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Week 45
3 Powerful But Potentially Toxic
Herbal Supplements
For people wanting to avoid dangerous pharmaceuticals, there is a vast selection of
natural therapies and herbal supplements for just about every condition. Many times these
supplements are just as effective (if not more) than mainstream drugs.
After China’s Rare Earth
Embargo, a New Calculus
China currently controls almost all of the world’s supply of rare earths, for which
demand is soaring.
Air emissions of benzene may cause
birth defects
Pregnant women living in Texas neighborhoods with higher air levels of benzene – a
pollutant often released from oil refineries and traffic exhaust – are more likely to
have babies with neural tube defects. Women living in the areas with the highest benzene
levels had a two times greater risk for their children to be born with spina bifida. This
study is the first to examine the link between environmental levels of benzene and neural
tube defects in newborns and adds to the growing body of evidence linking prenatal air
pollution exposures to harmful effects on the developing fetus.
Air Pollution Fight Gets Dirty
The fight over diesel fuel is heating up. Public health advocates are battling it out with
the construction industry over new rules that were supposed to start in 2012, but have now
been pushed back another two years.
Alberta to sue tobacco companies
Alberta will join three other Canadian provinces by filing a lawsuit against the tobacco
industry in an attempt to recover some of the health-care costs of treating smokers.
Allergies and wheezing illnesses in
childhood may be determined in the womb
A child’s chances of developing allergies or wheezing is related to how he or she
grew at vital stages in the womb, according to scientists from the University of
Southampton.
Allergies and wheezing illnesses in
childhood may be determined in the womb
A child’s chances of developing allergies or wheezing is related to how he or she
grew at vital stages in the womb, according to scientists from the University of
Southampton. The new research, funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the
British Lung Foundation, and undertaken at Southampton General Hospital, reveals that
fetuses which develop quickly in early pregnancy but falter later in pregnancy are likely
to go on to develop allergies and asthma as children. Scientists believe this is due to
changes in the development of their immune system and lungs.
Alzheimer's risk doubles in heavy
smokers
People who smoke heavily in middle age seem to more than double their risk of Alzheimer's
disease and other forms of dementia late in life, research suggests.
Arsenic's Method of Cardiovascular
Attack
Epidemiological studies have linked chronic arsenic exposure to diabetes, cancer, and
heart disease.
Artery of obese kids shows
abnormality
Obese children appear to have a blood vessel abnormality similar to what doctors see in
much older adults with cardiovascular disease, a study has found.
Aspirin Use Associated with Lower
Risk of Cancer Death for Men with Prostate Cancer
Men with prostate cancer who take anticoagulants like aspirin in addition to radiation
therapy or surgery may be able to cut their risk of dying of the disease by more than
half, according to a large study presented on November 3, 2010, at the 52nd Annual Meeting
of the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) in San Diego. The study involved
more than 5,000 men with localized cancer whose disease had not spread beyond the prostate
gland.
Bankers 'caused credit crisis for
kicks'
Forget the thorny problems of risk, regulation and even reward: bankers blew up the
financial system for the thrill of it, according to one British academic.
Bees' brains more powerful than
computers
A new study set to be published in the journal The American Naturalist has discovered that
bees' tiny brains are capable of performing mathematical functions far more quickly and
efficiently than even today's most powerful computers. According to the study, bees are
able to quickly calculate the shortest flying routes among their network of flowers and
plants in order to minimize flying time, a feat that even the speediest computers take
days to solve.
Beneficial effects of Chlorella-11
peptide on blocking LPS-induced macrophage activation and alleviating thermal
injury-induced inflammation in rats.
The significance of this study sheds light on the effectiveness of Chlorella-11 peptide in
preventing inflammation progression in vitro and in vivo and its potential for clinical
applications.
Beta carotene may treat eye disease
called retinitis pigmentosa
Retinitis pigmentosa has long been declared an "incurable" disease by mainstream
medicine, although several studies over the past two decades have shown that vitamin A may
slow down RP's progression. However, many doctors balk at prescribing high dose vitamin A
because they fear it will result in liver problems.
Big Pharma trying to convince women
they need to feel sexual desire all the time so they'll buy "female Viagra"
The pharmaceutical industry is in the midst of a major push to secure FDA approval for
drugs to treat "female sexual dysfunction," including a public relations
campaign to convince women that the condition is real in the first place.
Biodiversity and poverty reduction
- Who controls the seeds?
In many developing countries the right of farmers to use and exchange farm-saved seed is a
form of life insurance. Ensuring that farmers have this right is an important means of
alleviating poverty and is crucial to maintaining crop genetic diversity throughout the
world.
Bisphenol-A now linked to male
infertility
A controversial chemical used for decades in the mass production of food containers and
baby bottles has been linked to male infertility for the first time.
Blood test for ectopic pregnancies
Thousands of women who experience ectopic pregnancies every year could be diagnosed
earlier thanks to the first accurate blood screening test for the condition, say
scientists.
Blood type O may be barrier to
having baby
Women with blood type O could have more trouble conceiving as they age, an American survey
claims.
Breakthrough in understanding
life-threatening childhood liver disease
Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and The Children's Hospital
have taken a big step toward understanding what causes one of the most serious liver
diseases in infants. The disease is called biliary atresia, It blocks the bile ducts in
young infants, through which bile, crucial for digestion, flows to the small intestine.
The disease is rare – it strikes in about one in 10,000 births. But it's
life-threatening. "It is fatal if not treated quickly," says Cara Mack, MD, who
led the CU research.
Breast density, no lobular
involution increase breast cancer risk
Women with dense breasts and no lobular involution were at a higher risk for developing
breast cancer than those with non-dense breasts and complete involution, according to a
study published online in The Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Apart from age,
family history, and age at menarche, two additional factors associated with breast cancer
risk include mammographic breast density and extent of lobular involution. Lobular
involution is the physiological atrophy of the breast epithelium and is known to increase
with increasing age. To determine whether these two factors are independently associated
with breast cancer risk, Karthik Ghosh, M.D., of the Mayo Clinic, and colleagues
investigated the factors' association with breast cancer risk in a cohort of 2666 women
with benign breast disease, followed for a mean of 13.3 years; 172 (6.5%) women
subsequently developed breast cancer.
Canada ill prepared for big
pandemic
Canada is still vulnerable to the risks posed by pandemics because the health system is
not ready for a surge in patients, the head of the Canadian Medical Association said.
Carbohydrates And Cancer
In the pre-civilization era, people used meat as their main source of nutrition. They also
used green leaves, seeds, fruits, and wild plants for supplement. Their dietary style is
now called the “Hunter-gatherer’s Diet” or “Paleolithic Diet.”
[1] According to reports, during the era, there were no signs of many diseases such as
coronary artery disease or cancer.
Carcinogen in fries linked to
breast cancer in younger women
Another new study in British Journal of Cancer suggests a possibility that a
cancer-causing agent found in fries and chips may boost the risk of breast cancer in
premenopausal women.
Carrefour launches new 'non-GM'
labels
CARREFOUR has launched a new label "fed without GMOs" (genetically modified
organisms), which will be displayed on 300 different animal-based products.
Certain cancer therapies' success
depends on presence of immune cell, Stanford study shows in mice
The immune system may play a critical role in ensuring the success of certain types of
cancer therapies, according to a new study by researchers at the Stanford University
School of Medicine. The research showed treatments that disable cancer-promoting genes
called oncogenes are much more successful in eradicating tumors in the presence of a
signaling molecule secreted by kind of immune cell called a T helper cell. The finding is
important because many drugs now in use in humans are often tested in lab animals with
weakened immune systems and many human cancer therapies actually compromise a patient's
immune system.
Concerns about the safety of
certain 'healthful' plant-based antioxidants
Scientists are calling for more research on the possibility that some supposedly healthful
plant-based antioxidants — including those renowned for their apparent ability to
prevent cancer — may actually aggravate or even cause cancer in some individuals.
Their recommendation follows a study in which two such antioxidants — quercetin and
ferulic acid — appeared to aggravate kidney cancer in severely diabetic laboratory
rats. The study appears in ACS' bi-weekly Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
Kuan-Chou Chen, Robert Peng, and colleagues note that vegetables, fruits, and other
plant-based foods are rich in antioxidants that appear to fight cancer, diabetes, heart
disease, and other disorders. Among those antioxidants is quercetin, especially abundant
in onions and black tea, and ferulic acid, found in corn, tomatoes, and rice bran. Both
also are ingredients in certain herbal remedies and dietary supplements. But questions
remain about the safety and effectiveness of some antioxidants, with research suggesting
that quercetin could contribute to the development of cancer, the scientists note.
Consuming polyunsaturated fatty
acids may lower the incidence of gum disease
Periodontitis, a common inflammatory disease in which gum tissue separates from teeth,
leads to accumulation of bacteria and potential bone and tooth loss. Although traditional
treatments concentrate on the bacterial infection, more recent strategies target the
inflammatory response. In an article in the November issue of the Journal of the American
Dietetic Association, researchers from Harvard Medical School and Harvard School of Public
Health found that dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) like fish oil,
known to have anti-inflammatory properties, shows promise for the effective treatment and
prevention of periodontitis.
Controlling individual cortical
nerve cells by human thought
Five years ago, neuroscientist Christof Koch of the California Institute of Technology
(Caltech), neurosurgeon Itzhak Fried of UCLA, and their colleagues discovered that a
single neuron in the human brain can function much like a sophisticated computer and
recognize people, landmarks, and objects, suggesting that a consistent and explicit code
may help transform complex visual representations into long-term and more abstract
memories. Now Koch and Fried, along with former Caltech graduate student and current
postdoctoral fellow Moran Cerf, have found that individuals can exert conscious control
over the firing of these single neurons—despite the neurons' location in an area of
the brain previously thought inaccessible to conscious control—and, in doing so,
manipulate the behavior of an image on a computer screen.
Copper Could Inspire Microbes To
Resist
New research in Environmental Science & Technology DOI indicates that copper, which is
widely used in pesticides and animal feed, might prime microbes for such resistance.
Could vitamin D deficiency explain
sepsis risk in elderly people?
Older patients with sepsis who were critically ill and hospitalized were more likely to
experience severe cognitive impairment and abnormal physical decline years later,
according to a recent study published in the Oct 27, 2010 issue of the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
Daily vibration may help aging
bones stay healthy
A daily dose of whole body vibration may help reduce the usual bone density loss that
occurs with age, Medical College of Georgia researchers report. Twelve weeks of daily,
30-minute sessions in 18-month old male mice – which equate to 55- to 65-year-old
humans – appear to forestall the expected annual loss that can result in fractures,
disability and death. Dr. Karl H. Wenger, biomedical engineer in the MCG Schools of
Graduate Studies and Medicine, reported the findings with his colleagues in the journal
Bone.
Deadly monkeypox virus might cause
disease by breaking down lung tissue
A new study of an exotic, infectious virus that has caused three recent outbreaks in the
United States reveals clues to how the virus might damage lungs during infection. The
findings also suggest possible new ways to treat lung diseases in humans.
Do Antibiotics in Wastewater
Pollute Food Crops?
Now researchers find that a range of food crops do not take up antibiotics from irrigation
water.
Do Cortisone Shots Actually Make
Things Worse?
In the late 1940s, the steroid cortisone, an anti-inflammatory drug, was first synthesized
and hailed as a landmark. It soon became a safe, reliable means to treat the pain and
inflammation associated with sports injuries (as well as other conditions).
Do Intelligent People Drink More
Alcohol?
The next time you're inclined to enjoy an extra glass of wine, consider that it may be a
reflection of your intelligence.
Duration breast-feeding linked to
osteoporosis risk
Postmenopausal women who spent longer periods of time breast-feeding their children may be
at greater risk of developing osteoporosis, according to a new study.
Early role of mitochondria in AD
may help explain limitations to current beta amyloid hypothesis
A new study in mouse models by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center has found
that the brain's mitochondria - the powerhouses of the cell - are one of the earliest
casualties of the disease.
Effects of olive oil and its
fractions on oxidative stress and the liver's fatty acid composition in
2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid- treated rats
Olive oil's beneficial effects are not only related to its high content of oleic acid, but
also to the antioxidant potential of its polyphenols. In this study, we assess the effects
of virgin olive oil and its fractions on 2,4-D- induced oxidative damage in the liver of
rats.
Emissions from consumption outstrip
efficiency savings
Emissions from consumption growth have exceeded carbon savings from efficiency
improvements in the global supply chain of products consumed in the UK, according to new
research by Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI) at the University of York and the
University of Durham.
Emotion processing in the brain is
influenced by the color of ambient light
Researchers at the Cyclotron Research Centre (University of Liege), Geneva Center for
Neuroscience and Swiss Center for Affective Sciences (University of Geneva), and Surrey
Sleep Research Centre (University of Surrey) investigated the immediate effect of light,
and of its color composition, on emotion brain processing using functional magnetic
resonance imaging. The results of their study show that the colour of light influences the
way the brain processes emotional stimuli.
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 being published next month by researchers at the
University of Colorado Cancer Center.
Even the sickest babies benefit
from breast-feeding
Pediatric researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia describe a successful
program in which nurses helped mothers attain high rates of breast-feeding in very sick
babies--newborns with complex birth defects requiring surgery and intensive care. Many of
these highly vulnerable newborns immediately experience a paradoxical situation. Their
mother's milk helps to fend off infection and provides easily digestible, nutritious
ingredients that can reduce the infant's stay in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
But because the babies are often in critical condition, breast-feeding may not be
considered a priority, or even be feasible, when compared to urgent medical problems.
"Human milk is important for all newborns, but especially for sick infants,"
said project mentor Diane L. Spatz, Ph.D., R.N.-B.C., nurse researcher, of The Children's
Hospital of Philadelphia. Breast milk protects an infant in the NICU from necrotizing
enterocolitis—a devastating disease of the bowel—and from a host of infectious
diseases. "It is of critical importance that all mothers make the informed decision
to provide human milk for their infants, and that nurses provide evidence-based lactation
care and support in order for mothers to achieve success," added Spatz.
Everyday Chemicals May Be Harming
Kids, Panel Told
Of the 84,000 chemicals on the market today -- many of which are in objects that people
come into contact with every day -- only about 1 percent of them have been studied for
safety, Sen. Frank Lautenberg said Tuesday.
Exposure to BPA associated with
reduced semen quality
Increasing urine BPA (Bisphenol-A) level was significantly associated with decreased sperm
concentration, decreased total sperm count, decreased sperm vitality and decreased sperm
motility, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing in the journal of Fertility and
Sterility. The five-year study recruited 514 workers in factories in China and compared
workers who had high urine BPA levels with those with low urine BPA. Men with higher urine
BPA levels had 2-4 times the risk of having poor semen quality, including low sperm
concentration, low sperm vitality and motility. This is the first human study to report an
adverse association between BPA and semen quality. Previous animal studies found a
detrimental association between BPA and male reproductive systems in mice and rats.
Farmers marching across India to
save agriculture
"We will also oppose all such technologies that are anti-farmer and anti-Nature. We
extend our sincere support to the Kisan Swaraj Yatra" - Kerala's Minister of
Agriculture.
Fingers detect typos even when
conscious brain doesn't
Expert typists are able to zoom across the keyboard without ever thinking about which
fingers are pressing the keys. New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that this
skill is managed by an autopilot, one that is able to catch errors that can fool our
conscious brain.
Follow-ups prove powerful tool for
treating depression in primary care
In the 15 minutes a primary care doctor typically has with a patient, she's expected to
diagnose the current ailment, help manage ongoing health issues and provide preventive
care. In this setting, confronting all but the most obvious and immediate mental health
needs of patients is an ongoing challenge. A new study by researchers at the University of
Michigan Health System, however, points to an encouraging strategy for improving and
sustaining mental health results in chronically depressed patients by providing small
amounts of flexible, targeted follow-up care – without overburdening busy doctors'
offices.
Force of habit
Most people have habits that guide them through daily life — for example, their path
to work in the morning, or their bedtime routine. The brain patterns that drive this
behavior are not well-understood, but a new study from MIT’s McGovern Institute for
Brain Research shows that habit formation appears to be an innate ability that is
fine-tuned by experience — specifically, the costs and rewards of certain choices.
Friends with cognitive benefits -
Mental function improves after certain kinds of socializing
This study shows that simply talking to other people, the way you do when you're making
friends, can provide mental benefits," said psychologist Oscar Ybarra, a researcher
at the U-M Institute for Social Research (ISR)
Galaxy may contain 'many Earth-like
planets'
The galaxy could be filled with many Earth-like planets capable of supporting life, new
research suggests.
Gestapo government orders family
farm to commit financial suicide by destroying 50,000 pounds of cheese
The United States of America is currently in the midst of a hostile takeover by a rogue
government hellbent on controlling the nation's food supply. And in one of its latest acts
of domestic terrorism, federal and state officials recently decided to go after
Morningland Dairy, a family-owned dairy farm in Missouri, ordering it to destroy 50,000
pounds of raw, artisan cheese -- worth roughly $250,000 -- for no legitimate reason.
Glaxo to Pay $750 Million for Sale
of Bad Products
GlaxoSmithKline, the British drug giant, has agreed to pay $750 million to settle criminal
and civil complaints that the company for years knowingly sold contaminated baby ointment
and an ineffective antidepressant.
Glucosamine causes the death of
pancreatic cells
High doses or prolonged use of glucosamine causes the death of pancreatic cells and could
increase the risk of developing diabetes, according to a team of researchers at
Université Laval's Faculty of Pharmacy. Details of this discovery were recently published
on the website of the Journal of Endocrinology. In vitro tests conducted by Professor
Frédéric Picard and his team revealed that glucosamine exposure causes a significant
increase in mortality in insulin-producing pancreatic cells, a phenomenon tied to the
development of diabetes. Cell death rate increases with glucosamine dose and exposure
time. "In our experiments, we used doses five to ten times higher than that
recommended by most manufacturers, or 1,500 mg/day," stressed Professor Picard.
"Previous studies showed that a significant proportion of glucosamine users up the
dose hoping to increase the effects," he explained.
GM DNA detected in refined soy oil
Monitoring genetically modified soybean along the industrial soybean oil extraction and
refining processes by polymerase chain reaction techniques -- 2010 study showing there's
detectable GM DNA in refined soy oil
GM soy increases poverty, threatens
health in South America - farmer advocates
Excellent article from the Swedish press about the disastrous effects of GM soy
cultivation in South America.
Growing crops in the city
A case study published in the 2010 Journal of Natural Resources and Life Sciences
Education by professors at Washington State University studies the challenges one
organization faced in maintaining an urban market garden. The journal is published by the
American Society of Agronomy. Since 1995, Seattle Youth Garden Works (SYGW) has employed
young homeless individuals or those involved in the juvenile justice system. SYGW offers
teens and young adults the opportunity to work, develop social skills, and eventually find
stable employment or return to school. Uniting social programs and urban agriculture has
been used in many cities with the aim of reducing poverty and increasing food security. In
the past, the organization lacked the resources to plan and implement a successful
marketing campaign to maintain their small garden in the South Park Neighborhood of
Seattle. With the help of faculty at Washington State University, a method of
incorporating Community Supported Agriculture was proposed.
Heavy drinkers consume less over
time, but not at 'normal' levels
Problem drinkers in the general population may reduce the amount of alcohol they consume
over a period of years but not to the level of the average adult, according to a new study
in the November issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. Given that heavy
drinkers often don't become "normal" drinkers on their own, the takeaway message
for clinicians and family members is to help connect a problem drinker to a community
social service agency or Alcoholics Anonymous. Simply telling someone that they had a
drinking problem did not seem to be helpful in this study, but being specific about how to
get help did.
Heavy smoking in midlife may be
associated with dementia in later years
Heavy smoking in middle age appears to be associated with more than double the risk for
Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia two decades later, according to a report
posted online today that will be published in the February 28 print issue of Archives of
Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Current estimates suggest smoking is
responsible for several million deaths per year from causes such as heart disease and
cancer, according to background information in the article. Although smoking increases
risks of most diseases and of death, some studies have shown a reduced risk of Parkinson's
disease and other neurodegenerative conditions among smokers. "The link between
smoking and risk of Alzheimer's disease, the most common subtype of dementia, has been
somewhat controversial, with some studies suggesting that smoking reduces the risk of
cognitive impairment," the authors write.
HFCS Contains More Fructose than
Believed
One of industry's main arguments against critics' targeting high-fructose corn syrup
(HFCS) as Public Health Enemy No. 1 has been that HFCS and table sugar are chemically
similar. Manufacturers have stated over and over that the most common form of HFCS in use
in processed food is at most 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose -- not
significantly different from white sugar's 50/50 fructose/glucose makeup.
Higher BPA levels in urine tied to
fewer sperm
Chinese factory workers exposed to high levels of the plastics chemical BPA had low sperm
counts, according to the first human study to tie it to poor semen quality.
How Red Meat Can Increase the
Threat of Cancer Eire Region
PEOPLE with a diet high in fat, including red meat, are more likely to develop cancer of
the oesophagus, according to a new study.
Immune system may help cancer cells
hide out
Cancer cells may find a hideout in the body's immune system, researchers said on Thursday
in a study that may help explain why tumors can come back after rounds of toxic
chemotherapy.
In response to chemo, healthy cells
shield cancer cells
Many times, cancer patients respond very well to chemotherapy initially only to have their
disease return, sometimes years later. Now researchers reporting in the October 29th issue
of the journal Cell, a Cell Press publication, have new insight into the factors that
allow some lingering tumor cells to resist treatment and to seed that kind of resurgence.
Contrary to expectations, it appears that the answer doesn't necessarily lie in the
cancerous cells themselves. The evidence based on studies of mice with lymphoma shows that
cues coming from healthy cells in response to the stress of chemotherapy can protect their
cancerous neighbors, allowing them to persist in select refuge sites.
Increasing the efficiency of stem
cells
A new technique for increasing the survival rates of human embryonic stem cells will
revolutionize their use in drug discovery and therapy. Human embryonic stem cells often
die during the process of isolation using enzymatic disaggregation or low-density plating,
which limits their usefulness in drug discovery and basic research. Similarly, the low
rate of attachment of implanted cells hinders cell therapy. Now, researchers from the
Universities of Dundee, Glasgow and Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, have produced a
high-content assay for human embryonic stem cell survival and used this to screen a range
of libraries of ‘lead-like’ small molecules and known bioactives.
INRA halts development of GM crops
INRA - the French National Institute for Agricultural Research ("the leading European
agricultural research institute and one of the foremost institutes in the world for
agriculture, food and the environment") is stopping all development of GM crops.
Insulin-creating cell research may
lead to better diabetes treatment
Beta cells, which make insulin in the human body, do not replicate after the age of 30,
indicating that clinicians may be closer to better treating diabetes.
Keep Nanotechnology Out of Organic!
A major reason why consumers shop for products that are certified organic is to avoid the
hazardous and unlabeled Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs), toxic chemicals, and now
the most recent, and likely most dangerous hi-tech poison of them all - nanotechnology.
Knowledge gaps, fears common among
parents of children with drug-resistant bacteria
Knowledge gaps and fear — some of it unjustified — are common among the
caregivers of children with a drug-resistant staph bacterium known as MRSA, according to
the results of a small study from the Johns Hopkins Children Center. These caregivers
thirst for timely, detailed and simple information, the researchers add. The study's
findings, published online in The Journal of Pediatrics, underscore the need for
healthcare staff to do a better job in educating parents, while also addressing concerns
and allaying fears, the investigators say.
Lejeune water ‘undoubtedly a
hazard'
Serious omissions in a report on historical drinking water at Camp Lejeune render the
results inaccurate, a director at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry
told Navy and Marine Corps officials.
Listeria clever at finding its way
into bloodstream, causing sickness
Pathogenic listeria tricks intestinal cells into helping it pass through those cells to
make people ill, and, if that doesn't work, the bacteria simply goes around the cells,
according to a Purdue University study.
Magnesium May Stave Off Sudden
Cardiac Death
Magnesium is a mineral that is important for health, but can it prevent sudden cardiac
death? According to a recent medical study, the answer is yes.
Marathons damage the hearts of less
fit runners for up to 3 months
A team of researchers and runners from the Heart and Stroke Foundation have come up with a
practical way of answering the question. They used data from magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI) to find out what is really going on in the marathoner's heart as the kilometers pile
up. "Marathon runners can be a lot less fit than they think," Dr. Eric Larose
today told the Canadian Cardiovascular Congress 2010, co-hosted by the Heart and Stroke
Foundation and the Canadian Cardiovascular Society. Lack of real aerobic fitness may
directly impact the ways the heart organizes itself to survive the stress of marathon
running, says Dr. Larose. His research found that the magnitude of abnormal heart segments
was more widespread and significant in a group of less fit runners. During the marathon,
they had signs the heart might be at greater risk of damage than that of runners who had
better training or at least had better exercise capacity.
Metal pollution tied to Parkinson's
disease
People living near a steel factory or another source of high manganese emissions are at
higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, suggests a new study.
Metal pollution tied to Parkinson's
disease
People living near a steel factory or another source of high manganese emissions are at
higher risk of developing Parkinson's disease, suggests a new study.
Miniature human livers grown in
laboratory
Scientists have taken a leap towards creating bespoke organs for patients after
successfully growing miniature human livers in the laboratory.
Monsanto Paying Farmers to Increase
Herbicide Use
Monsanto Co. is paying farmers to increase the number of herbicides they’re using.
The rebate program is designed to prevent more acreage from getting infested with weeds
that are resistant to one particularly popular herbicide, Roundup.
More of the Estrogen Pollution
Found in Waterways Comes from Factory Farms Than from Oral Contraceptives
Oral contraceptives often take the blame for estrogen pollution in rivers, lakes, and
reservoirs, but a new meta-study from researchers at the University of California, San
Francisco, reports that oral contraceptives are not the source of most of the estrogens
found in waterways.
Most babies sleep through night at
2 to 4 months, study finds
New research may offer some relief to sleep-starved parents - Most infants will start
sleeping through the night between 2 and 4 months of age.
MPs hear Wi-Fi worries about school
kids
The debate over the potential health effects of Wi-Fi microwave transmissions on children
in schools came to Parliament Hill on Thursday.
Multiple sclerosis will become a
controlled disease like AIDS
The complexity of the immune system and nervous system turn Neuroimmunology into one of
the most exciting fields of modern biomedicine. Between October 26th and 30th takes place
in Sitges (Barcelona, Spain) the X International Congress of Neuroimmunology of the
International Society of Neuroimmunology. This event highlights the advances that have
been made in recent years thanks to new technologies, but also highlights the long road
ahead. New biomarkers, potential immunotherapies, stem cell strategies and new discoveries
about the natural history of neuroimmunological diseases are some of the issues that focus
the attention of the 1,000 scientists attending the Congress.
Nanoparticles Worm Their Way Into
the Food Web
Scientists know little about how releasing some of the more than 2 million tons of
nanoparticles produced every year will affect organisms in the environment.
Narcotics and diagnostics overused
in treatment of chronic neck pain
Duke University and University of North Carolina (UNC) researchers report in the November
issue of Arthritis Care & Research that narcotics and diagnostic testing are overused
in treating chronic neck pain. Their findings indicate clinicians may overlook more
effective treatments for neck pain, such as therapeutic exercise. According to reviews
cited in the study, evidence to support the effectiveness of therapeutic exercise in
treating chronic neck pain is good, yet only 53% of subjects were prescribed such
exercise. This information was based upon reported data from a representative sample of
North Carolina residents. Prior studies point out that neck pain affects 30%-50% of adults
in the general population in any given year, and roughly 50%-85% of those patients do not
find their symptoms completely resolve, with some experiencing chronic, impairing pain.
Chronic neck pain, like lower back pain, often does not respond to the treatment provided
and can have similar economic impact in terms of lost work time and higher healthcare
costs.
Neurons work like a chain of
dominos to control action sequences
As anyone who as ever picked up a guitar or a tennis racket knows, precise timing is often
an essential part of performing complex tasks. Now, by studying the brain circuits that
control bird song, MIT researchers have identified a "chain reaction" of brain
activity that appears to control the timing of song. The song of the zebra finch is very
stereotypic; each song lasts about 1 second, and consists of multiple syllables whose
timing is almost precisely the same from one performance to the next. "It's a great
model system for studying how the brain controls actions", says Michale Fee, senior
author of the study and a member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research.
New Colorectal Screening Test
Measures DNA Methylation
Results from a validation study of a new DNA methylation screening tool for colorectal
cancer will be presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special
conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here Oct. 27-30, 2010.
New freedom to research GM seeds?
According to this month's issue of Nature Biotechnology, agronomic research scientists are
now free to study Monsanto's commercial seeds for the first time, after the company
finally relaxed restrictions on sharing seeds for research. This follows the complaint
last year from public sector scientists that seed companies were curbing their rights to
study commercial GM crops.
New Strategy to Kill Bugs Even
Those in Hiding
New strategies to apply antibiotics more effectively to hibernating bugs have been
developed by researchers at the University of Hertfordshire. In a paper, which appeared
this month in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Transactions on
Evolutionary Computing, Dr Ole Steuernagel and Dr Daniel Polani from the University’s
Science and Technology Research Institute describe how to apply antibiotics to wipe out
bacteria that form active as well as inactive subpopulations. “One of the
difficulties of applying antibiotic strategies against bugs is that some of the microbes
tend to go into hibernation,” said Dr Steuernagel. “Although the medication can
wipe out the active populations, it often misses the hibernating ones because they are
metabolically inactive. It may not be enough just to kill off the active bacteria, the
hibernating rest will 'wake up’ and reestablish themselves.”
New way to restore numbers of key
blood-clotting cells
Platelets are cells in the blood that have a key role in stopping bleeding.
Thrombocytopenia is the medical term used to describe the presence of abnormally low
numbers of platelets in the blood. Platelet transfusion is used to treat several causes of
thrombocytopenia, but there is a shortage of donors. Mortimer Poncz and colleagues, at
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, working with mice, have now identified a potential
new approach to platelet replacement therapy that circumvents the problem of donor
shortage. Platelets in the blood arise from cells known as megakaryocytes. In the study,
Poncz and colleagues found that mature megakaryocytes that were infused into mice could
generate platelets of normal size and function. They therefore are hopeful that it might
be possible to treat individuals with thrombocytopenia through mature megakaryocyte
infusion, although they estimate that 10^9 mature megakaryocytes might be needed for an
average 70-kg patient. Although Andrew Leavitt, at the University of California, San
Francisco, notes in an accompanying commentary, that this might be a low estimate, he
discuses why the new data generated by Poncz and colleagues are an important step forward
in identifying new approaches to platelet replacement therapy.
Newly Disclosed Government
Documents Conclude GE Salmon Pose A Critical Threat To Marine Environments
further evidence that in fact GE salmon pose a serious threat to marine environments and
is another compelling reason for the FDA not to approve the fish for commercial use.
Newly discovered regulatory
mechanism essential for embryo development and may contribute to cancer
Researchers from Mount Sinai School of Medicine have identified a mechanism controlling
the function of a protein that binds to DNA during embryonic development and may function
to prevent abnormal tumor growth. When the protein, TCF3, is modified by a small molecule
called a phosphate, it no longer binds DNA, changing the way the protein signals during
development. This discovery identifies a new diagnostic marker (phosphorylated TCF3) that
may be associated with cancer and could represent a potential drug target. The results are
published in the current issue of Developmental Cell.
NHS 'suspended whistle-blowers' in
London
Three senior NHS staff in London claim they have been suspended for whistle-blowing after
raising concerns about the hospitals they work in.
Not So Fast—Sex Differences in
the Brain Are Overblown
People love to speculate about differences between the sexes, and neuroscience has brought
a new technology to this pastime. Brain imaging studies are published at a great rate, and
some report sex differences in brain structure or patterns of neural activity. But we
should be skeptical about reports of brain differences between the sexes, writes
psychological scientist Cordelia Fine in Current Directions in Psychological Science, a
journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The results from these studies may
not necessarily withstand the tests of larger sample sizes or improved analysis
techniques—and it’s too soon to know for sure what such results, even if they
prove to be reliable, might mean for differences in male and female minds.
Older people advised that taking an
afternoon nap can lead to more active lives
Experts at the University of Surrey discovered that many older people felt that they may
be branded lazy for taking afternoon naps so they tried hard to avoid nodding off. But the
occasional nap can make older people more able to lead a fully active life by giving them
enough energy to take part in recreational and social activities. Susan Venn, of the
Department of Sociology said: “Sleep is central to health and well-being, but as
people get older, the quality of their sleep can deteriorate. They shouldn’t feel
guilty or think themselves lazy for having a nap.”
One in three pregnant women in
Blackpool is a smoker
The survey found 33% of women in the Lancashire resort smoked while they were pregnant in
2008-09, compared with just 4% in Richmond, Surrey.
Paradise Lost -- And Found
Ancient gardens are the stuff of legend, from the Garden of Eden to the Hanging Gardens of
Babylon. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University, in collaboration with Heidelberg
University in Germany, have uncovered an ancient royal garden at the site of Ramat Rachel
near Jerusalem, and are leading the first full-scale excavation of this type of
archaeological site anywhere in the pre-Hellenistic Levant.
Parasite infects poor women’s
reproductive organs
A new Danish study from LIFE - Faculty of Life Sciences at the University of Copenhagen
shows that the parasitic disease, commonly known as snail fever, or schistosomiasis,
almost eats its way into women’s reproductive organs. Today researchers from all over
the world are gathering in Copenhagen to find out what can be done to halt the disease
which is affecting millions of women in Africa.
Patients' anger after they are
unable to opt out of swine flu vaccine despite fears of side effects
Patients' groups have expressed anger over this year's seasonal flu jab programme because
people are unable to opt out of having the swine flu vaccine.
Penn Study Shows Two-Sided Immune
Cell Could be Harnessed to Shrink Tumors
A recently identified immune cell that directs other cells to fight infection plays a
critical role in regulating the immune system in both health and disease. Researchers from
the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have discovered how a stimulatory
molecule and a protein found on the membrane of another immune cell make T helper 17 cells
multi-taskers of sorts. Th17 cells protect the body against infection and cancer, but are
also culprits in some autoimmune diseases and out-of-control, cancerous cell growth.
People with specific kind of lung
cancer respond to new targeted treatment
A study in the New England Journal of Medicine shows more than half of patients with a
specific kind of lung cancer are responding positively to a treatment that targets the
gene that drives their cancer. The study shows 57 percent of patients with ALK-positive
advanced non-small cell lung cancer responded partially or completely to a tablet called
crizotinib, an investigational anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) inhibitor. In some cases,
the cancer becomes undetectable in body scans. The data is published in the October 28
issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. "This study really supports the idea
that we should always try to identify the patients that could benefit from a specific
treatment in advance. By looking at lung cancer at the molecular level, we were able to
find the patients most likely to respond to the ALK inhibitor and put them in this
trial," said D. Ross Camidge, MD, PhD, one the of the study's authors, director of
the lung cancer clinical program at University of Colorado Hospital (UCH) and the
University of Colorado Cancer Center (UCCC). "At the University of Colorado Hospital,
we look after one of the largest groups of ALK positive lung cancer patients in the world.
About one in 20 lung cancer patients are ALK positive. Most feel better within days of
beginning the drug in the trial and many have returned to active lifestyles with their
cancer under excellent control." said Camidge.
Phosphorus identified as the
missing link in evolution of animals
A University of Alberta geomicrobiologist and his PhD student are part of a research team
that has identified phosphorus as the mystery ingredient that pushed oxygen levels in the
oceans high enough to establish the first animals on Earth 750 million years ago. By
examining ancient-ocean sediments, Kurt Konhauser, student Stefan Lalonde and other
colleagues discovered that as the last glacier to encircle Earth receded, leaving behind
glacial debris containing phosphorus that washed into the oceans. Phosphorus is an
essential nutrient that promoted the growth of cyanobacteria, or blue-green-algae, and its
metabolic byproduct is oxygen. The new, higher oxygen levels in the ocean reached a
threshold favourable for animals to evolve. Konhauser's past research into ancient
phosphorus levels in a unique suite of rocks called banded iron formations led him and his
colleagues at the University of California Riverside to their current findings.
Poor school grades linked to
increased suicide risk
School leaving grades can be an indicator of an increased risk of suicide at a young age.
A new study from the medical university Karolinska Institutet and the Swedish National
Board of Health and Welfare, shows that young people leaving the Swedish elementary school
(year nine at age 16) with the lowest average grades, run approximately three times the
risk of committing suicide compared with those who graduate with top or very high grades.
“The correlation is clear, despite having excluded young people who had been in
hospital for mental health problems or drug-related diagnoses,” says Charlotte
Björkenstam, doctoral student at Karolinska Institutet and managing director of the
Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare’s cause-of-death register.
Pregnancy outcome affected by
immune system genes
A team of researchers, led by Ashley Moffett, at the University of Cambridge, United
Kingdom, has shed new light on genetic factors that increase susceptibility to and provide
protection from common disorders of pregnancy, specifically recurrent miscarriage,
preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction. A key step in the initiation of a successful
pregnancy is the invasion of the lining of the uterus by fetal cells known as
trophoblasts, which become the main cell type of the placenta. Recurrent miscarriage,
preeclampsia, and fetal growth restriction are thought to result from inadequate
trophoblast invasion of the uterus lining. Interactions between maternal cells known as
uterine NK cells and fetal trophoblasts — specifically interactions between HLA-C
molecules on the fetal trophoblasts and KIRs on the maternal uterine NK cells — are
key to determining the extent of trophoblast invasion. Previous data from Moffett's lab
indicated that a particular combination of fetal HLA-C and maternal KIR was associated
with increased risk of preeclampsia. In this study, the team has extended this correlation
to recurrent miscarriage and fetal growth restriction. Furthermore, they have determined
that the presence of other maternal KIRs that combine with the same HLA-C molecule
provides protection against the same common disorders of pregnancy.
Probing the mysterious second-wave
of damage in head injury patients
Why do some of the one million people who sustain head injuries annually in United States
experience a mysterious second wave of brain damage days after the initial injury —
just when they appear to be recovering? Limited clinical trials using an innovative new
device to monitor brain chemistry on a second-by-second basis are underway to answer that
life-and-death question, according to an article in the current issue of Chemical &
Engineering News (C&EN), ACS' weekly newsmagazine. Brain injury is the leading cause
of death and disability worldwide.
Psyllium fiber supplements help
patients with diabetes mellitus
Researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predicted in Population
Health Metrics that by 2050, nearly one third of Americans will live with type 2 diabetes
mellitus.
Radiation May Be a Greater Cancer
Risk for Adults Than Doctors Thought
From the sun's ultraviolet rays to the weak cosmic exposure we get on plane flights to the
screening tests that doctors recommend, our bodies are constantly bombarded with small but
relatively consistent doses of potentially cancer-triggering radiation.
Radiation research on humans staged
in Richland
It's the nation's collection of physical evidence amassed to provide clues to how exposure
to actinides such as plutonium and uranium affect the human body -- the goal of the U.S.
Transuranium and Uranium Registries.
Research proves 'gender-bending'
chemicals affect reproduction
New research has provided the first evidence that 'gender bending' chemicals which find
their way from human products into rivers and oceans can have a significant impact on the
ability of fish to breed in UK Rivers. The findings from the four year study, led by the
universities of Exeter and Brunel, has important implications for understanding the
impacts of these chemicals on ecosystem health and possibly on humans. Endocrine
disrupting chemicals (EDCs) disrupt the ways that hormones work in the bodies of
vertebrates (animals with backbones), including humans.
Researchers build colony of colon
cancer stem cells to test new approach to therapy
University of Pittsburgh researchers have devised a three-dimensional system in laboratory
culture that mimics the growth patterns of colon cancer stem cells in patients. Their
findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research special conference
on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held Oct. 27-30, 2010. The assay, which uses
green fluorescent "reporter" proteins to watch the process of stem cell
differentiation, is designed to understand how these cancer stem cells behave, and to
identify and test therapies that could halt production of the endless generations of new
cancer stem cells that continually revive a tumor. "Colon cancer stem cells are
thought to be the root of therapy resistance, metastases and recurrence in colon cancer,
so our approach is to find a way to remove the ability of these stem cells to
self-renew," said the study's lead investigator, Julie Chandler, a graduate student
in pathology.
Researchers find a 'liberal gene'
Liberals may owe their political outlook partly to their genetic make-up, according to new
research from the University of California, San Diego, and Harvard University. Ideology is
affected not just by social factors, but also by a dopamine receptor gene called DRD4. The
study's authors say this is the first research to identify a specific gene that
predisposes people to certain political views. Appearing in the latest edition of The
Journal of Politics published by Cambridge University Press, the research focused on 2,000
subjects from The National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. By matching genetic
information with maps of the subjects' social networks, the researchers were able to show
that people with a specific variant of the DRD4 gene were more likely to be liberal as
adults, but only if they had an active social life in adolescence.
Researchers find a stable way to
store the sun's heat
Researchers at MIT have revealed exactly how a molecule called fulvalene diruthenium,
which was discovered in 1996, works to store and release heat on demand. This
understanding, reported in a paper published on Oct. 20 in the journal Angewandte Chemie,
should make it possible to find similar chemicals based on more abundant, less expensive
materials than ruthenium, and this could form the basis of a rechargeable battery to store
heat rather than electricity.
Researchers Tap New Source of
Cancer Markers in Blood
The future of cancer diagnosis may lie in just a few milliliters of blood, according to a
research team led by Professor Arie Admon of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
In a study released this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the
scientists report on a new source of blood-derived biomarkers that could soon help doctors
determine whether a recovering cancer patient has relapsed, and may someday aid in the
early detection of a variety of cancers. The technique may also “provide a large
enough source of information to enable personalized treatment for the disease,” Admon
said.
Revealing Bt cotton data released
in India
These findings seem to tie in with the secondary pest problems and insecticide increases
accomoanying Bt cotton use in China.
Risk of cancer due to radiation
exposure in middle age may be higher than previously estimated
Contrary to common assumptions, the risk of cancer associated with radiation exposure in
middle age may not be lower than the risk associated with exposure at younger ages,
according to a study published online October 25 in the Journal of the National Cancer
Institute. It is well known that children are more sensitive than adults to the effects of
radiation and that they have a greater risk of developing radiation-induced cancer than
adults. Some data also suggest that, in general, the older a person is when exposed to
radiation, the lower their risk of developing a radiation-induced cancer. On the other
hand, statistical evidence from long-term studies of atomic bomb survivors in Japan
indicates that for radiation exposure after about age 30, the risk of developing
radiation-induced cancer does not continue to decline.
Safety Chief Warns China on Toys
Chinese toy makers will be hit with more recalls by U.S. regulators until they do a better
job of attacking the root causes of safety defects, the head of the U.S. agency that
regulates products said ahead of a visit to China this week.
Scented consumer products shown to
emit many unlisted chemicals
The sweet smell of fresh laundry may contain a sour note. Widely used fragranced products
-- including those that claim to be "green" -- give off many chemicals that are
not listed on the label, including some that are classified as toxic. A study led by the
University of Washington discovered that 25 commonly used scented products emit an average
of 17 chemicals each. Of the 133 different chemicals detected, nearly a quarter are
classified as toxic or hazardous under at least one federal law. Only one emitted compound
was listed on a product label, and only two were publicly disclosed anywhere. The article
is published online today in the journal Environmental Impact Assessment Review.
Schizophrenia risk in kids' with
older first-time dads
Danish study links paternal age and the odds of children developing mental disorder.
Scientists call for tighter
regulations on food adverts during children's TV viewing
The researchers, in partnership with the Cancer Council, Australia, studied 12,618 food
advertisements from 11 countries and found that 67 per cent endorsed unhealthy food. The
research builds on a previous study at Liverpool which revealed that children would
consume twice as many calories from snacks after watching food adverts compared to after
viewing advertising for toys and games. The research reveals that Germany, Spain and
Greece have the highest frequency of adverts promoting unhealthy foods during children's
peak viewing time, compared to other European countries and parts of the US, Canada and
Australia. These adverts tend to feature child-orientated persuasive techniques, such as
the use of popular animated characters and celebrities.
Scientists investigate evolution of
new polio virus
The virus, called enterovirus 71, is closely related to poliovirus, and was first detected
in California in the 1960s. Since then the virus has spread across Asia, affecting mostly
children and some adults. Serious cases of the disease can include neurological disorders
such as meningitis, paralysis and encephalitis. As a result of a global health campaign,
polioviruses have almost been eradicated in many areas of the world. Enterovirus 71,
however, has caused major outbreaks of hand, foot, and mouth disease and it is still
unclear why such a high number of cases occur in the Asia-Pacific region. In the first
major review of diagnostic and treatment measures for the disease, the Liverpool team, in
collaboration with Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, has revealed that the virus evolves
rapidly and is transmitted amongst family members more easily than previously thought.
Scientists meet in Ethiopia to
broaden market opportunities for Africa's livestock farmers
As agricultural leaders across the globe look for ways to increase investments in
agriculture to boost world food production, experts in African livestock farming are
meeting in Addis Ababa this week to deliberate on ways to get commercialized farm
production, access to markets, innovations, gender issues and pro-poor policies right for
Africa's millions of small-scale livestock farmers and herders.
Scientists seek urgent treatment
for fatal sleeping sickness
Urgently-needed new treatment for a parasitic disease is being investigated in research
led at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. Human African Trypanosomiasis,
also known as sleeping sickness, affects between 50,000 and 70,000 people in Africa and
South America. It is transmitted through the bite of the tsetse fly and attacks the
nervous system and brain, leading to fever, headaches and disturbed sleep patterns.
Without treatment, the disease is fatal but a new drug to tackle it is being developed in
a project led at Strathclyde, with partners from the Universities of Dundee and Glasgow.
It has received funding of £648,000 from the Medical Research Council.
Scripps Research team 'watches'
formation of cells' protein factories for first time
A team from The Scripps Research Institute has revealed the first-ever pictures of the
formation of cells' "protein factories." In addition to being a major technical
feat on its own, the work could open new pathways for development of antibiotics and
treatments for diseases tied to errors in ribosome formation. In addition, the techniques
developed in the study can now be applied to other complex challenges in the understanding
of cellular processes. Identifying and observing the molecules that form
ribosomes—the cellular factories that build the proteins essential for life—has
for decades been a key goal for biologists but one that had seemed nearly unattainable.
But the new Scripps Research study, which appears in the October 29, 2010 issue of the
journal Science, yielded pictures of the chemical intermediate steps in ribosome creation.
"For me it was a dream experiment," said project leader James Williamson, Ph.D.,
professor, member of the Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and dean of graduate and
postgraduate studies at Scripps Research, who credits collaborators at the Scripps
Research National Resource for Automated Molecular Microscopy (NRAMM) facility for making
it possible. "We have great colleagues at Scripps to collaborate with who are willing
to try some crazy experiments, and when they work it's just beautiful."
Singapore Scientist Leads Team To
Discover Origin Of Brain Immune Cells
A team of international scientists led by Dr Florent Ginhoux of the Singapore Immunology
Network (SIgN) of Singapore’s Agency of Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR),
have made a breakthrough that could lead to a better understanding of many
neurodegenerative and inflammatory brain disorders. Their work, published in top
scientific journal Science, uncovered the origins of microglia, which are white blood
cells specific to the brain, and showed that, in mice, microglia had a completely
different origin than other white blood cells. This understanding may lead to the
development of new strategies to manipulate microglia for the treatment of various brain
disorders.
Skin cancer fears may lead to lack
of vitamin D
People with a genetic predisposition to basal cell carcinoma— the most common form of
skin cancer— may trade one health risk for another, a new study suggests.
Sleep disturbances show clear
association with work disability
Sleep disturbances increase the risk of work disability and may slow the return to work
process. This is especially true in cases where work disability is due to mental disorders
or musculoskeletal diseases. These results come from a recent study conducted by the
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in collaboration with the universities of Turku
and London.
Sleep disturbances show clear
association with work disability
Sleep disturbances increase the risk of work disability and may slow the return to work
process. This is especially true in cases where work disability is due to mental disorders
or musculoskeletal diseases. These results come from a recent study conducted by the
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health in collaboration with the universities of Turku
and London.
Sleepless children more likely to
suffer from heart disease
Children who don't get enough sleep are more likely to suffer from heart disease,
researchers say, while sleep disorders in teenagers are climbing.
Sodas, other sugary beverages
linked to increased risk of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome
A new study has found that regular consumption of soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages
is associated with a clear and consistently greater risk of metabolic syndrome and type 2
diabetes. According to the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH) researchers, the study
provides empirical evidence that intake of sugary beverages should be limited to reduce
risk of these conditions.
Spice in curry could prevent liver
damage
Curcumin, a chemical that gives curry its zing, holds promise in preventing or treating
liver damage from an advanced form of a condition known as fatty liver disease, new Saint
Louis University research suggests. Curcurmin is contained in turmeric, a plant used by
the Chinese to make traditional medicines for thousands of years. SLU's recent study
highlights its potential in countering an increasingly common kind of fatty liver disease
called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Linked to obesity and weight gain, NASH
affects 3 to 4 percent of U.S. adults and can lead to a type of liver damage called liver
fibrosis and possibly cirrhosis, liver cancer and death. "My laboratory studies the
molecular mechanism of liver fibrosis and is searching for natural ways to prevent and
treat this liver damage," said Anping Chen, Ph.D., corresponding author and director
of research in the pathology department of Saint Louis University.
Study Identifies Key Molecules In
Multiple Myeloma
New research links three molecules to a critical tumor suppressor gene that is often
turned off in multiple myeloma, a presently incurable cancer of the blood. The findings
might offer a new strategy for treating this disease and other blood cancers, according to
researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James
Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC – James) who led the
study.
Study Looks at Suspected Link
Between Corn Mycotoxin and Birth Defects
A Creighton University School of Medicine researcher has been awarded a $2.7 million grant
by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to investigate a possible link between the
ingestion of tortillas and corn-based food products contaminated with a fungal toxin and
increased risk for birth defects. The three-year award is a collaborative effort among
investigators at Creighton, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research
Service (USDA-ARS) in Athens, Georgia; Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., and
Centro de Investigaciones en Nutricion y Salud (CIENSA) in Guatemala.
Study Of Corn Sweetener In Soda
Stirs Up Controversy
The makers of high fructose corn syrup have found themselves on the defensive —
again.
Study Shows How the Brain Forms
Habits
Most people have habits that guide them through daily life — for example, their path
to work in the morning, or their bedtime routine. The brain patterns that drive this
behavior are not well-understood, but a new study from MIT’s McGovern Institute for
Brain Research shows that habit formation appears to be an innate ability that is
fine-tuned by experience — specifically, the costs and rewards of certain choices.
Study shows we consciously exert
control over individual neurons
Every day our brains are flooded by stimulation — sounds, sights and smells. At the
same time, we are constantly engaged in an inner dialogue, ruminating about the past,
musing about the future. Somehow the brain filters all this input instantly, selecting
some things for long- or short-term storage, discarding others and focusing in on what's
most important at any given instant. How this competition is resolved across multiple
sensory and cognitive regions in the brain is not known; nor is it clear how internal
thoughts and attention decide what wins in this continual contest of stimulation. Now a
collaboration between UCLA scientists and colleagues from the California Institute of
Technology has shown that humans can actually regulate the activity of specific neurons in
the brain, increasing the firing rate of some while decreasing the rate of others. And
study subjects were able to do so by manipulating an image on a computer screen using only
their thoughts.
Substantial consumption of fluoride
increases chance of mild fluorosis
Young children who consume substantial amounts of fluoride through infant formula and
other beverages mixed with fluoridated water or by swallowing fluoride toothpaste have an
increased chance of developing mild enamel fluorosis, according to research published in
the October issue of The Journal of the American Dental Association and supported by the
National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research. Children can continue using
fluoridated water and fluoride toothpaste because fluoride has been proven to prevent
tooth decay, and mild fluorosis does not negatively affect dental health or quality of
life.
Sugar Content of Popular Sweetened
Beverages Based on Objective Laboratory Analysis
The consumption of fructose, largely in the form of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), has
risen over the past several decades and is thought to contribute negatively to metabolic
health. However, the fructose content of foods and beverages produced with HFCS is not
disclosed and estimates of fructose content are based on the common assumption that the
HFCS used contains 55% fructose. The objective of this study was to conduct an objective
laboratory analysis of the sugar content and composition in popular sugar-sweetened
beverages with a particular focus on fructose content. Twenty-three sugar-sweetened
beverages along with four standard solutions were analyzed for sugar profiles using
high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in an independent, certified laboratory.
Total sugar content was calculated as well as percent fructose in the beverages that use
HFCS as the sole source of fructose. Results showed that the total sugar content of the
beverages ranged from 85 to 128% of what was listed on the food label. The mean fructose
content in the HFCS used was 59% (range 47–65%) and several major brands appear to be
produced with HFCS that is 65% fructose. Finally, the sugar profile analyses detected
forms of sugar that were inconsistent with what was listed on the food labels. This
analysis revealed significant deviations in sugar amount and composition relative to
disclosures from producers. In addition, the tendency for use of HFCS that is higher in
fructose could be contributing to higher fructose consumption than would otherwise be
assumed.
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. The study, due to be published next week in the Journal of Virology, suggests
that the mutant virus could have impaired the lungs’ ability to clear out germs. The
researchers behind the study, from Imperial College London, the Medical Research Council
National Institute for Medical Research and the University of Marburg said the findings
highlight the potential for deadlier strains of flu to emerge and spread.
Tainted Wells
More than a third of Wisconsinites rely on well water in their homes, and we've discovered
much of that water could be tainted. The problem: many families don't have their wells
tested. And those wells could contain invisible poisons.
Telomere Length Affects Colorectal
Cancer Risk
For the first time, researchers have found a link between long telomeres and an increased
risk for colorectal cancer, according to research presented at the American Association
for Cancer Research special conference on Colorectal Cancer: Biology to Therapy, held here
Oct. 27-30, 2010.
Testosterone in Young Type 2
Diabetics to be Studied
An endocrinologist in the University at Buffalo’s School of Medicine and Biomedical
Sciences has received a three-year $400,000 Junior Faculty Award from the American
Diabetes Society to study the effects of low testosterone levels in young men with type 2
diabetes.
The Benefits of Left-Side Sleeping
Today’s “Really?” column explores how sleeping position affects heartburn
pain. Studies show that sleeping on your left side is best.
The brain's journey from early
Internet to modern-day fiber optics -- all in 1 lifetime
The brain's inner network becomes increasingly more efficient as humans mature. Now, for
the first time without invasive measures, a joint study from the Ecole Polytechnique
Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and the University of Lausanne (UNIL), in collaboration with
Harvard Medical School, has verified these gains with a powerful new computer program.
Reported in the PNAS early online edition last week, the soon-to-be-released software
allows for individualized maps of vital brain connectivity that could aide in epilepsy and
schizophrenia research.
The Costs of Cheap Meat
If you adjust for inflation and income, Americans have never spent less on food than they
have in recent years. And yet many feel we’ve also never paid such a high price.
The more someone smokes, the
smaller the number of grey cells
Is there a relation between the structure of specific regions of the brain and nicotine
dependence? This is the question researchers of the Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
and of the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) Berlin have been investigating
lately. The results of these investigations extend and specify those of preceding studies:
A specific region of the cerebral cortex of smokers is thinner than that of people who
have never smoked in their lives. This region is decisive for reward, impulse control, and
the making of decisions. The questions of whether smoking leads to this cerebral region
becoming thinner - or whether people who have a thinner cortex region by nature are more
frequently inclined to become smokers - can only be clarified by further investigations.
Think hand sanitizers protect you
against germs?
Worried about catching a cold or the flu? Just slather on some hand sanitizer and you will
be fine, say experts. But a new report has some different things to say. According to
"germ experts", alcohol-based hand sanitizers only kill certain germs for up to
two minutes before drying up and becoming useless. And a recent study out of the
University of Virginia (UV) revealed that alcohol-based hand sanitizers do not reduce the
overall number of cold and flu cases, either, suggesting they are ineffective.
Three-dimensional maps of brain
wiring
A team of researchers at the Eindhoven University of Technology has developed a software
tool that physicians can use to easily study the wiring of the brains of their patients.
The tool converts MRI scans using special techniques to three-dimensional images. This now
makes it possible to view a total picture of the winding roads and their contacts without
having to operate. Researcher Vesna Pr?kovska defended her PhD thesis on this subject last
week.
Tobacco and its evil cousin,
nicotine? They're good -- as a pesticide!
Tobacco, used on a small scale as a natural organic pesticide for hundreds of years, is
getting new scientific attention as a potential mass-produced alternative to traditional
commercial pesticides. That's the topic of a report in ACS' bi-weekly journal Industrial
& Engineering Chemistry Research. Cedric Briens and colleagues note that concerns
about the health risks of tobacco have reduced demand and hurt tobacco farmers in some
parts of the world. Scientists are looking for new uses for tobacco. One potential use is
as a natural pesticide, due to tobacco's content of toxic nicotine. For centuries,
gardeners have used home-made mixtures of tobacco and water as a natural pesticide to kill
insect pests. A "green" pesticide industry based on tobacco could provide
additional income for farmers, and as well as a new eco-friendly pest-control agent, the
scientists say.
Too much folate may boost breast
cancer risk
A new study in American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggests that high intake of folate
and other one-carbon metabolism related nutrients may boost risk of breast cancer in
postmenopausal breast cancer.
Too Much SP2 Protein Turns Stem
Cells Into “Evil Twin” Tumor-forming Cancer Cells
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that the overproduction of a key
protein in stem cells causes those stem cells to form cancerous tumors. Their work may
lead to new treatments for a variety of cancers. Dr. Jon Horowitz, associate professor of
molecular biomedical sciences, and a team of NC State researchers looked at the protein
SP2, which regulates the activity of other genes. They knew that elevated amounts of SP2
had been observed in human prostate-cancer patients, and that these levels only increased
as the tumors became more dangerous. They then showed that precisely the same thing occurs
in mouse skin tumors.
Too Much SP2 Protein Turns Stem
Cells Into “Evil Twin” Tumor-forming Cancer Cells
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found that the overproduction of a key
protein in stem cells causes those stem cells to form cancerous tumors. Their work may
lead to new treatments for a variety of cancers.
Toxic ingredients in imported
soybeans
Sweden still imports South American soy which is sprayed with the deadly herbicide
paraquat. Imports are expected to continue for several more years.
Tumor suppressor acts as oncogene
in some cancers, say Mayo Clinic researchers
Researchers at Mayo Clinic in Florida have found that a molecule long believed to be a
beneficial tumor suppressor — and thus a potential cancer drug target — appears
to act as an oncogene in some lethal brain tumors. The protein, epithelial cadherin
(E-cadherin), is known for its ability to keep cancer cells glued together, preventing
them from breaking away and metastasizing. But, based on their findings, published online
in PLoS ONE, the scientists suggest E-cadherin can also function as an oncogene in some
cancers. An oncogene helps push cancer development and growth. They say the findings could
explain recent, puzzling observations about E-cadherin expression in breast cancer, for
example. While loss of E-cadherin is generally considered a harbinger of metastasis,
researchers have also found that most breast cancer that has spread retains E-cadherin
expression. Ovarian tumors also have been paradoxically found to produce more and more
E-cadherin as they grow.
U of M researchers identify
possible key to treating, understanding post-traumatic stress disorder
University of Minnesota Medical School and Minneapolis Veterans Affair Medical Center
researchers have discovered a correlation between increased circuit activity in the right
side of the brain and the debilitating, involuntary flashbacks triggered by post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD). The ability to objectively diagnose PTSD through concrete evidence
of neural activity, its impact and its manifestation is the first step towards effectively
helping those afflicted with this severe anxiety disorder. PTSD often stems from war, but
also can be a result of exposure to any psychologically traumatic event. The disorder can
manifest itself in flashbacks, recurring nightmares, anger or hyper-vigilance.
UN Admits Industrial Farming is
"Suicide"
The UN top official on the right to food called for wholesale changes in farming methods
to safeguard the environment and ensure everyone has enough to eat.
Unexpected findings of lead
exposure may lead to treating blindness
Some unexpected effects of lead exposure that may one day help prevent and reverse
blindness have been uncovered by a University of Houston (UH) professor and his team.
Donald A. Fox, a professor of vision sciences in UH's College of Optometry (UHCO),
described his team's findings in a paper titled "Low-Level Gestational Lead Exposure
Increases Retinal Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Rod Photoreceptor and Bipolar Cell
Neurogenesis in Mice," published recently online in Environmental Health Perspectives
and soon to be published in the print edition of the prestigious peer-reviewed journal.
The study suggests that lead, or a new drug that acts like lead, could transform human
embryonic retinal stem cells into neurons that would be transplanted into patients to
treat retinal degenerations.
Variable southeast summer rainfall
linked to climate change
A doubling of abnormally wet or dry summer weather in the southeastern United States in
recent decades has come from an intensification of the summertime North Atlantic
Subtropical High (NASH), or "Bermuda High." And that intensification appears to
be coming from global warming, according to a new analysis by a Duke University-led team
of climate scientists. The NASH is an area of high pressure that forms each summer near
Bermuda, where its powerful surface center helps steer Atlantic hurricanes and plays a
major role in shaping weather in the eastern United States, Western Europe and
northwestern Africa.
Victims of child abuse present
higher rates of post-traumatic stress disorder
In cases of child sexual abuse, there are children and teenagers that blame themselves
(for example, after the thought that the abuse was led by them) or their family (thinking
that their family should have protected them) for the abuse suffered in their childhood.
This type of victims resort more frequently to avoidance coping. Thus, they try to sleep
more than usual, avoid thinking on the problem, or resort to alcohol and drug abuse
–in the case of teenagers. This behaviour leaves important psychological
after-effects on victims: concretely, they present more symptoms of post-traumatic stress
disorder.
Want to stop smoking? Become an
early bird
Late nighters more likely to smoke and find it harder to kick the habit, study finds.
Warming Of Planet Will Affect
Storms Differently In Northern And Southern Hemispheres
Weather systems in the Southern and Northern hemispheres will respond differently to
global warming, according to an MIT atmospheric scientist's analysis that suggests the
warming of the planet will affect the availability of energy to fuel extratropical storms,
or large-scale weather systems that occur at Earth's middle latitudes. The resulting
changes will depend on the hemisphere and season, the study found.
What can country of birth tell us
about childhood asthma?
Researchers from Tufts University pooled data from five previous epidemiological studies
to investigate the prevalence of asthma in children in the Boston neighborhoods of
Chinatown and Dorchester. Among children born in the United States, low socioeconomic
status (SES) and exposure to pests (mice and cockroaches) were both associated with having
asthma. Neither association was present in children born outside of the United States. The
study was published online in advance of print in the Journal of Immigrant and Minority
Health.
When Hormone Creams Expose Others
to Risks
Veterinarians around the country are reporting a strange phenomenon: spayed dogs and cats,
even some puppies and kittens, are suddenly becoming hormonal.
When The Water Ends - Africa’s
Climate Conflicts
“When the Water Ends,” a 16-minute video produced by Yale Environment 360 in
collaboration with MediaStorm, tells the story of this conflict and of the increasingly
dire drought conditions facing parts of East Africa.
Why does lack of sleep affect us
differently? Study hints it may be in our genes
Ever wonder why some people breeze along on four hours of sleep when others can barely
function? It may be in our genes, according to new research and an accompanying editorial
published in the October 26, 2010, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the
American Academy of Neurology. The study looked at people who have a gene variant that is
closely associated with narcolepsy, a sleep disorder that causes excessive daytime
sleepiness. However, having the gene variant, called DQB1 *0602, does not mean that a
person will develop narcolepsy; depending on the population, 12 to 38 percent of those
with the variant do not have the sleep disorder and are considered healthy sleepers. Also,
people without the gene variant can develop narcolepsy, though this is less common.
Why the Politicians with the Most
Dangerous, Wrong Ideas Are Probably Going to Win the Congress
Shaken by an assault on their assumptions, many Americans become more adamant in defense
of discredited ideology.
Wild mushroom foraging is damaging
forests, warn nature groups
Wild mushroom foraging for commercial gain damaging local ecology, say RSPB, National
Trust and Forestry Commission.
Wireless Internet making
schoolchildren sick, father tells MPs
Parents have been reporting that their children experience symptoms only when at school,
including headaches, dizziness, nausea, memory loss and increased heart rates.
Women Are Dying From Hormone
Therapy; Why Is Pharma Still Allowed to Push It?
Big Pharma is still pushing its hormone therapy for women, despite the fact that it
increases women's risk of cancer and other health problems.
Women with anorexia nervosa more
likely to have unplanned pregnancies
A new study by University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Norwegian researchers has
found that women with anorexia nervosa are much more likely to have both unplanned
pregnancies and induced abortions than women who don’t have the serious eating
disorder. These results may be driven by a mistaken belief among women with anorexia that
they can’t get pregnant because they are either not having menstrual periods at all
or are having irregular periods, said Cynthia M. Bulik, PhD, the study’s lead author
and director of the UNC Eating Disorders Program. “Anorexia is not a good
contraceptive,” Bulik said. “Just because you’re not menstruating, or
because you’re menstruating irregularly, doesn’t mean you’re not at risk
for becoming pregnant.”
Women's fertility better with
normal weight, studies find
They found that cycle cancellation rates became more common with increasing body-mass
index and that the chances of not becoming pregnant, or failing to carry a pregnancy to
term, rose significantly with increasing obesity.
Work stress hits people in and out
of work
The global economic downturn led levels of work-related stress in the UK to soar, a
British Academy report says.
Wristband aims to boost vitamin D
levels in children
A university graduate has designed a wristband which aims to help children get the right
dose of UV light to boost their vitamin D levels.
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