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Week 44
3 Lies Big Food Wants You to
Believe and the Truth Behind Factory-'Farmed' Meat
CAFO pulls back the curtain on what goes on inside so-called "factory farms" and
what the effects of industrial meat production are on the animals, our environment, our
communities, our agricultural system and our health. Below is a brief excerpt from the
book. You can learn more about CAFO and what to do to end industrial meat production at
the book's Web site.
70-year-olds smarter than they used
to be
Today´s 70-year-olds do far better in intelligence tests than their predecessors. It has
also become more difficult to detect dementia in its early stages, though forgetfulness is
still an early symptom, reveals new research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden,
based on the H70 study.
A Formula to Help Marathoners Avoid
Hitting the Wall
Benjamin Rapoport, a graduate student in the Harvard-MIT Health Sciences and Technology
department, says he's figured out a formula that can tell runners how much energy they
need and at what pace they can run without hitting the wall.
ADA study confirms dangers of
fluoridated water, especially for babies
Advocates of fluoridated water insist that the chemical additive is good for teeth, but
actual science routinely shows otherwise, including a new study published in the Journal
of the American Dental Association confirming fluoride as a toxic substance that actually
destroys teeth, particularly those of developing young children and babies.
Antitumor activity against murine
lymphoma L5178Y model of proteins from cacao
This study is the first report on the biological activity of semifermented-dry cacao
protein fractions with their identification, supporting the traditional use of the plant.
The albumin fraction showed antitumor and free radical scavenging capacity, however both
activities were not correlated. The protein fractions could be considered as source of
potential antitumor peptides.
Aqueous cream 'aggravates eczema'
Cream often prescribed to relieve the symptoms of eczema may be making the condition
worse, researchers claim.
Ash Scotland calls for a ban on
smoking in vehicles
An anti-smoking charity has called for a consultation on banning smoking in vehicles in
Scotland.
Aspirin helps prevent colon cancer
Taking low-dose Aspirin can help reduce the incidence of colon cancer, as well as prevent
deaths from the disease, British researchers have found.
Association Reinforces the
Importance of DHA Before, During and After Pregnancy
In response to a study regarding fish oil use during pregnancy published in the October 20
issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), the Council for
Responsible Nutrition (CRN), the leading trade association for the dietary supplement
industry, reminds pregnant and lactating women of the undisputed importance of consuming
the recommended amounts of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) throughout pregnancy. This can be
done by eating two servings of fatty fish, such as sardines or anchovies, per week, or
taking fish oil supplements (containing 200-300 mg/DHA, according to the Institute of
Medicine) daily. While the benefits of DHA for a healthy pregnancy are well-established,
more research is necessary to determine the effect of DHA on incidence of post-partum
depression or neurocognitive development of infants.
Authoritarian behavior leads to
insecure people
Researchers from the University of Valencia (UV) have identified the effects of the way
parents bring up their children on social structure in Spain. Their conclusions show that
punishment, deprivation and strict rules impact on a family's self esteem. "The
objective was to analyse which style of parental socialisation is ideal in Spain by
measuring the psychosocial adjustment of children", Fernando García, co-author of
the study and a researcher at the UV, tells SINC. The study, which has been published in
the latest issue of the journal Infancia y Aprendizaje, was produced on the basis of a
nationwide surrey carried out on 948 children and teenagers aged between 10 and 14 (52% of
whom were girls), describing the socialisation practices of their parents. On the basis of
these answers, the families were classified into one of four classic parental
socialisation types – authoritative, authoritarian, indulgent and neglectful.
Bacteria gauge cold with molecular
measuring stick
Some bacteria react to the cold by subtly changing the chemistry of their outer wall so
that it remains pliable as temperatures drop. Scientists identified a key protein in this
response mechanism a few years ago, but the question of how bacteria sense cold in the
first place remained a mystery. Based on a study by scientists at Rice University and
Argentina's National University of Rosario, the answer is: They use a measuring stick. The
study, published in the September issue of Current Biology, involved a series of intricate
experiments on the bacteria Bacillus subtilis. The researchers found a specialized protein
that protrudes through the bacteria's outer cell wall acts as a measuring stick that's
tuned to give a signal when temperatures outside the cell drop.
Barrow scientists uncover clues on
inflammation in central nervous system
Scientists at Barrow Neurological Institute have recently made discoveries about a type of
cell that may limit inflammation in the central nervous system (CNS) – a finding that
could have important implications in the treatment of brain disorders such as multiple
sclerosis. The research, led by Barrow's Fu-Dong Shi, MD, PhD, was published in the August
2010 issue of The Journal of Experimental Medicine, and simultaneously highlighted in
Nature. Dr. Shi directs the Neuroimmunology Laboratory and Flow Cytometry Core Facility at
Barrow. One of his research interests is natural killer (NK) cells, a type of immune cell
that destroys tissue that has been infected by pathogens and malignant cells. While recent
research has shed more light on the role of NK cells in other parts of the body, Dr. Shi's
research is unveiling important discoveries about how NK cells work in the CNS.
Beta carotene and retinitis
pigmentosa
Today's Scientific Program of the 2010 American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO) - Middle
East-Africa Council of Ophthalmology (MEACO) Joint Meeting includes a report on beta
carotene's ability to improve vision in people with certain incurable retinal diseases.
The AAO-MEACO meeting–the world's largest, most comprehensive ophthalmic education
conference–is in session October 16 through 19 at McCormick Place, Chicago. 9-cis
Beta-Carotene Mat Boost Vision in Some Patients with Incurable Retinal Disease Retinitis
pigmentosa (RP) is a cluster of hereditary disorders of the retina (the light-sensitive
tissue at the back of the eye) that can result in incurable blindness. RP usually begins
with night blindness in childhood, then loss of peripheral (side) vision leading to tunnel
vision, and ultimately blindness. Since a specific form of the nutrient beta carotene,
9-cis, has been effective against one type of night blindness, researchers decided to test
its effects in RP patients. One third of the 29 participating patients showed improved
visual function while taking the prescribed oral dose for 90 days, but the other
two-thirds showed no effect. "We recommend repeating the study with patients with the
genetic forms of RP that would be most likely to respond to oral beta carotene," said
Dr. Rotensteich. "We know its positive effect is associated with retinoid cycle
defect, which is involved in some but not all forms of RP. Also, future research should
look for the optimal beta carotene dosage," he added.
Bioelectrical signals turn stem
cells' progeny cancerous
Biologists at Tufts University School of Arts and Sciences have discovered that a change
in membrane voltage in newly identified "instructor cells" can cause stem cells'
descendants to trigger melanoma-like growth in pigment cells. The Tufts team also found
that this metastatic transformation is due to changes in serotonin transport. The
discovery could aid in the prevention and treatment of diseases like cancer and vitiligo
as well as birth defects.
Black rice bran may help fight
disease-related inflammation
Scientists are reporting evidence that black rice — a little-known variety of the
grain that is the staple food for one-third of the world population — may help soothe
the inflammation involved in allergies, asthma, and other diseases. Their study appears in
ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Body's bacteria affect
atherosclerosis
New findings suggesting that bacteria in the mouth and/or intestine can affect the the
outcome pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and lead to new treatment strategies, reveals
research from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. "The causes of atherosclerosis
have recently become clearer, but we know less about why the plaque in the arteries
ruptures and contributes to clot formation," says Fredrik Bäckhed, researcher at the
Sahlgrenska Academy's Department of Molecular and Clinical Medicine.
BPA ban symptomatic of shift to
'natural' products
Bisphenol A's recent classification as a toxic substance is just one tremor in a much
larger movement — away from harmful chemicals and toward more naturally sourced
consumer products.
Brain might be key to leptin's
actions against type 1 diabetes, UT Southwestern researchers find
New findings by UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers suggest a novel role for the
brain in mediating beneficial actions of the hormone leptin in type 1 diabetes. "Our
findings really pave the way for understanding the mechanism by which leptin therapy
improves type 1 diabetes," said Dr. Roberto Coppari, assistant professor of internal
medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study involving laboratory mice.
"Understanding the mechanism is important, because if we can determine how leptin
drives these benefits, then we may be able to develop drugs that eliminate the need for
insulin." The findings are available online and will be published in a future issue
of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Burn injuries rapidly deplete
vitamin E
Severe burn injuries in children have been shown to rapidly deplete the levels of vitamin
E in their body's adipose, or fat tissues, a new clinical study has found. Stored levels
of this important antioxidant were reduced more in a few weeks than might normally be
possible in years. An analysis of eight children with third-degree burns over much of
their body found they lost almost half of their stored vitamin E in three weeks, even
though they were being given about 150 percent of the recommended daily allowance of
vitamin E and other nutrients in a high-calorie diet. Researchers are not certain what the
implication of such rapid vitamin E depletion may be, but concluded in their report that
"the depletion of vitamin E may be a very significant problem in patients with burn
injury" and other forms of severe trauma.
Business will pay the costs of
depleting natural resources
The rapid degradation of the natural world by humans, therefore, has a very real and
detrimental impact on the ability of people to support themselves and their families, and
hits the bottom line of businesses in every sector of the economy.
Can naturally raised beef find its
place in the industry?
As consumer demand for naturally raised beef continues to increase, researchers at the
University of Illinois have discovered that naturally raised beef can be produced
effectively for this niche market as long as a substantial premium is offered to cover
additional production and transportation costs. Naturally raised beef is produced without
hormones or antibiotics, whereas traditional systems take advantage of technologies the
industry offers such as ionophores like Rumensin® to improve feed efficiency and implants
to improve gain and efficiency. "Producers are asking many questions about the value
of natural programs and the premiums needed to remain profitable," said Dan Faulkner,
U of I professor of animal sciences. "Our goal was to find out the costs involved in
natural systems focused on producing environmentally friendly, locally raised beef."
Chemists Discover Proton Mechanism
Used by Flu Virus to Infect Cells
The flu virus uses a shuttle mechanism to relay protons through a channel in a process
necessary for the virus to infect a host cell, according to a research project led by Mei
Hong of Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory.
Childhood cancer survivors face
long-term risk of GI complications, study finds
People treated for cancer when they were children have a higher-than-average risk of
gastrointestinal problems – some mild, some quite severe – in the years
following treatment, according to a study to be presented at the 42nd Congress of the
International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) in Boston on Sunday, Oct. 24.
Investigators at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center and their colleagues say
their findings suggest that childhood cancer survivors and their physicians should be
especially aware of the increased likelihood of gastrointestinal troubles and factor them
into plans for monitoring survivors' health.
Children breathing fumes from
water-based paints have high risk of asthma, allergies, new study says
Children who sleep in bedrooms containing fumes from water-based paints and solvents are
two to four times more likely to suffer allergies or asthma, according to a new scientific
study.
Cholesterol-lowering drug shrinks
enlarged prostates in hamster model
A cholesterol-lowering drug reduced the enlarged prostates of hamsters to the same extent
as a drug commonly used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), report researchers at
Children's Hospital Boston and their colleagues in the October issue of the Journal of
Urology. Together, the drugs worked even better. "We don't know the mechanism, but
the results suggest to us that lowering cholesterol has the potential to reduce BPH in
men," says senior author Keith Solomon, PhD, a biochemist, and member of the
departments of Orthopaedic Surgery and Urology at Children's. "This brings up the
possibility that other cholesterol lowering therapies, including exercise and diet, may
prevent BPH from developing." For unknown reasons, about half of men older than 50
(and 80 percent of men aged 80) develop BPH, most often evident as enlargement of the
prostate. BPH leads to difficult urination, urgency, pain, and other symptoms that can
cause significant reduction in the quality of life. In advanced stages, BPH can lead to
renal failure. Standard medical and surgical treatments typically target the prostate and
usually result in a reduction of symptoms but not without significant side effects in some
men, Solomon said. The study implicates circulating cholesterol in the progression of the
condition and suggests a potential new strategy for prevention and treatment. The latest
findings emerge from experiments with a strain of Syrian hamsters that undergo prostate
enlargement naturally.
Choline, betaine may cut breast
cancer death risk
In the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month or the pink month, we publish a report below
to share with readers a study suggesting that maintaining sufficient levels of choline and
betaine may help prevent breast cancer and reduce the risk of death.
Colonoscopy technique increases
polyp detection in far reaches of right colon
Research exploring the progression of colon polyps to colorectal cancer and evaluating
techniques to improve polyp detection was among the clinical science presented at the 75th
Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Antonio
today.
Columbia University Medical Center
Joins Study to Find Earliest Changes in the Brain That May Lead to Alzheimer’s
Disease
Volunteers in New York, NY are being sought for a clinical study examining the subtle
changes that may take place in the brains of older people many years before overt symptoms
of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) appear. Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center
are specifically looking for people with the very earliest complaints of memory problems
that affect their daily activities. The study will follow participants over time, using
imaging techniques specifically developed to advance research into changes taking place in
the structure and function of the living brain, as well as biomarker measures found in
blood and cerebrospinal fluid.
Combining stem-cell and
gene-therapy techniques to tackle a deadly blood disease
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a three-year, $3.9 million grant to
Children's Hospital Boston researchers and their colleagues to develop a therapy to treat
Fanconi anemia, a fatal genetic blood disease. The researchers will investigate new ways
to create induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells from a patient's skin or other tissue and
transform them into genetically repaired hematopoietic stem cells that can make normal
blood cells.
Companies graded on getting
chemical BPA out of cans
The marketplace is responding faster than federal regulators to consumer concerns about
BPA, an estrogen-like chemical used to line most metal food and beverage cans, a new
report shows.
Could vitamin D work better than
influenza vaccine?
According to Drs. Grant and Cannell, a Japanese trial has already demonstrated in a trial
that children who took 1,200 IU per day of vitamin D3 and no additional vitamin D3 had
their risk of influenza reduced by 64 percent.
Could You Be Feeding Your Baby
Birth Control Hormones?
It’s no secret that the American Academy of Pediatrics (APP) and the World Health
Organization are staunch defenders of breast-feeding. But this article isn’t about
that. It’s about the dangerous misconception that one type of formula in particular
is a healthier alternative to cow’s milk. Chances are you could be feeding it to your
baby right now.
David Suzuki targets 'dirty dozen'
toxic ingredients
The David Suzuki Foundation took aim Tuesday at a “dirty dozen” chemicals that
are found in 80 per cent of the most common cosmetic products and urged better labelling
laws to help consumers avoid them.
Diagnostic techniques help IBD
patients avoid ionizing radiation exposure
At the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in
San Antonio, Texas, several studies of the effectiveness of non?X?ray techniques to
evaluate Crohn’s disease revealed that diagnostic strategies such as capsule
endoscopy (CE) and magnetic resonance enteroscopy (MRE) are useful in managing patients
with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and avoiding ionizing radiation.
Discovery may help scientists boost
broccoli's cancer-fighting power
A University of Illinois study has shown for the first time that sulforaphane, the
powerful cancer-fighting agent in broccoli, can be released from its parent compound by
bacteria in the lower gut and absorbed into the body. "This discovery raises the
possibility that we will be able to enhance the activity of these bacteria in the colon,
increasing broccoli's cancer-preventive power," said Elizabeth Jeffery, a U of I
professor of human nutrition. "It's also comforting because many people overcook
their broccoli, unwittingly destroying the plant enzyme that gives us sulforaphane. Now we
know the microbiota in our digestive tract can salvage some of this important
cancer-preventive agent even if that happens," she said.
Docs not immune to drug marketing -
Study co-authored by York U prof
Pharmaceutical promotion may cause doctors to prescribe more expensively, less
appropriately and more often, according to a new study co-authored by York University
professor Joel Lexchin. The findings, published today in the journal, PLoS Medicine, offer
a broad look at the relationship between doctors' prescribing habits and their exposure to
information provided by drug companies. Researchers analyzed 58 separate studies of this
phenomenon from Canada, the United States, Europe and Australia, dating from the 1960s.
"Many doctors claim they aren't influenced by the information provided by
pharmaceutical companies. Our research clearly shows that they are – and the
influence is negative," says Lexchin, a professor in the School of Health Policy
& Management in York's Faculty of Health and an emergency physician in Toronto.
Does clenching your muscles
increase willpower?
The next time you feel your willpower slipping as you pass that mouth-watering dessert
case, tighten your muscles. A new study in the Journal of Consumer Research says firming
muscles can shore up self-control. Authors Iris W. Hung (National University of Singapore)
and Aparna A. Labroo (University of Chicago) put study participants through a range of
self-control dilemmas that involved accepting immediate pain for long-term gain. In one
study, participants submerged their hands in an ice bucket to demonstrate pain resistance.
In another, participants consumed a healthy but awful-tasting vinegar drink. In a third
experiment, study participants decided whether to look at disturbing information about
injured children devastated by an earthquake in Haiti and donate money to help. And in a
final study, researchers observed actual food choices people made as they shopped for
lunch at a local cafeteria."Participants who were instructed to tighten their
muscles, regardless of which muscles they tightened—hand, finger, calf, or
biceps—while trying to exert self-control demonstrated greater ability to withstand
the pain, consume the unpleasant medicine, attend to the immediately disturbing but
essential information, or overcome tempting foods," the authors write.
Dogs for autistic children help
'stress and behaviour'
Specially trained dogs may be useful in helping to calm autistic children, researchers
have said, after it was found the animals lowered stress and reduced problem behaviour.
Drug companies influence
prescribing, study finds
Doctors tend to prescribe drugs that pharmaceutical companies promote to them and patients
end up paying more but not always getting the most suitable medicines, researchers
reported on Wednesday.
Eating Mostly Whole Grains, Few
Refined Grains Linked to Lower Body Fat
People who consume several servings of whole grains per day while limiting daily intake of
refined grains appear to have less of a type of fat tissue thought to play a key role in
triggering cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Researchers
at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Researcher Center on Aging (USDA HNRCA) at Tufts
University observed lower volumes of Visceral Adipose Tissue (VAT) in people who chose to
eat mostly whole grains instead of refined grains.
Eight virus types cause almost all
cervical cancer
Scientists have identified the eight human papillomavirus (HPV) types responsible for more
than 90 percent of cervical cancer cases worldwide and say they should be the targets for
the next generation of vaccines.
Elusive protein may lead the fight
against inflammatory disease
A husband and wife research team from Melbourne, Australia, have identified a protein that
may be a key therapy for many inflammatory diseases, including those affecting premature
babies. In the October edition of Nature Immunology, Drs Marcel and Claudia Nold, from the
Monash Institute of Medical Research, describe how a protein, interleukin 37 (IL?37),
reacts when an inflammatory response is detected in the body.
Estrogen replacement therapy speeds
ovarian cancer growth, new study reports
Estrogen therapy used by menopausal women causes a type of ovarian cancer to grow five
times faster, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Colorado Cancer
Center. Menopausal estrogen replacement therapy (ERT) also significantly increases the
likelihood of the cancer metastasizing to the lymph nodes, according to the study, which
will be published in the Nov. 1 issue of Cancer Research. The study was released online
Oct. 19, 2010. Cancer Research, published by the American Association for Cancer Research,
is the world's largest circulation medical journal devoted specifically to cancer
research. The effect of ERT was shown in mouse models of estrogen receptor positive(ER+)
ovarian cancer, which accounts for about 60 percent of all human ovarian cancer cases.
Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest cancers affecting women. This year alone, nearly
22,000 women will be newly diagnosed with ovarian cancer and an estimated 13,850 women
will die from the disease, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Everyday substances increase risk
of allergies
The use of chemicals in our everyday lives entails increased risks of allergies in
children, according to a study at Karlstad University in Sweden. The prevalence of PGEs,
propylene glycol and glycol ethers, in bedroom air is associated with asthma, hay fever,
and eczema, but also with antibodies against common allergens in children. The study shows
a risk increase of up to 180 percent.
Falling in love is 'more scientific
than you think,' according to new study by SU professor
The groundbreaking study, “The Neuroimaging of Love,” reveals falling in love
can elicit not only the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, but also affects
intellectual areas of the brain.
Fathers on fatty diet may give
diabetes to daughters
Fathers who eat a high-fat diet may give their daughters diabetes, a study using rats has
suggested.
Fetal alcohol exposure associated
with a decrease in cognitive performance
It has been known for many years that drinking alcohol while pregnant can cause serious
and irreversible damage to the fetus. However, new research exploring memory deficits in
children diagnosed with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) or fetal alcohol syndrome
(FAS) may be able to aid in the creation of new therapies and treatments.
First direct evidence that response
to alcohol depends on genes
Many studies have suggested that genetic differences make some individuals more
susceptible to the addictive effects of alcohol and other drugs. Now scientists at the
U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory provide the first
experimental evidence to directly support this idea in a study in mice reported in the
October 19, 2010, issue of Alcoholism Clinical Experimental Research. The study compared
the brain's response to long-term alcohol drinking in two genetic variants of mice. One
strain lacked the gene for a specific brain receptor known as dopamine D2, which responds
to dopamine, the brain's "feel good" chemical, to produce feelings of pleasure
and reward. The other strain was genetically normal. In the dopamine-receptor-deficient
mice (but not the genetically normal strain), long-term alcohol drinking resulted in
significant biochemical changes in areas of the brain well know to be involved in
alcoholism and addiction.
Freshwater losses pose risks for
food, health
Damage to rivers, wetlands and lakes threatens to destabilize the diversity of freshwater
fish species, posing risks for food security, incomes and nutrition, a Rivers and lakes
are the source of 13 million metric tonnes of fish annually, which in turn provide
employment to 60 million people.
Fries, chips linked to breast
cancer - new study
In the Pink Month- the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we publish a report below
to share with readers a study that suggests eating too much chips and fries, which are
high in acrylamide, may increase risk of breast cancer.
Frontal lobe of the brain is key to
automatic responses to various stimuli, say scientists
Some people may excel at riding a bike, tying a tie, or playing the piano, but those same
people may find it difficult to explain or teach those skills to someone else. These motor
skills are learned in one part of the brain, whereas classroom instruction and information
read in a book are acquired in another area of the brain, explained F. Gregory Ashby,
professor and chair of UC Santa Barbara's Department of Psychology. This second area of
learning is the frontal cortex –– the area immediately behind the forehead
–– where executive function is located. A study of different categories of
learning is reported by Ashby and his research team in the current issue of the Journal of
Neuroscience. A group of 16 UCSB undergraduates took part in thousands of visual tests, so
the psychologists could study their responses. A significant number of the trials took
place in the university's brain imaging scanner using fMRI, which allowed the scientists
to observe areas of the brain during testing.
Fructose intolerance common in
children with functional abdominal pain
Fructose intolerance, or fructose malabsorption, is common in children with recurrent or
functional abdominal pain, but the condition can be effectively managed with a
low?fructose diet, according to the results of a new study unveiled today at the American
College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas.
The study, "Fructose Intolerance/Malabsorption and Recurrent Abdominal Pain in
Children," investigated a total of 245 patients with unexplained chronic abdominal
pain alone or associated with constipation, gas or bloating and/or diarrhea ?? 150 of them
female (62.1 percent) – who ranged in age from 2 to 18 years old, with a median age
of 11.
Gene activity in the brain depends
on genetic background
Researchers at the Allen Institute for Brain Science have found that the same genes have
different activity patterns in the brain in individuals with different genetic
backgrounds. These findings may help to explain individual differences in the
effectiveness and side-effect profiles of therapeutic drugs and thus have implications for
personalized medicine. The study is available in this week's online early edition of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (www.pnas.org). In this study, the authors
compared where in the brain each of 49 different pharmaceutically related genes is
expressed, or turned on, in seven genetically distinct groups of mice with known
genealogical relationships. By analyzing 203 distinct brain areas over 15,000 thin
sections of tissue, they precisely mapped where these genes are active, down to the level
of individual cells. The genes all encode molecular targets of well-known pharmaceuticals,
such as antidepressants, antipsychotics and pain relievers including Prozac, Imitrex, and
Aricept.
Gene Therapy May Be Powerful New
Treatment for Major Depression
In a report published in the Oct. 20 issue of Science Translational Medicine, researchers
at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center say animal and human data
suggest gene therapy to the brain may be able to treat patients with major depression who
do not respond to traditional drug treatment.
Genetic predisposition to certain
skin cancers may be associated with vitamin D deficiency
Patients with basal cell nevus syndrome, which predisposes them to develop non-melanoma
skin cancers, appear to be at increased risk for vitamin D deficiency if they take steps
to protect themselves from sunlight, according to a report in the October issue of
Archives of Dermatology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. "Vitamin D deficiency has
been associated with an increased risk of autoimmune disease, fractures, cancer,
cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality," the authors write as background
information in the article. "There is increasing concern that sun protection,
recommended by dermatologists to prevent further UV damage in populations susceptible to
skin cancer, may result in abnormally low levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D, a blood
measure of vitamin D levels], which may have subsequent detrimental effects on
health."
Genetic test could pinpoint when
women will go through the menopause
Women could soon be able to take a genetic test in their twenties which will predict how
long they can delay having children, a new study suggests.
GM treaty requires compensation
New rules aimed at exacting compensation from businesses or organizations that allow
internationally traded genetically modified crops to spread into the wild were adopted at
a U.N. meeting in Nagoya on Friday.
Go vegetarian to save planet,
scientists tell Government
Diets should change to help the planet with beef replaced by pork, cheese by eggs,
ice-cream by yoghurt and whisky by beer, according to research for the Food Standards
Agency.
Harm reduction cigarettes can be
more harmful than conventional brands, researchers report
To reduce the toxicity of cigarette smoke, tobacco companies have introduced "harm
reduction cigarettes," often marketed as safer than conventional brands. But stem
cell scientists at the University of California, Riverside have found that even sidestream
smoke (which burns off the tip of a cigarette) from harm reduction cigarettes impairs
growth of human embryonic stem cells more than sidestream smoke from a conventional brand.
"Harm reduction products are not necessarily safer than their conventional
counterparts," said Prue Talbot, the director of UC Riverside's Stem Cell Center and
the research team leader. "Our analyses show there is significant toxicity in harm
reduction products, and our data show that reduction of carcinogens in harm reduction
mainstream smoke does not necessarily reduce the toxicity of unfiltered sidestream
smoke."
Hormone research suggests rich live
longer
DHEAS - or dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate - is produced by the brain, adrenal glands and
sexual organs and is a guide to life expectancy.
Hormone therapy linked to deadlier
breast cancer
Women who received hormone replacement therapy were more likely to have advanced breast
cancers and more likely to die from the disease, according to a follow-up study published
Tuesday.
How Does Induced Abortion Raise
Breast Cancer Risk?
A growing amount of evidence from quality studies suggests that induced abortion, but not
spontaneous abortion or miscarriage, increases risk of breast cancer.
Human functional genetic studies
are biased against the medically most relevant primate-specific genes
Our results indicate that functional characterization of human genes is biased against
young, tissue-specific genes that are mostly medically relevant. The biases should not be
taken lightly because they may pose serious obstacles to our understanding of the
molecular basis of human diseases. Future studies should thus be designed to specifically
explore the properties of primate-specific genes.
Inflammatory breast cancer focus of
new report
A rare and deadly form of breast cancer that often goes unrecognized by clinicians and
patients alike is the focus of a new report from leading researchers. Inflammatory breast
cancer (IBC) has made headlines as an unrecognized and misunderstood form of breast
cancer. It has a younger age of onset, progresses rapidly, and has lower overall survival
compared to other breast cancers. For the new report, leading researchers led by Massimo
Cristofanilli, M.D., of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia outline IBC's unique
clinical presentation, pathology, epidemiology, imaging, and biology and detail the
current management of the disease. The report appears online on CA First Look, and will
appear in the November/December 2010 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Inflammatory breast cancer focus of
new report
A rare and deadly form of breast cancer that often goes unrecognized by clinicians and
patients alike is the focus of a new report from leading researchers. Inflammatory breast
cancer (IBC) has made headlines as an unrecognized and misunderstood form of breast
cancer. It has a younger age of onset, progresses rapidly, and has lower overall survival
compared to other breast cancers. For the new report, leading researchers led by Massimo
Cristofanilli, M.D., of Fox Chase Cancer Center in Philadelphia outline IBC's unique
clinical presentation, pathology, epidemiology, imaging, and biology and detail the
current management of the disease. The report appears online on CA First Look, and will
appear in the November/December 2010 issue of CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.
Inhaling nitric oxide eases pain
crises in sickle cell patients
Inhaling nitric oxide appears to safely and effectively reduce pain crises in adults with
sickle cell disease, researchers report. A study of 18 patients in Atlanta, Chicago and
Detroit showed that the nine inhaling nitric oxide for four hours had better pain control
than those receiving only the standard self-administered morphine, said Dr. C. Alvin Head,
chairman of the Department of Anesthesiology at the Medical College of Georgia School of
Medicine. "This study shows that you can breathe the gas and have less pain, which is
the major reason sickle cell patients are admitted to the hospital," said Head,
corresponding author of the study published in the American Journal of Hematology.
Insulin Sensitivity May Explain
Link Between Obesity, Memory Problems
Because of impairments in their insulin sensitivity, obese individuals demonstrate
different brain responses than their normal-weight peers while completing a challenging
cognitive task, according to new research by psychologists at The University of Texas at
Austin. The results provide further evidence that a healthy lifestyle at midlife could
lead to a higher quality of life later on, especially as new drugs and treatments allow
people to live longer.
Intestinal enzyme helps maintain
population of beneficial bacteria
An enzyme that keeps intestinal bacteria out of the bloodstream may also play an important
role in maintaining the normal microbial population of the gastrointestinal system. Since
the loss of beneficial bacteria that usually results from antibiotic therapy can sometimes
lead to serious health problems, a treatment that maintains microbial levels could have
significant benefits. "Our mouse studies confirmed that giving this enzyme by mouth
keeps the gut healthy, in terms of the microbes that usually live there," says
Richard Hodin, MD, of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Department of Surgery,
senior author of the report in the November issue of the journal Gut. "This could
prevent infection with dangerous bacteria like Salmonella and C. difficile, which can
occur when the normal bacterial population becomes depleted, and may lead to development
of a supplement to maintain intestinal health whenever someone takes an antibiotic."
Iowa State, USDA researchers
discover eye test for neurological diseases in livestock
The eyes of sheep infected with scrapie – a neurological disorder similar to mad cow
disease – return an intense, almost-white glow when they're hit with blue excitation
light, according to a research project led by Iowa State University's Jacob Petrich. The
findings suggest technologies and techniques can be developed to quickly and noninvasively
test for transmissible spongiform encephalopathies, progressive and fatal neurological
diseases such as mad cow disease in cattle and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in humans.
Petrich, in fact, is working to develop a testing device. The findings were published
earlier this year in the journal Analytical Chemistry. The project was supported by a
grant from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Is vinyl flooring toxic to
children's health?
Shockingly, they found vinyl building materials like flooring and wallpaper are often
loaded with a toxic stew of chemicals including phthalates, organotins, and sometimes even
lead or cadmium.
It's not McDonald's making us fat
Despite its rot-proof burgers, McDonald's isn't the cause of our obesity epidemic –
our culture of greed is.
Long term exposure to air pollution
increases risk of severe COPD
Long term exposure to low-level air pollution may increase the risk of severe chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), according to researcher s in Denmark.
Low-glycemic diet improves
pregnancy outcomes in overweight women
Overweight and obese women following a low-glycemic-load diet during pregnancy are less
likely to deliver early, have babies with larger head circumferences and show fewer
cardiovascular risk factors than women on commonly prescribed low-fat diets, finds a
randomized, controlled trial led by Children's Hospital Boston and performed in
collaboration with Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. The researchers, led by Erinn
Rhodes, MD, MPH, Dorota Pawlak, PhD, and David Ludwig, MD, PhD, of the Division of
Endocrinology at Children’s, randomly assigned 46 women pregnant with a
single infant to follow either a low-fat diet or a low-glycemic-load (low-GL) diet,
starting in the second or third trimester of pregnancy. The team then followed the women
closely until delivery.
Magic tricks reveal surprising
results about autism
Magicians rely on misdirection—drawing attention to one place while they're carrying
out their tricky business somewhere else. It seems like people with autism should be less
susceptible to such social manipulation. But a new study in the U.K. finds that people
with autism spectrum disorder are actually more likely to be taken in by the vanishing
ball trick, where a magician pretends to throw a ball in the air but actually hides it in
his hand. In the vanishing-ball illusion, a magician throws a ball in the air a few times.
On the last throw, he merely pretends to throw it, making a tossing motion and looking
upwards while the ball remains concealed in his hand. But observers claim to
"see" the ball leaving the hand. This misdirection depends on social cues; the
audience watches the magician's face. People with autism are known for having trouble
interpreting social cues, so Gustav Kuhn of Brunel University and his coauthors Anastasia
Kourkoulou and Susan R. Leekam of Cardiff University thought they could use magic tricks
to understand how people with autism function.
Major component in turmeric
enhances effect of chemotherapy drug in head and neck cancer
Curcumin, the major component in the spice turmeric, when combined with the drug Cisplatin
enhances the chemotherapy's suppression of head and neck cancer cell growth, researchers
with UCLA's Jonsson Cancer Center have found. A naturally occurring spice widely used in
South Asian and Middle Eastern cooking, Turmeric has long been known to have medicinal
properties, attributed to its anti-inflammatory effects. Previous studies have shown it
can suppress the growth of certain cancers, said Dr. Marilene Wang, a professor of head
and neck surgery, lead author of the study and a Jonsson Cancer Center researcher.
"Head and neck cancers, particularly cases diagnosed in a later stage, are terrible
cancers that often require very radical surgeries and chemotherapy and radiation,"
Wang said. "They often don't present until late, and the structures in the head and
neck are so vital that our treatments often cause disfigurement and severe loss of
function. So using non-toxic curcumin as a treatment was a very appealing idea." The
study, done in cells in Petri dishes and then in mouse models, appears in the October
issue of the journal Molecular Cancer Therapeutics.
Making the Internet faster
Weaknesses in the architecture behind the Internet mean that surfing can sometimes lead to
slow speeds and a tiresome wait for a video to load. Redeveloping the whole architecture
of the Internet is an option recently discussed even by the “Fathers of the
Internet”, however, a group of European Engineers decided to go the opposite way and
to monitor traffic and tailor services to meet demand.
Mathematical model may result in
better environment measures for the Baltic
Eutrophication of the Baltic Sea has clear negative effects, such as dead bottoms and
massive blooms of cyanobacteria. But high plankton production can also have positive
effects on acidification. Researchers at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, have shown
that it is possible to work out the aggregate effects of various environmental measures.
“The environmental state of the Baltic Sea is affected by many different processes at
the same time and on several different time scales. Mathematical models are the only tools
that can determine the relative significance of such processes. I have helped develop a
mathematical model for the marine systems of the Baltic Sea. Modelling tools of this type
can and should make a contribution as a basis for decisions on environmental measures in
the area,” says Erik Gustafsson at the Department of Earth Sciences of the University
of Gothenburg.
Meat Industry Protests Over
Restricting Use of Antibiotics in Animals
For decades, factory farms have used antibiotics even in healthy animals to promote faster
growth and prevent disease that could sicken livestock held in confined quarters.
Microchip patented which separates
and extracts tumour cells in the blood
Ikerlan-IK4 and Mondragón Unibertsitatea are taking part in a project initiated by the
Spanish National Research Council, CSIC, and which has developed a microchip capable of
separating and extracting tumour cells in the blood stream by means of ultrasonic waves.
Monsanto’s losing bet on GM
sugar beets has bitter repercussions
As recently as 2008, sugar beet farmers relied exclusively on conventional seeds; the GM
ones weren't commercially available. Two years later, GM seeds dominate the market, and
the conventional market has been essentially wiped out... The issue is a shortage of real
diversity in the seed supply... the last decade has seen massive consolidation in the seed
industry. And now a single company peddling a patent-protected, ecologically dodgy product
can effectively wipe out non-GM alternatives in just two years.
Mount Sinai researchers discover
why cocaine is so addictive
Mount Sinai researchers have discovered how cocaine corrupts the brain and becomes
addictive. These findings—the first to connect activation of specific neurons to
alterations in cocaine reward—were published in Science on October 15. The results
may help researchers in developing new ways of treating those addicted to the drug. Led by
Mary Kay Lobo, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Neuroscience at Mount Sinai
School of Medicine and first author of the study, researchers found that the two main
neurons (D1 and D2) in the nucleus accumbens region of the brain, an important part of the
brain's reward center, exert opposite effects on cocaine reward. Activation of D1 neurons
increases cocaine reward whereas activation of D2 neurons decreases cocaine reward.
Mount Sinai researchers discover
origin of immune cells in the brain
Mount Sinai researchers have discovered that microglia, the immune cells that reside in
the brain, have a unique origin and are formed shortly after conception. It was previously
thought that microglia originated at the same time as macrophages, which are other immune
cells that are thought to develop at birth. This groundbreaking discovery has the
potential to lead to future treatments of degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's
and autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis. The study is published online October
21 in Science Express.
MRI scans 'are too sensitive'
Women who have breast cancer may be having unnecessary operations like mastectomies
because of over-sensitive MRI scans.
New bid to reduce harm from tobacco
AN AMBITIOUS strategy has been launched by a city-based anti-smoking charity to reduce the
harm of tobacco across the country.
New clinical trial explores role of
vitamin D in preventing esophageal cancer
In a first-of-its-kind clinical trial, physicians at University Hospitals (UH) Case
Medical Center who are Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine researchers are
exploring the role of Vitamin D in preventing esophageal cancer. Principal Investigator
Linda Cummings, MD, along with Amitabh Chak, MD, and Gregory Cooper, MD, from the UH
Digestive Health Institute, is recruiting patients with Barrett's esophagus to measure the
effects of Vitamin D on protein levels that may influence the risk of developing
esophageal cancer. "Vitamin D is being studied for its role in possibly reducing the
risk of developing several types of cancer, such as colon, breast and prostate," says
Dr. Cummings, a gastroenterologist with the UH Digestive Health Institute and Assistant
Professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. "This novel study is
the first-of-its-kind looking at Vitamin D's potential role in helping to prevent
esophageal cancer." According to co-investigator Sanford Markowitz, MD, Ingalls
Professor of Cancer Genetics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine and
oncologist with UH Case Medical Center, the study "has the potential to make a highly
important contribution to the medical management of Barrett's esophagus, which is becoming
an ever increasing challenge."
New EU Directive on the Protection
of Animals Used for Scientific Purposes Published
Directive 2010/63/EU, on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes, has been
published and is available on the web (PDF).
New evidence of the power of open
access
New findings settle one of the arguments about Open Access (OA) research publications: Are
they more likely to be cited because they were made OA, or were they made OA because they
were more likely to be cited? The study, which will be published in PLoS ONE on the first
day of Open Access Week (18 October), was carried out by a bi-national team of researchers
from the University of Southampton's School of Electronics and Computer Science (ECS) in
the UK and l'Université du Québec à Montréal in Canada.
New gene mutation reveals new cause
of rare neurological diseases
Scientists have discovered a new cause of spastic ataxia, and believe this cause is also a
trigger for other mitochondrial diseases – neurological disorders that can lead to
serious coordination, growth, visual, speech, and muscle defects.
New Mothers Grew Bigger Brains
within Months of Giving Birth
Motherhood may actually cause the brain to grow, not turn it into mush, as some have
claimed. Exploratory research published by the American Psychological Association found
that the brains of new mothers bulked up in areas linked to motivation and behavior, and
that mothers who gushed the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key
parts of the mid-brain.
New Mothers Grew Bigger Brains
Within Months of Giving Birth
Motherhood may actually cause the brain to grow, not turn it into mush, as some have
claimed. Exploratory research published by the American Psychological Association found
that the brains of new mothers bulked up in areas linked to motivation and behavior, and
that mothers who gushed the most about their babies showed the greatest growth in key
parts of the mid-brain.
New regulator of circadian clock
identified
Daily sleeping and eating patterns are critical to human well-being and health. Now, a new
study from Concordia University has demonstrated how the brain chemical dopamine regulates
these cycles by altering the activity of the "clock-protein" PER2. Published in
the Journal of Neuroscience, these findings may have implications for individuals with
Parkinson's Disease with disrupted 24-hour rhythms of activity and sleep. "PER2 is a
protein well-known for its role in the regulation of daily or circadian rhythms, this is
why it is referred to as a clock protein," says senior author, Shimon Amir, a
psychology professor at the Concordia Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology.
"Many molecules, such as stress hormones are known to have an impact on the activity
of PER2. Until now, the role of dopamine in regulating circadian rhythms has been unclear.
Our findings show that not only is PER2 influenced by dopamine but also that dopamine is
necessary for its rhythmic expression in specific brain regions."
New strain of swine flu emerges
The H1N1 swine flu virus may be starting to mutate, and a slightly new form has begun to
predominate in Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, researchers reported on Thursday.
New theory links depression to
chronic brain inflammation
Chronic depression is an adaptive, reparative neurobiological process gone wrong, say two
University of California, San Diego School of Medicine researchers, positing in a new
theory that the debilitating mental state originates from more ancient mechanisms used by
the body to deal with physical injury, such as pain, tissue repair and convalescent
behavior. In a paper published in the September online edition of Neuroscience and
Biobehavioral Review, Athina Markou, PhD, professor of psychiatry, and Karen Wager-Smith,
a post-doctoral researcher, integrate evidence from diverse clinical, biological and
behavioral studies to create a novel theory they hope will lead to a shift in thinking
about depression.
New tumor proteins may identify a
range of cancers early
A new study led by Ohio State University cancer researchers describes a novel
cancer-specific protein that is present in a broad range of cancer types and at all stages
of tumor development, from premalignant cells to metastatic tumor cells. If verified, the
antigen could serve as a marker for the early detection and treatment of primary and
metastatic tumors, and provide a target for the development of anticancer therapies, the
researchers say. In addition, a vaccine designed to target these cancer-cell proteins,
called Piwil2-like (PL2L) proteins, might prevent still-benign tumors from progressing to
cancer and prevent recurrence of malignant tumors following surgery.
New UGA research shows people are
better at strategic reasoning than was thought
When we make decisions based on what we think someone else will do, in anything from chess
to warfare, we must use reason to infer the other's next move—or next three or more
moves—to know what we must do. This so-called recursive reasoning ability in humans
has been thought to be somewhat limited.
New Understanding of Gut Hormones
and Gut Function Sheds Light on Obesity
Research on obesity examining the role of hormones and the autonomic functions of the
digestive system was presented at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American
CoIlege of Gastroenterology. Gastric function, as well the activities of the autonomic
nervous system that regulates digestion, are impaired in obese individuals in both fasting
and fed states, according to a study from the University of Texas Medical Branch in
Galveston, “Altered Postprandial Gastric and Autonomic Functions in Obese
Subjects.” Measures of gastric myoelectrical activity (GMA) by electrogastrography
and of heart rate variability on electrocardiogram for 12 obese and 12 lean patients were
compared for a 30 minute fasting period and then 30 minutes after a fatty soup or a high
protein soup.
NIH-funded scientists sequence
genomes of lyme disease bacteria
Scientists supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) have determined the
complete genetic blueprints for 13 different strains of Borrelia burgdorferi, the bacteria
that cause Lyme disease. The achievement should lead to a better understanding of how
genetic variations among strains may result in different courses of illness in people with
Lyme disease, the most common tickborne disease in North America. The wealth of new
genetic data will also help scientists develop improved ways to diagnose, treat and
prevent Lyme disease. The first genome of a strain of B. burgdorferi was sequenced more
than 10 years ago. The 13 newly sequenced strains include ones isolated from humans and
ticks and represent a range of geographic origins. Together, the genomes provide a more
complete picture of scope of natural variations in the microbe and the disease it causes.
Novel regulatory process for T
cells may help explain immune system diseases
A newly identified regulatory process affecting the biology of immune system T cells
should give scientists new approaches to explore the causes of autoimmunity and immune
deficiency diseases. In findings posted online ahead of publication in Proceedings of the
National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), scientists at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical
Center report a novel process of coordinated cellular communications vital to the
maintenance of T cells. If the process breaks down, T cells proliferate rapidly and die
off. This could disrupt the immune system's normal defensive functions. "This study
involves an important mechanistic finding affecting the molecular regulation of T cell
biology that will have implications in our future understanding of immunodeficiency and
autoimmunity," said Yi Zheng, Ph.D., co-investigator on the study and director of
Experimental Hematology/Cancer Biology at Cincinnati Children's.
Obesity and the Brain
Nature Genetics just published a paper that caught my interest (1). Investigators reviewed
the studies that have attempted to determine associations between genetic variants and
common obesity (as judged by body mass index or BMI). In other words, they looked for
"genes" that are suspected to make people fat.
Oral Sex Linked to Rise in Men's
Throat Cancer
For years now, doctors have urged young women to be vaccinated against the human papilloma
virus (HPV), which is believed to cause cervical cancer.
Outdoor smoking ban plan angers
some New Yorkers
Mayor Michael Bloomberg wants to expand his ban on smoking in restaurants and bars to
parks, beaches, boardwalks, pedestrian plazas and other outdoor public spaces.
Ozone raises its ugly head in rural
Utah
The first comprehensive ozone readings for the Uinta Basin suggest the oil and gas
industry is pumping alarmingly high pollution into the skies -- as high as anywhere in the
country. This testing station is located along the Green River near the town of Ouray.
Pain and welfare in sheep
Pain is associated with suffering and distress, and is a serious threat to animal welfare.
During production, farm animals may be exposed to painful diseases, injuries and
management procedures which have negative consequences for their welfare. Through her PhD
research, Solveig Marie Stubsjøen has investigated objective, non-invasive indicators for
assessing pain and welfare in sheep.
Parent-only treatment may be
equally effective for children who are obese
A study led by a researcher at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
indicates that parent-only treatments for childhood obesity work equally as well as plans
that include parents and child, while at the same time more cost effective and potentially
easier for families. Kerri N. Boutelle, PhD, associate professor of pediatrics and
psychiatry at UC San Diego and Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, and colleagues set out
to assess whether parent-only groups are an equally viable method for weight loss.
"Our results showed that the parent-only group was not inferior in terms of child
weight loss, parent weight loss and child physical activity," said Boutelle.
"While further research is needed, our work suggests that parent-only groups are a
viable method for providing childhood obesity treatment."
Peripheral induction of
Alzheimer's-like brain pathology in mice
Pathological protein deposits linked to Alzheimer's disease and cerebral amyloid
angiopathy can be triggered not only by the administration of pathogenic misfolded protein
fragments directly into the brain but also by peripheral administration outside the brain.
This is shown in a new study done by researchers at the Hertie Institute of Clinical Brain
Research (HIH, University Hospital Tübingen, University of Tübingen) and the German
Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE), to be published in Science on October 21,
2010. Alzheimer's disease and a brain vascular disorder called cerebral beta-amyloid
angiopathy are characterized by the accumulation of a protein fragment known as Abeta. In
Alzheimer´s disease, misfolded Abeta is deposited mainly in so-called amyloid plaques,
whereas in cerebral beta-amyloid angiopathy, the Abeta protein aggregates in the walls of
blood vessels, interfering with their function and, in some cases, causing them to rupture
with subsequent intracerebral bleeding.
Pictures of nature 'help reduce
cancer pain'
Showing cancer patients idyllic scenes of nature can help reduce their pain, research has
found.
Plant, herb compound prevents brain
inflammation
Age-related brain illnesses like Alzheimer's disease are devastating, but there are many
ways in which individuals can help thwart their onset. According to a new study published
in the Journal of Nutrition, luteolin, a nutrient found in various vegetables and herbs,
reduces inflammation in the brain responsible for causing memory and cognitive
dysfunction.
Plant-Based Plastics Not
Necessarily Greener Than Oil-Based Relatives
n analysis of plant and petroleum-derived plastics by University of Pittsburgh researchers
suggests that biopolymers are not necessarily better for the environment than their
petroleum-based relatives, according to a report in Environmental Science &
Technology. The Pitt team found that while biopolymers are the more eco-friendly material,
traditional plastics can be less environmentally taxing to produce.
Plants Play Larger Role Than
Thought in Cleaning up Air Pollution
Vegetation plays an unexpectedly large role in cleansing the atmosphere, a new study
finds. The research, led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research
(NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., uses observations, gene expression studies, and computer
modeling to show that deciduous plants absorb about a third more of a common class of
air-polluting chemicals than previously thought. The new study, results of which are being
published this week in Science Express, was conducted with co-authors from the University
of Northern Colorado and the University of Arizona. It was supported in part by the
National Science Foundation (NSF), NCAR's sponsor.
Probiotic drinks do not aid health,
Europe says
Probiotic drinks and yogurts, popular with millions of consumers trying to eat healthily,
do not aid people's digestion, a leading European food watchdog has ruled.
Prof Discovers Way to Recycle Red
Mud
A University of Guelph chemist has discovered that red mud - an alkaline waste byproduct
of the aluminum industry - can potentially be used to turn agricultural and forestry
biomass into usable oil.
Promising new 'antigene' therapy
Antigene therapy is a promising new treatment strategy that uses a DNA-based drug to
pinpoint light energy to a target gene shutting down its activity. A review article
published online ahead of print in Oligonucleotides, a peer-reviewed journal published by
Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. (www.liebertpub.com), details the possibilities and challenges for
the clinical application of this novel photo-activated DNA modulating approach. The
article is available free online at www.liebertpub.com/oli
Prostate cancer patients are at
increased risk of precancerous colon polyps
Men with prostate cancer should be especially diligent about having routine screening
colonoscopies, results of a new study by gastroenterologists at the University at Buffalo
indicate. Their findings show that persons diagnosed with prostate cancer had
significantly more abnormal colon polyps, known as adenomas, and advanced adenomas than
men without prostate cancer. Results of the research were presented Oct. 19 at a 10:30
a.m. session at the American College of Gastroenterology meeting being held Oct. 15-20 in
San Antonio, Texas. While most adenomas are benign and don't become cancerous, there is
evidence that most colon cancers begin as adenomas. Advanced adenomas carry an even higher
colorectal cancer risk. "Colon cancer and prostate cancer are two of the most common
cancers in males," says Ognian Pomakov, MD, an author on the study. "However
there are no published clinical studies to date that determined the prevalence of
colorectal neoplasms in people with prostate cancer. "Our study is the first to show
that men with prostate cancer are at increased risk of developing colon cancer, and that
it is especially important for these men not skip their routine colonoscopies."
Protein injection shows promise in
lowering elevated triglycerides
Injecting a protein that helps break down triglycerides may someday help treat an
inherited form of high triglycerides, according to a new study in Arteriosclerosis,
Thrombosis, and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal. Triglyceride is a
type of fat in the blood. Elevated levels in the blood — hypertriglyceridemia —
have been linked to coronary artery disease.In the study, researchers tested a new
compound in mice genetically altered to be deficient in a protein called apolipoprotein
(apo)A-V, which causes them to have high blood levels of triglycerides. ApoA-V boosts the
efficiency of lipoprotein lipase, an enzyme needed to break down triglycerides. The active
compound consists of apoA-V complexed with phospholipid to form a reconstituted high
density lipoprotein (HDL). The researchers administered the compound in the mice
intravenously.
Radiation from thyroid cancer
patients causes alarm
Reports of thyroid cancer patients setting off radiation alarms and contaminating hotel
rooms are prompting the agency in charge of nuclear safety to consider tighter rules.
Research team identifies new
mechanism with suspected role in cancer
If women had no prolactin receptors on cells in their mammary glands, they would not
produce milk when they were nursing. Prolactin receptors are also found in other organs
including the lung and the colon. The only problem is that these receptors are sort of
like cellular wiring, and when the wrong conditions bring them together, the resulting
short circuit can produce cancer. In new research published online Oct. 18, 2010, in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science, a team led by researcheres at Brown
University and Rhode Island Hospital has identified a key chemical process by which cells
with prolactin receptors can sometimes take that turn for the worse.
Researchers Find Better Method to
Help Mothers Cope With Child's Cancer and Related Stress
Mothers who have children diagnosed with cancer now have a better approach to address and
cope with stresses associated with their child's disease.
Researchers find better method to
help mothers cope with child's cancer and related stress
Mothers who have children diagnosed with cancer now have a better approach to address and
cope with stresses associated with their child's disease. A new certified intervention has
proven to be more effective long term compared to other psychological methods, as reported
today at the 42nd Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology. In a joint
oral presentation, researchers from The University of Texas MD Anderson Children's Cancer
Hospital and Jonathan Jaques Children's Cancer Center of Miller Children's Hospital Long
Beach reported that mothers of newly diagnosed patients were able to decrease their stress
level sooner and sustain that level longer with an intervention known as Problem-Solving
Skills Training (PSST). The multi-institutional randomized trial, conducted through the
Psychosocial Adaptation to Childhood Cancer Research Consortium, also showed that
Spanish-speaking mothers had the most significant response to the training compared to
English-speaking and Arabic-speaking mothers.
Researchers increase understanding
of genetic susceptibility to psoriasis
Genetic variants associated with increased susceptibility to psoriasis are reported in
five papers published online this week in Nature Genetics. Psoriasis is a chronic and
recurrent skin disease, and one of the most prevalent autoimmune diseases, with a global
prevalence of 2-3%. One of the studies was led by the National Institute for Health
Research (NIHR) comprehensive Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) at Guy's and St Thomas' and
King's College London and the Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics at Oxford
University, and involved multiple UK institutions.
Safety for celiac patients of baked
goods made of wheat flour hydrolyzed during food processing
A 60-days diet of baked goods made from hydrolyzed wheat flour, manufactured with
sourdough lactobacilli and fungal proteases, was not toxic to patients with celiac
disease. A combined analysis of serological , morphometric, and immunohistochemical
parameters is the most accurate method to assess new therapies for this disorder.
Scientists closer to grasping how
the brain's 'hearing center' spurs responses to sound
Just as we visually map a room by spatially identifying the objects in it, we map our
aural world based on the frequencies of sounds. The neurons within the brain's
"hearing center"—the auditory cortex—are organized into modules that
each respond to sounds within a specific frequency band. But how responses actually
emanate from this complex network of neurons is still a mystery. A team of scientists led
by Anthony Zador, M.D., Ph.D., Professor and Chair of the Neuroscience program at Cold
Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) has come a step closer to unraveling this puzzle. The
scientists probed how the functional connectivity among neurons within the auditory cortex
gives rise to a "map" of acoustic space.
Scientists Track an Insidious Toxic
Substance in China
Scientists at the University at Buffalo and the Chinese University of Mining and
Technology/Beijing are tracing a toxic trajectory of excess fluorine, which may be
crippling millions of people with skeletal fluorosis in a poor, remote Chinese province.
Sea life loss, pollutants battering
Canadian marine ecosystems
A multi-year study by the federal government has produced a troubling report card on the
health of Canada's marine environments, with major changes detected in all three oceans.
Sequencing the
"Exposome": Researchers Take a Cue from Genomics to Decipher Environmental
Exposure's Links to Disease
Technological and analytical advances are helping to take environmental exposures the
route of genetic profiles in predicting a person's disease risk with greater precision.
Side Effects of Invirase With
Norvir Can Cause Heart Problems
Federal drug regulators have decided to add a new warning to the HIV drug Invirase,
indicating that it can cause abnormal heart rhythms when used together with another HIV
drug, Norvir.
Some inmates exposed to toxic
metals
Some of the inmates working in a U.S. prison program to break up computer equipment for
recycling were exposed to toxic levels of lead and cadmium, according to a report by the
Justice Department's inspector general released on Thursday.
Soy intake associated with lower
recurrence of breast cancer in hormone-sensitive cancers
Post-menopausal breast cancer patients with hormone-sensitive cancers who consumed high
amounts of soy isoflavones had a lower risk of recurrence, found a research study
published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal). Soy isoflavones are similar to
estrogen in chemical structure and may stimulate or inhibit estrogen-like action in
tissues. Consumption of soy isoflavones, found in soybeans and soy products, has increased
in recent years and there are concerns about the effect of soy consumption on women with
estrogen and progesterone receptor positive breast cancer as tumour growth is dependent on
estrogen.
SpamBot Wants to be Your Friend
Socializing and finding new friends on social network sites has become just as common as
writing emails. However, new security risks of these new websites are becoming more
common. Gilbert Wondracek and Christian Platzer, of the Secure Systems Lab at VUT, have
been doing research on these security issues. With a few simple tricks, they managed to
match more than 1.2 million social network profiles with the corresponding private email
addresses. This experiment was done for scientific purposes only – but what if the
next attack is launched by malicious hackers?
Statins and Your Immune System
If you need another reason to avoid using statins to lower your cholesterol levels, here
it is. According to the Alliance for Natural Health, statins interfere with your
disease-fighting cells’ ability to kill bacteria.
Study Finds Airbags Reduce Risk of
Kidney Injury in Car Crashes
Occupants in motor vehicles with airbags are much less likely to suffer kidney or renal
damage in a crash than are occupants in vehicles without airbags, according to a new study
in the September Journal of the American College of Surgeons. Little is known about how to
prevent or reduce injury to solid organs from motor vehicle collisions. In fact, this
study is the first to evaluate the protective effect of airbags on a specific organ system
– in this case, the kidney and other renal, or upper urinary tract, organs.
Study Identifies Barriers to
Successful Treatment of Children with Sarcoma in Low-Income Countries
Raising the survival rate of children with sarcoma in low-income countries will require
steps to diagnose the disease sooner, train cancer pathologists, expand radiation therapy
services, create multi-specialty teams to review each case, and other actions, according
to an international study led by Dana-Farber/Children’s Hospital Cancer Center
researchers.
Study Rejects Benefits of Fish Oil
Capsules in Pregnancy
A University of Adelaide study has found no evidence that taking fish oil capsules during
pregnancy can help reduce the risk of post-natal depression, contrary to international
recommendations.
Swine flu jab linked to rare nerve
disease
Health watchdogs have admitted for the first time that there may be a possible link
between the swine flu jab and an increased risk of developing a rare nerve disease.
Swine flu variant linked to fatal
cases might have disabled the clearing mechanism of lungs, study suggests
A variant of last year’s pandemic influenza linked to fatal cases carried a mutation
that enabled it to infect a different subset of cells lining the airway, according to new
research.
Teaching Kids to Work Through
Trauma
A child who grows up in the midst of political conflict, such as war or terrorism, can
exhibit severe emotional scars. But certain qualities, which psychologists call
"resilience factors," can help overcome this adversity.
The Impact Of Chronic Diseases On
Patients Also Depends On Their Perception Of The Disease
Researchers at the University of Granada have developed a test to measure and assess
chronic patients’ cognitive representation of their disease. This advance will enable
the development of clinical psychological treatments much more efficient than those
currently employed.
The problem with phthalates
Imagine a child sitting in his classroom, gazing through the window at the rain. He picks
up his pencil and chews distractedly on the eraser at its top. Chemicals, classed in
Europe as "toxic to reproduction," dissolve in his saliva and enter his body.
The Sugar Industry's Assault on the
Environment and Florida's Politics
A recent move by Florida Governor Charlie Crist to take land out of sugar production to
help save the Everglades is monumental on so many levels.
This Cooking Oil is a Powerful
Virus-Destroyer and Antibiotic…
Did you know that multiple studies on Pacific Island populations who get 30-60% of their
total caloric intact from fully saturated coconut oil have all shown nearly non-existent
rates of cardiovascular disease?
Too Many Sisters Affect Male
Sexuality
Growing up with lots of sisters makes a man less sexy. For rats, anyway. A new study
published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological
Science, finds that the sex ratio of a male rat’s family when he’s growing up
influences both his own sexual behavior and how female rats respond to him. David Crews, a
psychobiologist at the University of Texas at Austin, is interested in how early life
affects behavior later. This is an area that has received a lot of attention recently,
such as research showing that the position of a fetus in the uterus matters. For example,
a female fetus that spends the pregnancy sandwiched between two brothers grows up to be
more masculinized, because she’s been exposed to their hormones. Other researchers
have found that sex ratio of the litter itself affects adult behavior. But Crews wanted to
separate the effects of life before and after birth. “Life is a continuous process:
you’re a fetus, then you’re born into a family. Each one of these periods can be
important,” he says—and they don’t necessarily have the same effects.
Toxic disasters waiting to happen
Lax enforcement of toxic waste regulations could result in industrial accidents.
Toxic schools - Could mold be the
reason your child is sick?
She could not figure out what was causing the boy to be so sick — until another mom
at his elementary school mentioned the campus was being treated for mold.
Treating cancer with light
Can skin cancer be treated with light? Scientists at the University of California, Irvine
(UC Irvine), believe so. They're exploring new ways to image cancerous lesions using LEDs
that might advance a technique for treating cancer called photodynamic therapy (PDT) --
work that they will describe at the Optical Society's (OSA) 94th annual meeting, Frontiers
in Optics (FiO) 2010 at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center in Rochester, N.Y., from
Oct. 24-28. In PDT, photosensitizing chemicals that absorb light are injected into a
tumor, which is then exposed to light. The chemicals generate oxygen radicals from the
light energy, destroying the cancer cells. PDT is currently approved by the U.S. Food and
Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of esophageal and lung cancer.
Tree Leaves Fight Pollution
Environmental organizations keep reminding us that we need to reduce pollution and
greenhouse gases. But plants are already doing their part.
Type 2 diabetes and insulin use are
associated with colorectal cancer in men
There is an association between type 2 diabetes mellitus and colorectal cancer (CRC) among
men, but not women, according to a new study in Gastroenterology, the official journal of
the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute. In 2000, the prevalence of
type 2 diabetes was approximately 171 million worldwide, and 366 million people are
projected to have the disease by 2030. Obesity, western-style diet and lack of physical
activity are established risk factors for CRC. Hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia, which
are especially pronounced during the early stages of type 2 diabetes, have been proposed
as mediators for the association between CRC and type 2 diabetes. Although it is known
that type 2 diabetes is associated with an increased risk of CRC, it is not clear if this
association varies by gender or other factors.
UC San Diego researchers identify
factor boosting leukemia's aggressiveness
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells survive and thrive not just by their own innate wiles,
but by also acquiring aid and support from host cells in their surrounding environment. In
a paper published online this week in the Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences, an
international team of researchers led by cancer specialists at the University of
California San Diego School of Medicine and the Moores UCSD Cancer Center.
UCD research identifies a role for
cellular CO2 sensor in inflammation and immunosuppression
UCD Conway researchers have found that carbon dioxide (CO2) is not only involved in
climate change and a waste product of respiration in cells but also plays an active role
in regulating the genes involved in inflammation and innate immunity. Their research
findings were highlighted recently in the The Journal of Immunology. The levels of oxygen
(O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in cells can vary dramatically in health and in diseases
such as chronic inflammation, ischemia and cancer where metabolism rates are significantly
altered. Elevated CO2 levels that occur during hypoventilation of intubated patients have
been found to decrease mortality associated with acute respiratory distress syndrome or
endotoxin-induced acute lung injury.
UMMS researchers identify protein
associated with sporadic ALS
Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School have uncovered new evidence
suggesting that the SOD1 gene, which is implicated in 20 percent of inherited cases of
amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig's disease), also plays a part in
sporadic forms of the disease. Discovery of this common pathology is described in the
October 17 online edition of Nature Neuroscience. While the SOD1 gene has long been
understood to play a role in familial ALS, scientists suspected a connection to the more
common form of ALS, for which there is no known cause, and sought to establish a shared
pathological pathway. "This common ALS pathology between sporadic and familial ALS
means that current gene silencing and immunotherapeutic treatments being developed in
academic and commercial labs that target the mutant SOD1 gene may be extended to target
non-mutant SOD1 protein found in sporadic ALS cases," said Daryl Bosco, PhD,
assistant professor of neurology and lead author of the study.
Urine alkalization facilitates uric
acid excretion
We conclude that alkalization of urine by eating nutritionally well-designed food is
effective for removing uric acid from the body.
UT MD Anderson scientists show
TAp63 suppresses cancer metastasis
Long overshadowed by p53, its famous tumor-suppressing sibling, the p63 gene does the
tougher, important job of stifling the spread of cancer to other organs, researchers at
The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center report in the Oct. 21 issue of Nature.
Not only does a specific form of p63 protein block metastasis, but it does so by
activating the enzyme Dicer, which plays a pivotal role in the creation of micro RNAs,
tiny bits of RNA that regulate a host of cellular processes.
Vitamin B12 May Reduce Risk of
Alzheimer’s Disease
A new study shows that vitamin B12 may protect against Alzheimer’s disease, adding
more evidence to the scientific debate about whether the vitamin is effective in reducing
the risk of memory loss. The research will be published in the October 19, 2010, issue of
Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. “Our findings
show the need for further research on the role of vitamin B12 as a marker for identifying
people who are at increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease,” said study author
Babak Hooshmand, MD, MSc, with Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, Sweden. “Low
levels of vitamin B12 are surprisingly common in the elderly. However, the few studies
that have investigated the usefulness of vitamin B12 supplements to reduce the risk of
memory loss have had mixed results.”
Vitamin D deficiency linked to lung
transplant rejection
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with a significant increase in lung transplant
rejection, according to research conducted at Loyola University Health System (LUHS).
These data were presented Monday at The American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
2010 annual meeting in Toronto, Ontario. "Vitamin D deficiency is prevalent among
lung transplant recipients," said Pauline Camacho, MD, study investigator and
director of the Loyola University Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease Center.
"This study shed greater light on the serious impact that this deficiency has on lung
transplant patients." Patients who undergo lung transplants are at risk for rejecting
the organ, and 77 percent of these patients are vitamin D deficient. Researchers believe
that vitamin D helps the immune system tolerate the organ. Thus optimal levels of this
supplement are critical for positive outcomes.
Vitamin D deficiency puts IBD
patients at greater risk of osteoporosis
Vitamin D deficiency puts patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) at greater risk
of osteoporosis, osteopenia and an overall higher rate of abnormal bone density, according
to the results of a new study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology's
(ACG) 75th Annual Scientific meeting in San Antonio, Texas. The study, "Vitamin D
Deficiency and Abnormal DEXA Scans in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients," found
that of the 161 IBD patients in the cohort, reduction in bone density with a diagnosis of
osteoporosis or osteopenia was found in 22 percent of these patients, 50 percent of whom
were under age 50.
Vitamin E in front line of prostate
cancer fight
Survival rates of the world's most common cancer might soon be increased with a new
vitamin E treatment which could significantly reduce tumour regrowth. Queensland
University of Technology (QUT) prostate cancer researchers are leading the fight against a
disease which kills 3000 Australian men a year. Dr Patrick Ling, whose research will be a
centrepiece of the new $354 million Translational Research Institute (TRI) when it opens
in Brisbane, is leading a team of researchers who have identified a particular constituent
of vitamin E, known as tocotrienol (T3), which can inhibit the growth of prostate tumours.
Construction of TRI officially began today (October 19) at the Princess Alexandra
Hospital. The world-class facility brings together some of Queensland's best medical
researchers from four leading Australian research facilities to turn their work into
accessible and potentially life-saving health treatments. Dr Ling's research has been
funded by Davos Life Science in Singapore, who recently awarded him a further $128,000 to
undertake a one-year study of the long-term effectiveness of T3 to prevent the recurrence
of treated prostate cancer tumours.
Vitamins 'linked' to illness, but
never drugs
The mainstream media has an interesting way of skewing facts and manipulating language to
make one thing sound like another. In a recent BBC News article, the author emphasizes a
"link" between vitamin B12 and Alzheimer's -- which seemingly suggests that the
vitamin somehow contributes to causing the disease -- when in fact, the study being
referenced shows a link between vitamin B12 and the prevention and treatment of
Alzheimer's.
What do managers really do at work
What managers feel they should be doing at work differs from what they really do. The
dominating explanations as to why the managerial work looks the way it does are formed
collectively and affect first- and second line managers’ view of the leadership. This
is the conclusion reached in a new doctoral thesis authored by Rebecka Arman from the
School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg. As part of her
study, Arman shadowed ten line managers in the health care sector for four days each.
After shadowing the subjects, who were selected from different types of health care
settings in western Sweden, Arman interviewed them about their jobs. This method enables
researchers to make observations that ordinary depth interviews do not allow.
Whooping cough cases persist
Columbus and Franklin County health commissioners again are alerting doctors that
pertussis, also known as whooping cough, continues to be a problem locally.
Why Are Men More Susceptible to
Alcoholism?
Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused substances, and men are up to twice as likely
to develop alcoholism as women. Until now, the underlying biology contributing to this
difference in vulnerability has remained unclear.
Why McDonald's Happy Meal
hamburgers won't decompose - the real story behind the story
It's always entertaining when the mainstream media "discovers" something they
think is new even though the natural health community has been talking about for years.
Why Monsanto is Paying Farmers to
Spray its Rivals' Herbicides
Monsanto will cut you a $6 check for every acre on which you apply at least two other
herbicides. One imagines farmers counting their cash as literally millions of acres across
the South and Midwest get doused with Monsanto-subsidized poison cocktails.
With a Chaperone, Copper Breaks
Through
Information on proteins is critical for understanding how cells function in health and
disease. But while regular proteins are easy to extract and study, it is far more
difficult to gather information about membrane proteins, which are responsible for
exchanging elements essential to our health, like copper, between a cell and its
surrounding tissues.
Women fight the effects of
chemotherapy long after treatment ends
For some women, the effects of breast cancer, the most common cancer affecting women, do
not end when they leave the hospital. Now, researchers in the University of Missouri
School of Health Professions have studied the lives of breast cancer patients following
chemotherapy and found that their environments and available support systems help
determine the quality of their lives. "A lot of times people get mentally and
emotionally ready to deal with chemotherapy and they receive a lot of support during that
time," said Stephanie Reid-Arndt, an assistant professor of health psychology in the
School of Health Professions. "Then they go home and everyone feels like it's over,
but the patients still have worries and fears about the changes they've been through and
what it means for the future."
Women who take the Pill may become
more jealous
Hormones in some medications could be responsible for some women becoming concerned about
their partner's faithfulness.
Younger brains are easier to rewire
A new paper from MIT neuroscientists, in collaboration with Alvaro Pascual-Leone at Beth
Israel Deaconess Medical Center, offers evidence that it is easier to rewire the brain
early in life. The researchers found that a small part of the brain's visual cortex that
processes motion became reorganized only in the brains of subjects who had been born
blind, not those who became blind later in life.
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