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Week 31
A Carb Boost Without the Carbs
Athletes can improve their performance in intense bouts of exercise, lasting an hour or
so, if they merely rinse their mouths with a carbohydrate solution. They don’t even
have to swallow it.
A high-fat diet alters crucial
aspects of brain dopamine signaling
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive
Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking
behavior, finds that prolonged exposure to a high fat diet is correlated with changes in
the brain chemical dopamine within the striatum, a critical component of the brain's
reward system.
A Treatment for Multiple Sclerosis
That Upsets Big Pharma
If angioplasty for MS catches on, who is going to buy all the toxic drugs now prescribed
for the mysterious disease?
Acidic oceans - fish lose ability
to smell danger
Fish face losing their ability to smell danger as the oceans grow more acidic, new
research has revealed.
Adiposity hormone, leptin,
regulates food intake by influencing learning and memory
This research study finds that the hormone leptin reduces food intake, in part, by
activating the hippocampus, an area of the brain that controls learning and memory
function. Researchers found that when leptin was delivered directly to the hippocampus in
rats, the animals consumed less food and lost body weight. Leptin delivered to this region
of the brain also impaired the ability of the animals to learn about the spatial location
of food.
After 40 Years, NIH-Supported
Researchers Identify Possible New Treatment for Severe Vasculitis
Investigators have made a major advance in treating people with a severe form of
vasculitis, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, a rare but
devastating disease of blood vessels. In a six-month study, a new treatment strategy
provided the same benefits as the current standard of care used for more than 40 years but
required less frequent treatments. Early results also suggest that patients with disease
relapses—typically recurrences of fever, fatigue, kidney damage, or bleeding in the
lungs—respond better to the new regimen. The study, which appears online in the New
England Journal of Medicine, was led by John Stone, M.D., M.P.H., of Massachusetts General
Hospital, Boston, and Ulrich Specks, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. It was
conducted by the Immune Tolerance Network (ITN). The ITN is an international consortium
supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of
the National Institutes of Health, and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation
International. Genentech Inc., of South San Francisco, Calif., and Biogen Idec Inc., of
Weston, Mass., provided additional funding for the study.
After the Oil Runs Out - Rigs to
Reefs
While humans wonder what do with old oil rigs, fish scientist Milton Love suggests his
subjects have a definite school of thought.
Americans turn cold shoulder to
sunscreen
Even as summer temperatures soar, Americans are turning a cold shoulder to sunscreen,
according to a poll released on Friday.
An Optimal Diet Starts with a
High-Protein Breakfast
A quality, high-protein diet – one that begins at breakfast – is critical for
maintaining muscle mass, curbing hunger, reducing abdominal fat, and preventing and
slowing the progression of age-related bone and muscle loss. These findings were presented
during a panel presentation at the 2010 IFT Annual Meeting and Food Expo®. While humans
maintain the ability to build muscle at any age, the effects of insufficient protein
increase substantially in older adults, often leading to muscle and bone conditions such
as sarcopenia (the degenerative loss of muscle mass) and osteoporosis, said Douglas
Paddon-Jones, Ph.D., associate professor, physical therapy and internal medicine, the
University of Texas Medical Branch.
Anti-cancer effects of broccoli
ingredient explained
Light has been cast on the interaction between broccoli consumption and reduced prostate
cancer risk. Researchers writing in BioMed Central's open-access journal Molecular Cancer
have found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli, interacts with cells lacking a
gene called PTEN to reduce the chances of prostate cancer developing.
Anti-obesity effects of soy in a
rat model of menopause
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive
Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking
behavior, finds that a diet rich in soy prevents weight gain in post-menopausal female
rats.
Are Sleeping Pills Addictive?
These drugs can, however, be psychologically habit-forming. If the sleeping pill
effectively promotes sleep but is stopped suddenly, for instance, some people may show
signs of psychological dependence, with the desire to want to keep taking them.
Are you living in a chemical home?
You may have invested in a house and may have burnt a hole in your wallet to buy the
furniture and carpets. But are you aware of the chemicals in your walls and furniture?
Assessing Children’s Dietary
Pesticide Exposure
The frequent consumption of food commodities with episodic presence of pesticide residues
that are suspected to cause developmental and neurological effects in young children
supports the need for further mitigation.
Australian study shows supportive
community programs can prevent women from gaining weight
A simple community program developed and researched by the Jean Hailes Foundation for
Women's Health in Australia has been shown to be effective in preventing excess weight
gain commonly experienced by young mothers. Published in the British Medical Journal
online at bmj.com this is the first randomized controlled intervention in women that we're
aware of to prevent weight gain rather than treat overweight.
Autism Recovery - Don't Ask, Don't
Tell
It’s happening all over - Kids use nutrition, special diets, and biomedical tools for
autism. They make stunning progress. They blow through ABA trials instead of trudging
along; they approach peers on a busy playground; they look their parents in the eyes and
start talking; they function at school, and teachers’ jaws drop. Wow!
Avastin fails to slow breast cancer
Federal health scientists said Friday that followup studies of a Roche breast cancer drug
show it failed to slow tumour growth or extend patient lives, opening the door for a
potential withdrawal in that indication.
B.P. spill could threaten thousands
of Minnesota/Wisconsin loons
The B.P. oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could threaten more than 50,000 loons when they
migrate this winter.
Backlash Grows Against Full-Body
Scanners
Opposition to new full-body imaging machines to screen passengers and the government's
deployment of them at most major airports is growing.
Bayer loses 5th straight trial
Bayer AG lost its fifth straight trial over contaminated U.S. long-grain rice to a
Louisiana farmer who claimed the company's carelessness with its genetically engineered
seed caused exports to plunge.
Beet juice lowers blood pressure
The vegetable known as the beetroot in Great Britain (and usually called the table beet,
garden beet, red beet or just plain beet in the U.S.) has been studied in recent years for
its health-building properties. For example, scientists have found it is rich in the
nutrient betaine, which reduces the blood concentration of homocycsteine, a substance
linked to heart disease and stroke. Now a study just published in the American Heart
Association's Hypertension journal concludes drinking beet juice lowers high blood
pressure quickly and effectively -- and could be a natural approach to helping prevent
cardiovascular problems.
Behavior problems in school linked
to 2 types of families
Contrary to Leo Tolstoy's famous observation that "happy families are all alike;
every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way," a new psychology study confirms that
unhappy families, in fact, are unhappy in two distinct ways. And these dual patterns of
unhealthy family relationships lead to a host of specific difficulties for children during
their early school years.
Big Oil Makes War on the Planet
Our addiction to oil is now blowing back on the civilization that can't do without its
gushers and can't quite bring itself to imagine a real transition to alternative energies.
Biologists identify a new clue into
cellular aging
The ability to combat some age-related diseases, such as cancer and diabetes, may rest
with scientists unlocking clues about the molecular and cellular processes governing
aging. The underlying theory is that if the healthy portion of an individual's life span
can be extended, it may delay the onset of certain age-related diseases. In the search to
understand these molecular processes, researchers at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School have uncovered an important new DAF-16 isoform - DAF-16d/f - that
collaborates with other DAF-16 protein isoforms to regulate longevity.
Blind mice can 'see' thanks to
special retinal cells
Study shows mice without rods and cones function can still see -- and not just light, but
also patterns and images -- thanks to a third kind of photosensitive cell in the retina.
BP Photoshopped Fake Crisis Command
Center for Website
Scott Dean, a spokesman for BP, said that there was nothing sinister in the photo
alteration and provided the original unaltered version. He said that a photographer
working for the company had inserted the three images in spots where the video screens
were blank.
BP's oil spill caused by fed's
dangerous culture of permissiveness'
The Bush administration focused from its earliest days on ramping up domestic oil and gas
production, charged House Democrats, but at the same time allowed the industry a
"dangerous culture of permissiveness" that culminated in the April 20 explosion
of the Deepwater Horizon in the Gulf of Mexico.
Brain responses of obese
individuals are more weakly linked to feelings of hunger
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive
Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking
behavior, finds that that feelings of hunger have less influence on how the brain responds
to the smell and taste of food in overweight than healthy weight individuals.
Brain size associated with
longevity
Mammals with larger brains in relation to body size tend to live longer. This is the
conclusion reached by researchers at the Centre for Ecological Research and Forestry
Applications, affiliated to Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, after having analyzed
almost 500 mammal species and obtaining new data on the relation between brain size and
lifespan.
Brazilian farmers declare war on
Monsanto
Farmers from two separate Brazilian associations are preparing to file suit against
biotechnology giant Monsanto, in a fight over the royalty fees the company demands for its
genetically modified (GM) Roundup Ready soy.
Bright stars of the brain regulate
breathing
Astrocytes -- brain cells named after their characteristic star-shape and previously
thought to act only as the 'glue' between neurons -- have a central role in the regulation
of breathing, according to scientists.
Calcium from salmon and cod bone is
well absorbed in young healthy men:a double-blinded randomised crossover design
Mean Ca absorption (+/- SEE) from the three different Ca sources were 21.9 +/- 1.7%, 22.5
+/- 1.7% and 27.4 +/- 1.8% for cod bones, salmon bones, and control (CaCO3), respectively.
Conclusion: We conclude that bones from Atlantic salmon and Atlantic cod are suitable as
natural Ca sources in e.g. functional foods or as supplements.
Carbohydrates Are Wonderful
Replace saturated fat with high-glycemic carbohydrates, and the risk of heart disease goes
up. Perhaps the committee will at least acknowledge that we should be avoiding
high-glycemic, refined carbohydrates. Let’s see what they have to say on the matter:
Cashew extract may treat diabetes
Cashew seed extract may play an important role in preventing and treating diabetes, new
research suggests.
Cell phone use ups tinnitus risk
Despite the discrepant results on the health concerns of cell phones, a new study says the
device increases the risk of tinnitus or constant ringing in the ear.
Chemical discovery sparks scare
CANCER-CAUSING chemicals found in underground water near a coal project in south-west
Queensland have sparked a major health scare.
Children in good shape have better
appetite control and energy expenditure
The research conducted at the University of Granada reveals that this improvement may be
caused by the metabolic changes generated by physical activity through the regulation of
hormones such as insulin and leptin. For the purpose of this study, the researchers
analyzed a sample of 3,800 European adolescents aged 12-17.
Children with Autism Unimpaired by
Non-Varied Diet
But a new study conducted in the UK has determined that despite their pickiness, they
physically develop “normally” when compared to autism free children.
Chronic and acute effects of
walnuts on antioxidant capacity and nutritional status in humans
Walnut consumption did not significantly change the plasma antioxidant capacity of
healthy, well-nourished older adults in this pilot study. However, improvements in
linoleic acid and pyridoxal phosphate were observed with chronic consumption, while total
plasma thiols were enhanced acutely. Future studies investigating the antioxidant effects
of walnuts in humans are warranted, but should include either a larger sample size or a
controlled feeding intervention.
Circadian rhythms - their role and
dysfunction in affective disorders
Circadian (daily) rhythms are found in all functions – e.g. performance, mood,
endocrine rhythms, behaviour, sleep timing. The biological clocks that control circadian
rhythms are based on a genetic programme of interacting molecules in cells throughout the
body, coordinated by a ´master clock´ in the brain and synchronised by external cues,
mainly light. Failure to adapt to environmental and societal cues leads to misalignment of
the internal biological clocks, and is particularly evident with shift work and jet lag.
This temporal dysregulation comes with enhanced risk of errors and accidents, loss of
productivity, and health risks such as increased propensity for cancer, depression, sleep
disturbances, gastrointestinal, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, decreased immune
responses and life span.
Closer to a treatment for autism
Rubicon winner Dalila Pinto discovered a copying error in the DNA of trial subjects who
suffered from autism or a similar condition. Some segments of their DNA were copied either
once too often or missed out of the copying process. This is a highly promising result
from the world's largest investigation into autism. The top journal Nature placed the
results online on 9 June. About one child in every 110 suffers from autism or a condition
on the autistic spectrum: PDD-NOS or Asperger's syndrome. The condition only manifests
itself at the age of about 2 or 3, and there is no cure. Dalila Pinto and her
co-researchers on the international 'Autism genome project' investigated the DNA of nearly
1000 autism patients. They discovered a completely new set of 'broken' genes that might
cause autism, including some genes that might enable early diagnosis. The errors in the
DNA are the result of incorrect copying. A new copy of the DNA is required for every new
cell. Your body therefore continually produces new DNA copies. This goes wrong once in a
while for everyone. A part of the DNA is then copied either once too often or else missed
out of the copying process. This can cause genetic short-circuits. The researchers
discovered that this type of copying error occurs much more often in patients with autism.
Combat injuries may cause epilepsy
years later
Soldiers may develop epilepsy from a head injury as many as 30 years down the road, hints
a new study of Vietnam veterans.
Concentration, timing and
interactions are key when it comes to dietary compounds
Agricultural Research Service chemist Thomas Wang, who specializes in cancer prevention
research, has reported evidence that for some dietary compounds, length of exposure over
time may be key to whether or not ingestion leads to a beneficial, or detrimental, effect.
Conflicted meat-eaters deny that
meat-animals have the capacity to suffer
A new study from the University of Kent has provided direct evidence that people who wish
to escape the ‘meat paradox’ i.e. simultaneously disliking hurting animals and
enjoying eating meat, may do so by denying that the animal they ate had the capacity to
suffer. By engaging in denial, those participating in the study also reported a reduced
range of animals to which they felt obligated to show moral concern. These ranged from
dogs and chimps to snails and fish. The study, the results of which are published in the
August issue of Appetite, was conducted by Dr Steve Loughnan, Research Associate at the
University’s School of Psychology, and colleagues in Australia.
Could our minds be tricked into
satisfying our stomachs?
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive
Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking
behavior, suggests that the key to losing weight could lie in manipulating our beliefs
about how filling we think food will be before we eat it, suggesting that portion control
is all a matter of perception.
Could PCBs Help Boost Blood
Pressure?
People in an Alabama city who had higher levels of the chemicals known as PCBs in their
bodies were much more likely to have high blood pressure, a recent study found, but it's
not clear if the PCBs actually caused their hypertension.
Cow's milk does a baby good
Professor Yitzhak Katz of Tel Aviv University's Sackler Faculty of Medicine has found that
babies who are fed cow milk protein early, in the form of infant formula, seem to be
protected from developing an allergy to the same protein later in life. "Women who
regularly (daily) introduced their babies to cow milk protein early, before 15 days of
life, almost completely eliminated the incidence of allergy to cow milk protein in their
babies," he reports.
CWRU Dental Researchers Discover
Human Beta Defensins-3 Ignite in Oral Cancer Growth
detecting oral cancer in its earliest stages can save the lives of the nearly 40,500
people diagnosed annually. But early detection has been difficult. Case Western Reserve
University School of Dental Medicine researchers discovered a biomarker, called human beta
defensin-3 (hBD-3), which may serve as an early warning. The defensin is present in all
oral cancers and associated with the early stages of oral cancer.
Darker skin doesn't mean melanoma
immunity
Melanoma is on the rise among certain groups of dark-skinned Floridians, new research
shows.
Discovered by Chance, Unique
Particles Offer New Opportunities
An intriguing byproduct of a complicated chemical procedure in a laboratory experiment has
become the discovery of a lifetime for some University of Guelph researchers.
Do YOU Take Any of These 11
Dangerous Cholesterol Drugs?
Not only is there no "striking decrease in coronary heart disease
complications", but a new report has also called into question drug companies'
involvement in such trials.
Doctors link uranium contamination
to disabled Punjab children
Traces of uranium have been found in a large number of autistic children in India's
northern state of Punjab. The metal, used for generating nuclear energy and to make
nuclear bombs, is thought to be the reason behind their autism.
Doctors reconsider old antibiotics
despite hazards
As bacteria become drug-resistant, once-abandoned treatments are seeming less risky.
Does Gardasil Actually Increase
Your Risk of Cervical Cancer?
According to information the manufacturer of Gardasil, a vaccine against human
papillomavirus, presented to the FDA prior to approval, if a person has already been
exposed to HPV 16 or 18 prior to injection, then Gardasil increases the risk of
precancerous lesions, or worse, by 44.6 percent.
Does Religion Cause Bad Behavior?
Hitchens Can’t Decide
But does Hitchens really believe religion causes people to do bad things? As I illustrate
his position is unclear.
Does the existing standard of care
supply energy sources to brain tumor cells?
Examining a decade's worth of research, Boston College biochemists write in Lancet
Oncology that the medical standard of care for the most common form of brain cancer may
actually feed tumor cells the energy sources they need to survive or recur.
Eat your pesticides
When I first learned that agribusiness and the pesticide industry were launching a new PR
campaign to discredit EWG and our Shopper's Guide to Pesticides, I thought it was a joke.
The Shopper's Guide to Pesticides dissuades people from eating fruits and vegetables?
Ellagitannins of the fruit rind of
pomegranate (Punica granatum) antagonize in vitro the host inflammatory response
mechanisms involved in the onset of malaria
The beneficial effect of the fruit rind of Punica granatum for the treatment of malarial
disease may be attributed to the anti-parasitic activity and the inhibition of the
pro-inflammatory mechanisms involved in the onset of cerebral malaria.
Environmental groups in China
CHINA’S environment, most obviously the air in its cities, has been deteriorating
roughly at the same dizzy pace that its industry has been expanding. Now some young
activists, notably in university environmental clubs, are campaigning to raise awareness
of pollution. In the process, they are among the first of their generation to dabble with
political participation.
Europe Warns Search Companies Over
Data Retention
Google, Microsoft and Yahoo are retaining detailed search engine data for too long and not
making it sufficiently anonymous later, in violation of European law, the European Union's
data protection advisory body has warned.
Expectant mothers who take
probiotics have healthier babies
Researchers from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) recently
conducted a study on the effects of probiotic supplementation during pregnancy. The team
found that mothers who drank probiotic-supplemented milk during their pregnancies cut
their children's risk of developing eczema by 40 percent.
Fears grow GM crops will be forced
on Scotlan
The UK Government's "respect" agenda towards Scotland could be wrecked by
disagreements over growing genetically modified foods, following a new move by the
European Commission.
Findings overturn old theory of
phytoplankton growth, raise concerns for ocean productivity
A new study concludes that an old, fundamental and widely accepted theory of how and why
phytoplankton bloom in the oceans is incorrect. The findings challenge more than 50 years
of conventional wisdom about the growth of phytoplankton, which are the ultimate basis for
almost all ocean life and major fisheries. And they also raise concerns that global
warming, rather than stimulating ocean productivity, may actually curtail it in some
places.
Fishing Families Turn To Fast Food,
Donated Groceries
For thousands who count on the Gulf of Mexico to feed their families, what once seemed
like a never-ending, free buffet of shrimp, crabs, oysters and fish is off-limits.
Food killing more of us than
tobacco
OBESITY is set to overtake smoking as the leading cause of premature death and illness in
Australia, and experts are calling on government authorities to take the same tough stand
on the weight crisis as it did on tobacco.
Gene Therapy Breakthrough Heralds
Treatment for ?-thalassemia
Italian scientists pioneering a new gene transfer treatment for the blood disorder
?-thalassemia have successfully completed preclinical trials, claiming they can correct
the lack of beta-globin (ß-globin) in patients' blood cells which causes the disease. The
research, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, reveals how gene therapy may represent a
safe alternative to current cures that are limited to a minority of patients. The disorder
?-thalassemia, also known as Cooley's anemia, is caused when a patient cannot produce
enough of the ß-globin component of haemoglobin, the protein used by red blood cells to
carry oxygen around the body. The lack of ß-globin causes life threatening anemia,
leading to severe damage of the body's major organs. The condition is most commonly found
in Mediterranean, Middle Eastern and Asian populations. "Currently treatments are
limited to lifelong regular blood transfusions, and iron chelation to prevent fatal iron
overload. The alternative is bone marrow transplantation, an option open to less than 25%
of patients," said Dr Giuliana Ferrari from the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for
Gene Therapy in Milan. "Our research has focused on gene therapy: by transplanting
genetically corrected stem cells we can restore haemoglobin production and overcome the
disorder."
Genes decide who wins in the body's
battle against cancer
Researchers funded by the Medical Research Council have discovered for the first time that
two proteins called Mahjong and Lgl could be star players in helping to identify how the
body's own cells fight back against cancer cells. This discovery, publishing today in the
online, open-access journal PLoS Biology, could lead to future treatments to make our
healthy cells better-equipped to attack cancer cells, an entirely new concept for cancer
research.
Genes' role in autism a complicated
connection
Though scientists know genetic factors play a part in the array of autism disorders, the
vast number of genes involved, plus possible environmental considerations, make narrowing
the cause a vastly difficult goal.
Glaxo says settles some Paxil
birth-defect cases
GlaxoSmithKline said on Tuesday it had agreed to settle certain U.S. lawsuits alleging its
Paxil antidepressant caused birth defects in some patients but declined to put a figure on
the settlements.
GM contamination of China's state
grain stores
The environmental group says it has found tainted samples at two rice processing
enterprises that source their products from the strategic food reserve.
GM In the Dock - US courts step in
where safety regulators fail
Today GM Freeze published GM in the Dock, a series of three briefings examining a number
of US court cases covering the legality of the authorisation of GM crops, the failure to
protect farmers from contamination and the consolidation of corporate control in
agricultural markets, as well as exposing how far the industry will go to protect itself
against the public interest.
GM soy imports destroying
rainforests
More than 350,000 hectares of rainforest, twice the size of the Yorkshire Dales, is being
chopped down to grow soy beans, most of which are genetically modified (GM).
GM wheat yields 48-56% less
The scientific community definitely needs to have a fresh look at GM crops in view of the
disruptions that ecological and environmental factors can cause to its genetic makeup
resulting in serious distortions in performance. This has grave implications for farmers,
consumers and the environment. Scientists cannot be pardoned for deliberately ignoring
genotype x environment interactions.
Greater obesity in offspring of
nursing mothers consuming a high-fat diet
The future health of offspring is more negatively impacted when their mothers consume a
high fat diet while nursing compared with high-fat diet consumption during pregnancy,
according to animal research at Johns Hopkins University. These new research results are
being presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior,
the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking behavior.
Greenpeace finds evidence of GM
rice contamination in China's emergency grain stores
China's ban on GM rice questioned as environmental activists discover unapproved
transgenic products at two grain sources
High cholesterol in children may
drop naturally on its own over time
A new study published in the journal Pediatrics has found that children with high
cholesterol may not need drug treatments to bring them back to normal, healthy levels.
Children who tested with high cholesterol levels initially in the study eventually had
their levels taper off, indicating that the process may occur naturally over time, without
the need for drugs.
History Haunts BP Communications
Efforts
Images of thick brown oil floating atop Gulf of Mexico waters make BP’s attempts to
reassure the public a hard sell as cleanup of the oil spill continues. The company’s
prime-time commercials tout crews working around the clock, with promises to be in the
Gulf as long as it takes to restore beaches and fisheries. But a University of Kentucky
crisis communications expert says the company’s ongoing communications efforts are
haunted by several mistakes made early in the disaster, and a history of cost-cutting
measures that put profit above safety.
HIV vaccines may induce HIV
antibodies in trial participants, can cause false-positive test result
During trials of preventive HIV vaccines, trial participants may develop HIV-related
antibody responses that could lead to a positive HIV test by routine antibody detection
methods (called vaccine-induced seropositivity/reactivity [VISP]), and the potential for
false-positive test results and an incorrect HIV diagnosis, according to a study in the
July 21 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on HIV/AIDS.
Household cleaners may double risk
of breast cancer
Household cleaners and air fresheners could be bad for women's health, new research
suggests.
How body fat influences the risk of
diabetes
Waist circumference gives a better prediction of diabetes risk than does BMI. This is the
conclusion drawn by Silke Feller and her colleagues from the German Institute for
Nutritional Research in Potsdam-Rehbrucke, in the current edition of Deutsches Arzteblatt
International.
How Memory Is Disrupted in People
with Disease Linked to Learning Disabilities
Imagine if your brain lost its working memory — the ability to hold and manipulate
information in your mind's eye. That's the plight faced by millions of people with
neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1. The genetic condition affects one in 3,500 people and is
the most common cause of learning disabilities. Now a UCLA research team has uncovered new
clues about how NF1 disrupts working memory. Published in the July 12 online edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the findings suggest a potential drug
target for correcting NF1-related learning disabilities.
How much milk should you drink? For
years we've been told it's good for bones, now studies show prostate cancer link
Two new studies - an Italian one published this month, and earlier Canadian research -
have linked milk consumption to a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer.
Iced Tea May Raise Your Risk of
Painful Kidney Stones, Urologist Warns
Iced tea contains high concentrations of oxalate, one of the key chemicals that lead to
the formation of kidney stones, a common disorder of the urinary tract that affects about
10 percent of the population in the United States. Though hot tea also contains oxalate,
it isn’t as easy to consume a quantity large enough amount to encourage the formation
of stones. “For many people, iced tea is potentially one of the worst things they can
drink,” said Dr. John Milner, assistant professor, Department of Urology, Loyola
University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, Ill. “For people who have a
tendency to form kidney stones, it’s definitely one of the worst things you can
drink.”
Improving clinical use of stem
cells to repair heart damage
Presenting at the UK National Stem Cell Network annual science conference today (13 July),
Professor Michael Schneider describes a new approach to treating heart attack and
cardiomyopathy using stem cells. Professor Schneider, British Heart Foundation Professor
at Imperial College London, said "Recent clinical trials using stem cells to treat
heart damage havebeen successful in terms of safety but unfortunately the bone marrow stem
cells used tend to give only a small improvement in how well the heart is pumping.
"We really want to use stem cells from the patients themselves that we know cangive
rise to beating heart cells and these are not found in bone marrow. The good news is that
we're now finding ways to identify and purify such cells." Around 1000 patients have
been treated in approximately 20 trials worldwide,mostly using bone marrow stem cells or
derivatives of bone marrow cells to repair damage caused by heart attack. There has also
been a significant body of work looking at ways of producing beating heart cells from stem
cells. The best proven approaches to creating new beating heart cells are using embryonic
stemcells, induced pluripotent cells and heart-derived stem cells.
Increases in Leptin May Promote
Colorectal Cancer
While researchers have known that obesity increases the risk for the development of colon
cancer, the underlying molecular mechanisms have remained unclear.
Insight into why low calorie diet
can extend lifespan -- even if adopted later in life
New research being presented this week is giving scientists new insight into why a
restricted diet can lead to a longer lifespan and reduced incidence of age-related
diseases for a wide variety of animals. Scientists have known for some time that a
restricted diet can extend the lifespan of certain animals but this work shows how it
affects aging mechanisms -- and significantly has also shown that the effects occur even
if the restricted diet is adopted later in life.
Ironing out the causes of wrinkles
New experiments offer insights into how defects influence the formation of wrinkles, and
could prove helpful in understanding wrinkles in biological tissue.
Is the internet ruining our minds?
He says we are becoming more like librarians -- able to find information quickly and
discern the best nuggets -- than scholars who digest and interpret information.
Jones backs down over Monsanto
connection
The article quoted GMWatch editor Jonathan Matthews as saying, "The frontman for the
latest GM push in the UK is being portrayed as a dedicated public servant doing science in
the public interest, but it now appears he not only has vested interests in the success of
GM but even commercial connections to Monsanto."
Kenyan Women Light Up Villages with
Solar Power
Let there be light. And thanks to the efforts of rural women in one of the most remote
corners of the Kenyan republic, lights turn on as night falls at the end of a sunny day.
Klotho inhibits growth and promotes
apoptosis in human lung cancer cell line
Klotho, as a new anti-aging gene, can shed into circulation and act as a multi-functional
humoral factor that influences multiple biological processes. Recently, published studies
suggest that klotho can also serve as a potential tumor suppressor. The aim of this study
is to investigate the effects and possible mechanisms of action of klotho in human lung
cancer cell line A549.
Larger head size may protect
against Alzheimer's symptoms
New research shows that people with Alzheimer's disease who have large heads have better
memory and thinking skills than those with the disease who have smaller heads, even when
they have the same amount of brain cell death due to the disease. The research is
published in the July 13, 2010, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American
Academy of Neurology.
Lessons from SARS, a retrospective
study of outpatient care during an infectious disease outbreak.
Poor advanced planning led to a haphazard assessment of patients during this infectious
disease outbreak. Future pandemic plans should consider planning for outpatient care as
well as in hospital management of patients.
Lobbyists Promote Asbestos Use in
the Developing World
A stunning report reveals the widespread use of asbestos, a known carcinogen, in countries
around the world.
Long Ring Finger Could Be Warning
Sign of Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer may be three times more prevalent in people with long ring fingers, the
Daily Telegraph reported.
Marketing Serotonin Deficiency -
the Multibillion Dollar Depression Industry
Given the frequent visits all doctors receive from drug salesman, I am well aware that the
pharmaceutical industry has very successfully marketed clinical depression as a
"genetic" deficiency of a brain neurotransmitter called serotonin. Which they
used to justify a line of enormously profitable drugs called serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs Prozac is the best known).
Mayo Clinic researchers find
dementia in diabetics differs from dementia in nondiabetics
Researchers from Mayo Clinic's Florida campus say that dementia in some diabetics appears
to be caused often by vascular disease in the brain, and the dementia that develops in
people without diabetes is more likely associated with deposition of the plaque seen in
people with Alzheimer's disease.
Meat lovers may pack on the pounds
over time
Being a little less carnivorous may help you stay slim, a study in hundreds of thousands
of Europeans suggests.
Mechanism for link between high fat
diet and risk of prostate cancer and disorders unveiled
In a study, "High Fat Diet Increases NF-?B Signaling in the Prostate of Reporter
Mice," released online today in the journal the Prostate. Sanjay Gupta, M.S., Ph.D.,
Carter Kissell Associate Professor and research director in the department of urology and
associate professor in the department of nutrition in the Case Western Reserve School of
Medicine, and his team of post-doctoral fellows have focused on understanding the
mechanisms of the deleterious effects of a high fat diet on the prostate.
Meditation helps increase attention
span
It's nearly impossible to pay attention to one thing for a long time. A new study looks at
whether Buddhist meditation can improve a person's ability to be attentive and finds that
meditation training helps people do better at focusing for a long time on a task that
requires them to distinguish small differences between things they see.
Monsanto Has Their Fingers in GM
Crop Study in the UK
The scientist in charge of a taxpayer-funded trial that may determine whether genetically
modified crops will be grown in the UK has been attacked for his close links to the US
biotech giant Monsanto.
More than half the world's
population gets insufficient vitamin D, says UCR biochemist
Vitamin D surfaces as a news topic every few months. How much daily vitamin D should a
person get? According to UC Riverside's Anthony Norman, an international expert on vitamin
D, half the people in North America and Western Europe get insufficient amounts of the
vitamin. Elsewhere, the situation is worse.
Morning test helps doctors save
kidneys
A morning urine test is superior to all other tests for detecting declining kidney
performance in patients with diabetic kidney disease, according to a study appearing in an
upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society Nephrology. The results suggest that
clinicians should monitor kidney function by measuring the albumin:creatinine ratio from a
first morning urine sample.
Mother celebrates controversial MS
treatment
Victoria mother Valerie MacNeil says she feels like a "human being again" after
going to Poland for a controversial multiple sclerosis treatment.
Mouse stem cell study offers new
insights into body fat distribution
New research being presented today at the UK National Stem Cell Network Annual Science
Meeting in Nottingham shows that adding fat to mouse stem cells grown in the lab affects
their response to the signals that push them to develop into one or other of the main
types of fat storage cells -- subcutaneous (under the skin) or visceral (around the
organs).
Neuropsychological screening of
children of substance-abusing women attending a Special Child Welfare Clinic in Norway
Children raised by former substance abusing mothers scored worse on the neuropsychological
screening than children who had substance abusing mothers and mostly were raised in foster
homes. This indicates that it is important to focus on the environment in cases where help
and support are provided to presently or formerly addicted women raising children.
New analysis may help clarify the
role of craving in addiction
Just-published research led by a psychologist at the University of Georgia shows that
behavioral economic analysis may lead to an improved understanding of craving for alcohol
and other drugs. This method of studying how craving alters the way a person values a drug
is fairly new, but according to the study, it may well help assess cravings more
accurately and contribute to identifying more effective ways to defeat addictions.
New arsenic nanoparticle blocks
aggressive breast cancer
You can teach an old drug new chemotherapy tricks. Northwestern University researchers
took a drug therapy proven for blood cancers but ineffective against solid tumors,
packaged it with nanotechnology and got it to combat an aggressive type of breast cancer
prevalent in young women, particularly young African-American women. The drug is arsenic
and the cancer is triple negative breast cancer. It has a high risk of metastasizing and
poor survival rates.
New discovery brings hope to
treatment of incurable blood cancer
Multiple myeloma is one of the most common blood cancers, and at present considered to be
incurable. In a new study from Uppsala University, researchers now present a conceptually
new model for the development and progression of multiple myeloma. The study was done in
collaboration with Vrije Universitet Brussels and is published in the July edition of the
on-line journal PLoS ONE.
New discovery in nerve regrowth
Faculty of Medicine scientists have discovered a way to enhance nerve regeneration in the
peripheral nervous system. This discovery could lead to new treatments for nerve damage
caused by diabetes or traumatic injuries. Peripheral nerves connect the brain and spinal
cord to the body, and without them, there is no movement or sensation. Peripheral nerve
damage is common and often irreversible. This discovery is published in the July 7 edition
of the Journal of Neuroscience.
New evidence shows low vitamin D
levels lead to Parkinson's disease
A new study on vitamin D levels and Parkinson's disease risk points to the need for
further research on whether vitamin D supplements can protect against the movement
disorder. The study is the first to show that low vitamin D levels can help predict
whether someone will later develop Parkinson's disease.
New radiation mechanism may ward
off cancer, oil spills and terrorism
Radiation similar to that used to treat cancer may someday help clean up environmental
disasters such as the Gulf oil spill and detect explosive powder hidden underneath
clothing.
New role for master regulator in
cell metabolism, response to stress
Biologists have been studying how AMPK works for several decades and know that once it is
activated, AMPK turns on a large number of genes by passing the "make more
energy" message through numerous signaling cascades in the cell. What was not known,
until now, was that AMPK also works via an epigenetic mechanism to slow down or stop cell
growth.
New study suggests tart cherry
juice can be a natural solution for insomnia
Drinking tart cherry juice daily could help reduce the severity of insomnia and time spent
awake after going to sleep, according to a new study published in the Journal of Medicinal
Food.
New treatment for crippling
diabetic Charcot foot
The alarming increase of morbidly obese diabetics is causing more new cases of a
debilitating foot deformity called Charcot foot. But a surgical technique that secures
foot bones with an external frame has enabled more than 90 percent of patients to walk
normally again.
NIH scientists find a new toxin
that may be key to MRSA severity
A research project to identify all the surface proteins of USA300 -- the most common
community-associated strain of the methicillin-resistant form of the bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus -- has resulted in the identification and isolation of a plentiful
new toxin that laboratory studies indicate is a potent killer of human immune cells.
Scientists at the NIAID say the toxin could be a key factor in the severity of MRSA
infections in otherwise healthy people.
Obesity is associated with reduced
sensitivity to fat
Research to be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Ingestive
Behavior, the foremost society for research into all aspects of eating and drinking
behavior, finds marked differences between obese and lean men in how they respond to the
taste of fat. Fat also is less effective in obese men in stimulating certain gut hormones
that are released into the bloodstream and normally suppress appetite.
Painters at bladder cancer risk
PAINTERS are at a significantly increased risk of developing bladder cancer, claims a new
study.
Part of the brain that tracks limbs
in space discovered
When a mosquito lands on your hand, you can rapidly and effortlessly make a movement of
the other hand to brush it away, even in darkness. But performing this seemingly simple
action involves a surprisingly complex coordination of different types of sensory
information in order for your brain to construct a constantly updated 'map' of the body in
space. Now, scientists from UCL (University College London) and Barcelona (Pompeu Fabra
University, ICREA and University of Barcelona) have identified an area of the human brain
called the parietal cortex that constructs this body model from the combination of tactile
information from your skin (for example, where the mosquito is on your hand) with
"proprioceptive" information about the position of your hand relative to your
body.
Pfizer stops pain drug trials at
FDA request
Pfizer Inc said on Monday it has suspended chronic pain studies of its experimental drug
tanezumab at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration over safety concerns.
Progress made in addressing food
marketing to children, but challenges remain
The last six years have seen significant progress in efforts to curb the marketing of
unhealthy food to children, with an increasing number of governments taking on the issue,
but considerable challenges remain.
Protein Crucial in Diabetes May Be
Central Player in Other Diseases Too
Studying a protein already known to play an important role in type 2 diabetes and cancer,
genomics researchers have discovered that it may have an even broader role in disease,
particularly in other metabolic disorders and heart disease. In finding unsuspected links
to other disease-related genes, the scientists may have identified future targets for drug
treatments.
Pull Avastin for breast cancer,
U.S. panel says
U.S. federal health advisers said overwhelmingly that the Roche drug Avastin's approval
for breast cancer should be withdrawn after followup studies failed to show meaningful
benefits for patients.
Redundant genetic instructions in
'junk DNA' support healthy development
New findings from a Princeton-led team of researchers suggest that repeated instructional
regions in the flies' DNA may contribute to normal development under less-than-ideal
growth conditions by making sure that genes are turned on and off at the appropriate
times. If similar regions are found in humans, they may hold important clues to
understanding developmental disorders.
Research Links Phthalates in
Plastics with Inflammation in At-Risk Babies
Researchers at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ) have
identified a direct link between phthalates, the substances that make plastics more
pliable and durable, and inflammation in newborns – and are encouraging more limited
use of the plasticizers. Their paper, “Inflammatory Effects of Phthalates in Neonatal
Neutrophils,” appears in the August 2010 edition of the journal Pediatric Research.
Previous studies have shown that premature babies are exposed to extraordinarily high
concentrations of phthalates because of long-term exposure to phthalates in plastic
medical equipment used during neonatal intensive care. These include multiple types of
tubing, such as breathing tubes, feeding tubes, intravenous tubes, that these babies rely
upon to survive. However, concern arises regarding the impact of that exposure on
babies’ health.
Researchers find mice cages alter
brains
Researchers at the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Campus have found the brains
of mice used in laboratories worldwide can be profoundly affected by the type of cage they
are kept in, a breakthrough that may require scientists to reevaluate the way they conduct
future experiments. "We assume that mice used in laboratories are all the same, but
they are not," said Diego Restrepo, director of the Neuroscience Program and
professor of cell and developmental biology whose paper on the subject was published
Tuesday, June 29. "When you change the cages you change the brains and that affects
the outcomes of research." Mice are the chief research mammals in the world today
with some of the most promising cancer, genetic and neuroscience breakthroughs riding on
the rodents. Researchers from different universities rely on careful comparison of
experimental results for their discoveries; but Restrepo has found that some of these
comparisons may not be trustworthy.
Researchers study relationship of
oral cancers and periodontal disease
Today during the 88th General Session & Exhibition of the International Association
for Dental Research, in Barcelona, Spain, presenting author J. Meyle, Justus Liebig
University, Giessen, Germany, will present an abstract titled "P. gingivalis
Infection and Immune Evasion of Oral Carcinomas."
Researchers tap inner fat to
predict heart attack risk
In a study published this week in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers
from Quebec City's Laval University are reporting that a large waistline and high
triglycerides — a type of blood fat — substantially increase the risk of
coronary artery disease in both men and women.
Researchers urging ban on
point-of-sale tobacco advertising
Stanford University Medical School researchers recently conducted a survey in which they
found that point-of-sale tobacco advertising greatly influences teenagers' desire and
willingness to smoke. According to the survey, teenagers who frequent establishments where
this type of advertising exists are more than twice as likely to try smoking than those
who do not visit them.
Risk of BP oil spill
BP Oil Spill may cause an irreparable damage to the Gulf Stream global climate
thermoregulation activity.
Risk of death higher for babies
born outside normal working week in Scotland
Babies born outside normal working hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday are at an
increased risk of death due to lack of oxygen (intrapartum anoxia), according to a study
from Scotland published on bmj.com today.
Risks of GMOs to Biodiversity and
Human Health
At its fourth meeting in 2008, Parties to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety established
an Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group (AHTEG) on Risk Assessment and Risk Management. The AHTEG
is considering, among other things, the framework to identify GMOs or specific traits that
may have adverse effects on the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity,
including risks to human health.
S.A. scientists find smoking
actually influences gene function
A new study says exposure to cigarette smoke actually impacts the way your genes work,
putting you at risk for a number of serious health problems.
Saving East Coast Oysters May Aid
Gulf's Recovery
Five years of restoring oyster reefs off Canaveral National Seashore could help revive the
Gulf of Mexico’s decimated oyster populations.
Scientist leading GM crop test
defends links to US biotech giant Monsanto
Jonathan Matthews, spokesman for GM Watch, which campaigns against the technology, said:
"The frontman for the latest GM push in the UK is being portrayed as a dedicated
public servant doing science in the public interest, but it now appears he not only has
vested interests in the success of GM but even commercial connections to Monsanto."
Scientist leading GM crop test
defends links to US biotech giant Monsanto
Research professor Jonathan Jones says his verdict on a potato trial in Norfolk will not
be influenced by his past commercial ties to Monsanto
Scientist leading GM crop test
defends links to US biotech giant Monsanto
Research professor Jonathan Jones says his verdict on a potato trial in Norfolk will not
be influenced by his past commercial ties to Monsanto
Scientists assess the impact of
Icelandic volcanic ash on ocean biology
An international team of oceanographers investigating the role of iron on ocean
productivity in the northerly latitudes of the Atlantic Ocean will assess the impact of
ash from the recent Icelandic volcano eruption on ocean biology. The five-week expedition
started out on the 4th July 2010. The team is led by Professor Eric Achterberg from the
University of Southampton’s School of Ocean and Earth Science (SOES) who is based at
the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton. They are aboard the RRS Discovery in the
region of the North Atlantic Ocean affected by ash from the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull.
Scientists discover clues to
inflammatory disease
University of Florida scientists studying two inflammation-related diseases, HIV and
rheumatoid arthritis, identified changes in specific proteins linked to the action of
macrophages, white blood cells that are key to the body's natural defenses. The findings
could lead to early diagnosis tools and targeted therapy for diseases that stem from
abnormal or uncontrolled macrophage activation, including cancer, cardiovascular disease
and neurological disorders.
Scientists Find Unsuspected
Molecular Link Between Obesity and Insulin Resistance
new understanding of insulin resistance and the action of diabetes drugs such as Avandia
and Actos could pave the way for improved medications that are more selective and safer,
say scientists from Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Scripps Research Institute.
“Our findings strongly suggest that good and bad effects of these drugs can be
separated by designing second-generation drugs that focus on the newly uncovered
mechanism,” said Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, of Dana-Farber, senior author on a report
appearing in the July 22 issue of Nature.
Scientists prove that women are
better at multitasking than men
Psychologists have proven that men really are worse at multitasking than women, although
it does depend on the task.
Secret of how moles breathe
underground revealed
Scientists found the animals are tolerent to high levels of carbon dixoxide are so can
re-breathe its own expired air.
Seep found near BP's blown out oil
well
A federal official says scientists are concerned about a seep and possible methane near
BP's busted oil well in the Gulf of Mexico
Several studies support the role of
choline in fetal development and throughout the lifespan
A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that a
choline-deficient diet is associated with increased risk for heart defects during prenatal
development. Choline is an essential nutrient required for normal cell activity, healthy
brain and nerve function, liver metabolism and transportation of nutrients throughout the
body. Research shows that only 10 percent or less of older children, men, women and
pregnant women in America are meeting the adequate intake levels for choline.
Sex difference in the association
of metabolic syndrome with high sensitivity C-reactive protein in a Taiwanese population
Our data suggest that inflammatory processes may be of particular importance in the
pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome in women.
Shower of toxic particles threatens
Valley air
A mysterious shower of microscopic chemicals near a Fresno shopping center could be the
first evidence of a broad, undetected assault on the lungs of San Joaquin Valley
residents.
Simple screening test reduces
invasive examinations for suspected bowel disease
A simple screening test identifies patients who are most likely to have inflammatory bowel
disease and reduces the need for expensive, invasive and time consuming endoscopies, finds
a study published on bmj.com today.
Skin cells could help discover
cause of Parkinson's disease
Researchers are applying new stem cell technology to use skin samples to grow the brain
cells thought to be responsible for the onset of Parkinson's disease, the UK National Stem
Cell Network annual science meeting will hear today.
Sourdough Buckwheat Crepes
Buckwheat was domesticated in Southeast Asia roughly 6,000 years ago. Due to its unusual
tolerance of cool growing conditions, poor soils and high altitudes, it spread throughout
the Northern latitudes of Eurasia, becoming the staple crop in many regions. It's used to
a lesser extent in countries closer to the equator. It was also a staple in the
Northeastern US until it was supplanted by wheat and corn.
Sri Lankan children affected by
war, tsunami, daily stressors
Two studies on Sri Lankan children affected by trauma found that both daily stressors and
traumatic events contribute to children's psychological health. The first study, of 400
adolescents who survived the 2004 tsunami, found that poverty and family violence were
major sources of continuing stress. The second study, of 1,400 children affected by both
the tsunami and civil war, focused on the cumulative effect of multiple stressors on
children's later functioning.
Stanford scientists develop new way
to grow adult stem cells in culture
Researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine have developed a technique they
believe will help scientists overcome a major hurdle to the use of adult stem cells for
treating muscular dystrophy and other muscle-wasting disorders that accompany aging or
disease: They've found that growing muscle stem cells on a specially developed synthetic
matrix that mimics the elasticity of real muscle allows them to maintain their
self-renewing properties.
Stem cell transplantation of
therapy-resistant chronic leukemia successful
The transplantation of stem cells from a healthy donor (allogeneic) offers the chance of
cure for patients with an aggressive form of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL),
irrespective of genetic prognostic factors and the prior course of the disease. The German
CLL Study Group proved this in a multicentric clinical phase II study led by Professor Dr.
Peter Dreger, senior consultant and head of the division of stem cell transplantation at
the Department of Internal Medicine V at Heidelberg University Hospital.
Stomach bacteria linked to MS
source
A BUG that causes inflammation in the gut may play a key role in causing multiple
sclerosis (MS).
Stroke risk temporarily increases
for an hour after drinking alcohol
The risk for stroke doubles in the hour after drinking beer, wine or liquor, according to
a small study. Researchers note, however, that moderate alcohol consumption (less than two
drinks a day) appears to be protective over the long-term which may outweigh this
temporary rise in immediate risk.
Study finds lifelong doubling in
death risk for men who are obese at age 20 years
A study tracking more than 5,000 military conscripts from the age of 20 until up to the
age of 80 found the chance of dying early increased by 10 percent for each BMI point above
the threshold for a healthy weight and that this persisted throughout life, with the obese
dying about eight years earlier than the non-obese.
Study implicates new epigenetic
player in mental retardation and facial birth defects
A subtle mutation affecting the epigenome –- a set of dynamic factors that influence
gene activity -- may lead to an inherited form of mental retardation that affects boys,
find researchers at Children's Hospital Boston. The disorder, which also involves cleft
lip or cleft palate, appears to hinge on an enzyme working in a biological pathway that
may offer several potential drug targets.
Study sheds light on how
psychiatric risk gene disrupts brain development
Scientists are making progress towards a better understanding of the neuropathology
associated with debilitating psychiatric illnesses like bipolar disorder and
schizophrenia. New research, published by Cell Press in the July 15 issue of the journal
Neuron, reveals mechanisms that connect a known psychiatric risk gene to disruptions in
brain cell proliferation and migration during development.
Study shows anonymous
whistle-blowers less likely to be believed
According to a new study, corporate directors, who are ultimately responsible for internal
whistle-blowing systems, often do not take action at all regarding anonymous allegations,
even when the allegation involves very serious accounting breaches. However, if an
identical non-anonymous allegation surfaces, audit committees often launch into action and
the corporate director allocates significant resources to the investigation at hand.
Study shows how memory is disrupted
in those with disease linked to learning disabilities
Imagine if your brain lost its working memory -- the ability to hold and manipulate
information in your mind's eye. That's the plight faced by millions of people with
neurofibromatosis type 1, or NF1. Now a UCLA research team has uncovered new clues about
how NF1 disrupts working memory. Their findings suggest a potential drug target for
correcting NF1-related learning disabilities.
Study shows that major Alzheimer's
risk gene causes alterations in shapes of brain protein deposits
Researchers at Mount Sinai School of Medicine have used a newly discovered class of
biomarkers to investigate the possibility that the shape of brain protein deposits is
different in people with Alzheimer's who have the highest-risk gene type than in those
with the condition who have a neutral risk gene type. The study is being presented July 14
at the 2010
Sunscreen - Protection or peril?
Houghton, 32, has been told oxybenzone — a chemical found in many sunscreens —
can disrupt the body’s endocrine system. In other words, it’s considered toxic.
Tests Find Bacteria In Fountain
Drinks
An Omaha testing lab said you may be getting a little more than you bargained for when you
fill up your cup at a fountain drink station.
The hormone IGF-1 - A trigger of
puberty
Puberty is triggered by pulsatile release of GnRH from specific nerve cells in the the
brain. What signals tell these nerve cells to release GnRH in this manner has not been
determined, although it has been suggested that hormones associated with good nutritional
status (such as IGF-1) have a role. New research has now confirmed that in mice IGF-1 does
indeed have a key role in coordinating the timing of puberty onset.
The Killing Fields of
Multi-National Corporations - Vandana Shiva
The Bhopal gas tragedy was the worst industrial disaster in human history. Twenty-five
thousand people died, 500,000 were injured, and the injustice done to the victims of
Bhopal over the past 25 years will go down as the worst case of jurisprudence ever.
The need for continued monitoring
of antibiotic resistance patterns in clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus from
London and Malta
The data presented here suggests that the monitoring of changing resistance profiles
locally in maintaining treatment efficacy to resistant pathogens.
The probability of surviving nine
types of cancer is analysed
Spanish epidemiologists have presented information on survival of nine types of cancer in
Spain and have compared it with other European countries. At five years from diagnosis,
the lowest survival rate is observed in lung cancer (less than 11%), and the highest in
testicular cancer (95%). Cancer survival in Spain is at the European average. "The
innovative factor contributed by our work is its relevance to population and measurement
of relative survival, which enables us to discover survival related to cancer in a more
precise way", María Dolores Chirlaque, main author of the study and researcher in
the Epidemiology Service of the Department of Health and Consumption in Murcia, explains
to SINC.
The protective brain hypothesis is
confirmed
An international team led by researchers from CREAF and CSIC has analyzed 493 species of
mammals to confirm that animals with the largest brains live for longer. The new study
confirms the adaptive advantages of having a large brain.
The ugly side of beauty, some
cosmetics can be toxic
The European Union has banned more than 1,000 ingredients from cosmetics, while the United
States has banned only 10.
Tobacco manufacturers target major
music festivals to reach young audience
Health experts condemn 'edge-of-the-law' tactics that use glitzy sales teams to promote
brands at major events.
Toxicity increases with combined
chemo/radiation treatments for nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Although the standard practice of treating patients with advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
using radiation and chemotherapy may reduce cancer deaths compared to patients treated
with radiation alone, non-cancer-related deaths and toxicity problems have been shown to
increase, according to a recent study published online in the Journal of the National
Cancer Institute.
UA finds tailings have troubling
tiny particles
But the tailings contain many more small particles than found in natural dust - particles
that can lodge in lungs, aggravate existing respiratory problems and could even force
asthmatics to the emergency room, University of Arizona researchers say.
UCLA scientists create army of
tumor-fighting immune cells and watch as they attack cancer
Researchers at UCLA's Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center created a large, well armed
battalion of tumor-seeking immune system cells and watched, in real time using Positron
Emission Tomography, as the special forces traveled throughout the body to locate and
attack dangerous melanomas.
UK-imported animal feed blamed for
rainforest destruction
Friends of the Earth report says South American soy crops used to feed British livestock
could be replaced with homegrown alternatives
Unearthing King Tet - Key Protein
Influences Stem Cell Fate
Take a skin cell from a patient with Type 1 diabetes. Strip out everything that made it a
skin cell, then reprogram it to grow into a colony of pancreatic beta cells. Implant these
into your patient and voilà! She’s producing her own insulin like a pro.
Vitamin deficiency after weight
loss surgery can cause vision loss in newborns
Biliopancreatic diversion surgery for morbid obesity is known to cause multiple vitamin
deficiencies that may worsen during pregnancy. In the June issue of the Journal of AAPOS,
the Official Publication of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and
Strabismus, a group of Australian clinicians report a child who was born blind as a result
of vitamin A deficiency caused by his mother's obesity surgery.
W5 investigates intriguing new
theory about MS
A group of doctors in Italy is investigating a fascinating new treatment for multiple
sclerosis, based on a theory that, if proven true, could radically alter the lives of
patients.
WA farmers using EU banned
pesticides
DOZENS of hazardous pesticides, which are banned in other countries, are used on WA farms.
What Really Qualifies as Science?
GM Foods and Conflict of Interest. No Surprise There Then!
Professor Jonathan Jones, head of the Sainsbury Laboratory at the John Innes Centre, the
UK’s leading plant research centre, has shrugged off the controversy, insisting he
has never tried to hide his business relationship with Monsanto or the GM industry.
What's in your multivitamine
Millions gorge themselves on synthetic vitamins, only to acquire and die from degenerative
diseases. You see, isolated vitamins are partial vitamins, combined with other chemicals.
They're a low-end alternative to whole, real complete food.
Why doesn't your doctor try to CURE
diabetes?
Imagine you have breast cancer. You go to your doctor and she says, "As your pain
worsens, we'll help you with pain medication. We'll fit you with a special bra to
accommodate the tumor as it grows. That's all we're going to do."
Why eating greens won't save the
planet
If less is good, wouldn't none be better? You might think so. "In the developed
world, the most effective way to reduce the environmental impact of diet, on a personal
basis, is to become vegetarian or vegan," says Annette Pinner, chief executive of the
Vegetarian Society in the UK.
Why Is the Obama Administration
Parroting Monsanto Talking Points?
When key government officials start touting the need for biotechnology there's reason to
be concerned. Roger Beachy, the Chief Scientist of the US Department of Agriculture
(USDA), recently told Smartplanet.com that biotechnology is needed to maximize food
production and reduce the use of agrochemicals. "With a greater number of
people," he said, "we're going to have to have more crop per acre. If we don't,
we'll have to expand [agriculture] to our parks, forests, and golf courses." And at
first it might seem strange to hear a top government official parroting talking points
from Monsanto's Corporate Responsibility page ... until you read his resume, that is. His
last job before joining the USDA was as founding president of the Donald Danforth Plant
Science Center, a non-profit research institute co-founded by Monsanto and the Danforth
Foundation.
Why Some Sugar-Free Products Raise
Blood Sugar
In the latest “Really?” column, Anahad O’Connor explores why some foods
labeled “sugar free” may still raise blood sugar.
Will Drinking Water for Millions be
Devastated by Natural Gas Drilling?
From Colorado to New York, natural gas drilling is putting drinking water at risk.
Windfarms only giving half power
SCOTLAND'S wind farms have produced only around half the amount of power they were
expected to this year, Scotland on Sunday has learned.
Women - Limit BPA exposure
Achemical found in plastic household products may pose a significant risk to women with
polycystic ovary syndrome, the most common cause of hormone imbalance in women of
reproductive age and a leading cause of infertility in the United States.
Women Who Wear High Heels Should
Not Go Back to Flats
Scientists at Manchester Metropolitan University, in northern England, found continued
wear of high heels caused the Achilles’ tendon to thicken and stiffen permanently, so
calf muscles were forced to stretch painfully when switching to flat shoes.
Women with gestational diabetes
have increased risk of recurrence in subsequent pregnancies
There is an increased risk of recurring gestational diabetes in pregnant women who
developed gestational diabetes during their first and second pregnancies, according to a
Kaiser Permanente study appearing online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and
Gynecology.
WPI research shows how cranberry
juice fights bacteria at the molecular level
Revealing the science behind the homespun advice, researchers at Worcester Polytechnic
Institute (WPI) have identified and measured the molecular forces that enable cranberry
juice to fight off urinary tract infections. The data is reported in a paper published
online, ahead of print, by the journal Molecular Nutrition & Food Research. The
research illuminates the basic mechanics of E. coli infections, which has implications for
developing new antibiotic drugs and infection-resistant materials for invasive medical
devices.
WSU researchers find way to make
cancer cells more mortal
Washington State University researchers have discovered a way to help cancer cells age and
die, creating a promising avenue for slowing and even stopping the growth of tumors.
Young children especially
vulnerable to effects of 9/11
Two longitudinal studies examine the relationship of maternal PTSD and depression to the
mental health and behavior of children who were affected by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
The first study found that preschoolers of mothers who experienced PTSD and depression
symptoms exhibited more clinically significant behavior problems. The second study found
that direct exposure to 9/11 played a small but significant role in explaining the
prevalence of the mothers' and adolescents' PTSD and depression rates.
Young people ignorant of processed
meat cancer threat
YOUNG people are the least likely to know that processed meats such as bacon and ham
increase the risk of bowel cancer, a survey out today shows.
Young women's decisions to accept
chlamydia screening
Respondents were worried that their identities would become stigmatised if they accepted
screening. Younger respondents and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds had the
greatest stigma-related concerns. Most respondents indicated that they would accept
screening if it was offered to them, however; accepting screening was seen as a correct,
responsible action to engage in. Respondents wanted to be offered screening by younger
female healthcare professionals. Respondents were willing to inform their current partners
about positive chlamydia diagnoses, but were more ambivalent about informing their
previous partners.
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