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Week 46
A Balanced Diet? Selenium May
Offset the Effects of Methylmercury on Cataract Development
Dietary exposure to mercury from fish has been posited as a risk factor for cataracts
because some reports have suggested methylmercury accumulates in the lens of the eye. But
selenium from other dietary sources may offset that damage, according to a study of
communities in the Amazon basin [EHP 118(11):1584–1589; Lemire et al.]. The findings,
while preliminary, hint at potential public health measures in areas where
methylmercury-contaminated fish are a significant part of people’s diets.
A healthy gut is the hidden key to
weight loss
The human gut contains 10 times more bacteria than all the human cells in the entire body,
with over 400 known diverse bacterial species. In fact, you could say that we’re more
bacterial than we are human. Think about that one for a minute.
A Mechanism of Neurotoxic Effects
by Exposure to Mycotoxins in the Indoor Environment
Damage to human neurological system cells resulting from exposure to mycotoxins confirms a
previously controversial public health threat for occupants of water-damaged buildings.
Leading scientific organizations disagree about the ability of inhaled mycotoxins in the
indoor environment to cause adverse human health effects. Damage to the neurological
system can result from exposure to trichothecene mycotoxins in the indoor environment.
This study demonstrates that neurological system cell damage can occur from satratoxin H
exposure to neurological cells at exposure levels that can be found in water-damaged
buildings contaminated with fungal growth. The constant activation of inflammatory and
apoptotic pathways at low levels of exposure in human brain capillary endothelial cells,
astrocytes, and neural progenitor cells may amplify devastation to neurological tissues
and lead to neurological system cell damage from indirect events triggered by the presence
of trichothecenes.
A sweet discovery raises hope for
treating Ebola, Lassa, Marburg and other fast-acting viruses
When a team of European researchers sought to discover how a class of antiviral drugs
worked, they looked in an unlikely place: the sugar dish. A new research report appearing
in the Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org) suggests that a purified and
modified form of a simple sugar chain may stop fast-acting and deadly viruses, such as
Ebola, Lassa, or Marburg viruses, in their tracks. This compound, called chlorite-oxidized
oxyamylose or COAM, could be a very attractive therapeutic option because not only did
this compound enhance the early-stage immune defenses in mice, but because of sugar's
abundance, it is derived from easily obtainable sources.
About "Objections" to
Vitamin C Therapy
In massive doses, vitamin C (ascorbic acid) stops a cold within hours, stops influenza in
a day or two, and stops viral pneumonia (pain, fever, cough) in two or three days. (1) It
is a highly effective antihistamine, antiviral and antitoxin. It reduces inflammation and
lowers fever. Administered intravenously, ascorbate kills cancer cells without harming
healthy tissue. Many people therefore wonder, in the face of statements like these, why
the medical professions have not embraced vitamin C therapy with open and grateful arms.
After Good or Bad Events, People
Forget How They Thought They’d Feel
People aren’t very accurate at predicting how good or bad they’ll feel after an
event -- such as watching their team lose the big game or getting a flat-screen TV. But
afterwards, they “misremember” what they predicted, revising their
prognostications after the fact to match how they actually feel, according to new
research.
Alcohol most dangerous drug to
society
Alcohol is more harmful than heroin or crack, according to Professor David Nutt, the
former UK chief drugs adviser.
American Dietetic Association is a
nutritional disgrace
Hospital food by law is controlled by dieticians, and almost everyone recognizes that the
poor food in hospitals is a medical disgrace," the ANH writes.
An Orgasm a Day Keeps the Doctor
Away
In an age when it seems everything we enjoy will either kill you outright or destroy the
planet, scientists have finally discovered a pearl amidst all the do’s and
don’ts. According to Dr. Oz, having 200 orgasms a year will reduce your physiologic
age by six years. In other words, orgasms are not one of life’s pleasures; they
actually help you live longer.
Anger Makes People Want Things More
Anger is an interesting emotion for psychologists. On the one hand, it’s negative,
but then it also has some of the features of positive emotions. For a new study published
in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science,
researchers find that associating an object with anger actually makes people want the
object—a kind of motivation that’s normally associated with positive emotions.
Animal Fats a Source of Toxins?
A dietician sent me an email last week questioning the wisdom of consuming full fat foods
due to the potential for stored toxins in the fat. This is apparently the recommendation
of The Environmental Working Group (EWG) which urges members to use lowfat/skim dairy
products to reduce exposure to toxins that may be contained in the whole fat portion of
those same products.
Annual Ambient Black Carbon
Associated with Shorter Telomeres in Elderly Men
Telomere attrition, linked to biological aging, may be associated with long-term exposures
to airborne particles, particularly those rich in BC, which are primarily related to
automobile traffic.
Antibiotics have long-term impacts
on gut flora
Short courses of antibiotics can leave normal gut bacteria harbouring antibiotic
resistance genes for up to two years after treatment, say scientists writing in the latest
issue of Microbiology, published on 3 November. The researchers believe that this
reservoir increases the chances of resistance genes being surrendered to pathogenic
bacteria, aiding their survival and suggesting that the long-term effects of antibiotic
therapy are more significant than previously thought. Antibiotics that are prescribed to
treat pathogenic bacteria also have an impact on the normal microbial flora of the human
gut. Antibiotics can alter the composition of microbial populations (potentially leading
to other illnesses) and allow micro-organisms that are naturally resistant to the
antibiotic to flourish.
Assessing Children’s Dietary
Pesticide Exposure - Direct Measurement of Pesticide Residues in 24-Hr Duplicate Food
Samples
The data presented here are a response to calls for more direct measurements of pesticide
residues in foods consumed by children and provide an opportunity to compare direct
measures of pesticide residues in foods representing actual consumption with those
reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Pesticide Data Program. The frequent
consumption of food commodities with episodic presence of pesticide residues that are
suspected to cause developmental and neurological effects in young children supports the
need for further mitigation.
Association of Cumulative Lead
Exposure with Parkinson’s Disease
These findings, using an objective biological marker of cumulative lead exposure among
typical PD patients seen in our movement disorders clinics, strengthen the evidence that
cumulative exposure to lead increases the risk of PD.
Asthma inhalers increase chances of
diabetes
Montreal researchers have discovered that patients using inhaled steroids increase their
chances of developing diabetes.
Australia under fire over toxic
waste shipment
Preparations are underway to send the first of four shipments of hazardous chemical waste
from Sydney to Denmark this month.
Autism brain secrets revealed by
scan
Differences in the brain structure of people carrying an "autism gene" may offer
clues to how the condition develops, say US scientists.
Being stressed 'might help IVF
women get pregnant'
Being stressed might actually help women trying to get pregnant via IVF according to a
study.
Benefits of beet juice
Wake Forest researchers have shown for the first time that drinking beet juice can
increase blood flow to the brain in older adults – a finding that could hold great
potential for combating the progression of dementia.
Big Oil spends $69.5m on ads to get
the Congress it wants
It's worth a lot to the oil and coal lobbies to get the Congress they want and the
investment seems to be paying off
Big Project? Counting on Caffeine
to Stay Awake? It Can Also Wake Up Your Gout
Drinking caffeinated beverages may raise the risk for recurrent gout attacks, according to
research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific
Meeting in Atlanta. Gout is a painful and potentially disabling form of arthritis that has
been recognized since ancient times. Initial symptoms usually consist of intense episodes
of painful swelling in single joints, most often in the feet (especially the big toe).
Although treatments are available to manage gout, they are not always successful in
preventing recurrent gout attacks.
Black raspberries may prevent colon
cancer, study finds
Black raspberries are highly effective in preventing colorectal tumors in two mouse models
of the disease, according to a University of Illinois at Chicago study. Colorectal cancer
is the third most common cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related death in
both men and women in the U.S., according to the National Cancer Institute. Building on
previous research that found black raspberries have antioxidant, anti-cancer,
anti-neurodegenerative and anti-inflammatory properties, the researchers looked at the
fruit's ability to prevent colon cancer.
Blood created from human skin
Researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton report that they converted patches of skin
directly into blood. Their process doesn't involve any intermediate conversion of skin
stem cells into multi-purpose stem cells that can create almost any other type of cells.
Book Brings “Brain Drain”
Issue Home to Rural America
They’ll drive for miles and miles across the rolling prairies of South Dakota to pool
their thoughts with others concerned about the future of their rural communities and to
probe for solutions.
BP gusher left deep sea toxic for a
time, study finds
Although the university scientists had known the BP oil would contain the PAHs, “we
weren’t sure, quite honestly, that we would see anything substantial,” Lohrenz
concedes. In fact, his team uncovered a PAH bonanza — both in terms of the
pollutants’ concentrations and their persistence over time and space.
BP Oil Spill Taking Toll on
Louisiana Indian Tribe
The effects of the BP oil spill on the Pointe-au-Chien Indian tribe’s economy has
been devastating. The Louisiana tribe gets a large portion of their income from the summer
fishing season, which was lost to oil and a fearful market this year.
BP's oil spill costs grow, Gulf
residents react
BP PLC is once again reporting profits even with an estimated $40 billion price tag for
the response to its blown out well in the Gulf of Mexico.
Brain's ability to selectively
focus and "pay attention" diminishes with age
A University of Toronto study shows that visual attention — the brain’s ability
to selectively filter unattended or unwanted information from reaching awareness —
diminishes with age, leaving older adults less capable of filtering out distracting or
irrelevant information. Further, this age-related "leaky" attentional filter
fundamentally impacts the way visual information is encoded into memory. Older adults with
impaired visual attention have better memory for "irrelevant" information. The
research, conducted by members of U of T’s Department of Psychology, will be
published Wednesday, November 3 in the Journal of Neuroscience.
Breast Cancer Message Barred in Eli
Lilly's Hometown
Breast Cancer Action (BCA) learned today that its efforts to deliver a message to Eli
Lilly & Company via a billboard in Indianapolis have been blocked. The message:
"Eli Lilly is making us sick. Tell them to stop" was rejected by every billboard
company in Indianapolis, Lilly's hometown.
Breast density, lobular involution
linked to breast cancer risk
Women with dense breasts and no lobular involuton are at higher risk for developing breast
cancer than those who do not have dense breasts and complete involution, a study in the
National Cancer Institute suggests.
Burning straw, dung tied to kids'
anemia
Households in developing countries that regularly burn wood, straw, dung and other natural
materials are more likely to also contain children with anemia, a new report finds.
Cadmium Impairs Albumin
Reabsorption by Down-regulating Megalin and ClC5 Channels in Renal Proximal Tubule Cells
Cadmium (Cd) is an occupational and environmental hazard that concentrates in the kidney
where it impairs the reabsorptive and secretory functions of the renal proximal tubule,
resulting in albuminuria. Gena et al. (p. 1551) investigated the effects of Cd on the
expression of megalin and chloride channel 5 (ClC5), two key proteins involved in
albumin-receptor–mediated endocytosis. The authors report that Cd caused a
significant time- and dose-dependent decrease in both mRNA and protein levels of megalin
and ClC5; in contrast, exposure to other divalent metals had no effect. The authors also
report that Cd reduced the transcriptional expression of megalin and ClC5 and, at the same
time, increased the degradation of the two proteins via the lysosomal pathway. These
results suggest that Cd causes a global down-regulation of all proteins involved in the
macromolecular complex required for albumin-receptor–mediated endocytosis, with
consequent albuminuria. These findings may be of clinical and diagnostic significance for
exposure to Cd because albuminuria is a cause of renal tubular damage, in addition to
being a biomarker of renal and cardiovascular diseases.
Cancer and Vitamin C -
Evidence-Based Censorship
he very first paper in the Puerto Rico Health Sciences Journal's special issue on cancer
condemns vitamin C therapy for cancer. (1) Furthermore, that Journal has refused
publication of a letter correcting the article's numerous errors. We have therefore
decided to provide OMNS readers with that rebuttal letter, below:
Cancer cream poses little-known
risk to pets
Ruby died of accidental poisoning after gnawing on a tube of her owner's cancer therapy, a
potent cream called 5-fluorouracil.
Cats can make owners happier,
healthier and gentler
Why do 33% of the households in the USA have cats? And how do you explain why there are 16
million more pet cats than dogs?
Cell Membranes Behave Like
Cornstarch and Water
Mix two parts cornstarch and one part water. Swirl your fingers in it slowly and the
mixture is a smoothly flowing liquid. Punch it quickly with your fist and you meet a
rubbery solid -- so solid you can jump up and down on a vat of it. It turns out that cell
membranes – or, more precisely the two-molecule-thick lipid sheets that form the
structural basis of all cellular membranes -- behave the same way, say University of
Oregon scientists.
Cell-destroying protein to boost
cancer fight
Australian and British scientists have uncovered a "death" protein that destroys
rogue cells in what could be breakthrough for the fight against cancer, malaria and
diabetes, researchers said Monday.
Changing perceptions of hunger on a
high nutrient density diet
A high micronutrient density diet mitigates the unpleasant aspects of the experience of
hunger even though it is lower in calories. Hunger is one of the major impediments to
successful weight loss. Our findings suggest that it is not simply the caloric content,
but more importantly, the micronutrient density of a diet that influences the experience
of hunger. It appears that a high nutrient density diet, after an initial phase of
adjustment during which a person experiences "toxic hunger" due to withdrawal
from pro-inflammatory foods, can result in a sustainable eating pattern that leads to
weight loss and improved health. A high nutrient density diet provides benefits for
long-term health as well as weight loss. Because our findings have important implications
in the global effort to control rates of obesity and related chronic diseases, further
studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results.
Chemical Controversy
Statistics show that nine out of 10 people in the United States have BPA in their bodies
so even those who haven't heard of it come into contact with it on a daily basis. And
while BPA is used to make plastics and adhesives, it's classified as a food additive,
which means it's classified outside of the Food and Drug Administration's regulative
authority.
Chemicals in cosmetics,
moisturizers linked to DNA damage in human sperm
A preservative added to cosmetics, moisturizers, gels and - even some foods - is
associated with DNA damage in human sperm cells. One type of paraben preservative –
butyl paraben (BP) – was linked to DNA damage in men's sperm, according to a study
that compared the levels of this compound to several reproductive measures in men. DNA
damage in sperm cells can have negative effects on men's reproductive potential.
Childhood aggression may be linked
to stressful birth
The researchers believe the behavioural problems may be linked to high levels of cortisol,
a hormone the body produces during a stressful and difficult birth.
Childhood stroke study identifies
the contraceptive pill and smoking as risk factors
Researchers are calling for clear guidelines on childhood stroke after a study, published
in the November issue of Acta Paediatrica, found wide variations in time lag to diagnosis,
investigation and treatment. They are also keen to see the development of appropriate
rehabilitation services, after a follow-up study found that 85% of the children who
survived a stroke had neurological dysfunction or limitations. Dr Sten Christerson studied
the records of all children who had experienced their first stroke over a seven-year
period in the Uppsala-Orebro Health Care Region, which covers a fifth of the Swedish
population.
Children born by elective caesarean
'calmer'
Children born by elective caesarean are calmer, researchers have found, exhibiting fewer
behavioural and emotional problems than those born normally.
Chronic Lung Function Decline in
Cotton Textile Workers - Roles of Historical and Recent Exposures to Endotoxin
Past exposure to endotoxin was associated with reduced FEV1 level among retired cotton
workers. Among all cotton workers, past exposure was more strongly associated with reduced
FEV1 for those hired <5 years before baseline than for those who were hired ? 5 years after baseline. Recent endotoxin exposure was significantly associated with byssinosis, chronic bronchitis, and chronic cough.
Cigarette smoking may boost
pancreatic cancer risk
Exposure to cigarette smoke may boost risk of pancreatic cancer, a study published in the
June 2010 issue of Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention suggests.
Cold virus clue found
British researchers said Tuesday that they've identified a previously unknown mechanism
used by antibodies, the proteins that identify and neutralize disease-causing bacteria and
viruses.
Daffodil compound fights brain
cancer
Daffodils are a beautiful addition to any home garden, but new research shows they just
might make an even better addition to the arsenal of natural cancer treatments. According
to a new study published in the FASEB Journal, a compound in daffodils known as
narciclasine is a powerful fighter against brain cancers.
Daily Bisphenol A Excretion and
Associations with Sex Hormone Concentrations
Higher BPA exposure may be associated with endocrine changes in men. The mechanisms
involved in the observed cross-sectional association with total testosterone
concentrations need to be clarified.
Daily dose of beet juice promotes
brain health in older adults
Researchers for the first time have shown that drinking beet juice can increase blood flow
to the brain in older adults – a finding that could hold great potential for
combating the progression of dementia. The research findings are available online in
Nitric Oxide: Biology and Chemistry, the peer-reviewed journal of the Nitric Oxide Society
and will be available in print soon. (Read the abstract.) "There have been several
very high-profile studies showing that drinking beet juice can lower blood pressure, but
we wanted to show that drinking beet juice also increases perfusion, or blood flow, to the
brain," said Daniel Kim-Shapiro, director of Wake Forest University's Translational
Science Center; Fostering Independence in Aging. "There are areas in the brain that
become poorly perfused as you age, and that's believed to be associated with dementia and
poor cognition." High concentrations of nitrates are found in beets, as well as in
celery, cabbage and other leafy green vegetables like spinach and some lettuce. When you
eat high-nitrate foods, good bacteria in the mouth turn nitrate into nitrite. Research has
found that nitrites can help open up the blood vessels in the body, increasing blood flow
and oxygen specifically to places that are lacking oxygen.
Diesel motor exhaust boosts lung
cancer risk
Exposure to diesel motor exhaust increases risk of lung cancer, a study published in
American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine suggests.
Discovery Blocks Cancer Drug’s
Toxic Side Effect
A debilitating side effect of a widely used but harshly potent treatment for colon cancer
could be eliminated if a promising new laboratory discovery bears fruit. The pre-clinical
finding, published in the Nov. 5, 2010, issue of the journal Science, relates to the drug
CPT-11, or Irinotecan, a chemotherapeutic agent used against colon cancer and other solid
malignancies. It is believed to be the first successful targeting of an enzyme in
symbiotic bacteria found in the digestive system.
Disinfection By-products - A
Question of Balance
Collectively, these studies provide the clearest evidence to date that disinfected water
might be genotoxic and carcinogenic to humans, and that genotype may be a critical factor
in susceptibility to bladder cancer in individuals exposed to DBPs. However, these
researchers emphasize that their results need to be replicated and note that another
case–control bladder cancer study is currently under way by the U.S. National Cancer
Institute (National Institutes of Health).
Disinfection By-products and
Bladder Cancer
Among individuals who carried both of the GSTT1 and GSTZ1 genotypes noted above (28% of
study participants), those with the highest DBP exposure were at a 1.5 times increased
risk of bladder cancer compared with carriers with the lowest DBP exposure. These
genotypes are relatively common, occurring jointly in more than 20% of the controls in the
study population. The findings from this study therefore may have significant public
health implications for cancer prevention.
Doctors and drug companies are
still too cozy
David Henry discusses a recent research article in PLoS Medicine that suggests that
relationships between doctors and drug companies are still too close. The research, by
Geoffrey Spurling and colleagues, examined the relationship between exposure to
promotional material from pharmaceutical companies and the quality, quantity, and cost of
prescribing. David Henry's offers his Perspective in this week's PLoS Medicine Magazine.
Don’t Fear the Natural Trans
Fats in Grassfed Meat and Butter
the labeling requirement does not distinguish between artificial trans fats made in the
lab and trans fats that occur naturally in dairy and meat products. This is a shame,
because there is solid scientific evidence that natural trans fats actually reduce the
risk of heart disease.
Don’t Trim the
Fat—It’s the Best Part!
Why does almost everybody fear saturated animal fat? The answer is simple—marketing.
The sellers of artificial fats and artificial oils would have no market if people
continued to use saturated animal fats that have nourished humankind for eons.
Dr. Edward Lamadrid's New Study
Advances Link Between Weight Loss and Acupuncture
Could a few pinpricks make someone thinner? Evidence weighs heavily in favor of that
proposition, according to the results of a new study to be presented at the Pacific
Symposium in San Diego this week. The groundbreaking study, "The Effects of
Acupuncture on Weight-Loss in Over-Weight and Obese Adults Over 24 Years Old,"
reports that 95 percent of its subjects lost weight in a six-week period after receiving
regular acupuncture treatments. Of those subjects, another 50 percent continued to lose
weight after treatments stopped.
Drug companies paid N.J. doctors
millions to promote their products
Overall, seven pharmaceutical companies wrote 1,215 checks totaling $8.3 million to
doctors in New Jersey, the 10th highest total in the nation, according to ProPublica.
Early humans 'more promiscuous'
early humans were likely to be more competitive and promiscuous than people today.
Eating almonds can help to fight
off viruses
Eating almonds can help the body to fight off viral infections such as the common cold and
flu, according to new research.
Europe’s Plagues Came From
China, Study Finds
The great waves of plague that twice devastated Europe and changed the course of history
had their origins in China, a team of medical geneticists reported Sunday, as did a third
plague outbreak that struck less harmfully in the 19th century.
Every Person Emits Two Tonnes of
CO2 a Year through Eating
Every person emits the equivalent of approximately two tonnes of carbon dioxide a year
from the time food is produced to when the human body excretes it, representing more than
20% of total yearly emissions. That is what a study by the Universidad de Almería says,
confirming for the first time that human excrements contribute to water pollution,
primarily with nitrogen and phosphorus. A team of researchers from the Universidad de
Almería (UAL) has estimated the environmental impact of the Spanish diet and role that
human excrements play in the life cycle of food. It is the first time that a scientific
study of this type incorporates the role played by human excrements.
Exploitation of Farmworkers
At a Watsonville, Calif., strawberry field, a gaggle of the agriculturally curious -- a
state representative's aide, an anthropologist, a food service company employee --
gathered around Ann Lopez, whose voice gained intensity as she careened through a farm
worker's tale of woe: pesticide exposure, low wages, backbreaking labor.
Exposure of humans to cosmetic UV
filters is widespread
An investigation conducted in the context of the Swiss National Research Programme
(NRP50), Endocrine Disrupters: Relevance to Humans, Animals and Ecosystems, demonstrates
for the first time that internal exposure of humans to cosmetic UV filters is widespread.
In the course of the Summer and Fall 2004, 2005 and 2006 (3 cohorts), human milk was
sampled by mothers who had given birth at the University Women's Hospital in Basel. The
participants filled out a detailed questionnaire with general questions and, as special
feature, in depth questions on use of different types of cosmetic products. Chemicals out
of a large range of products including "modern" chemicals and classical
persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were analyzed in the same human milk sample by
analytical laboratories in Freiburg, Erlangen and Baden. The list comprised cosmetic UV
filters, synthetic musk fragrances, pesticides, phthalates, parabens, flame retardants
(polybrominated diphenylethers), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); in total 89
analyses per milk sample. The chemical analytical data of milk samples of individual
mothers were then compared with the information obtained through the questionnaire.
Eye implant breakthrough -
blindness factfile
Three blind patients had their sight partly restored after scientists developed an eye
implant in a breakthrough that is being called “a significant advance”. Here are
some facts and figures about blindness.
Falling birth-rate can bring
prosperity
The population is ageing – and demographic change is also altering working life.
However, according to studies by Vienna University of Technology, the effects could well
be positive. Birth figures are falling and the proportion of elderly people in the
population is rising. This development is often associated with negative consequences for
economic growth, but there are no reliable empirical values to back this up, nor can
economic models provide clear statements to this effect. Business mathematics analyses at
Vienna University of Technology have now shown that a drop in population could actually
have a positive effect on prosperity. However, this would require an increase in the level
of education of the workforce – at every age.
Fat affects sperm quality
Men who eat foods containing a lot of saturated fats — think burgers and fries —
and monounsaturated fats may be producing fewer and less active sperm, a new study by
Harvard researchers suggests.
Five Fats You MUST Have in Your
Kitchen
he Five Fats that when incorporated into your diet will most certainly improve your health
and vitality. Once you throw out the Factory Fats you are currently using such as butter
substitutes and vegetable oils and replace them with the Five Healthy Fats described in
this blog, you will very likely begin to feel improved energy right away.
Fly study uncovers molecular link
between obesity and heart disease
It's no secret that obesity is hard on the heart. More than 30 percent of Americans are
obese, and many of them are also at increased risk for cancer, diabetes and heart disease.
However, there are numerous causes of obesity and other risk factors for each of these
conditions, making it difficult to tease them apart. At Sanford-Burnham Medical Research
Institute (Sanford-Burnham), a team led by Sean Oldham, Ph.D., and Rolf Bodmer, Ph.D.,
recently created a simple model to link high-fat diet, obesity and heart dysfunction.
Using fruit flies, they discovered that a protein called TOR influences fat accumulation
in the heart. Their study, published November 3 in the journal Cell Metabolism, also
demonstrates that manipulating TOR protects the hearts of obese flies from damage caused
by high-fat diets.
Fox Chase researchers identify risk
factors for the spread of breast cancer to lymph nodes
Breast cancer, one of the most prevalent cancers in women, afflicts an additional 200,000
women each year and causes about 40,000 deaths annually. The disease often extends to
neighboring lymph nodes, in part, through lymphovascular invasion (LVI)—a process in
which cancer cells invade blood vessels or the lymphatic system—and can often
translate into a poor prognosis for patients. Some scientists argue that evidence of LVI
does not necessarily mean that the disease will recur in the lymph nodes after radiation
to the breast alone, but research from Fox Chase Cancer Center now shows that the
appearance of LVI in the breast tissue does in fact predict recurrence of breast in the
regional lymph nodes. By carefully examining recurrence patterns of thousands of women
with breast cancer from records spanning more than 30 years, Wilhelm Lubbe, M.D.,Ph.D.,
chief resident in Fox Chase's Radiation Oncology Department, and his colleagues have now
shown that the appearance of LVI in breast tissue predicts the future recurrence of cancer
to nearby lymph nodes. "The microscopic diagnosis of LVI is challenging which
highlights the importance of excellent pathologists," says Lubbe, who will present
the results this week at the Annual Meeting of the American Society for Radiation
Oncology.
Getting the dirt on cleaning
products
There are nowadays some 80,000 industrial chemicals being used in the U.S., she said.
“Toxic chemical use results in threats to human health.”
GM and sustainable agriculture
The Economist is running an online debate on GM and sustainable agriculture (sponsored by
chemical/GM company BASF) but has framed its motion as: "This house believes that
biotechnology and sustainable agriculture are complementary, not contradictory."
Got breast milk? Doctors say milk
bank would save babies’ lives
Pasteurized breast milk donated from nursing mothers can save the lives of premature
babies when their own mothers can’t produce enough milk, say the nation’s
pediatric experts, who are urging provinces to consider opening human milk banks.
Government Waste to the Tune of $2
Billion
Now that the fall season is here, government health officials are pumped up to broadcast
massive awareness campaigns persuading more Americans to get the flu vaccine. You probably
remember last year's debacle with the H1N1 swine flu pandemic. Long lines to get the
vaccine, then running out of vaccine; not to mention the near hysteria magnified by the
media.
Hazards of GMOs -
Agrobacterium-Mediated Transformation
By studying plant-fungi-bacteria interactions at plant wound sites, the team have
identified a natural process stimulated by a hormone released by the wounded plant that
would allow synthetic genes to move across organisms and out into the wild.
Heavy metals could be the source of
your health woes
TWO years ago Jenny Wilson, a lawyer from Fife, started having strange symptoms, including
forgetfulness, problems concentrating and bouts of depression.
High Levels of Uric Acid Could
Cause High Blood Pressure
People with hyperuricemia are at an increased risk for high blood pressure, according to
research presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific
Meeting in Atlanta.
Higher Levels of Lead Seen in City
Tap Water
New York City health and environmental officials on Thursday advised residents to run
their tap water for at least 30 seconds before drinking or cooking with it after testing
showed a rise in the percentage of homes with elevated levels of lead.
How Doctors Use (Or Should Use)
Vitamin Therapy
Numerous letters to the Orthomolecular Medicine News Service come from readers wanting to
know exactly how to use nutritional therapy for a specific disease. Since we cannot answer
such emails personally, we wanted to provide some highly useful resources for our readers'
benefit.
How lead gets into urban vegetable
gardens
One common mitigation approach is to build a raised bed and fill it with freshly
composted, low-lead soil from elsewhere, right? Maybe not, according to researchers
studying the mysterious case of the lead contamination found within raised beds in
community gardens in the Boston communities of Roxbury and Dorchester. "Raised beds
are surrounded by a sea of contaminated soil," said Daniel Brabander of Wellesley
College. Brabander, his students and colleagues have been studying the lead in 144
backyard gardens in coordination with The Food Project, an organization committed to food
security, nutrition and sustainable urban agriculture. Eighty-one percent of the gardens
they studied were found to have lead levels above the U.S. EPA limits of 400 micrograms of
lead per gram (µg/g) of soil.
How some brain cells hook up
surprises researchers
Immune cells known as microglia, long thought to be activated in the brain only when
fighting infection or injury, are constantly active and likely play a central role in one
of the most basic, central phenomena in the brain – the creation and elimination of
synapses. The findings, publishing next week in the online, open access journal PLoS
Biology, catapult the humble microglia cell from its well-recognized duty of protecting
the brain to direct involvement in creating the cellular networks at the core of brain
behavior. Its apparent role as an architect of synapses – junctions between brain
cells called neurons – comes as a surprise to researchers long accustomed to thinking
of microglia as cells focused exclusively on keeping the brain safe from threats. The
research helps move microglia up into the pantheon of brain cells known to affect brain
signaling. Years ago, brain signaling was thought to be the exclusive domain of neurons.
During the last two decades, scientists have found that astrocytes also have vast
signaling networks. Now, microglia also seem to be an important player in the brain's
ability to adapt immediately and constantly to the environment and to shift its resources
accordingly.
How the Places We Live Make Us
Sick, and How They Could Heal Us Instead
Why is this happening? According to the report, "These projected increases are
largely attributable to the aging of the US population, increasing numbers of members of
higher-risk minority groups in the population, and people with diabetes living
longer."
If GMO genes escape, how will the
hybrids do?
GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, may raise concerns of genes escaping from crops
and having unknown effects on natural, wild species. But what is the real risk that traits
associated with GMOs will actually migrate to and persist in their wild relatives?
Interest in plant ecology, crop production and weed management led John Lindquist and his
colleagues from the University of Nebraska and USDA-ARS to investigate how gene flow from
a cultivated crop to a weedy relative would influence the ecological fitness of a cropwild
hybrid offspring. They published their findings in the recent October issue of the
American Journal of Botany.
If GMO genes escape, how will the
hybrids do?
GMOs, or Genetically Modified Organisms, may raise concerns of genes escaping from crops
and having unknown effects on natural, wild species. But what is the real risk that traits
associated with GMOs will actually migrate to and persist in their wild relatives?
Interest in plant ecology, crop production and weed management led John Lindquist and his
colleagues from the University of Nebraska and USDA-ARS to investigate how gene flow from
a cultivated crop to a weedy relative would influence the ecological fitness of a cropwild
hybrid offspring. They published their findings in the recent October issue of the
American Journal of Botany (http://www.amjbot.org/cgi/reprint/97/10/1610). Grain sorghum
(Sorghum bicolor subsp. bicolor) is an important food and feed crop throughout the world.
The reduced digestibility of sorghum seed relative to other grains makes it a less
efficient resource, even though it is highly adapted to growth in semiarid environments
common to Africa, India, and the Southern and Western Great Plains of the United States.
There has been considerable interest in modifying the quality traits of grain sorghum
using GMO technology to enhance its nutritional value to both humans and animals raised
for human consumption.
In flies, a search for the essence
of obesity
Fruit flies that grow obese after eating a diet loaded with fat could lead the way to the
core elements of obesity, according to researchers who report their findings in the
November issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. The findings also get at
obesity's origins. The demonstration that flies do become obese on a high-fat diet (HFD),
much as humans do, indicates that the ability to become obese goes way, way back, the
researchers say. "The capacity for obesity is evolutionarily ancient," said Sean
Oldham of the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute. "The capacity for this
disease has been around for 500 million years."
In the job hunt, people do lie, but
honesty pays off, study finds
Honesty pays off, according to a new study of job seekers. When job applicants were warned
that a pre-employment test could detect fake responses, they gave more honest answers -- a
result that could improve their chances of being hired. Results were published in the
human resources journal Applied HRM Research. "People may be tempted to make
themselves look as attractive as possible to employers, but honesty is always the best
policy, since many pre-employment tests have ways to spot fakers," said Chris Wright,
associate professor of psychology at San Francisco State University. "We found that
applicants who were warned against faking achieved significantly lower test scores,
suggesting that they gave more honest answers and hadn't exaggerated their responses in
order to inflate their test results."
In the job hunt, people do lie, but
honesty pays off, study finds
Honesty pays off, according to a new study of job seekers. When job applicants were warned
that a pre-employment test could detect fake responses, they gave more honest answers -- a
result that could improve their chances of being hired. Results were published in the
human resources journal Applied HRM Research. "People may be tempted to make
themselves look as attractive as possible to employers, but honesty is always the best
policy, since many pre-employment tests have ways to spot fakers," said Chris Wright,
associate professor of psychology at San Francisco State University. "We found that
applicants who were warned against faking achieved significantly lower test scores,
suggesting that they gave more honest answers and hadn't exaggerated their responses in
order to inflate their test results."
Infants' antibiotic use tied to
bowel disease risk
Babies treated with antibiotics for middle-ear and other infections may have increased
odds of developing inflammatory bowel disease later in childhood, a small study suggests.
Inhaled steroids increase diabetes
risk, say Lady Davis Institute researchers
Patients taking inhaled corticosteroids are at increased risk of developing type 2
diabetes, and more so with higher doses, say researchers at the Jewish General Hospital's
Lady Davis Institute for Medical Research (LDI) In Montreal. The risk is of special
concern for patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD), and
much less significant for asthmatics.
Investigating possible link between
'Periods' and ovarian cancer
SCIENTISTS in London are investigating a possible link between women's menstrual periods
and ovarian cancer. Often called “The silent killer,” the disease has few
symptoms in the early stages, meaning that many cases are diagnosed when the cancer is too
advanced to be cured. Worldwide, an estimated 125,000 women die of ovarian cancer each
year but its causes are still unknown.
Kids' use of electronic media at
night linked to problems
More than half of children who use electronic media before bedtime may have mood or
learning problems during the day, a preliminary study of 40 young people suggests.
Lactate in the brain reveals aging
process
Researchers at Karolinska Institutet have shown that they may be able to monitor the aging
process in the brain, by using MRI technique to measure the brain lactic acid levels.
Their findings suggest that the lactate levels increase in advance of other aging
symptoms, and therefore could be used as an indicator of aging and age-related diseases of
the CNS."It's exciting to think that we are one step closer to understanding what
happens as the brain ages, and how a change of brain metabolism may be important during
the onset of age-related changes and diseases", says Professor Lars Olson, who lead
the study. The research group used both prematurely and normally aging mice to investigate
the relationship between damage to mitochondria - the organelle responsible for energy
production in the cell - and changes in metabolism during the aging process. Previous
studies have shown a link between mitochondrial dysfunction and age-related
neurodegenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
Lactobacillus reuteri good for
health
There is a great deal of interest in the impact of lactic acid bacteria on our health. Now
a new study from the Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, in Sweden, shows
that the occurrence of Lactobacillus reuteri in the body promotes health. Humans have used
lactic acid bacteria for thousands of years to conserve and enhance the nutritional value
of sensitive foods. Today various strains of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are added to
many foods.
Language appears to shape our
implicit preferences
The language we speak may influence not only our thoughts, but our implicit preferences as
well. That's the finding of a study by psychologists at Harvard University, who found that
bilingual individuals' opinions of different ethnic groups were affected by the language
in which they took a test examining their biases and predilections.
Lead poisoning maps in R.I. reveal
huge disparities, guide cleanup
The rate at which lead poisoning has struck young Rhode Island children depends heavily on
where they live, according to a Brown University-led geographic analysis of comprehensive
health department data from across Rhode Island between 1993 and 2005. By mapping cases of
lead poisoning, researchers have been able to help target cleanup resources to do the most
good.
Liver hormone is a cause of insulin
resistance
Researchers have identified a hormone produced and secreted by the liver as a previously
unknown cause of insulin resistance. The findings, in the November issue of Cell
Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, suggest a new target for the treatment of insulin
resistance and type 2 diabetes, the researchers say. "The current study sheds light
on a previously underexplored function of the liver; the liver participates in the
pathogenesis of insulin resistance through hormone secretion," said Hirofumi Misu of
Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Science in Japan.
Luminous Jellyfish cells and early
cancer diagnosis
IT sounds like an idea plucked from the realms of science fiction writing. But in this
case, there is nothing fictional about it. Scientists in Yorkshire have developed a
process that uses the luminous cells from jellyfish to diagnose cancers deep within the
human body. The method has been developed at the Yorkshire Cancer Research Laboratory at
The University of York and the man who leads the York team, Professor Norman Maitland,
believes it will revolutionise the way some cancers are diagnosed.
Macrophage protein has major role
in inflammation
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine have discovered
that a multi-tasking protein called FoxO1 has another important but previously unknown
function: It directly interacts with macrophages, promoting an inflammatory response that
can lead to insulin resistance and diabetes. Contrarily, it also generates a negative
feedback loop that can limit damage from excessive inflammation. The findings by Jerrold
M. Olefsky, MD, Associate Dean for Scientific Affairs and professor of Medicine, and
colleagues are published in the November 2 issue of The EMBO Journal. FoxO1 belongs to a
group of well-known transcriptions factors crucial to determining the fate of cells.
Earlier research has shown that FoxO1 helps govern the expression of genes involved in
diabetes, cancer and aging. One unusual aspect of FoxO1 is that exposure to insulin causes
cells to exclude the protein from their nuclei, inactivating it.
Major Producers to Ditch BPA from
Packaging
Some of the world's biggest food companies are removing the chemical Bisphenol A from
packaging, amid growing concern it is causing a wide range of human illnesses including
heart disease and breast cancer .
Measuring exposure to phthalates
not a simple task
Exposure to phthalate chemicals - and the levels measured in people - vary widely
throughout the day depending on the source, a finding that may prompt scientists to
rethink common research methods for measuring the chemicals in people.
Metformin causes vitamin B12
deficiency
Long-term use of the popular diabetes drug metformin (originally marketed as Glucophage)
may cause patients to develop a steadily worsening vitamin B12 deficiency, Dutch
scientists have found.
Mind Over Matter - 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.
Modern medicine discovers that a
strong immune system really does cure colds, flus
Researchers from the Laboratory of Molecular Biology in Cambridge, England, have made a
fascinating new discovery about the way the body's immune system fights off infections.
Contrary to popular belief within mainstream medicine, the body's natural antibodies are
capable of fighting off a virus and killing it, even after the infection has entered cells
-- and this phenomenon occurs naturally without the need for drug interventions.
Monounsaturated fats boost
"good" cholesterol
The monounsaturated fats found in vegetable oils, nuts and avocados can help boost a
person's "good" cholesterol levels when added to an overall diet that curbs
"bad" LDL cholesterol, a study published Monday suggests.
Monsanto-Funded Candidates Win
Races
Monsanto spent $470,631 on the 2010 mid-term elections. Five of the candidates they
supported lost their races, while ten won.
Monsanto’s Superweeds Come
Home to Roost
There's been much recent news about Monsanto paying farmers to use its competitors'
herbicides, in what many see as a last ditch effort to address the spread of superweeds
created by the company's "Roundup Ready" (RR) GMO crops.
Mouse model confirms mutated
protein's role in dementia
A team of scientists from Japan and the University of California, San Diego School of
Medicine have created a new mouse model that confirms that mutations of a protein called
beta-synuclein promote neurodegeneration. The discovery creates a potential new target for
developing treatments of diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Nanotechnology Presents Regulatory
Mess
Manufacturers producing or utilizing nanomaterials face a tangled web of proposed safety
and environmental regulations.
Neanderthals really were
sex-obsessed thugs
Neanderthals really did act like Neanderthals, new research suggests, as our early
relatives were found to be more aggressive, competitive and promiscuous than modern man.
Neurobehavioral Effects of
Artificial Food Dyes, with Bernard Weiss
Many of the artificial food colorings in products sold today have been shown to cause
cancer in animals and are strongly suspected of causing neurologic problems such as
attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children.
New compounds may treat both
alcohol and cigarette addictions
Researchers at the Ernest Gallo Clinic and Research Center at the University of
California, San Francisco, and Pfizer Inc., have determined that two new compounds may be
effective in treating both alcohol and nicotine dependence at the same time. In a paper
published in the November 3, 2010 issue of Neuropsychopharmacology, the researchers showed
that alcohol consumption in rodents was significantly decreased by two compounds that
target neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) subtype a3b4*. nAChRs are
proteins found in the brain and broader central nervous system that mediate the effects of
substances such as nicotine. Recent human genetic studies have shown that the genes
encoding the a3b4* subtype are of significant importance for susceptibility to both
alcohol and nicotine dependence. "The problem has been translating these important
genetic findings into more effective medications for people," said co-senior author
Selena E. Bartlett, PhD, director of the Preclinical Development group at the Gallo
Center. The lead author of the study is Susmita Chatterjee, PhD, of the Gallo Center.
New Proof that This Common Medical
Treatment is Unnecessary and Ineffective
Last year's flu mortality estimates turned out to be only one-third that of an average
year, in spite of the emergence of the new human-bird-pig influenza virus you have come to
know as swine flu.
New Study Links Inflammation to
Plaque Buildup In the Arteries of People with Rheumatoid Arthritis
New data presented this week at the American College of Rheumatology Annual Scientific
Meeting in Atlanta show that systemic inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis disease
activity may contribute to the progression of atherosclerosis in people with RA. The data
also show that this progression may be modified favorably by TNF inhibitors and
detrimentally by glucocorticoids. “These data suggest that by limiting inflammation
in RA patients, you can potentially limit the rapidity of accumulation of—at
least—carotid atherosclerosis, which is what our study looked at,” says Jon T.
Giles, MD, MPH; assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Johns
Hopkins and lead investigator in the study. “And because carotid atherosclerosis
tends to be correlated with coronary atherosclerosis, then potentially you would have
fewer cardiovascular events like myocardial infarction and stroke in RA patients. These
links with subclinical atherosclerosis make intuitive sense, but they haven’t
[previously] been shown in prospective studies.”
NIH researchers identify genetic
elements influencing the risk of type 2 diabetes
A team led by researchers at the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI), part of
the National Institutes of Health, has captured the most comprehensive snapshot to date of
DNA regions that regulate genes in human pancreatic islet cells, a subset of which
produces insulin. The study highlights the importance of genome regulatory sequences in
human health and disease, particularly type 2 diabetes, which affects more than 20 million
people in the United States and 200 million people worldwide. The findings appear Nov. 3
in Cell Metabolism. "This study applies the power of epigenomics to a common disease
with both inherited and environmental causes," said NHGRI Scientific Director Daniel
Kastner, M.D., Ph.D. "Epigenomic studies are exciting new avenues for genomic
analysis, providing the opportunity to peer deeper into genome function, and giving rise
to new insights about our genome's adaptability and potential."
No link seen between high-carb
diet, colon cancer
Chinese women who eat a traditional diet rich in white rice and other starchy foods that
spur a surge in blood sugar do not seem to have an elevated risk of colon cancer, a new
study suggests.
Olive oil provides amazing liver
protection
You may want to drizzle a little extra olive oil on your next salad, according to findings
from a new study out of the University of Monastir in Tunisia and King Saud University in
Saudi Arabia. Researchers there found that extra virgin olive oil provides powerful
antioxidant protection against toxins that cause oxidative stress and damage to the liver.
On the Way to CO2 Free Power Plants
The Technische Universität Darmstadt dedicated today a pilot plant for capturing carbon
dioxide (CO2) contained in flue gases of power plants. Its Institute for Energy Systems
and Technology plans to utilize the plant for investigating two innovative methods for CO2
capture that require less energy and lower operating costs than earlier approaches.
Combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal, fuel oil, or natural gas, liberates large
quantities of carbon dioxide, a gas that significantly affects global climate. A key
technology that would reduce emissions and lead to more environmentally friendly power
plants is the capture and storage of carbon dioxide from flue gases of power plants
(carbon capture and storage (CCS)). CCS might be able to reduce CO2 emissions resulting
from the employment of fossil fuels for power generation and other uses in industry to
near zero and thereby contribute to reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. Earlier approaches
to CO2?capture require expending significantly more energy and entail greatly increased
operating costs, which raises questions regarding their efficiency and acceptance. The TU
Darmstadt’s Institute for Energy Systems and Technology’s new pilot plant will
be utilized for investigating two new methods for CO2 capture that will allow nearly
totally eliminating CO2 emissions and require virtually no additional energy input and
entail only slight increases in operating costs.
Palmitate and insulin
synergistically induce IL-6 expression in human monocytes
High levels of saturated NEFA, such as palmitate, when combined with hyperinsulinemia, may
activate human monocytes to produce proinflammatory cytokines and support the development
and propagation of the subacute, chronic inflammatory state that is characteristic of
insulin resistance. Results with inhibitors of beta-oxidation and ceramide biosynthesis
pathways suggest that increased fatty acid flux through the glycerolipid biosynthesis
pathway may be involved in promoting proinflammatory cytokine production in monocytes.
Peptide being tested to treat
atherosclerosis inhibits ovarian cancer growth
A drug in testing to treat atherosclerosis significantly inhibited growth of ovarian
cancer in both human cell lines and mouse models, the first such report of a peptide being
used to fight malignancies, according to a study by researchers at UCLA's Jonsson
Comprehensive Cancer Center. The study follows previous discovery by the same group
showing that a protein called apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) in patients may be used as a
biomarker to diagnose early stage ovarian cancer, when it typically is asymptomatic and is
much easier to treat. These earlier findings could be vital to improving early detection,
as more than 85 percent of ovarian cancer cases present in the advanced stages, when the
cancer has already spread and patients are more likely to have a recurrence after
treatment, said Dr. Robin Farias-Eisner, chief of gynecologic oncology and co-senior
author of the study with Dr. Srinu Reddy, a professor of medicine.
Periodontal disease and some
adverse perinatal outcomes in a cohort of low risk pregnant women
This cohort study included 327 pregnant women divided in groups with or without PD.
Indexes of plaque and gingival bleeding on probing, probing pocket depth, clinical
attachment level and gingival recession were evaluated at one periodontal examination
below 32 weeks of gestation. The rates of preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW),
small for gestational age (SGA) neonates and prelabor rupture of membranes (PROM) were
evaluated using Risk Ratios (95%CI) and Population Attributable Risk Fractions.PD was a
risk factor for PT, LBW and PROM among Brazilian low risk pregnant women.
Phase I Radiation Oncology Clinical
Trials Are More Toxic Than Suspected
Risks to patients enrolled in Phase I radiation oncology clinical trials are higher than
previously appreciated, according to a study conducted by researchers from the Kimmel
Cancer Center at Jefferson. The findings will be presented at the American Society of
Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) annual meeting in San Diego. The researchers, who reviewed 102
radiation oncology phase I clinical trials conducted around the world, found the risk of
major toxicity was significant – there were four major toxic events for every 10
patients treated. The risk of death, however, was low at less than one percent.
Physical activity, vitamin D cut
risk of common cold
Researchers at Appalachian State University in North Carolina suggest engaging in regular
physical activity or exercise may boost a person's immunity against upper respiratory
tract infection (URTI) or common cold.
Pitt study finds NSAIDs cause stem
cells to self-destruct, preventing colon cancer
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) prevent colon cancer by triggering diseased
stem cells to self-destruct, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh
Cancer Institute (UPCI) and the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Their
findings, reported in the early online version of this week's Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, could lead to new strategies to protect people at high risk for the
disease. Doctors have long known that NSAIDs, such as aspirin, can lower the risk of colon
cancer, but it's not been clear how they do it, said senior investigator Lin Zhang, Ph.D.,
associate professor, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology, Pitt School of
Medicine, and UPCI.
Plants and animals under stress may
provide the key to better stock market predictions
Stock markets react to crisis in a similar way to plants and the human body, according to
a major new study that may help to predict future financial down-turns. An extensive
analysis of biological and financial data suggests that systems under stress exhibit
similar symptoms, whether they be polluted forests, cancer patients or the FTSE 100. There
is an uncanny parallel between the way that humans, animals and plants adapt to harsh
living conditions and the behaviour under stress of stock market prices and the banking
sector, according to a report on the study by a team of academics led by Alexander Gorban,
a Professor of Applied Mathematics at the University of Leicester, and including Tatiana
Tyukina from the University of Leicester and Professor Elena Smirnova from the Siberian
Federal University, Russia.
Plenty of foods harbor BPA, study
finds
Some communities have banned the sale of plastic baby bottles and sippy cups manufactured
using bisphenol A, a hormone-mimicking chemical. In a few grocery stores, cashiers have
already begun donning gloves to avoid handling thermal receipt paper out of fear its
BPA-based surface coating may rub off on the fingers. But how’s a family to avoid
exposure to this contaminant when it taints the food supply?
Pollutants Tied to Poorer IVF
Outcomes
Exposure to environmental pollutants appears to decrease a woman's chances of becoming
pregnant with assisted reproductive technology, three studies showed.
Postmenopausal Breast Cancer Is
Associated with Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution in Montreal, Canada: A
Case–Control Study
We found evidence of an association between the incidence of postmenopausal breast cancer
and exposure to ambient concentrations of NO2. Further studies are needed to confirm
whether NO2 or other components of traffic-related pollution are indeed associated with
increased risks.
Potential Mechanism behind
Increased Susceptibility in Rats Exposed Prenatally to BPA
Exposure to environmental factors before birth or during other critical periods of
development can cause subtle changes in a tissue’s molecular foundations, leading to
health effects later in life. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) is linked to cellular
and structural changes in the mammary glands of adult rats and increased susceptibility to
chemically induced cancer. New research now suggests a possible mechanism of action for
this increase in cancer susceptibility via altered protein expression patterns in rat
mammary gland tissue [EHP 118(11):1614–1619; Betancourt et al.].
Protesters raise Bhopal and Bt
cotton
The protests, held under the banner of the Vidarbha Jan Andolan Samiti — a pressure
group which has been documenting distressed farmers' suicides — sought to draw his
attention to the plight of the region's agriculture sector caused by 'American policies'.
Report links mercury on Cape Cod to
global pollution
Unlike many other states, Massachusetts significantly reduced mercury emissions coming
from electric power plants and incinerators in recent years.
Risks and Benefits of Pool
Chlorination, with Manolis Kogevinas
The same disinfectants used to sanitize pools for swimmers can also combine with organic
matter in the water to produce potentially toxic disinfection by-products.
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.
School kids still have access to
sugary drinks, whole milk
About half of elementary school children in the USA could buy high-fat milk, sodas, sports
drinks and fruit drinks in school à la carte lines, snack bars, vending machines and
stores during 2008-2009, a new study shows.
Scientists at IRB Barcelona
discover a new protein critical for mitochondria
A study by the team headed by Lluís Ribas de Pouplana, ICREA professor at the Institute
for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), has been chosen as “Paper of the
week” in the December issue of the Journal of Biological Chemistry, which is already
available online. The article describes the discovery of a new protein in the fly
Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) that is crucial for mitochondria. The removal of SLIMP
in these flies leads to aberrant mitochondria and loss of metabolic capacity, thus causing
death. The study, whose first author is Tanit Guitart, a PhD student in Ribas’ lab,
has been recognised as “Paper of the week” award because of the
“significance and global relevance” of the research performed. Furthermore, the
editors have included it among the best studies that have appeared in the journal this
year. Of the 6600 articles published, only between 50 and 100 receive the distinction of
“Article of the week”.
Scientists Discovered How Stem
Cells Respond to Nutrient Availability
A study by researchers at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies revealed that stem
cells can sense a decrease in available nutrients and respond by retaining only a small
pool of active stem cells for tissue maintenance. When, or if, favorable conditions
return, stem cell numbers multiply to accommodate increased demands on the tissue.
Elucidating the mechanisms by which hormonal signaling influences stem cell behavior under
normal conditions and in response to stress provides important insights into the
activities of stem cells in regenerative medicine, during wound repair, and in individuals
experiencing metabolic stress. The findings are published in the Nov. 4, 2010, online
edition of the journal Current Biology.
Scientists uncover a genetic switch
that turns immune responses on and off
Scientists are keeping their eye on a new discovery published in the November 2011 print
issue of the FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) that explains what causes some genes to
go out of control. Scientists have identified a "cellular switch," called eye
transformer, that controls the flow of information from chemical signals outside of the
cell to genes in the cell nucleus. This study demonstrates that when eye transformer is
turned off, the information pathway it controls (the "JAK/STAT pathway")
hyper-activates. Because this pathway exists in humans and is involved in many conditions
such as cancer, severe immune deficiencies, autoimmune diseases, and allergies, this
discovery reveals a new and potentially important drug target for these conditions.
Scientists unlock how trans fats
harm arteries
The method by which dietary trans fats cause hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis)
may have been identified by a new study on mice fed a high trans fat diet.
Shift work linked to higher risk of
work injury
Canadians who work night and rotating shifts are almost twice as likely to be injured on
the job than those working regular day shifts, according to a study by researchers at the
University of British Columbia. The study, published in the current issue of the
Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment and Health, examined data on more than 30,000
Canadians collected as part of Statistics Canada’s Survey of Labour and Income
Dynamics and compared results between workers involved in different types of shift work
from 1996-2006. It shows that while the overall rate of work injuries in Canada decreased
during this time, the rate of injuries did not decline for night shift workers.
Shift work raises risk of work
injury
Working the night shift isn't just annoying; it might actually leave you at increased risk
for injury.
Short-Term Changes in Respiratory
Biomarkers after Swimming in a Chlorinated Pool
We detected a slight increase in serum CC16, a marker of lung epithelium permeability, in
healthy adults after they swam in an indoor chlorinated pool. Exercise and DBP exposure
explained this association, without involving inflammatory mechanisms. Further research is
needed to confirm the results, establish the clinical relevance of short-term serum CC16
changes, and evaluate the long-term health impacts.
Skin is no barrier to BPA, study
shows
It may also explain why a survey due to appear in an upcoming issue of Environmental
Health Perspectives found that among nearly 400 pregnant Cincinnati-area women, the
highest BPA concentrations were in cashiers.
Sleeping on a problem is best way
to solve it, say scientists
Sleeping on a problem may really be the best way to solve it, researchers have discovered.
Small-scale farmers march to
Parliament over GM maize
Emerging farmers who are farming land between Khayelitsha and Eerste Rivier picketed
outside Parliament on Thursday in protest against the widespread use of genetically
modified maize in South Africa. Other issues highlighted by the vocal group of about 50
farmers belonging to the iThemba Farmers Association were the slow pace of land reform and
the eviction of small-scale farmers from government land.
Social Class May Impact Treatment
for Depression
Current treatments for depression don't help working-class and poor patients as much as
they help middle-class patients improve their ability to function at work, according to a
recent University of Illinois at Chicago study. Depression has a profound impact on an
individual's productivity. That's particularly true among individuals in lower social
classes and with lower levels of education, such as many of those in sales and support
jobs, says Lydia Falconnier, assistant professor in UIC's Jane Addams College of Social
Work.
Socialising can cause sleep
problems
People who regularly socialise are more likely to suffer sleep problems, new research
suggests.
Soft drinks boost pancreatic cancer
risk - study
A study reported in the October 28, 2010 issue of the journal Nature suggests that it
takes about 20 years for a pancreatic cancer cell to develop into something that
eventually kills a person.
Starting Autism Treatment Early
Can early treatment for autism prevent later problems? A form of autism therapy has been
shown in randomized trials to significantly improve I.Q., language and social skills in
toddlers with autism, and researchers say it has even greater potential if it can be
started earlier, reports today’s Science Times.
Stomach Bacteria May Fight
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Caused by Salmonella
Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacterium, reduced the severity of inflammation of
the colon caused by Salmonella in mice, according to research from U-M Medical School
scientists. More than half the people in the world are infected with H. pylori, although
it is very unusual to find it in the United States. But this research shows there may be
an inflammation control benefit to hosting the H. pylori infection, says Peter Higgins,
M.D., Ph.D., M.Sc., lead author of the study published last week in the journal
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases.
Study Examines Corn Contamination,
Birth Defects
A Creighton University researcher is part of a team getting more than $2 million to study
a possible connection between contaminated corn products and birth defects.
Study finds fat hormone's
long-sought link to heart protection
One of the many advantages of maintaining a normal body weight is having healthy fat,
which in turn supports a healthy heart. Fat tissue is increasingly seen as more than just
a storage depot – it's also an active secretory organ that normally produces high
levels of a cardioprotective hormone called adiponectin. How adiponectin protects the
hearts of healthy people has long been a mystery, and now a team led by Barbara Ranscht,
Ph.D. and Pilar Ruiz-Lozano, Ph.D. at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
(Sanford-Burnham) reveals that the protein T-cadherin is the receptor that anchors
adiponectin to heart cells. This new study, published November 1 in The Journal of
Clinical Investigation, helps answer the longstanding question about how adiponectin
prevents stress-induced damage in the heart.
Study finds gene links to common
lymphoma cancer
Scientists have found three new gene variations linked to the development of Hodgkin
lymphoma, one of the most common cancers in young adults, and say the findings should help
in the development of better treatments.
Study Finds No Level of SHS
Exposure Free of Effects
People often wonder what level of exposure to SHS is harmful—is it a problem, for
instance, to hang out with smoking friends once or twice a week? Crystal’s study
“employs sophisticated molecular genetic techniques to address this very important
public health question of whether a threshold exists,” says Norman Edelman, a
professor of preventive medicine at Stony Brook University Medical Center and chief
medical officer at the American Lung Association. The finding that no level of tobacco
smoke exposure appeared safe “is important for informing both individual behavior and
public health policy,” Edelman says.
Study of babies' brain scans sheds
new light on the brain's unconscious activity and how it develops
Full-term babies are born with a key collection of networks already formed in their
brains, according to new research that challenges some previous theories about the brain's
activity and how the brain develops. The study is published today in the journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers led by a team from the MRC
Clinical Sciences Centre at Imperial College London used functional MRI scanning to look
at 'resting state' networks in the brains of 70 babies, born at between 29 and 43 weeks of
development, who were receiving treatment at Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust.
Study provides treatment hope for
long term effects of brain trauma
Brain damage continues to develop and evolve for months after a traumatic brain injury
(TBI), revealing a potential target for treatments to improve brain trauma, new research
led by the University of Melbourne has found.
Study Reveals How Autism-Risk Gene
Rewires the Brain
Many gene variants have been linked to autism, but how do these subtle changes alter the
brain, and ultimately, behavior? Using a blend of brain imaging and genetic detective
work, scientists at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine and Semel Institute for
Neuroscience and Human Behavior are the first to illustrate how a gene variant tied to
autism rewires the brain. Published in the Nov. 3 online edition of Science Translational
Medicine, their discovery offers the crucial missing physical evidence that links altered
genes to modified brain function and disrupted learning.
Study shows volunteering benefits
those with functional limitations
Volunteering is known to provide health benefits to the person doing the volunteering.
Now, a new study finds that older adults with functional limitations (trouble conducting
daily tasks like cooking meals) in particular appear to reap the benefits from helping
others. The new study addresses the question of whether the impact of volunteering on risk
of mortality was stronger for older adults with or without functional limitations.
"As functional limitations increase, the risk of dying increases, but not among those
who volunteered," said Morris Okun, an Arizona State University professor of
psychology. "By helping other people, you are actually helping yourself." With
the leading edge of the Baby Boomers approaching 65 years old, the study raises some
interesting possibilities for our nation, Okun said.
Swimmer, Protect Thyself - Cleaning
Up the Pool Environment
As scientists explore the possible links between microbes, chemicals, and health, some say
the known risks can be mitigated by improved swimmer hygiene, which includes showering
with soap before entering the pool. This not only reduces the chances of pools becoming
contaminated with Cryptosporidium and other germs but also can help reduce the amount of
chemicals needed in the pool.
Take a break - it's good for you
Scientists at the University of Essex are embarking on a new project to build on their
existing research into the benefits of enjoying the great outdoors. Research at Essex has
already uncovered how just a small ‘dose of nature’ can affect people’s
mental well-being. Now, thanks to a £90,000 grant from the British Heart Foundation, a
team will investigate the link between taking a break in natural green spaces and
combating work stress.
The Benefits of Organ Meats
organ meats are demonized for having fat and cholesterol. This is truly a shame, because
organ meats from grassfed animals are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available,
being packed with vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and other nutrients.
The Fight to End Slave Labor in Our
Fields Is Bearing Fruit
In Florida alone, the DoJ has prosecuted seven farm slavery operations with over 1,000
captive workers. More than a dozen farm labor supervisors have served time in federal
prison.
The Human Right to Water, at Last
This is a first step, not a last step. Will finally acknowledging a human right to water
and sanitation solve the world's water and sanitation problems?
The Joy of Fat, Why We Lost It, and
How to Get It Back
The natural fat on a piece of grassfed meat cooks down into the meat, keeping the meat
tender while adding fantastic flavor and nutrients.
The Magic of Meat and
Potatoes—and Fat
Meat has been demonized as unhealthy in a myriad of ways. Potatoes, with their high
glycemic index and starch content, have also come under attack, and are avoided by the
low-carb movement.
Three genes, double trouble for
nicotine addiction and lung disease
There is a clever saying that’s sometimes used to sum up human predisposition to
disease: “Genetics loads the gun and environment pulls the trigger.” Paul D.
Gardner, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, Andrew R. Tapper, PhD, assistant
professor of psychiatry, and GSBS student Reina Improgo, have identified a trio of genes
that not only load the gun, they put a finger on the trigger when it comes to the
relationship between nicotine addiction and lung disease.
Toxic chemicals found deep at BP
oil spill site
Toxic chemicals at levels high enough to kill sea animals extended deep underwater soon
after the BP oil spill, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.
Toxic Chemicals in Toys and
Children’s Products
New efforts to solve this problem would benefit from a better understanding of the root
causes, a clear view of the roles of government, manufacturers, and retailers, and an
awareness of the constructive role that the nonprofit sector can play. Effective
regulation is an essential precondition, necessary to establish an acceptable baseline
level of safety for product manufacturers, as well as for the government agencies that are
responsible for enforcing safety standards. The road ahead will certainly be challenging.
However, until significant changes in policy and practice occur, consumers cannot be
confident that products they purchase for children are safe, healthy, and environmentally
sustainable.
UMass Medical School study points
to genetic link in apnea of prematurity
A potentially life-threatening challenge characterized by pauses in breathing that can
last for more than 20 seconds, apnea of prematurity (AOP) affects more than 50 percent of
premature infants and is almost universal in the smallest of preemies. Caused in part by
an underdeveloped central nervous system that can't adequately regulate breathing outside
of the womb, especially during sleep, AOP is not yet fully understood by scientists and
remains a grave concern among neonatologists and parents alike. New research published in
the October issue of Pediatrics by clinical scientists at the University of Massachusetts
Medical School suggests that heredity may play a strong role in determining an infant's
susceptibility to AOP and could lead to the development of more effective treatments and
screening methods.
Understaffing 'putting premature
babies at risk'
Neonatal units are being chronically understaffed, putting the lives of premature babies
at risk, according to a charity.
Utah researchers discover how brain
is wired for attention
University of Utah (U of U) medical researchers have uncovered a wiring diagram that shows
how the brain pays attention to visual, cognitive, sensory, and motor cues. The research
provides a critical foundation for the study of abnormalities in attention that can be
seen in many brain disorders such as autism, schizophrenia, and attention deficit
disorder. The study appears Nov. 1, 2010, online in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
UV light nearly doubles vacuum's
effectiveness in reducing carpet microbes
New research suggests that the addition of ultraviolet light to the brushing and suction
of a vacuum cleaner can almost double the removal of potentially infectious microorganisms
from a carpet's surface when compared to vacuuming alone. Researchers say the findings
suggest that incorporating the germicidal properties of UV light into vacuuming might have
promise in reducing allergens and pathogens from carpets, as well. "What this tells
us is there is a commercial vacuum with UV technology that's effective at reducing surface
microbes. This has promise for public health, but we need more data," said Timothy
Buckley, associate professor and chair of environmental health sciences at Ohio State
University and senior author of the study. "Carpets are notorious as a source for
exposure to a lot of bad stuff, including chemicals, allergens and microbes. We need tools
that are effective and practical to reduce the associated public health risk. This vacuum
technology appears to be a step in the right direction."
Vaccination rates spark epidemic
fear
WELL-OFF eastern suburbs and northern beaches parents helped drive a recent epidemic of
whooping cough because many refused to vaccinate their children.
Veterans with biopolar disorder may
have increased risk of suicide
Veterans diagnosed with any psychiatric illness appear to have an elevated risk of
suicide, and men with bipolar disorder and women with substance abuse disorders may have a
particularly high risk, according to a report in the November issue of Archives of General
Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Vitamin D deficiency linked to
learning deficit in Alzheimer's animals
A new study in International Journal of Neuroscience suggests that vitamin D deficiency
intensifies the spatial learning deficit in Alzheimer's disease, a common form of
dementia.
We've Been Conned. The Deal to Save
the Natural World Never Happened
'Countries join forces to save life on Earth", the front page of the Independent told
us. "Historic", "a landmark", a "much-needed morale
booster", the other papers chorused. The declaration agreed last week at the summit
in Japan to protect the world's wild species and places was proclaimed by almost everyone
a great success. There is one problem: none of the journalists who made these claims has
seen it.
Where Has All The Water Gone?
A couple of weeks ago TheGreenGrok covered a paper by Tajdarul Syed of the University of
California, Irvine, et al who used hydrologic data to estimate the rates at which water
flowed from the continents to the sea. They found that the rate rose over the study period
from 1994 to 2006 and that the strongest component of that increase was an increase in
evaporation over the ocean. The authors noted that such trends, if they continue into the
future, would be evidence of an intensification of the hydrologic cycle, in which
increased evaporation over the ocean leads to increased precipitation over the continents
and subsequently more river discharge into the ocean.0
Why Burning Plants Instead of
Fossil Fuels Won't Save the Climate
While there is no doubt that we need to kick our fossil fuel addiction, how we move to
cleaner and greener ways of living is still under debate. Our first attempts at using
biofuels, particularly ethanol, have been largely disastrous.
Why experts say men are the weaker
sex
When it comes to health, men really are the weaker sex and this is an imbalance that needs
redressing, say experts.
Why Low-Carb Diets are Inferior For
Strength & Muscle Gains
In The Fat Loss Bible, I reviewed the evidence showing ketogenic low-carb diets are an
extremely poor choice for those seeking to preserve and build muscle. A number of recent
studies now show even non-ketogenic low-carb diets are best avoided by those seeking
increased muscle and strength.
Why would Channel 4 attempt to
discredit the environmental movement?
What the Green Movement Got Wrong is a documentary film that claims "that by clinging
to an ideology formed more than 40 years ago, the traditional green lobby has failed in
its aims and is ultimately harming its own environmental cause."
Widespread deficiency leads to
massive boost in vitamin D sales
And even though many doctors still do not test vitamin D levels or prescribe vitamin D
supplements to their patients, sales of the vitamin continue to skyrocket.
With All Eyes on the Gulf, BP
Alaska Facilities Are Still at Risk
BP employees and contractors in Alaska say the facilities there were built in the 1970s to
operate for about 15 years. When the company realized there was far more oil to be had, it
extended the operation for several more decades. Now workers say equipment, like these
high pressure gas lines, isn't inspected frequently enough and is being "run to
failure," risking a leak and a major explosion.
Women with Cancer in One Breast
Increasingly Opt to Have Both Removed Despite a Paucity of Evidence Showing a Survival
Benefit
Surgeons conducting the largest study yet of women who have cancer in one breast but have
both removed have found that this option has grown rapidly despite a lack of evidence that
it improves long-term life expectancy. Their findings were recently reported in a study of
almost 1.2 million women whose cases are documented in the National Cancer Data Base
(NCDB) of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). The study was published in the October
issue of Annals of Surgical Oncology. The researchers reviewed almost 1.2 million patients
who had cancer diagnosed in one breast between 1998 and 2007. Results defined patterns in
the use of the surgical procedure to remove the noncancerous companion breast during
mastectomy for the primary cancerous breast, a procedure called contralateral prophylactic
mastectomy, or CPM. The researchers did not look at survival after the procedure, but
study authors said they would investigate survival in the future once data has become
mature.
Young Chinese farmers sowing seeds
for organic revolution
The idea of organic farming is still new to much of rural China. Some farmers hold to old
traditions and even ridicule the idea of farming without pesticides.
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