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Week 50
A Bottled-Water Drama In Fiji
For 20 years, the Fiji Water company has been tapping an aquifer in Fiji for its bottled
water and paying a tax of one-third of a cent per liter. Now the Fiji government wants 15
cents per liter. This week, Fiji Water said no and shut down operations, but only for a
day. The company is a major employer on the island, and hundreds of Fijians would be
without work if the factory shut down. NPR's Guy Raz talks to Charles Fishman, a
journalist who has written about the bottled water business for Fast Company magazine.
A Closer Look at Climate Change
Skepticism
The popular press usually presents the debate over climate change as consisting of two
polar arguments: The Earth is warming versus the Earth is not warming. However, among
scientists themselves, the debate is far different. Most skeptics in the science community
no longer deny warming. Instead, their debate is over the reasons behind the warming and
what, if any, policy action should be taken.
A Fountain of Youth in Your Muscles
Working out can help you shed pounds — but that's just the beginning. New research
from Tel Aviv University has found that "endurance exercises," like a Central
Park jog or a spinning class, can make us look younger. The key, exercise, unlocks the
stem cells of our muscles.
A third of LGBT youth suffer mental
disorders
One-third of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth have attempted suicide in their
lifetime -- a prevalence comparable to urban, minority youth -- but a majority do not
experience mental illness, according to a report by researchers at the University
ofIllinois at Chicago. The study, published online and in the December issue of the
American Journal of Public Health, is the first to report the frequency of mental
disorders in LGBT youth using the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV). Previous studies have relied on
questionnaire-type surveys which, the authors suggest, may overestimate mental disorders
in certain groups.
Active surveillance for low-risk
prostate cancer may offer better quality-of-life
In a study that compared initial treatment strategies for low-risk prostate cancer among
men 65 years old, active surveillance showed higher measures on quality of life compared
to an initial treatment such as radical prostatectomy, although the optimal strategy was
highly dependent on individual patient preferences for surveillance or treatment,
according to a study in the December 1 issue of JAMA. In 2009, 192,000 men were diagnosed
as having prostate cancer in the United States. Of these men, 70 percent will have been
classified as having low-risk, clinically localized disease, and more than 90 percent will
have undergone initial treatment, although up to 60 percent of men diagnosed as having
prostate cancer may not require therapy. "Initial treatment choices include surgical
resection [removal] or radiation therapy. The majority of men experience at least 1
adverse effect of treatment," according to background information in the article.
Active surveillance is a strategy of close monitoring for carefully selected patients with
low-risk prostate cancer, with the intent being to avert treatment unless disease
progression occurs or a patient chooses treatment.
Acupuncture changes brain's
perception and processing of pain
Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), researchers have captured pictures of
the brain while patients experienced a pain stimulus with and without acupuncture to
determine acupuncture's effect on how the brain processes pain. Results of the study,
which the researchers say suggest the effectiveness of acupuncture, were presented today
at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). "Until
now, the role of acupuncture in the perception and processing of pain has been
controversial," said lead researcher Nina Theysohn, M.D., from the Department of
Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology at University Hospital in
Essen, Germany. "Functional MRI gives us the opportunity to directly observe areas of
the brain that are activated during pain perception and see the variances that occur with
acupuncture." fMRI measures the tiny metabolic changes that take place in an active
part of the brain, while a patient performs a task or is exposed to a specific external
stimulus.
ADHD - An Overview for
Environmental Health Researchers
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most frequently diagnosed childhood
neurobehavioral disorder, but its etiology is not fully understood. Aguiar et al. (p.
1646) provide a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic criteria for ADHD and review what
is known about its biological basis and the neuropsychological functions affected by ADHD.
The literature suggests that vigilance (sustained attention), response inhibition, and
working memory are impaired in children with ADHD. In addition, there is less consistent
evidence of impairments in alertness, cognitive flexibility, and planning as well as
deficits in temporal information processing and altered responses to reinforcement. The
authors conclude that there are substantial behavioral, neuroanatomical, and neurochemical
differences between children diagnosed with ADHD and non-ADHD controls, and suggest that
comparing neurobehavioral deficits associated with ADHD and exposures to environmental
chemicals may help reveal common biological mechanisms and possibly identify environmental
risk factors for ADHD.
ADHD and Environmental Risk
Factors, with Susan Schantz
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most frequently diagnosed
neurobehavioral problems in children, yet the causes remain a mystery. Host Ashley Ahearn
talks with Susan Schantz about potential environmental risk factors for ADHD.
ADHD and Polyfluoroalkyl Chemicals
Humans are widely exposed to polyfluoroalkyl chemicals (PFCs), and results of experimental
studies on animals suggest that PFCs may be developmental neurotoxicants. Hoffman et al.
(p. 1762) used cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination
Survey (NHANES) to estimate associations between serum levels of four PFCs
[perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic
acid (PFNA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)] and attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in 571 children 12–15 years of age, including
48 children with a previous diagnosis of ADHD. The authors report that serum levels of all
four PFCs were positively associated with ADHD, and recommend additional studies to
confirm these associations.
ADHD, Lead, and PCBs
Eubig et al. (p. 1654) review evidence from laboratory research and observational studies
concerning neurobehavioral deficits that may be associated with attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and exposures to environmental chemicals. The
authors observe that deficits in attention and executive function associated with exposure
to lead or polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are similar to those reported in children
diagnosed with ADHD. In particular, existing evidence suggests that lead may affect both
attention and response inhibition, whereas PCBs may primarily affect response inhibition.
In addition, the authors note that low-level lead exposure has been associated with a
clinical diagnosis of ADHD, whereas studies of PCBs and clinically diagnosed ADHD have not
been published. They conclude that exposures to environmental contaminants, including lead
and PCBs, may be contributing to the increased prevalence of ADHD.
Air pollution tied to babies' ear
infection risk
Babies and toddlers who live in areas with moderate air pollution may have a higher risk
of middle-ear infection than those breathing cleaner air, a Canadian study suggests.
Air Pollution, Temperature, and
Cardiac Repolarization
Ambient particulate matter (PM) and changes in air temperature have been associated with
adverse cardiopulmonary events, and with changes in heart rate (HR) and HR variablity.
Hampel et al. (p. 1755) hypothesized that effects may be mediated in part through effects
on cardiac repolarization. The authors collected 1,745 16-sec ECGs from 67 myocardial
infarction survivors over 10 months and evaluated changes in HR and ECG parameters in
association with hourly ambient air pollution concentrations and temperature changes
measured at fixed monitoring sites. PM levels were associated with immediate HR increases
only among obese participants and participants who were not using beta-adrenergic receptor
blockers. Associations between PM and T-wave amplitude varied from positive associations
with current PM concentration to inverse associations with lagged PM. There was also an
inverse U-shaped association between T-wave amplitude and temperature. The authors suggest
that subclinical effects on HR and cardiac repolarization may be precursors of arrythmias.
Alternative therapies may leave
asthmatics gasping
Approximately 13 percent of parents turn to alternative therapies to treat their
children's asthma, according to a new study from the Université de Montréal. The
findings, published recently in the Canadian Respiratory Journal, suggest that this trend
is associated with a two-fold higher rate of poor asthma control in children.
Apple-shaped women more prone to
osteoporosis
Overweight, apple-shaped women are more at risk of developing osteoporosis than those who
are pear-shaped, a study has found.
Are good-looking people more
employable? New Ben-Gurion University study
"Good looks" are only sometimes a positive factor in consideration for a job,
according to new research from Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU). In the new
working paper, "Are Good-Looking People More Employable?" two economics
researchers from BGU prove that a double standard exists between good looks as a positive
factor in men and women. The research involved sending 5,312 CVs (resumes) in pairs to
2,656 advertised job openings in Israel. In each pair, one CV was without a picture while
the second, otherwise almost identical CV, contained a picture of either an attractive
male/female or a plain-looking male/female. The dependent measure was whether the employer
e-mails or calls back the candidate for an interview. Overall, the response rate was 14.5
percent. "Unlike Anglo-Saxon countries such as the U.S., Canada, Australia and the
U.K, it isn't taboo in Israel to embed a headshot of oneself in the top corner of one's
job resume," explains BGU economics researcher and lecturer Dr. Bradley Ruffle.
"Rather, the choice to include a photograph on one's job resume is left to the
candidate with the result that some do, while others don't. This fact makes Israel an
opportune location to explore the effect of a picture and its attractiveness, or lack
thereof, on the likelihood of being invited for a job interview.
Arsenic-polluted water toxic to
Bangladesh economy
The well-reported arsenic contamination of drinking water in Bangladesh – called the
"largest mass poisoning of a population in history" by the World Health
Organization and known to be responsible for a host of slow-developing diseases – has
now been shown to have an immediate and toxic effect on the struggling nation's economy.
An international team of economists is the first to identify a dramatic present-day
consequence of the contaminated groundwater wells, in addition to the longer-term damages
expected to occur in coming years. According to research published online in the American
Journal of Agricultural Economics, exposure to arsenic in rural Bangladesh is poisonous to
the nation's economy, reducing the labor supply by 8 percent.
Association between exposure to
radiofrequency electromagnetic fields assessed by dosimetry and acute symptoms in children
and adolescents: a population based cross-sectional study.
The increase in numbers of mobile phone users was accompanied by some concern that
exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF EMF) might adversely affect acute
health especially in children and adolescents. The authors investigated this potential
association using personal dosimeters.
AstraZeneca raided in drugs
collusion investigation
AstraZeneca was raided by European competition authorities investigating whether
pharmaceutical companies colluded to keep cheaper generic drugs off the market.
Attention in Children and
Organophosphate Pesticides
Organophosphate (OP) pesticides are well-known neurotoxicants that have been associated
with neurobehavioral deficits in children. Marks et al. (p. 1768) evaluated
attention-related outcomes among Mexican-American children participanting in the CHAMACOS
study (331 children 3.5 years and 323 children 5 years of age), and measured urinary
dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites in the children and in their mothers during pregnancy
to determine OP exposure. The authors report that prenatal DAP levels were positively but
not significantly associated with maternal reports of attention problems or attention
deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at 3.5 years, and were significantly associated with
these outcomes at 5 years. Some associations appeared to be modified by sex, with
associations found only among boys. There was also limited evidence of associations
between the outcomes and DAP levels measured in the children. The authors conclude that in
utero DAPs and, to a lesser extent, DAPs in children, were associated adversely with
attention.
Belly fat puts women at risk for
osteoporosis
For years, it was believed that obese women were at lower risk for developing
osteoporosis, and that excess body fat actually protected against bone loss. However, a
study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America
(RSNA) found that having too much internal abdominal fat may, in fact, have a damaging
effect on bone health. "We know that obesity is a major public health problem,"
said the study's lead author, Miriam A. Bredella, M.D., a radiologist at Massachusetts
General Hospital and assistant professor of radiology at Harvard Medical School in Boston.
"Now we know that abdominal obesity needs to be included as a risk factor for
osteoporosis and bone loss." According to the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention (CDC), approximately 72 million American adults are considered obese. The CDC
defines obesity as having a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more. Obesity is associated
with many health problems including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high cholesterol,
asthma, sleep apnea and joint diseases. Yet despite all the health issues, it was commonly
accepted that women with increased body weight were at lower risk for bone loss.
Bird-brained? Birds’
personalities are correlated with their hormone levels
Any dog or cat owner will agree that animals have personalities but it may come as a
surprise to many to learn that birds also do. As an example, individual birds vary in
their levels of curiosity, with distinctions being made between “fast” and
“slow” explorers. A considerable body of research has examined the differences
between fast and slow birds but the levels of stress hormones (glucocorticoids) have not
previously been investigated, although these hormones are known to be important in a
number of aspects of bird behaviour. Mareike Stöwe at the University of Veterinary
Medicine, Vienna has now shown significant differences in the levels of glucocorticoids in
fast and slow birds. She also found that fast birds respond to stress by dramatically
increasing their glucocorticoid levels, while slow birds exhibit a much moderate response.
Blame the environment: Why vaccines
may be ineffective for some people
A new discovery may explain why a tuberculosis vaccine is not as effective for some people
as anticipated, and potentially explains why other vaccines do not work as well for some
as they do for others. In a research report presented in the December 2010 issue of the
Journal of Leukocyte Biology (http://www.jleukbio.org), scientists from Singapore show
that Mycobacterium chelonae, a common environmental bacterium found in soil and water, can
decrease the effectiveness of the bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) vaccine used to prevent
tuberculosis, especially in countries outside of the United States.
Blood vessel dysfunction linked to
heart disease also impacts Alzheimer’s
A dysfunction in the lining of blood vessels that is linked to cardiovascular illness also
appears to play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s disease, according to a
study published in Circulation Research: Journal of the American Heart Association.
Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain condition that typically affects people
age 60 and older, depriving them of memory, reasoning and other cognitive skills. As many
as 5 million Americans have Alzheimer’s, according to the National Institutes of
Health. Two distinct anomalies in the brain are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s:
neurofibrillary tangles, twisted fibers composed primarily of a protein called tau that
arise inside nerve cells, or neurons; and amyloid plaques, a buildup between neurons of
protein fragments called amyloid beta peptides.
BPA May Inhibit Pregnancy
Exposure to the chemical BPA very early in life might make it hard to get pregnant later
on.
Brittle bones and heart disease go
hand in hand
Norwegian studies indicate that people with osteoporosis have a greater risk of developing
cardiovascular disease, and vice versa. Now researchers believe they have found a
biological system that may influence both disease processes
Broccoli, PTEN deletion and
prostate cancer: where is the link ?
The concept that vegetables and fruits are relevant sources of cancer-preventive
substances is strongly supported by population studies. Among others, cruciferous
vegetables like broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts are thought to affect
the development of various types of cancers and especially prostate tumors.
Cadmium and Carcinogenic Aromatic
Amine Acetylation
Exposure to both cadmium (Cd) and carcinogenic organic compounds such as polycyclic
aromatic hydrocarbons or aromatic amines (AAs) is a common environmental problem. Human
arylamine N-acetyltransferases (NATs) are xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes that play a key
role in the biotransformation of AA carcinogens. Previous studies suggest that variation
in NAT activity may influence susceptibility to cancers associated with AA exposures.
Ragunathan et al. (p. 1685) explored effects of Cd on NAT-dependent biotransformation of
carcinogenic AAs. They report that Cd impaired NAT-dependent acetylation of carcinogenic
AA in lung epithelial cells, and that Cd exposure impaired NAT activity in mice. In
addition, NAT1 was rapidly and irreversibly inhibited by Cd, and substrate protection
assays indicated that Cd-mediated inhibition resulted from a reaction with the active-site
cysteine residue of the enzyme. Results for human NAT2 were similar, although NAT2 was
less sensitive to Cd-mediated inactivation than NAT1. The authors conclude that Cd can
alter the metabolism of carcinogenic AAs through effects on the NAT-dependent pathway.
Cadmium Confusion - Do Consumers
Need Protection?
High-profile recalls of consumer products containing cadmium raised public awareness of
this naturally occurring and ubiquitous metal. Although cadmium’s toxicity has been
well documented, the decision by the Consumer Product Safety Commission not to to pursue
regulation of the metal in consumer goods has left many consumers confused about weather
cadmium poses a threat or not.
Cadmium, Blood Pressure, and
Hypertension
Gallagher and Melider (p. 1676) critically reviewed the literature concerning the
association between blood and urine cadmium (BCd and UCd) and blood pressure (BP) in
nonoccupationally exposed populations. A number of individual studies have reported
associations between BCd and systolic BP in nonsmoking women and in premenopausal women,
and between BCd and diastolic BP in women, especially in premenopausal women.
Meta-analyses also indicate positive associations between BCd and systolic and diastolic
BP in women, and suggest an inverse association between UCd and hypertension in men and
women. The authors conclude that the existing evidence supports a positive association
between BCd and BP, especially in women, but note that there have been few
population-based studies of people who have never smoked cigarettes, which are a common
source of Cd exposure. In addition, they suggest that evidence of an inverse association
between UCd and hypertension is limited by inconsistent definitions of health outcomes.
Cadmium, Lead, and Hormones in
Peripubertal Girls
Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) are reproductive toxicants that may disrupt hormone production
if exposure occurs during critical windows of development. Gollenberg et al. (p. 1782)
examined associations between blood Pb and urinary Cd concentrations and serum luteinizing
hormone and inhibin B levels in 705 girls 10–11 years of age in the Third National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES 1988–1994). Blood Pb was relatively
low in the population overall, but concentrations were inversely associated with inhibin
B, a marker of pubertal onset, with stronger associations when urinary Cd was also
increased. Based on their findings, the authors conclude that Pb and Cd may delay the
onset of puberty or alter its progression in young girls.
Caffeinated alcoholic beverages --
a growing public health problem
In the wake of multiple state bans on caffeinated alcoholic beverages (CABs) and an FDA
warning to four companies to remove their products from the marketplace, an article
published online today in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine delineates the scope
of the public health problem and suggests areas of research that might help address it.
Calif approves use of pesticide
linked to cancer
California regulators approved a pesticide Wednesday for use by fruit and vegetable
growers despite heavy opposition from environmental and farmworker groups that cited its
links to cancer.
Calif Approves Use of Pesticide
Linked to Cancer for Strawberries and Flowers
California regulators approved a pesticide Wednesday for use by fruit and vegetable
growers despite heavy opposition from environmental and farmworker groups that cited its
links to cancer.
Can engineered bugs help generate
biofuels? Study holds promise
the versatile organism Lactococcus lactis, the workhorse bacterium that helps turn milk
into cheese, may also be valuable in the understanding of how microbes turn the organic
compound cellulose into biofuels. New research from Concordia University, published in the
journal Microbial Cell Factories, suggests the bacterium can be engineered to transform
plant material into biofuels or other chemicals.
Checklist continues to stop
bloodstream infections in their tracks, this time in Rhode Island
Using a widely heralded Johns Hopkins checklist and other patient-safety tools, intensive
care units across the state of Michigan reduced the rate of potentially lethal bloodstream
infections to near zero. Now, led by the same Johns Hopkins patient-safety expert who
spearheaded the Michigan program, researchers in Rhode Island have shown the Michigan
results weren't just a fluke. The new study, published in the December issue of the
journal Quality and Safety in Health Care, found that the rate of central-line associated
bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) fell by 74 percent across Rhode Island's 23 ICUs over two
and a half years. Researchers estimate the interventions prevented 42 CLABSIs, saved 10
lives, reduced ICU stays by 608 days and saved $2 million. "This study verifies that
the Michigan results can be replicated across another entire state," says Peter
Pronovost, M.D., Ph.D., a professor of anesthesiology and critical care medicine at the
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, director of the Johns Hopkins Quality and
Safety Research Group and the study's leader. "We saw an even greater reduction in
bloodstream infections in Rhode Island, providing strong evidence that these patient
safety initiatives can be successful across the nation."
Choline and Fatty Liver
I've been writing about non-alcoholic fatty liver disorder (NAFLD) since the early days of
this blog, because it's an alarmingly common disorder (roughly a quarter of Americans
affected) that is typically undiagnosed. It often progresses into its more serious cousin
non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), an inflammatory condition that causes liver damage
and can progress to cancer. In a number of previous posts, I pinpointed excess sugar and
seed oil consumption as culprits in NAFLD and NASH. Chris Masterjohn recently published
two very informative posts on NAFLD/NASH that add a major additional factor to the
equation: choline (6, 7). Choline is an essential nutrient that's required for the
transport of fat out of the liver (8). NAFLD can be caused, and cured, simply by removing
or adding dietary choline, and it appears to be dominant over other dietary factors
including fat, sugar and alcohol. Apparently, certain researchers have been aware of this
for some time, but it hasn't entered into the mainstream consciousness.
Contact with dads drops when women
ovulate
Through an innovative use of cell phone records, researchers at UCLA, the University of
Miami and Cal State, Fullerton, have found that women appear to avoid contact with their
fathers during ovulation.
Dangerous levels of lead found in
used consumer products.
The problem of toxic lead in used consumer products is extremely widespread and present at
levels that are far beyond safe limits, researchers conclude in a new study.
Declining energy quality could be
root cause of current recession
An overlooked cause of the economic recession in the U.S. is a decade long decline in the
quality of the nation's energy supply, often measured as the amount of energy we get out
for a given energy input, says energy expert Carey King of The University of Texas at
Austin. Many economists have pointed to a bursting real estate bubble as the initial
trigger for the current recession, which in turn caused global investments in U.S. real
estate to turn sour and drag down the global economy. King suggests the real estate bubble
burst because individuals were forced to pay a higher and higher percentage of their
income for energy—including electricity, gasoline and heating oil—leaving less
money for their home mortgages.
Determinants of PM Toxicity in
Vitro
Proximity to traffic-related pollution has been associated with poor respiratory health in
adults and children, but effects of specific sources or components of PM air pollution are
uncertain. Guastadisegni et al. (p. 1728) examined effects of coarse PM (PM2.5–10)
and fine (PM0.1–2.5) fractions collected from nine different sites on inflammation in
murine monocytic-macrophagic RAW 264.7 cells. Cells were incubated with PM samples from
each site, and arachidonic acid release and the production of interleukin-6 and tumor
necrosis factor-? (TNF?) were measured to assess inflammatory responses according to PM
composition. The authors report that inflammatory responses varied markedly but did not
appear to be enhanced in response to PM from high-traffic sites. In contrast, some of the
strongest effects were observed in response to PM from nontraffic sources, and were
related to the content of endotoxin and transition metals in PM2.5–10. The authors
conclude that PM from traffic sources did not appear to enhance proinflammatory activity
in vitro.
Diabetes may clamp down on brain
cholesterol
The brain contains more cholesterol than any other organ in the body, has to produce its
own cholesterol and won't function normally if it doesn't churn out enough. Defects in
cholesterol metabolism have been linked with Alzheimer's disease and other
neurodegenerative conditions. Now researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered
that diabetes can affect how much cholesterol the brain can make. cientists in the
laboratory of C. Ronald Kahn, M.D., head of Joslin's Integrative Physiology and Metabolism
research section, found that brain cholesterol synthesis, the only source of cholesterol
for the brain, drops in several mouse models of diabetes. Their work was reported online
in the journal Cell Metabolism on November 30. "Since cholesterol is required by
neurons to form synapses (connections) with other cells, this decrease in cholesterol
could affect how nerves function for appetite regulation, behavior, memory and even pain
and motor activity," says Dr. Kahn, who is also Mary K. Iacocca Professor of Medicine
at Harvard Medical School. "Thus, this has broad implications for people with
diabetes." Other investigations have gathered strong evidence that people with
diabetes may display varying types of alterations in brain function or ways of responding
to stress, he points out. "It is well known that insulin and diabetes play an
important role in regulating cholesterol synthesis in the liver, where most of the
cholesterol circulating in blood comes from," Dr. Kahn adds. "But nobody had
ever suspected that insulin and diabetes would play an important role in cholesterol
synthesis in the brain." In addition to its potential role in Alzheimer's disease and
other forms of neurological dysfunction, the newly discovered mechanism may play a role in
diabetic neuropathy, which remains a large challenge for therapy.
Diabetes may clamp down on
cholesterol the brain needs
The brain contains more cholesterol than any other organ in the body, has to produce its
own cholesterol and won't function normally if it doesn't churn out enough. Defects in
cholesterol metabolism have been linked with Alzheimer's disease and other
neurodegenerative conditions. Now researchers at Joslin Diabetes Center have discovered
that diabetes can affect how much cholesterol the brain can make.People with diabetes are
also known to be more prone to depression, memory loss and eating disorders than people
without diabetes, and imaging studies have shown that people with diabetes have altered
brain function compared to those without. Additionally, the finding raises a question
about potential interactions between anti-cholesterol drugs and diabetes. In the Joslin
study, scientists first examined gene expression in the hypothalamus of a mouse model of
insulin-deficient (type 1) diabetes. They found decreased expression for almost all of the
genes of cholesterol synthesis, including a gene called SREBP-2, which acts as a master
regulator for cholesterol production. Similar findings were present in the cerebral cortex
and other regions of the brain in these animals and also found in several other mouse
models of diabetes. In the insulin-deficient animals, this phenomenon was associated with
decreased cholesterol synthesis. Treatment of the mice with insulin, either by normal
injection or injection into the fluid surrounding the brain, reversed the process.
"Our studies showed that these effects occurred in both the neurons and supporting
'glial' cells that help provide some nutrients to the neurons," says Kahn.
"Ultimately this affects the amount of cholesterol that can get into the membranes of
the neuron, which form the synapses and the synaptic vesicles—the small structures
that contain neurotransmitters." Additionally, the Joslin work showed a connection
between the decrease in brain cholesterol synthesis and appetite. When the scientists took
normal mice and temporarily reduced cholesterol creation in the hypothalamus with a
technique known as RNA interference, the animals started eating more and gained
significant weight. Previous studies by other labs have demonstrated that diabetes may
affect brain hormones involved in appetite regulation.
Diabetic brains suffer from lack of
cholesterol
Our brains are packed with cholesterol, almost all of which has to be produced within the
brain itself, where it is critical for normal brain functions. Now, a new study in the
December Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication, reveals how that critical cholesterol
synthesis in the brain is derailed in mice with diabetes. The findings offer a new
explanation for the neurologic and cerebral complications that come with diabetes,
including cognitive dysfunction, depression, and an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease,
according to the researchers. "People with diabetes can have a lot of problems with
brain function, especially if it is uncontrolled," said C. Ronald Kahn of Harvard's
Joslin Diabetes Center. "The assumption had been that this was related to the effects
of poor glucose control. Our findings suggest a completely new concept." The
discovery came out of a general exploration of changes in global gene activity in the
brain's hypothalamus in insulin-deficient diabetic mice. Those screens turned up changes
in genes involved in appetite and feeding, as expected. But they also turned up many genes
involved in cholesterol synthesis. "The changes were not large, but they were in many
genes in the pathway and they were all in the same direction," Kahn said. Further
study showed that the insulin-deficient mice showed a reduction in a gene, called SREBP-2,
which is a master controller of cholesterol metabolism. That change reduced the production
of cholesterol in the brain and lowered the amount of cholesterol in cell membranes that
are important for the communications from one neuron to the next.
Diet-Heart Controlled Trials - a
New Literature Review
Many controlled studies have measured the cardiovascular effects of replacing animal
("saturated") fats with seed oils (predominantly the omega-6 polyunsaturated fat
linoleic acid) in humans. A number of these studies recorded heart attacks and total
mortality during the following 1-8 years. Several investigators have done meta-analyses
(literature reviews) to try to tease out overall conclusions from these studies.
Doctors failing to prescribe
low-dose menopausal hormone therapy, Stanford study finds
Doctors across the country are still prescribing higher-dose menopausal hormone therapy
pills, despite clinical evidence that low doses and skin patches work just as well and
carry fewer health risks. That's what researchers at the Stanford University School of
Medicine found in a study that will be published online Dec. 2 in Menopause: The Journal
of the North American Menopause Society. Doctors have been treating the symptoms of
menopause with hormone therapy for decades. During menopause, the ovaries decrease their
estrogen production, and women experience symptoms to varying degrees; for some, symptoms
are non-existent while for others they are debilitating. In the United States last year,
formulations of estrogen and progestin hormones helped more than 6 million women who had
symptoms such as hot flashes, sleep disturbance and irritability. Still, there are risks.
In 2002, a large, placebo-controlled clinical trial by the Women's Health Initiative
— which tested the higher-dose, oral estrogen-plus-progestin therapy — was
halted because of the increased incidence of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease in
women taking the hormones. The results contradicted the clinical wisdom of the time: that
hormone therapy could help protect against heart disease. Since that trial, there has been
evidence indicating that a lower dose of hormones can treat menopausal symptoms just as
effectively in many women with minimal side effects — and "may incur lower risks
of breast cancer and cardiovascular disease," said Sandra Tsai, MD, MPH, clinical
instructor of medicine and lead author of the new study.
Doctors give different levels of
pain meds for different people, finds CWRU Study
If you fall and break an ankle, chances are you’ll receive less pain medication when
they take you to the ER for treatment.
Dr. Ravnskov’s New Book -
Ignore the Awkward!
Both books employ two of my favorite weapons — logic and math — to poke huge
holes in the Lipid Hypothesis. Perhaps more effectively than anyone on the planet, Dr.
Ravnskov declares that the Cholesterol Emperor has no clothes, then sets out to prove his
case.
Drop in breast cancer rates
directly tied to reduced hormone therapy
In a new UCSF study of more than 2 million mammogram screenings performed on nearly
700,000 women in the United States, scientists for the first time show a direct link
between reduced hormone therapy and declines in ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) as well as
invasive breast cancer. The researchers saw such a striking decrease, they believe they
also have uncovered indirect evidence that hormones promote breast tumor growth.
Drug firms' influence raises
concerns
There is growing concern among health experts about the level of influence the drug
industry has on doctors' medical decisions.
Drug-like compound stops thyroid
overstimulation in early NIH studies
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health have identified a compound that prevents
overproduction of thyroid hormone, a finding that brings scientists one step closer to
improving treatment for Graves' disease.
Dwindling biodiversity raises
disease risk in humans, study finds
First species to go extinct in an ecosystem tend to be those that reduce disease
transmission, research suggests.
Environmental Pollution and Liver
Disease in Adults
Occupational exposures to some industrial chemicals have been associated with nonalcoholic
fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but potential effects of low-level environmental pollution in
the general population have not been evaluated. Cave et al. (p. 1735) analysed
cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)
for 2003–2004 to estimate associations between environmental pollutants and elevated
serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, a proxy marker of NAFLD, in adults who did
not have viral hepatitis, hemochromatosis, or alcoholic liver disease. The authors report
that ALT elevation was associated with whole-blood levels of lead and mercury, and with
lipid-adjusted serum levels of 20 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). They conclude that
PCB, lead, and mercury exposures may increase the risk of NAFLD, and recommend additional
studies to confirm these associations.
Experts find brain enzyme that
makes pain last
Researchers working on mice have found an enzyme in the brain that appears to make pain
last after nerve injury and they hope to use it as a new target to treat chronic pain in
people.
Extreme long-distance running can
damage the body
Endurance athletes who run extraordinarily long distances over a sustained period of time
lose muscle as well as fat, and they severely impair their immune function.
Eye movement problems common cause
of reading difficulties in stroke patients
Visual problems can affect up to two thirds of stroke patients, but can sometimes go
undetected if patients do not recognise them as an after-effect of the condition or if
they are unable to communicate the problem to their medical team or families.
Fat and Cholesterol are Good for
You
Do you know ...what REALLY causes heart disease? ...that heart patients haven't eaten more
saturated fat than other people and stroke patients have eaten less? ...that diabetics may
be cured if they replace carbohydrates with saturated fat? - ...that people with low
cholesterol become just as atherosclerotic as people with high? ...that high cholesterol
is not a risk factor for women or diabetics? ...that high cholesterol is not a risk factor
for old people although by far most heart attacks occur after age 65? ...that old people
with high cholesterol live longer than old people with low? ...that the lipoproteins
protect us against infectious diseases and probably also against cancer?
Fatigue and excessive daytime
sleepiness should be assessed separately in Parkinson's
Nearly three-quarters of patients with Parkinson's disease experience fatigue or excessive
daytime sleepiness (EDS), but clinicians should assess both problems separately in order
to improve the profession's understanding of their distinct, but overlapping, physiology.
That is the key finding of a study published in the December issue of the European Journal
of Neurology.
Folic acid supplementation in
pregnancy, DNA methylation and birth weight in newborn babies
Groundbreaking work by a team of UK scientists has identified, for the first time, a link
between changes in the DNA of newborn babies, folic acid supplementation during pregnancy,
and birth weight.
Genetic alteration linked with
disorders of sex determination
A variety of genetic factors are involved in sex determination. If something goes wrong
with one of these factors, people who have a chromosome set that predicts they will be of
one sex may develop as the other sex or have traits on the spectrum between the two sexes.
There can be emotional and social stress associated with disorders of sex determination
(DSD), and in many cases, infertility is an additional problem. Several genetic
alterations that cause DSDs have been identified, and work continues in an effort to
elucidate the cause in other individuals. Research published by Cell Press on December 2nd
in the American Journal of Human Genetics reveals new information about how sex
determination can go awry.
Genetic link found between spinal
arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease
Researchers at the University of Queensland Diamantina Institute in Brisbane, Australia,
have found that a form of spinal arthritis is genetically linked to Inflammatory Bowel
Disease. The study will be published on December 2 in the open-access journal PLoS
Genetics. Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a common form of arthritis involving chronic
inflammation particularly of the spinal and pelvic joints, which causes pain, stiffness,
and often disability. Affecting up to 0.5% of the population, the risk of AS is almost
entirely genetically determined. Curiously, AS patients appear to be highly susceptible to
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), including Crohn's disease. Similarly, the development of
AS is common in IBD patients. Professor Matt Brown and his colleagues wanted to determine
if this was more than a coincidence.
Glaxo drops version of resveratrol
"red wine" drug
GlaxoSmithKline has discontinued work on one version of a drug that mimics a
health-boosting compound found in red wine, following disappointing clinical trial
results.
Global sea-level rise at the end of
the last Ice Age
Southampton researchers have estimated that sea-level rose by an average of about 1 metre
per century at the end of the last Ice Age, interrupted by rapid ‘jumps’ during
which it rose by up to 2.5 metres per century. The findings, published in Global and
Planetary Change, will help unravel the responses of ocean circulation and climate to
large inputs of ice-sheet meltwater to the world ocean.
Global warming destroyed
rainforests 300 million years ago
Global warming devastated tropical rainforests 300 million years ago - triggering the rise
of the dinosaurs, according to a new study by British scientists.
Governments worldwide censor web
content
Where you live in the world largely determines how freely you can access the internet. The
level of cyber censorship in different countries around the world is directly related to
how authoritarian the governing regime is, according to Barney Warf from University of
Kansas. His comprehensive analysis1 of the geographical nature of Internet censorship is
published online in Springer’s GeoJournal.
Greenpeace exposes toxic textile
hazards
Greenpeace released a report Wednesday revealing the environmental cost of China's
lucrative textile industry.
Greenpeace sues chemical and PR
firms
On Monday, Greenpeace filed suit in federal district court in Washington, DC, against the
Dow Chemical Company and Sasol North America, charging that the two multinational chemical
manufacturers sought to thwart its environmental campaigns against genetically engineered
foods and chemical pollution through elaborate undercover operations.
Heat wave deaths highest in early
summer
The risk of dying from a heat wave is highest when heat waves occur early in the summer
and are hotter and longer than usual, according to a Yale study published in the journal
Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP). During the first heat wave of a summer, the risk
of mortality increases 5.04 percent, compared to 2.65 percent for heat waves that occur
later in the summer. Michelle Bell, a co-author of the study and associate professor of
environmental health at the Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, said that
people may be less accustomed to the heat early in the summer and may not protect
themselves against it, and that people most vulnerable to heat waves may succumb during
the first one of the season.
Hormone oxytocin bolsters childhood
memories of mom's affections
Researchers have found that the naturally-occurring hormone and neurotransmitter oxytocin
intensifies men's memories of their mother's affections during childhood. The study was
published today in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers at the
Seaver Autism Center for Research and Treatment at Mount Sinai School of Medicine wanted
to determine whether oxytocin, a hormone and neurotransmitter that is known to regulate
attachment and social memory in animals, is also involved in human attachment memories.
They conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over trial, giving 31
healthy adult men oxytocin or a placebo delivered nasally on two occasions. Prior to
administering the drug/placebo, the researchers measured the men's attachment style. About
90 minutes after administering the oxytocin or the placebo the researchers assessed
participants' recollection of their mother's care and closeness in childhood.
How America's wasted food could
power Switzerland for a year
Each day, American households on average throw away at least one and a half pounds of food
that, depending on which numbers you look at, represent between a quarter and a half of
all the food produced in the U.S. Worse yet, the amount of squandered food is said to
increase during the holiday season, a reflection of the same overindulgence that spurs
overeating this time of year and pushes losing weight or getting fit to the top of the New
Year's resolution list.
How animals overcome fear to obtain
food
When crossing a street, we look to the left and right for cars and stay put on the
sidewalk if we see a car close enough and traveling fast enough to hit us before we're
able to reach the other side. It's an almost automatic decision, as though we
instinctively know how to keep ourselves safe.
How authentic is your pomegranate
juice?
You pick up a bottle of pomegranate juice at the store because you've learned that,
although it costs more than most juices, it is replete with antioxidants that bring health
benefits. But wait: Is the juice you've purchased really pomegranate juice? Or is the
product label you have carefully read promising more than it delivers?
How do DNA components resist to
damaging UV exposure?
The genetic material of DNA contains shielding mechanisms to protect itself from the
exposure to the UV light emitted by the sun. This is of crucial importance, since without
photostability – i.e. without "programmed" defense mechanisms against UV
irradiation – a rapid degradation of DNA and RNA would be the consequence. As part of
a project funded by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) a group of researchers led by Hans
Lischka, Quantum Chemist of the University of Vienna, Austria, could, for the first time,
comprehensively unravel these ultra-fast processes of the photostability of the
nucleobases.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen Peroxide is the most over looked chemical used by man. New uses of it are coming
to light every day. Bad bugs be they, in your garden or your body, they cannot live in an
oxygen rich environment.
IL-10 and Ozone-Induced
Inflammation in Mice
Exposure to ozone (O3) can produce pulmonary inflammation, but mechanisms for this effect
are unclear. Backus et al. (p. 1721) investigated the effects of O3 on interleukin-10
(IL-10), an antiinflammatory cytokine. Il10-deficient (Il10–/–) and wild-type
(Il10+/+) mice were exposed to O3 or filtered air for 24, 48, or 72 hr. Immediately
following exposure, differential cell counts and total protein (a marker of lung
permeability) were assessed from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and protein levels of
cellular mediators were measured in lung homogenates. In addition, global mRNA expression
with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis was used to identify pathways through which IL-10 modified
O3-induced inflammation. The authors report that O3-induced pulmonary neutrophilic
inflammation and cell proliferation was increased in Il10-deficient mice, and that gene
expression analyses identified three response pathways and several genetic targets through
which IL-10 may modulate immune responses. The authors conclude that these novel
mechanisms may help identify potential therapeutic targets to protect susceptible
individuals from O3-induced pulmonary inflammation.
In-Home Fuel Use and Lung Cancer
The International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified indoor emissions from
household combustion of coal as carcinogenic, and indoor emissions from biomass fuel
(primarily wood) as probably carcinogenic to humans. Hosgood et al. (p. 1743) conducted a
pooled analysis of data from seven International Lung Cancer Consortium studies to
estimate relative risks of lung cancer in association with predominant in-home solid fuel
use versus nonsolid fuel use (e.g., oil, gas, electricity). The authors report that lung
cancer was increased in users of predominantly coal (particularly in Asia) and
predominantly wood (in North America and Europe) relative to users of nonsolid fuels. They
conclude that results support existing evidence that in-home coal and wood combustion is
associated with lung cancer risk, and recommend additional research to identify factors
that may modify these associations.
Insomnia after myocardial
infarction
The heart and the brain appear to be even more closely connected than previously imagined.
The damaging effects of myocardial infarction are apparently not confined to the heart,
but also affect the brain. In fact, infarction seems to cause neuron loss at the level of
the brainstem, which leads to insomnia, notably paradoxical insomnia.
Instructions on over-the-counter
medications for children are found to be confusing
Instructions on boxes and bottles of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines for children in the
United States are confusing and hard for parents to understand and follow, according to a
study in the December 1 issue of JAMA. "There is an unacceptable amount of
inconsistency in labels and measuring devices of OTC liquid medications for
children," said H. Shonna Yin, MD, assistant professor of pediatrics at NYU School of
Medicine who co-led the study. "These types of inconsistencies are likely to be a
source of confusion for parents and can lead to errors in dosing, placing children at
risk."
Invasive pest danger closer than
you think
In Australia, when crossing from one state to another, travelers may encounter a
quarantine stop and may be required to forfeit recently purchased fruits and vegetables as
a hedge against invasive pests. But in the U.S., crossing state lines is free wheeling,
according to researchers from the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, who evaluated the
threat of invasive pests to states from within the country.
Jefferson study determines bone
marrow stromal stem cells may aid in stroke recovery
The study examining the effects of a systematic administration of either rat (allogenic)
or human (xenogenic) bone marrow stem cells (MSC) administered to laboratory rats one day
after their simulated strokes found "significant recovery" of motor behavior on
the first day. Early administration was found to be more effective than administration
seven days after the simulated strokes.
Eine vergleichsweise neue Methode der Krebsbekämpfung ist augenscheinlich erfolgreicher
als gedacht: Einer aktuellen Studie zufolge lassen sich mit radioaktiven
„trojanischen Pferden“ auch relativ rasch wachsende Tumore zerstören. Das
zeigen Mediziner der Universität Bonn in einer Publikation, die in Kürze im European
Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging erscheint. Die Ergebnisse sind bereits
online abrufbar (doi: 10.1007/s00259-010-1610-2). Die so genannte
Peptidrezeptor-Radionuklid-Therapie eigne sich allerdings nur im Kampf gegen bestimmte
Krebsarten, betonen die Ärzte.
Lead may be leaching into thousands
of D.C. homes
The water in almost 15,000 D.C. homes that received repairs during a massive effort to
remove lead pipes may still be contaminated by dangerous levels of the metal.
Long-Term Exposure to Pesticides
May Be Linked to Dementia
Long term exposure to pesticides may be linked to the development of dementia, suggests
research published online in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
Low Dose Electromagnetic Radiation
Shown to Deplete Nutrients in Rats
The results of the experiment showed that EMFs affect the chemical structure and
metabolism of bone by changing the levels of some important elements such as calcium,
zinc, and magnesium.
Lower occurrence of atopic
dermatitis in children thanks to farm animals and cats
topic dermatitis (also known as atopic eczema) is a chronic and extremely painful
inflammation of the skin that frequently occurs in early childhood, generally already in
infancy. Up to 20 percent of all children in industrialized countries are affected, making
it one of the most common childhood skin diseases. The need to better understand this
disease is all the greater considering the intense suffering it causes in small children.
Atopic dermatitis is, however, an allergic condition and all allergic reactions result
from complex interactions of genetic and environmental factors on the immune system.
Earlier research has already indicated that allergies are less common in children who grow
up on farms and whose mothers live on farms during their pregnancy. Exposure to farm
animals and bacteria frequently found in farms as well as drinking milk from the dairy
offer the immune system protection. However, proof of this protective effect in connection
with atopic dermatitis has remained elusive.
Lower occurrence of atopic
dermatitis in children thanks to farm animals and cats
Children whose mothers are exposed to farm animals and cats are better protected against
atopic dermatitis and are less likely to develop this painful inflammation of the skin in
their first two years of life. A group of researchers from the University of Zurich and
other universities have published evidence supporting this theory in the «Journal of
Allergy & Clinical Immunology.»
Macrobiotic Diet and Vitamin D
Deficiency
A few months ago, Academy Award winning actress Gwyneth Paltrow disclosed that she is
suffering from osteopenia, a thinning of the bones. This condition was brought about by
vitamin D blood levels so low, that Ms. Paltrow’s doctors said the level was
“… the lowest thing they had ever seen ….” Ms. Paltrow was prescribed
high dose vitamin D drops and told to spend more time in the sun (without sunscreen, of
course) to reverse the condition. This is clearly excellent advice as those of us who know
that frequent, brief, nonburning doses of midday sun on the skin is a very healthy thing
to do, does not cause skin cancer, and is a great way to quickly raise vitamin D blood
levels!
Man Doses Himself With a Parasite
for Intestinal Problems
Catching an intestinal parasite is not usually considered desirable, but for a California
man with severe gastrointestinal problems, dosing himself with worms was the answer to his
prayers.
Mind the Gap
Smith and Peel (p. 1643) note that the seemingly inconsistent relative risks of
cardiovascular disease mortality associated with ambient air pollution and cigarette
smoking can be explained by a nonlinear dose–response relationship over several
orders of magnitude. The shape of the exposure–response curve implies much larger
public health benefits of reductions at the lower end of the dose spectrum. However, the
authors note that there is a large gap in the literature concerning effects of daily
exposure to small-diameter particulate matter (PM2.5) in the dose range associated with
indoor biomass and coal burning for cooking and heating. The estimated relative risks and
large proportion of the world’s population exposed in this range suggest that these
exposures result in a major burden of disease. Therefore, the authors conclude that
epidemiologic studies are needed to quantify cardiovascular risks associated with indoor
biomass burning and develop appropriate risk reduction and mitigation strategies for PM
exposures in the low to intermediate portion of the dose–response curve.
Miscarriage Linked to Broken Hearts
Repeated Miscarriages May Predict Later Heart Attack Risk, Researchers Say.
Moderate alcohol consumption lowers
the risk of metabolic diseases
With the emergence of an epidemic of obesity and type 2 diabetes (DM) throughout the
world, the association of lifestyle habits that may affect the risk of metabolic diseases
is especially important. Most prospective studies have shown that moderate drinkers tend
to have about 30% lower risk of developing late onset diabetes than do non-drinkers, and
moderate drinkers also tend to be at lower risk of developing metabolic syndrome (MS). A
cross-sectional analysis of 6172 subjects age 35 -75 in Switzerland related varying levels
of alcohol intake to the presence of DM, MS, and an index of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR).
Moms' smoking in pregnancy tied to
girls' puberty
Women who smoke heavily during pregnancy tend to have daughters who start menstruating
months earlier than the daughters of women who didn't smoke while pregnant, a new study
finds.
Most low birth weight babies become
productive adults
Most survivors of extremely low birth weight grow up to become productive adults,
according to a study led by a Michigan State University economist.
Most pesticide poisonings happen at
home, an Oregon Public Health Division study finds
Most pesticide poisonings don't occur on farms or in workplaces, as might be expected.
Rather, they happen at home, typically resulting from misuse or accidents, an Oregon
Public Health Division study finds.
MRSA carriage rates vary widely in
nursing homes, study finds
A study published in the January 2011 issue of Infection Control and Hospital Epidemiology
finds that a high percentage of nursing home residents carry Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), and suggests that some nursing homes could be doing more to
prevent the spread of the bacteria, which can lead to hard-to-treat infections.
MU Researcher Studies How Infants
Compare Quantities
Parents are often amazed at how fast their child grows and develops. New research at the
University of Missouri has determined that the ability to quantify – even things that
are hard to quantify, such as liquid – may develop much sooner than most parents
realize.
Mystery dissolves with calcium pump
discovery
Geo-microbiologists from Arizona State University have solved a long-standing conundrum
about how some photosynthetic microorganisms, endolithic cyanobacteria, bore their way
into limestone, sand grains, mussel shells, coral skeletons and other substrates composed
of carbonate. According to the lead investigator, ASU professor Ferran Garcia-Pichel, the
answer to the mystery of what is "at the heart of an erosive force of global
proportions" is a calcium-driven pump, similar to that which we use to power our
muscles. The results of Garcia-Pichel's study "Microbial excavation of solid
carbonates powered by P-type ATPase-mediate transcellular Ca 2+ transport" were
published Nov. 29 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
New findings detail how virus
prepares to infect cells
Researchers have learned the atomic-scale arrangement of proteins in a structure that
enables a virus to invade and fuse with host cells, showing precisely how the structure
morphs with changing acidity to initiate infection.
New gene for childhood cancer
neuroblastoma is discovered
Pediatric cancer researchers have identified variations in a gene as important
contributors to neuroblastoma, the most common solid cancer of early childhood. The study
team, led by researchers at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, found that common
variants in the LMO1 gene increase the risk of developing an aggressive form of
neuroblastoma, and also mark the gene for continuing to drive the cancer's progression
once it forms.
New results in carotid artery
stenosis versus endarterectomy
Doctors have long known that patients with carotid artery stenosis, narrowed blood vessels
in the neck, are at significant risk for a stroke. The condition has severe implications.
Annually, in the United States, 795,000 patients have strokes that often result in
long-term disability or death.
Nicotine Exposure in Pregnant Rats
Puts Offspring at Risk for Learning Disabilities
Exposure to nicotine during pregnancy leads to a decrease in adult stem cells and a change
in synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus of the offspring, according to new research from
the University of Alabama at Birmingham presented at Neuroscience 2010, the annual Society
for Neuroscience meeting in San Diego in November. Researchers say this could be a
possible cause for behavioral problems such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
(ADHD) seen in children whose mothers smoked.
Northerners lack vitamin D intake
A new report that says most Canadians are getting enough vitamin D is being disputed in
Nunavut, where a senior health official says a shortage of winter sunlight is just one
reason most people lack the sunshine vitamin.
Omega-3s in fish, seafood may
protect seniors' eyes; a new test may catch glaucoma early
Seniors interested in lifestyle choices that help protect vision will be encouraged by a
Johns Hopkins School of Medicine study, and people concerned about glaucoma can take heart
from work on early detection by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Both
studies are published in the December issue of Ophthalmology, the journal of the American
Academy of Ophthalmology.
One dioxin exposure in the womb
affects female fertility in mice for generations
Females exposed to dioxin while developing in the womb could have difficulty getting
pregnant – and so could their daughters and their granddaughters. A study with mice
finds the reproductive health effects of dioxin last for generations, reducing fertility
and increasing the chances of premature delivery. The results support findings from prior
animal and human studies that show dioxin can affect fertility, especially if exposures
occur at key times of life. This study further shows subsequent generations are at risk,
especially from preterm birth, a growing problem for women around the world. Because
humans are regularly exposed to low levels of dioxins, these results suggest the chemical
could affect women's fertility – and the fertility of their children and
grandchildren.
Pattern of drinking affects the
relation of alcohol intake to coronary heart disease
A fascinating study published in the BMJ shows that although the French drink more than
the Northern Irish each week, as they drink daily, rather than more on less occasions, the
French suffered from considerably less coronary heart disease than the Northern Irish.
Ruidavets and colleagues compared groups of middle aged men in France and Northern
Ireland, who have very different drinking cultures and rates of heart disease.The authors
found that men who "binge" drink (drink =50 g of alcohol once a week) had nearly
twice the risk of myocardial infarction or death from coronary disease compared with
regular drinkers over 10 years of follow-up. Similarly abstainers were at higher risk.
9,778 men aged 50-59, free of ischaemic heart disease at baseline, were recruited between
1991 and 1994. A total of 2,405 men from Belfast and 7,373 men from the French centres
were included in the analyses.
People with chronic pain face
complex dilemmas and life-changing decisions
Coping with chronic pain can affect every aspect of a person's life and cause conflict
between what their mind wants to achieve and what their body allows them to do, according
to research in the December issue of the Journal of Nursing and Healthcare of Chronic
Illness. Swedish researchers carried out in-depth interviews with ten people who had
experienced chronic pain for between four and 32 years and were taking part in an
outpatient rehabilitation programme. Nine of the patients, who ranged from 22 to 50 with
an average age of 38, were unable to work because of their pain. "A recent research
study found that chronic pain affected up to 30 per cent of adults across Europe,
impacting on people's everyday lives and in many cases their ability to work" says
lead author Asa Skjutar from the Karolinska Institutet.
People with sleep apnea at higher
risk for aggressive heart disease
People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a sleep disorder associated with obesity, have
more non-calcified or "bad" plaque in their coronary arteries, according to a
study presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America
(RSNA). "Our study reveals that individuals with obstructive sleep apnea are prone to
developing an aggressive form of atherosclerosis that puts them at risk for impaired blood
flow and cardiovascular events," said U. Joseph Schoepf, M.D., professor of radiology
and medicine and director of cardiovascular imaging at the Medical University of South
Carolina in Charleston, S.C. OSA is caused by obstruction of the upper airway during sleep
and is characterized by periodic pauses in breathing, which last for 10 or more seconds.
OSA is also commonly associated with snoring. According to the National Heart, Lung and
Blood Institute, millions of Americans have OSA, and approximately half of them are
overweight.
Perinatal bisphenol-A exposure may
affect fertility
Exposure to a ubiquitous environmental chemical during pregnancy may impair reproductive
capacity of female offspring, according to a study published online in advance of print on
December 2 in Environmental Health Perspectives. Fertility decreased over time in female
mice that had been exposed during fetal and neonatal (perinatal) development to doses of
bisphenol-A (BPA) that were lower than or equal to human environmental exposure levels.
"Mice exposed to BPA in the womb and during nursing subsequently had fewer successful
pregnancies and delivered fewer pups over the course of the study," reported one of
the study's co-senior authors, Ana M. Soto, MD, professor of anatomy and cellular biology
at Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) and member of the cell, molecular and
developmental biology program faculty at the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical
Sciences. At the highest of three doses tested, only 60% of the BPA-exposed mice had four
or more deliveries over a 32-week period, compared with 95% in the unexposed control
group. Decline of the reproductive capacity of the female mice in this study was not
obvious at first pregnancy, when the animals were very young, but manifested later in life
with a decline in number of pups born per delivery.
Personalized Diets Help Older
Patients Live Longer After Hospitalization
Intense, individually tailored dietary treatment for acutely hospitalized elderly has a
significant impact on mortality, according to a new study by researchers at Ben-Gurion
University of the Negev.
Photos of tiny blood vessels in the
eye link air pollution to heart disease
By digitally photographing the tiny, hair-like blood vessels in the back of our eyes,
researchers can now look directly at how small blood vessels like those that bring blood
to the heart respond to air pollution. New digital photos of the retina revealed that
otherwise healthy people exposed to high levels of air pollution had narrower retinal
arterioles, an indication of a higher risk of heart disease. Previous studies linked
pollution to heart disease. The new study, published this week in PLoS Medicine, is the
first known to examine relationships between pollution and extremely tiny blood vessels,
called the microvasculature, in humans, said Sara Adar, research assistant professor at
the University of Michigan School of Public Health. Adar did the work while an assistant
professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health. Researchers found that
participants with short-term exposures to small amounts of pollution had the microvascular
blood vessels of someone three years older, and people with long-term exposures to high
pollution had the vessels of a person seven years older. Adar said that "such a
change would translate to a 3 percent increase in heart disease for a woman living with
high levels of air pollution as compared to a woman in a cleaner area."
Plant clock gene also works in
human cells
A gene that controls part of the 'tick tock' in a plant's circadian clock has been
identified by UC Davis researchers. And not only is the plant gene very similar to one in
humans, but the human gene can work in plant cells -- and vice versa. The research is
published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Polluted Air Increases Obesity Risk
In Young Animals
Exposure to polluted air early in life led to an accumulation of abdominal fat and insulin
resistance in mice even if they ate a normal diet, according to new research. Animals
exposed to the fine-particulate air pollution had larger and more fat cells in their
abdominal area and higher blood sugar levels than did animals eating the same diet but
breathing clean air.
Pollution secret of new housing
MORE than 2,400 households in a new housing complex in central China's Hubei Province were
kept in the dark by developers about the fact that their homes were built on the polluted
site of a chemical factory.
PON1, Organophosphates, and
Neurodevelopment
Maternal urinary concentrations of dialkyl phosphate (DAP) metabolites, a marker of in
utero organophosphate (OP) pesticide exposure, were previously associated with poorer
mental development and maternally reported symptoms consistent with pervasive
developmental disorder (PDD) among 2-year-old children in the CHAMACOS study. Eskenazi et
al. (p. 1775) extended this research by examining modification of these association by
paraoxonase 1 (PON1), an enzyme that detoxifies oxon derivatives of OP pesticides. The
authors report that children with the PON1–108T allele had poorer Bayley Mental
Development Index scores and somewhat poorer Psychomotor Developmental Index scores, and
that children were less likely to display symptoms of PDD when they or their mothers had
higher PON1 activity. However, interactions between DAPs and PON1 polymorphisms or
activity were not statistically significant, and the authors conclude that additional
research is needed to confirm whether PON1 modifies associations between in utero OP
exposure and neurodevelopment.
Preterm Infants May Need a Boost
A new study suggests that preterm infants may not be fully protected against invasitve
pneumococcal disease under the current United Kingdom immunization schedule.
Primates are more resilient than
other animals to environmental ups and downs
What sets mankind's closest relatives — monkeys, apes, and other primates —
apart from other animals? According to a new study, one answer is that primates are less
susceptible to the seasonal ups and downs — particularly rainfall— that take
their toll on other animals.
Protein protects cancer cells from
oxidative stress
High levels of a protein called thioredoxin-like 2 helps protect cancer cells from the
oxidative stress that they generate as they grow and invade tissues throughout the body,
said a consortium of researchers led by those at Baylor College of Medicine (www.bcm.edu)
in a report in the Journal of Clinical Investigation (http://www.jci.org).
Radiation from Dect phone base
station (Electromagnetic Radiation)
Radiation Scientists Agree TSA
Naked Body Scanners Could Cause Breast Cancer and Sperm Mutations
An increasing number of doctors and scientists are going public with their warnings about
the health implications of subjecting yourself to naked body scanners.
Refined Coconut Oil
Refined coconut oil is not necessarily something I recommend because it is superior to
extra virgin coconut oil. It’s not really. However, you must understand the basic
qualities of the world’s most highly-concentrated source of saturated fat, and then
proceed to get plenty of it in ya. Because coconut oil is so highly saturated, it is the
most stable oil on the planet – meaning, it is the most resilient to heat, light, and
air. Whether coconut oil is expeller pressed (refined) like the Tropical Traditions oil I
usually buy, or super duper extra virgin is not much of an issue. You could drop a nuclear
bomb on a jar of coconut fat and it’s going to come out the other side unharmed. The
extra virgin processing really isn’t necessary like it is with seed oils.
Researchers Discover How Worms May
Soothe Ulcerative Colitis
A new study involving a man who swallowed worm eggs to relieve symptoms of ulcerative
colitis sheds light on how worms promote healing in the intestine. The study, published
today in Science Translational Medicine, also identifies potential targets for more
conventional ways of treating colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease. "The idea for
treating colitis with worms is not new, but how this therapy might work remains
unclear," says the study's senior corresponding author, P'ng Loke, PhD, assistant
professor of medical parasitology at NYU Langone Medical Center. "Our findings
suggest that infection with this particular parasite increases or restores mucus
production in the colon, providing symptomatic relief."
Researchers identify gene tied to
extremely rare disorder that causes inflammation and loss of fat
UT Southwestern Medical Center researchers have identified a gene responsible for a rare
disease that results in severe joint stiffness, muscle loss, anemia and
panniculitis-induced lipodystrophy, or JMP syndrome.
Researchers Report Surprising
AIDS-Treatment Benefits, Prevention Strategy in Epidemic Regions of Africa
Two teams of researchers at UC San Diego and other U.S. and African universities and the
World Bank have documented significant spillover benefits of a drug therapy to combat AIDS
symptoms and a novel prevention strategy that focuses on girls in Sub-Saharan Africa, an
area with two-thirds of the world’s HIV infections. A recently published paper in
Public Economics documents a dramatic “Lazarus effect” in AIDS-affected
households in rural Kenya when infirmed members received anti-retroviral therapy (ART).
The study foun d that not only did the health of those treated improve, but the households
also began to accumulate livestock and other assets and they increased their investments
in the education of their children.
Researchers use patient's own blood
to treat hamstring injury
Researchers in London say they have found an effective two-part treatment for microtears
in the hamstring: injections of the patient's own blood and a steroid along with
"dry-needling," in which repeated needle punctures cause controlled internal
bleeding in the injured area. Results of the study were presented today at the annual
meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). "By injecting the
patient's own blood where it is needed at the site of a damaged tendon, we help the
patient heal themselves," said lead researcher Waseem A. Bashir, M.D., a radiologist
at Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital and Ealing Hospital in London. "Blood contains
many growth factors, and the injections have been shown to promote faster healing of
certain injuries." Hamstring tendinopathy is a common sports injury that occurs in
soccer, gymnastics, karate or any sport that requires quick acceleration. It may be caused
by an improper warm-up or, in an elite athlete, as the result of repetitive strain. Unlike
a torn or ruptured tendon that can be surgically repaired, the tiny microtears that
characterize chronic tendinopathy are not easily diagnosed, are difficult to heal and
often sideline athletes for long periods, if not permanently. "Patients with
hamstring tendinopathy will experience pain walking or climbing stairs and even while
sitting or riding in a car," Dr. Bashir said. "The condition is literally a pain
in the butt."
Ritalin Acts Like Cocaine
“Cocaine and Ritalin (methylphenidate) have similar “affinities” for (or
capacities for “binding” to) the dopamine reuptake pump that prevents the normal
clearance of dopamine from the synapse, thus causing an increase in its stimulating action
of dopamine. Any act of disabling of the reuptake pumps artificially increases, sometimes
for extremely long periods of time, the concentration of neurotransmitters in the synapse
to a condition of actual hyperstimulation. That action of inhibition of the pump’s
action is how many of the synthetic chemicals marketed by pharmaceutical companies as
psychotropic drugs actually do what they do. “Unfortunately, the brain recognizes
those actions as overstimulation and soon shuts down some of the receptor sites, changing
the anatomy of the brain in the process.
Scientists confirm drug link to
spina bifida
Pregnant women taking common epilepsy drugs have a higher chance of delivering a baby with
spina bifida, experts have confirmed.
Scientists map changes in genetic
networks caused by DNA damage
Using a new technology called "differential epistasis maps," an international
team of scientists, led by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School
of Medicine, has documented for the first time how a cellular genetic network completely
rewires itself in response to stress by DNA-damaging agents. The research – to be
published in the December 3 issue of Science – is significant because it represents a
major technological leap forward from simply compiling lists of genes in an organism to
actually describing how these genes actively work together.
Scoring system is 93 percent
accurate for diagnosing Wilson's disease in pediatric patients
An Italian research team confirmed that the scoring system for Wilson's disease (WD)
provides good diagnostic accuracy with 93% positive and 92% negative predictive values,
respectively in children with mild liver disease. In asymptomatic children, a urinary
copper excretion above 40 ?g/24 hours was suggestive of WD, however the penicillamine
challenge test (PCT) did not provide an accurate diagnosis in this patient subset. Results
of the study appear in the December issue of Hepatology, a journal published by
Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases
(AASLD). WD is a rare genetic disorder where excessive amounts of copper accumulate in the
liver, kidneys, brain, and eyes (cornea). Patients may experience a brown ring
(Kayser-Fleischer ring) around the cornea of the eye, various liver diseases, slurred
speech, and tremors, with symptoms appearing between the ages of 5 to 35. According to the
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) approximately one
in 40,000 individuals develop WD, which affects men and women equally.
Scripps Research scientists
redefine the role of plasma cells in the immune system
A team of scientists from The Scripps Research Institute have uncovered a previously
unknown regulatory mechanism in the body's response to eliminate pathogens, such as
bacteria and viruses. The findings challenge a long-held dogma in the field of immunology
and have potential implications for far-ranging topics from how vaccines should be
administered to the origin of autoimmunity. The results of the study, led by Scripps
Research Professor Michael McHeyzer-Williams, were published in the December issue of the
journal Nature Immunology (Volume 11, Number 12). The new study focuses on plasma cells,
which are a component of the immune system known for producing large quantities of
antibodies – targeted disease-fighting proteins. The new study, however, shows plasma
cells also act in a negative feedback loop, the end result of which affects the function
of other higher-ranking immune cells called follicular helper T cells (TFH). "These
plasma cells are not only capable of secreting highly specialized antibodies, but they are
also involved in the regulation of the process that generates the mature immune
response," said Nadège Pelletier, a research associate in the McHeyzer-Williams lab
and first author of the new paper.
Short-term memory in mice is
affected by mobile phone radiation
The effects of mobile phone electromagnetic fields (EMFs) were studied on a non-spatial
memory task (Object Recognition Task - ORT) that requires entorhinal cortex function. The
task was applied to three groups of mice Mus musculus C57BL/6 (exposed, sham-exposed and
control) combined with 3 different radiation exposure protocols. In the first protocol
designated "acute exposure", mice 45 days old (PND45 - postnatal day 45) were
exposed to mobile phone (MP) radiation (SAR value 0.22W/kg) during the habituation, the
training and the test sessions of the ORT, but not during the 10min inter-trial interval
(ITI) where consolidation of stored object information takes place. On the second protocol
designated "chronic exposure-I", the same mice were exposed for 17 days for
90min/per day starting at PND55 to the same MP radiation. ORT recognition memory was
performed at PND72 with radiation present only during the ITI phase. In the third protocol
designated "chronic exposure-II", mice continued to be exposed daily under the
same conditions up to PND86 having received radiation for 31 days. One day later the ORT
test was performed without irradiation present in any of the sessions. The ORT-derived
discrimination indices in all three exposure protocols revealed a major effect on the
"chronic exposure-I" suggesting a possible severe interaction of EMF with the
consolidation phase of recognition memory processes. This may imply that the primary EMF
target may be the information transfer pathway connecting the entorhinal-parahippocampal
regions which participate in the ORT memory task.Department of Cell Biology and
Biophysics, Faculty of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens,
Panepistimiopolis, Zographou 15784, Athens, Greece
Social Support Is Most Effective
When Provided Invisibly
New research by University of Minnesota psychologists shows how social support benefits
are maximized when provided “invisibly”—that is without the support
recipient being aware that they are receiving it. The study, “Getting in Under the
Radar: A Dyadic View of Invisible Support,” is published in the December issue of the
journal Psychological Science.
Source of protection against
saturated fat found
A new report in the December Cell Metabolism identifies a protein without which diets high
in saturated fat lead to a massive inflammatory response that can prove fatal. The studies
in mice suggest that deficiencies in this protective pathway could promote inflammation in
those who regularly consume high levels of saturated fat. "In mice without this
protein that ate a lot of saturated fat, the lymph nodes blew up to extreme levels,"
said Sander Kersten of the Nutrigenomics Consortium and Wageningen University in the
Netherlands. "I'd never seen anything like it before." Kersten said that a
connection between saturated fat, inflammation, and chronic diseases, including
cardiovascular disease and diabetes, has long been recognized. But it really hadn't been
clear why saturated fats can cause harm. Normally, dietary fats are broken down into fatty
acids. Those fatty acids are incorporated in small particles called chylomicrons and
released into the circulation after passing through the lymphatic system of the intestine.
Those circulating fats are later broken down by an enzyme (called lipoprotein lipase or
LPL) to feed tissues such as the heart and skeletal muscle that depend on fatty acids for
fuel. But LPL is also found at high levels in immune cells called macrophages, whose job
it is to gobble up invaders or foreign particles. Earlier studies had shown that LPL
activity depends on a protein called Angiopoietin-like protein 4 (Angptl4). In the new
study, the researchers wanted to find out what happens in mice lacking Angptl4 when they
are fed a diet high in fat. Mice deficient for the protein showed a severe immune reaction
and ultimately died. Those abnormalities occurred only when the animals were fed saturated
fats, not unsaturated or medium-chain fats, the researchers report. Lymph nodes associated
with the intestine expanded dramatically as the macrophages within them filled up with
lipids.
Sports Beverage With Half Carbs,
Fewer Calories Boosts Endurance
Compared to a carbohydrate-only supplement, a low-carb beverage with added protein
increases endurance times in cyclists, according to a study out of The University of Texas
at Austin's Department of Kinesiology and Health Education.
SRC-1 controls liver's 'sweet spot'
for glucose production
SRC-1 (steroid receptor coactivator) orchestrates glucose production in the liver,
regulating the activity of a cascade of enzymes that turns sugar production on and off in
the liver, said Baylor College of Medicine and Duke University Medical Center researchers
in a report that appears in the current issue of Cell Metabolism. "As we achieve a
better understanding of gluconeogenesis (production of glucose) in the liver, we can look
for new ways to treat metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes," said Dr.
Jean-Francois Louet, instructor in molecular and cellular biology at BCM and a first
author of the report. Dr. Atul R. Chopra, a resident physician at BCM, is the other first
author. SRC-1 is a member of a family of steroid receptor coactivators that control
important processes in the body. Dr. Bert O'Malley, chair of molecular and cellular
biology at BCM and a senior author of the report, discovered SRC-1 and has been a pioneer
in uncovering the role of these molecules as cellular master regulators.
Study finds anti-microbials a
common cause of drug-induced liver injury and failure
New research shows that anti-microbial medications are a common cause of drug-induced
liver injury (DILI) leading to acute liver failure (ALF), with women and minorities
disproportionately affected. While ALF evolves slowly, once it does occur a spontaneous
recovery is unlikely; however liver transplantation offers an excellent survival rate.
Full findings of this ten-year prospective study are published in the December issue of
Hepatology, a journal of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Patients with liver failure resulting from DILI may experience deep jaundice, fluid
retention, advanced coagulopathy and coma. More than 1100 drugs, herbal remedies, natural
products, vitamins, minerals, dietary supplements, and recreational and illicit compounds
are known to cause liver injury, which reportedly affect 1 in 100,000 to 1 in 10,000
patients. Prior research shows DILI is a frequent cause of hepatitis, and accounts for
5%-10% of hospitalizations for jaundice and 12% of all cases of ALF (excluding
acetaminophen).
Study suggests earliest brain
changes associated with the genetic risk of Alzheimer's disease
What are the earliest brain changes associated with the risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease? A scientific report published in the October Journal of Alzheimer's Disease finds
reduced activity of an energy-generating enzyme in deceased young adult brain donors who
carry a common genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease—before the protein changes
or microscopic abnormalities commonly associated with the disease and almost five decades
before the age at which they might have developed memory and thinking problems. Arizona
researchers studied tissue from a vulnerable part of the brain in 40 young adults who had
died and donated their brains for research. 15 of the brain donors carried a common
genetic risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, known as APOE4, and 25 of the brain donors
did not. With the exception of a person with two copies of the APOE4 gene, none of the
deceased young adults had the microscopic abnormalities or elevated amyloid protein levels
long associated with Alzheimer's disease. However, the activity of an enzyme known as
cytochrome oxidase, an energy-making enzyme found in the power-packs of the brain cells,
was slightly reduced in the group at increased genetic risk for Alzheimer's disease.
Study suggests that quitting
smoking improves mood
Christopher Kahler and colleagues at Brown and USC tracked symptoms of depression in
people who were trying to quit smoking. They found that people were never happier than
when they were kicking the habit and remaining free from smoking. Results of the study
were published online Nov. 24, 2010, in the journal Nicotine & Tobacco Research.
Suicide rate among young women
veterans more than twice that of civilians
Young women veterans are nearly three times as likely as civilians to commit suicide,
according to new research published by researchers at Portland State University (PSU) and
Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU).
Surgeon-physician marriages can
place stress on careers, emotional health
Surgeons married to physicians face more challenges in balancing their personal and
professional lives than do surgeons whose partners work in a non-physician field or stay
at home, according to new research findings focused on surgeon marriages published in the
November issue of the Journal of the American College of Surgeons. As part of the
significant influx of women into the workforce over the last 50 years, more women are now
surgeons and physicians than ever before. This trend has produced many more dual- career
marriages, including many more dual-physician marriages. This new study focuses
specifically on how surgeons fare in being partnered with other surgeons, with other
(non-surgical) physicians, with non-physicians or with spouses who stay at home. The
researchers used data from a large 2008 national survey of members of the American College
of Surgeons (ACS), and set out to find how surgeons in dual-physician relationships differ
from other surgeons whose partners are not physicians in their demographics, practice
characteristics, family lives, distress (ie, burnout, depression, and quality of life),
and job satisfaction.
Sweden tells L'Oréal to prove
anti-wrinkle claims
The Swedish consumer ombudsman has won a case against L'Oréal Sweden, which means that
firm has to provide proof in order to claim in advertising that its face creams can reduce
or remove wrinkles.
The cost of coal in China
China’s size and speed of growth invite superlatives. Here are a few about the fuel
for its growth. China is the world’s biggest producer and consumer of coal, and the
deadliest, in terms of miners killed. It is also the world’s biggest emitter of
greenhouse gases.
The couch potato effect
Daniel Kelly, M.D., and his colleagues at Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute
(Sanford-Burnham) at Lake Nona have unveiled a surprising new model for studying muscle
function: the couch potato mouse. While these mice maintain normal activity and body
weight, they do not have the energy to exercise. In the December 1 issue of Cell
Metabolism, Dr. Kelly's team reports what happens when muscle tissue lacks PGC-1, a
protein coactivator that muscles need to convert fuel into energy. "Part of our
interest in understanding the factors that allow muscles to exercise is the knowledge that
whatever this machinery is, it becomes inactive in obesity, aging, diabetes and other
chronic conditions that affect mobility," Dr. Kelly explained. Normally, physical
stimulation boosts PGC-1 activity in muscle cells, which switches on genes that increase
fuel storage, ultimately leading to "trained" muscle (the physical condition
most people hope to attain through exercise). In obese individuals, PGC-1 levels drop,
possibly further reducing a person's capacity to exercise – creating a vicious cycle.
In this study, mice without muscle PGC-1 looked normal and walked around without
difficulty, but could not run on a treadmill.
The desperate plight of starving
orangutans forced into villages to look for food as their rainforest home is destroyed
A baby orangutan clings dejectedly to its mother after she was beaten, tied up and shut in
a tiny cage while looking for food in Sungai Pinyuh, Indonesia
The Next Crash Will Be Ecological
-- and Nature Doesn't Do Bailouts
The great ecological crash will be worse, because nature doesn't do bailouts.
The Only Two Ways to Raise Brain
Serotonin Levels
Serotonin is probably the most important neurotransmitter in the brain because it
naturally and effectively treats depression, anxiety and insomnia, as well as symptoms
such as fatigue, irritability, agitation, anger, aggression, hostility, impulse dyscontrol
and a variety of other mood issues.
The race against age
Impairments to health and physical performance are not primarily a result of aging but of
unfavorable lifestyle habits and lack of exercise. This is the position taken by Dieter
Leyk and his coauthors in the new issue of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International. Sporty
elderly people have a life expectancy that is almost 4 years higher and are often faster
than younger athletes. In their study, the sports scientists analyzed the stamina of more
than 600 000 marathon and half marathon runners and asked participants about their
lifestyle habits and their health. Marathon running is particularly suitable for studying
because participants have to put in sufficient training hours for the competition, and the
athletes accommodate this into their day accordingly. Unfavorable characteristics such as
obesity, smoking, and lack of physical activity are rarer in runners, and reductions in
physical performance are more likely to be the result of biological aging processes. These
reductions make their presence felt only after the 54th year of life and are but slight.
More than 25% of 50- to 69-year-olds had taken up running only in the preceding 5 years
and participated in a marathon nonetheless. Of note: older participants do not have to
train any harder to maintain their fitness than their younger rivals.
The social butterfly effect
A team of scientists from the University of Southampton, Royal Holloway, University of
London, and the Institute of Zoology at London Zoo have been researching the social
butterfly effect - studying how we change our friends throughout our lives. They are
interested in the fact that, despite the fleeting nature of many of our relationships, we
often form cliques - circles of friends that are often friendly with each other. This
could help us to understand why our society is made up of so many groups, from political
to sporting
The Worst Type of Fish You Can Eat
Fish farms are killing off wild salmon. Norwegian policies are making farmed seafood
unsustainable and unhealthy.
Thyroid hormone could help
diabetics
University of Oklahoma scientists studying cardiovascular disease stumbled across a
thyroid hormone that could help diabetes patients.
Toothpaste chemical 'that can leave
unborn babies brain damaged'
A chemical in toothpastes and soaps has been linked with brain damage to babies in the
womb.
Tricyclic anti-depressants linked
to increased risk of heart disease
Research that followed nearly 15,000 people in Scotland has shown that a class of older
generation anti-depressant is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD).
The study showed that tricyclic anti-depressants were associated with a 35% increased risk
of CVD, but that there was no increased risk with the newer anti-depressants such as the
selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). The study is published online today
(Wednesday 1 December) in the European Heart Journal [1] and was led by researchers from
University College London (UCL). The prospective study, which followed 14,784 men and
women without a known history of CVD, is the first to look at the risks associated with
the use of anti-depressants in a large, representative sample of the general population.
Until now, there have been uncertain and conflicting findings from earlier studies that
have looked at the link between anti-depressant use and the risk of CVD.
TSA now setting up Nazi-style
"VIPER" security checkpoints at bus terminals
Terrorizing innocent travelers at airports is simply not enough for the U.S. Department of
Homeland Security (DHS). The agency recently tested a new program known as VIPER (Visual
Intermodal Protection and Response) which involved placing Transportation Security
Administration (TSA) officials at Greyhound bus stations in Tampa to pat down and grope
ground travelers. The agency even brought in local police with sniff dogs to allegedly
help improve overall security.
Tumors bring their own support
cells when forming metastases
The process of metastasis requires that cancer cells traveling from a primary tumor find a
hospitable environment in which to implant themselves and grow.
U of I scientists develop tool to
trace metabolism of cancer-fighting tomato compounds
The University of Illinois scientists who linked eating tomatoes with a reduced risk of
prostate cancer have developed a tool that will help them trace the metabolism of tomato
carotenoids in the human body. And they've secured funding from the National Institutes of
Health to do it. "Scientists believe that carotenoids—the pigments that give the
red, yellow, and orange colors to some fruits and vegetables—provide the
cancer-preventive benefits in tomatoes, but we don't know exactly how it happens,"
said John W. Erdman, a U of I professor of human nutrition. The researchers will use
isotopic labeling of three tomato carotenoids with heavier carbon atoms than are commonly
seen in nature, which will allow tracking of the tomato components' absorption and
metabolism in the body, he said.
U of M researcher helps unlock 30
new genes responsible for early-onset puberty
“Early menarche is caused by both genetics and environmental factors. We already knew
that diet and physical exercise play a role in menarche, but now that we’ve
identified more of the specific genes involved, this gives us clues about how to intervene
on the process.
UCLA biochemists develop new method
for preventing oxidative damage to cells
The discovery by UCLA biochemists of a new method for preventing oxidation in the
essential fatty acids of cell membranes could lead to a new class of more effective
nutritional supplements and potentially help combat neurodegenerative disorders such as
Parkinson's disease and perhaps Alzheimer's. While polyunsaturated fatty acids are
essential nutrients for everything from brain function to cell function, they are the most
vulnerable components in human cells because of their high sensitivity to oxidative
modifications caused by highly reactive oxygen molecules in the body. The biochemists, led
by UCLA chemistry and biochemistry professor Catherine Clarke, have developed a new method
for increasing the stability of polyunsaturated fatty acids. They have discovered a way to
make these molecules harder to break apart so that oxidation is less likely to occur,
rather than relying on antioxidants to repair damage after it occurs.
UCLA scientists discover mechanism
that turns healthy cells into prostate cancer cells
A protein that is crucial for regulating the self-renewal of normal prostate stem cells,
needed to repair injured cells or restore normal cells killed by hormone withdrawal
therapy for cancer, also aids the transformation of healthy cells into prostate cancer
cells, researchers at UCLA have found. The findings, by researchers with the Eli and
Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research at UCLA, may have
important implications for controlling cancer growth and progression. Done in primary
cells and in animal models, the findings from the three-year study appear Dec. 2, 2010 in
the early online edition of the peer-reviewed journal Cell Stem Cell.
Ultrafine Particle Exposure in
Persons with Diabetes
Observational studies suggest that cardiovascular effects of airborne particles may be
greater in diabetics than in nondiabetics. Stewart et al. (p. 1692) conducted a randomized
crossover study of 19 type 2 diabetes patients to examine effects of inhaled elemental
carbon ultrafine particles (UFP) on blood platelets and vascular endothelium. Study
participants inhaled filtered air or 50 µg/m3 elemental carbon UFP by mouthpiece for 2 hr
while at rest, and markers of vascular activation, coagulation, and systemic inflammation
were measured before and after exposure. The authors report that inhalation of elemental
carbon UFP transiently activated platelets and possibly the vascular endothelium. They
suggest that vascular effects may help explain the possible increased sensitivity of
people with type 2 diabetes to air pollution.
Unique Inflammatory Responses to
Different NPs
Metal oxide nanoparticles (NPs) have been widely used in industry, cosmetics, and
biomedicine. Cho et al. (p. 1699) investigated the inflammatory effects of NPs in a
laboratory animal model. NPs [cerium oxide (CeO2NP), titanium dioxide, carbon black,
silicon dioxide, nickel oxide (NiONP), zinc oxide (ZnONP), copper oxide (CuONP), and
amine-modified polystyrene beads] were instilled into lungs of rats and inflammation
potency was evaluated at 24 hr and 4 weeks later. Only CeO2NP, NiONP, ZnONP, and CuONP
caused inflammation in the lungs of rats at the doses used. Each of these compounds
induced a unique inflammatory profile both acutely and after repeated exposure, suggesting
that pathology, risks, and risk severity will vary as well. The authors conclude that NPs
cannot be viewed as a single hazard entity and that risk assessment should be performed
separately for different NPs. In addition, they note that current in vitro testing would
not have identified these differential effects.
University of Utah and Harvard
researchers take major step toward first biological test for autism
Researchers at Harvard-affiliated McLean Hospital and the University of Utah have
developed the best biologically based test for autism to date. The test was able to detect
the disorder in individuals with high-functioning autism with 94 percent accuracy. The
study will be published online the week of November 29th in Autism Research.
Variability in Urinary Phthalate
Metabolite Levels
Phthalate metabolite concentrations in spot urine samples have been used to estimate
phthalate exposures, but the reliability of these estimates is uncertain. Preau et al. (p.
1748) collected all urine voids during 1 week from 8 adults to evaluate inter- and
intraperson and inter- and intraday variability in urinary concentrations of monoethyl
phthalate (MEP), the major metabolite of diethyl phthalate (DEP), and
mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), a metabolite of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate
(DEHP). The authors report that concentrations of both metabolites varied, with
variability among participants accounting for 75% of the total variance in MEP, regardless
of the type of sample (spot, first morning, or 24-hr collection) measured. In contrast,
most of the total variance in MEHHP was accounted for by within-person variation. The
authors conclude that multiple spot samples may perform as well as 24-hr voids for
measuring DEHP and phthalates found mostly in the diet, and suggest that changing the time
of spot urine sample collection may reduce misclassification when evaluating exposure to
diverse phthalates.
Virtual biopsy may allow earlier
diagnosis of brain disorder in athletes
In a study of ex-pro athletes, researchers found that a specialized imaging technique
called magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) may help diagnose chronic traumatic
encephalopathy (CTE), a disorder caused by repetitive head trauma that currently can only
be definitively diagnosed at autopsy. Results of the study were presented today at the
annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Water resources played important
role in patterns of human settlement, new UNH research shows
Once lost in the mists of time, the colonial hydrology of the northeastern United States
has been reconstructed by a team of geoscientists, biological scientists and social
scientists, including University of New Hampshire Ph.D. candidate Christopher Pastore. The
results, which extend as far back as the year 1600, appear in the current issue of the
journal Environmental Science & Technology in the article "Tapping Environmental
History to Recreate America's Colonial Hydrology." The findings provide a new way of
uncovering the hydrology of the past and will lead to a better understanding of hydrologic
systems now and in the future, the scientists say.
We're All On Prozac Now
For over a decade now environmental toxicologists have been doing chemical analyses on the
water of lakes, streams and acquifers that are the sources of public drinking water,
especially the waters that are downstream from wastewater treatment facilities. The
results have been alarming.
Who cleans the welfare state?
In this report Anna Gavanas, social anthropologist and associate professor at the
Institute for Futures Studies, explores the dynamics of migration, social exclusion and
labour market informalization through the lens of the domestic service sector in
Stockholm. Based on a recent interview study, Gavanas identifies crucial aspects of a
range of large scale social and economic shifts in Sweden. Especially in focus are the
conditions of migrant domestic workers in a globalized economy.
Whole body exposure with GSM 900MHz
affects spatial memory in mice
Extended work has been performed worldwide on the effects of mobile phone radiation upon
rats' cognitive functions, however there is great controversy to the existence or not of
deficits. The present work has been designed in order to test the effects of mobile phone
radiation on spatial learning and memory in mice Mus musculus Balb/c using the Morris
water maze (a hippocampal-dependent spatial memory task), since there is just one other
study on mice with very low SAR level (0.05W/kg) showing no effects. We have applied a 2h
daily dose of pulsed GSM 900MHz radiation from commercially available mobile phone for 4
days at SAR values ranging from 0.41 to 0.98W/kg. Statistical analysis revealed that
during learning, exposed animals showed a deficit in transferring the acquired spatial
information across training days (increased escape latency and distance swam, compared to
the sham-exposed animals, on the first trial of training days 2-4). Moreover, during the
memory probe-trial sham-exposed animals showed the expected preference for the target
quadrant, while the exposed animals showed no preference, indicating that the exposed mice
had deficits in consolidation and/or retrieval of the learned spatial information. Our
results provide a basis for more thorough investigations considering reports on
non-thermal effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs).
Whole Grains Cause Cavities?
How could whole grains possibly cause cavities? Isn’t white bread, after all, one of
the common causes of tooth decay because it is devoid of nutrition and basically white
sugar dressed up as food? Isn’t white flour one of the “displacing foods of
modern commerce” as written about by Dr. Weston A. Price in his groundbreaking work
Nutrition and Physical Degeneration?
Widely Used Arthritis Pill Protects
Against Skin Cancer
A widely used arthritis drug reduces the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers – the
most common cancers in humans – according to a study published this week in the
Journal of the National Cancer Institute. The COX-2 inhibitor celecoxib (brand name
Celebrex), which is currently approved for the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid
arthritis and acute pain in adults, led to a 62 percent reduction in non-melanoma skin
cancers, which includes basal cell carcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas.
Wikileaks document pushes GM food
for African countries
In a document outlining priorities for intelligence gathering in Burundi, Rwanda, the
Republic of Congo and others in the region, one objective is "Government acceptance
of genetically modified food and propagation of genetically modified crops."
Women who sunbathe live longer
Women who sunbathe regularly live longer and enjoy health benefits which outweigh the risk
of skin cancer, according to research presented at the Swedish Society of Medicine's
annual conference in Gothenburg.
Women with migraine with aura have
better outcomes after stroke
Women with a history of migraine headache with aura (transient neurological symptoms,
mostly visual impairments) are at increased risk of stroke. However, according to new
research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association stroke events
in women with migraine with aura are more likely to have mild or no disability compared to
those without migraine. In a new analysis of the Women's Health Study involving 27,852
women over 13.5 years, researchers found those who have migraine with aura and who
experience an ischemic stroke were twice as likely to have no significant disability from
stroke.
Working with Pesticides Linked to
Dementia
Long-term exposure to pesticides may increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease and other
forms of dementia, according to a study released Thursday.
Yo-yo dieting alters genes linked
with stress
Stressed-out mice with a history of dieting ate more high-fat foods than similarly
stressed mice not previously on diets, according to a new study in the Dec. 1 issue of The
Journal of Neuroscience. The findings suggest that moderate diets change how the brain
responds to stress and may make crash dieters more susceptible to weight gain.
