condition, regardless of whether or not they show symptoms of
it, say researchers and doctors behind a new study published today. The research,
published online in the journal Thorax, suggests that all patients with abnormal blood
vessels in their lungs known as pulmonary arteriovenous malformations ('pulmonary AVMs')
might benefit from potentially life-saving treatment to block off the malformed blood
vessels. About 4,000 people in the UK are estimated to have pulmonary AVMs. As many as one
in three of them will have a stroke or brain abscess by the age of 65, according to the
new research.
UVa Health System team uncovers
gene's role in type 1 diabetes
Researchers at the University of Virginia
Health System have identified an enzyme thought to be an important instigator of the
inner-body conflict that causes type 1 diabetes. A chronic condition that affects nearly
three million American children and adults, type 1 diabetes is more severe than type 2.
A new study published in the New England
Journal of Medicine this week by OHSU researchers suggests that timelines for vaccinating
and revaccinating Americans against disease should possibly be re-evaluated and adjusted.
The study shows that in many cases, the established duration of protective immunity for
many vaccines is greatly underestimated.
Video - FOOD - cruel actions of
industrial production
1hr 28 min
Research links diet to cognitive
decline and dementia
Research has shown convincing evidence that
dietary patterns practiced during adulthood are important contributors to age-related
cognitive decline and dementia risk.
Research with grape polyphenols presented
today at Neuroscience 2007 in San Diego shows promise for maintaining long-term cognitive
health. The researchers will now focus on grape polyphenols and Alzheimer's disease at the
newly established Center for Research in Alternative and Complementary Medicine in
Alzheimer's disease research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine.
Research team finds link between
asthma and depressive disorders
Young people with asthma are about twice as
likely to suffer from depressive and anxiety disorders than are children without asthma,
according to a study by a research team in Seattle. Previous research had suggested a
possible link in young people between asthma and some mental health problems, but this
study is the first showing such a strong connection
Neuroeconomist Paul J. Zak of Claremont
Graduate University has new research, and a paper, "Oxytocin Increases Generosity in
Humans," which will be published Nov. 7, 2007 in PLoS ONE, the online, open-access
journal from the Public Library of Science. This research extends his finding based on
oxytocin and trust, which was published in Nature two years ago.
Scientists complete genome sequence
of fungus responsible for dandruff, skin disorders
Scientists from P&G Beauty announced
that they successfully sequenced the complete genome for Malassezia globosa, a
naturally-occurring fungus responsible for the onset of dandruff and other skin conditions
in humans. Results of the genome sequencing are published in today's online edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Foods, not specific nutrients, may
be key to good health
Concept is contrary to industry, government
approach to nutrition
In a recent academic review, a University
of Minnesota professor in the School of Public Health has concluded that food, as opposed
to specific nutrients, may be key to having a healthy diet.
This notion is contrary to popular practice
in food industry and government, where marketers and regulators tend to focus on total
fat, carbohydrate and protein and on specific vitamins and added supplements in food
products, not the food items as a whole. The research is published in last month’s
Journal of Nutrition Reviews.
“We are confusing ourselves and the
public by talking so much about nutrients when we should be talking about foods,”
said David Jacobs, Ph.D., the principal investigator and Mayo Professor of Public Health
at the University of Minnesota. “Consumers get the idea that diet and health can be
understood in terms of isolated nutrients. It’s not the best approach, and it might
be wrong.”
Jacobs, with coauthor Professor Linda
Tapsell of the University of Wollongong in Australia, argues that people should shift the
focus toward the benefits of entire food products and food patterns in order to better
understand nutrition in regard to a healthy human body.
They focus on the concept of food synergy
– the idea that more information about the impact of human health can be obtained by
looking at whole foods than a single food component (such as vitamin C, or calcium added
to a container of orange juice).
Jacobs and Tapsell provide several examples
in which the single nutrient approach to nutrition has not proved to benefit health:
Long term randomized clinical trials,
considered the gold standard for making judgments about nutritional treatment and health,
have failed to show benefit or have suggested harm for cardiovascular events for isolated
supplements of beta-carotene and B-vitamins. A similar large experiment in total fat
reduction also did not show benefit. In contrast, myriad observations have been made of
improved long-term health for foods and food patterns that incorporate these same
nutrients naturally occurring in food.
An understanding of the interactions
between food components in both single foods and whole diets opens up new areas of
thinking that appear to have greater application to contemporary population health issues,
particularly those related to chronic lifestyle disease, Jacobs said.
“It is this new understanding that
reminds us emphatically of the central position of food in the nutrition-health interface,
which begs for much more whole food-based research, and encourages us in both research and
dietary advice to, ‘think food first’,” Tapsell said.
New EU Health Strategy
On the 23 October the European Commission
adopted a new Health Strategy, 'Together for Heath: A Strategic Approach for the EU
2008-2013'. The new programme builds on the existing one (Health Programme 2003-2008),
setting a framework to fund European projects and other health-related actions. It aims
for the first time to provide an overarching strategic framework spanning core issues in
health as well as health in all policies and global health issues. As set out in the
Treaty, most competence in the field of health is held by Member States, but the EU has
the responsibility to undertake certain actions which complement the work carried out at
national level. The Programme is designed to improve the health of EU citizens, reducing
health inequalities while disseminating health information and awareness among EU
citizens. The Strategy focuses on four principles and three strategic themes to improve
health across Europe. These principles include: a value-driven approach, recognising the
links between health and economic prosperity, integrating health in all policies, and
strengthening the EU's voice in global health issues. The strategic themes are: Fostering
Good Health in an Ageing Europe, Protecting Citizens from Health Threats, and Dynamic
Health Systems and New Technologies.
The Health Strategy has been developed over
several years, with the aim of identifying where the EU could provide real added value,
without duplicating work which can be carried out at Member State level or in
international organizations. Work has been undertaken to address health threats, including
the creation of the European Centre for Disease. Prevention and Control (ECDC), developing
cross-border co-operation between health systems. Furthermore, the EU's health information
system is now a key mechanism for the development of health policy. Another key element is
the EU Health Forum, which brings together organizations in the health field who act as
advisors to the European Commission on health policies, enabling the health community to
participate in the policy-making process from the start.
The new Programme will come into force on 1
January 2008, and will dispose of a budget of € 321.5 million. Actions supporting
development at European level of cross border nature are also eligible for funding. A wide
variety of financing schemes are offered to ensure the highest level of participation on
the part of organizations promoting an agenda in line with the Programme objectives. These
include co-financing and tendering actions, operational grants as well as joint financing
with Member States and other EU Community programmes.
And here is my personal CONSUMER VOICE:
European Health Insurance Card (EHIC 27)
I send this letter to www.ecas.org. Concerning the free mobility of persons of all ages;
in good health or with health problems. Concerning the European Social Security 1408/71 -
574/72. As well I send it as CC to www.sin-nl.org
Ps: till now no reaction.
ECAS
European Citizen Action Service
83, Rue du Prince Royal
B-1050 Brussels
email: xxx@ ecas.org Director
email: xxx@ ecas.org Legal Officer
Concerning: European Health Insurance Card
Urgence & Danger
'' A good application of the EHIC in 27
countries, following the norms of the resident country can make the difference between
being alive or dead ''. I hope you get the message of these words.
The Netherlands, France
June 22nd, 2007
To the attention of the Board of Directors
of the ECAS,
Dear Madam / Sir,
I would like to ask your attention for a
serious problem concerning the European Health Insurance Card: A person resident in
EU-country X, is normally insured for medical help in country X. So, this person knows
exactly what she/he gets if medical help is needed. If this person goes to country Y for a
short- or long term stay, this person can get medical help in the guest country following
the medical basic insurance of this country. The visiting person does not know what is in
this insurance; there are 27 different basic insurances (I let the complementary insurance
out for this moment but it should be considered as very important as well). This can lead
to dramatically and very dangerous situations, because the medical help in the guest
country can have a quality and quantity level which is much lower than the medical
insurance of the country of residence. From 1 minute to the other mi nute this visiting
person has to deal with medical discrimination ! which can lead to important and awfully
< Medical Faults > (see www.sin-nl.org and www.ieu-alliance.eu
).
Urgent:The European Commission should put
this practical problem as a priority on their agenda and change the EHIC as soon as
possible into a consumer friendly, logical, not bureaucratically really European Health
Insurance Card, where everybody get medical help in a guest EU-country following the norms
of medical insurance of their resident country !
By changing the system you avoid abuse as
well…… "I wonder why my car-insurance does not change if I drive from
France to Belgium to Germany to Swiss to Italy…… It seems that health of the car
is much more important than human health " !!! By the way: do you know that many
medical persons (I do have a bad experience in Holland) never heard about the EHIC and
that they do not accept the card and that they haven't any idea how to handle the
administration of the card ? They just do not care at all !
Regards,
French EHIC-holder
1. Adresse France
2. Adresse The Netherlands
3. Adresse ???
(some people have more addresses in the EU….without being a miljonair or criminel ;
just normal people with a normal income net !!! and not only for holiday or being retired)
Nota Bene: I transfer this letter as well
to info @ sin-nl.org > the Dutch Health care system is very miserable; all important
responsable persons in the medical world landed on the Red List , because they do not
respect the law; they do not respect the Medical Privacy, they do not respect the European
Social Security.I (Dutch nationality !) start tot wonder what Holland
respects……..not that much…..so you get victim.
WARNING: If you plan to leave Holland or if
you plan to go to Holland: watch out for the national institutions: UWV - CVZ -
SVB…….and for the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Social Affairs.
It seems that they do not worry at all about YOUR RIGHTS.
They just create problems and after they
IGNORE you. YOU have to try to get your 1408/71-574/72 existing ! rights by a
judge……..so YOU have to spend a lot of money for something YOU did not do wrong,
but for something THEY did not follow - up: the existing law 1408/71-574/72. And it takes
….y e a r s ! And if you cannot afford to pay the judge….well…< they
> do not care at all. You just sell your house during a heavy healthproblem and you
finish on the street…..and you never, ever get better anymore. That's Dutch
Healthcare in a wide sense ANNO 2007. Bravo Holland, and again B R A V O !
EU: Healthy cooking and eating
habits for children !
EU Mini-Chefs
On 18 October, the Commissioner for Health,
Markos Kyprianou, presented the children, of the Raudati School no 3 in Romania, with the
prize for the 'EU Mini-chefs' drawing contest at the European Parliament, in Brussels.
Using the winning drawing, the European Commission produced a poster that will be used to
publicize the European Day for Healthy Food and Cooking to be celebrated on November 8.
The competition, organized jointly by the European Commission and Euro-Toques (Europe's
Chefs association), was part of a wider European project, launched on 15 May, to promote
the European Healthy Food and Cooking day. The competition was also published on the 'EU
Mini-Chefs' website- a site for children aiming to fight child obesity by encouraging
healthy eating and cooking habits. The site includes simple healthy recipes and cooking
advice from some of the best chefs in Europe. The drawing contest was aimed at children
between the age of 9 and 12 who participated through their classes. The jury looked at
drawings from schools across Europe before choosing to award the students from Romania.
The prize included an invitation for the class to visit Brussels to receive their award, a
visit to Mini-Europe Park and an exchange with the European School of Ixelles.
A team led by Bernhard Kraeutler at the
University of Innsbruck has determined that the breakdown of chlorophyll in ripening
apples and pears produces the same decomposition products as those in brightly-colored
leaves. These colorless decomposition products are highly active antioxidants.
Australian researchers develop
treatment to treat obesity
A team of Australian researchers have
developed a novel way to control the extreme weight loss, common in late-stage cancer,
which often speeds death. The findings published today in Nature Medicine suggest it may
soon be possible to prevent this condition, giving people the strength to survive
treatment and improve their chances of recovery.
Energy drinks may pose risks for
people with high blood pressure, heart disease
Downing an 'energy drink' may boost blood
pressure as well as energy, researchers said in a small study presented at the American
Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2007.
Children with gene show reduced
cognitive function
Children possessing a gene known to
increase Alzheimer's disease risk already show signs of reduced cognitive function, an
Oregon Health & Science University study has found. Scientists discovered that 7- to
10-year-olds with a member of a family of genes implicated in development, nerve cell
regeneration and neuroprotection display reduced spatial learning and memory, associated
with later-life cognitive impairments. This suggests brain changes predisposing a person
to Alzheimer's might occur much sooner than previously thought.
Modest gain in visceral fat causes
dysfunction of blood vessel lining in lean, healthy humans
When lean, healthy young adults gained
about nine pounds, the functioning of their blood vessel lining became impaired -- but
shedding the weight restored proper functioning, according to a Mayo Clinic research
report.
Marijuana-like brain chemicals work
as antidepressant
American and Italian researchers have found
that boosting the amounts of a marijuana-like brain transmitter called anandamide produces
antidepressant effects in test rats.
Relaxation in large, sound- and light-proof
tanks with high-salt water -- floating -- is an effective way to alleviate long-term
stress-related pain. This has been shown by Sven-Ake Bood, who recently completed his
doctorate in psychology, with a dissertation from Karlstad University in Sweden.
Maternal alcohol drinking during
pregnancy associated with risk for childhood conduct problems
Maternal alcohol drinking during pregnancy
appears to be associated with conduct problems in children, independently of other risk
factors, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General Psychiatry,
one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
New insights into how natural
antioxidants fight fat
Scientists in Taiwan are reporting new
insights into why diets rich in fruits and vegetables reduce the risk of obesity. Their
study, scheduled for the Oct. 17 (current) issue of ACS’ Journal of Agricultural and
Food Chemistry, a bi-weekly publication, focuses on healthful natural antioxidant
compounds called flavonoids and phenolic acids. In the study, Gow-Chin Yen and Chin-Lin
Hsu point out that large amounts of those compounds occur in fruits, vegetables, nuts and
plant-based beverages such as coffee, tea, and wine. Scientists long have known that
flavonoids and phenolic acids have beneficial health effects in reducing the risk of heart
attacks, cancer, obesity, and other disorders. However, there has been uncertainty about
exactly how these compounds affect adipocytes, or fat cells. The researchers studied how
15 phenolic acids and six flavonoids affected fat cells in laboratory cultures of mouse
cells. Their results showed that fat cells exposed to certain antioxidants had lower
levels of an enzyme that forms triglycerides and accumulated lower levels of triglycerides
— fatty materials which at high levels increase the risk of heart disease. The
findings suggest that these compounds could be effective in improving the symptoms of
metabolic syndrome, a cluster of symptoms like obesity and high blood sugar that increase
the risk of heart disease, the researchers said.
Breastfeeding babies offers them
long-term heart-health benefits
Breastfed babies are less likely to have
certain cardiovascular disease risk factors in adulthood than their bottle-fed
counterparts, researchers reported at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions
2007.
Curry-derived molecules might be
too spicy for colorectal cancers
Curcumin, the yellowish component of
turmeric that gives curry its flavor, has long been noted for its potential anti-cancer
properties. Researchers from Tohoku University in Sendai, Japan, report on an apparent
improvement upon nature: two molecular analogues of curcumin that demonstrate even greater
tumor suppressive properties. The team presented their findings from the first test of
these molecules in a mouse model of colorectal cancer today at the American Association
for Cancer Research Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine.
Antioxidants could provide
all-purpose radiation protection
Two common dietary molecules found in
legumes and bran could protect DNA from the harmful effects of radiation, researchers from
the University of Maryland report. Inositol and inositol hexaphosphate protected both
human skin cells and a skin cancer-prone mouse from exposure to ultraviolet B radiation,
the damaging radiation found in sunlight, the team reported today at the American
Association for Cancer Research Centennial Conference on Translational Cancer Medicine.
Manchester researchers identify
gene behind rheumatoid arthritis
University of Manchester researchers have
identified a genetic variant in a region on chromosome 6 that is associated with
rheumatoid arthritis, the most common inflammatory arthritis affecting 387,000 people in
the UK.
Video -
Channel 3 KTVK "3 on Your Side" Mold in Your Home
Mother Jailed, Put On Trial for
Curing Her Son of Melanoma
An unholy alliance of California Child
Protective Services (CPS) with a hostile doctor and judge is attempting to railroad Laurie
Jessop, framed as a threat to her son and the establishment for finding a way to cure him
of malignant melanoma. She is now on trial, under a gag order, since she had gone to the
press. When she was arrested, she was put in maximum security, solitary confinement, in
the Orange County, CA jail. They claim that everything about. her says anti-Establishment,
so she was told, as she was considered a threat in starting a riot.
Which? campaigns to ensure that food is
safe and regulated in such a way as to protect consumers. We look at legislation both in
Europe and globally. We are currently campaigning for hygiene scores to be adopted by all
restaurants, and continue to publish our monthly BSE reports.
The European Parliament should be
located in Brussels
It costs European taxpayers approximately
200 million euros a year to move the Parliament between Brussels/Belgium and
Strasbourg/France. As a citizen of the European Union, I want the European Parliament to
be located only in Brussels.
Vote:
Video - Big Bucks Big Pharma -
Marketing Disease & Pushing Drugs
Video - Biofuel - Another Flawed
Policy
President Bush promised to expand American
biofuel production, but the result has been worse than nothing. Corn is a poor source for
energy, but growing it and other staples as fuel has caused food prices worldwide to
explode - even as the scarcity of flex-fuel vehicles means no significant increase in U.S.
biofuel use. Now the U.N. is worried about rising food costs, while environmentalists see
entire regions torn up to grow fuel crops. The great ethanol boom of 2007 goes bust, this
week on Global Pulse.
