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Week 44
Research shows treating HIV-AIDS
with interleukin-2 is ineffective
An international research team has demonstrated that treating HIV-AIDS with interleukin-2
(IL-2) is ineffective. As a result, the researchers recommend that clinical trials on this
compound be stopped. Their finding was published in the New England Journal of Medicine in
an article co-authored by 14 researchers, including Dr. Jean-Pierre Routy of the Research
Institute of the McGill University Health Centre (RI-MUHC). IL-2 is currently used as a
complement to highly active antiretroviral therapy (known as HAART), which is administered
to patients with HIV-AIDS. Since HAART controls replication of viruses in the blood,
doctors thought that IL-2 would help regenerate more CD4+ immune cells, which serve as an
indicator of viral progression. It was thought that IL-2 increased the natural immunity of
patients by helping immune cells mature and multiply. “Our results show that IL-2 has
no effect on the development of AIDS or on patient survival,” says Dr. Routy.
“More precisely, while the presence of IL-2 leads to a faster increase of CD4+ immune
cells, these cells are less functional than the CD4+ cells that regenerate naturally in
patients who do not receive IL-2. This means that IL-2 treatment provides no benefit and
does not prevent AIDS-related infectious diseases.”
Loss of Tumor-Suppressor and
DNA-Maintenance Proteins Causes Tissue Demise, Penn Study Finds
A study published in the October issue of Nature Genetics demonstrates that loss of the
tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR,
severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice. As a result, tissues deteriorate rapidly,
which is generally fatal in these animals. In addition, the study provides supportive
evidence for the use of inhibitors of ATR in cancer therapy.Essentially, says senior
author Eric Brown, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology at the University of
Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the findings highlight the fact that day-to-day
maintenance required to keep proliferative tissues like skin and intestines functional is
about more than just regeneration, a stem cell-based process that forms the basis of
tissue renewal. It's also about housekeeping, the clearing away of damaged cells. Whereas
loss of ATR causes DNA damage, the job of p53 is to monitor cells for such damage and
either stimulate the early demise of such cells or prevent their replication, the
housekeeping part of the equation. The findings indicate that as messy as things can
become in the absence of a DNA maintenance protein like ATR, failing to remove resulting
damaged cells by also deleting p53, is worse. "Because the persistence of damaged
cells in the absence of p53 prevents appropriate tissue renewal, these and other studies
have underscored the importance not only of maintaining competent stem cells, but also of
eliminating what gets in the way of regeneration," explains Brown.
Cost Effectiveness of Blood
Pressure Device Evaluated
A study conducted by the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) demonstrates that,
for certain patient populations, an experimental device that lowers blood pressure may be
a cost effective treatment. The implantable device, called Rheos, is in advanced stages of
testing for individuals with drug resistant hypertension. The study – which appears
this month in the Journal of Clinical Hypertension – used data from two large
population-based studies and compared the incidence of adverse health events such as
stroke and heart attack for groups of individuals with and without the blood pressure
lowering benefit of the device. Researchers then projected the health care costs
associated with those events over a patient’s lifetime. The results show that if
Rheos continues to perform at a level consistent the initial findings in ongoing clinical
trials, then the device is a cost effective way to control hypertension.
Do 3 meals a day keep fungi away?
The fact that they eat a lot – and often – may explain why most people and other
mammals are protected from the majority of fungal pathogens, according to research from
Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University. The research, published in the
Journal of Infectious Diseases, showed that the elevated body temperature of mammals
– the familiar 98.6o F or 37o C in people – is too high for the vast majority of
potential fungal invaders to survive. "Fungal strains undergo a major loss of ability
to grow as we move to mammalian temperatures," said Arturo Casadevall, M.D., Ph.D.,
chair and professor of microbiology & immunology at Einstein. Dr. Casadevall conducted
the study in conjunction with Vincent A. Robert of the Utrecht, Netherlands-based Fungal
Biodiversity Center, also known as Centraalbureau voor Schimmelcultures. "Our study
makes the argument that our warm temperatures may have evolved to protect us against
fungal diseases," said Dr. Casadevall. "And being warm-blooded and therefore
largely resistant to fungal infections may help explain the dominance of mammals after the
age of dinosaurs." There are roughly 1.5 million fungal species. Of these, only a few
hundred are pathogenic to mammals. Fungal infections in people are often the result of an
impaired immune function. By contrast, an estimated 270,000 fungal species are pathogenic
to plants and 50,000 species infect insects. Frogs and other amphibians are prone to
fungal pathogens, one of which, chytridiomycosis, is currently raging through frogs
worldwide. Fungi are also important in the decomposition of plants.
Secondhand Smoke Exposure and
Cardiovascular Effects
Data suggest that exposure to secondhand smoke can result in heart disease in nonsmoking
adults. Recently, progress has been made in reducing involuntary exposure to secondhand
smoke through legislation banning smoking in workplaces, restaurants, and other public
places. The effect of legislation to ban smoking and its effects on the cardiovascular
health of nonsmoking adults, however, remains a question. Secondhand Smoke Exposure and
Cardiovascular Effects reviews available scientific literature to assess the relationship
between secondhand smoke exposure and acute coronary events. The authors, experts in
secondhand smoke exposure and toxicology, clinical cardiology, epidemiology, and
statistics, find that there is about a 25 to 30 percent increase in the risk of coronary
heart disease from exposure to secondhand smoke. Their findings agree with the 2006
Surgeon General's Report conclusion that there are increased risks of coronary heart
disease morbidity and mortality among men and women exposed to secondhand smoke. However,
the authors note that the evidence for determining the magnitude of the relationship
between chronic secondhand smoke exposure and coronary heart disease is not very strong.
Public health professionals will rely upon Secondhand Smoke Exposure and Cardiovascular
Effects for its survey of critical epidemiological studies on the effects of smoking bans
and evidence of links between secondhand smoke exposure and cardiovascular events, as well
as its findings and recommendations.
Being a standout has its benefits,
study shows
Standing out in a crowd is better than blending in, at least if you're a paper wasp in a
colony where fights between nest-mates determine social status. That's the conclusion of a
study by University of Michigan researchers published online this week in the journal
Evolution. "It's good to be different, to wear a nametag advertising your
identity," said graduate student Michael Sheehan, who collaborated on the research
with evolutionary biologist Elizabeth Tibbetts. In earlier research, Tibbetts showed that
paper wasps (Polistes fuscatus) recognize individuals by variations in their facial
markings and that they behave more aggressively toward wasps with unfamiliar faces. Then
last year, Sheehan and Tibbetts published a paper in Current Biology demonstrating that
these wasps have surprisingly long memories and base their behavior on what they remember
of previous social interactions with other wasps.
Gene mutation may reveal clues for
treating lung diseases
A genetic mutation found in four children born with multiple abnormalities may provide
insight into potential treatments for newborn lung distress and chronic obstructive
pulmonary disease (COPD). The children were born with abnormally developed lungs,
gastrointestinal and urinary systems, skin, skull, bones and muscles. In addition, all had
cutis laxa, an inherited connective tissue disorder that causes skin to hang loosely from
the bod. Three of the patients died from respiratory failure before age 2. Details about
the discovery of the mutation, found by researchers from Washington University School of
Medicine in St. Louis, McGill University, New York University Langone Medical Center and
collaborating institutions, are published in the Oct. 15 online edition of the American
Journal of Human Genetics. Elaine C. Davis, Ph.D., senior author and associate professor
of anatomy and cell biology at McGill University in Montreal, Canada, compared various
tissues from a mouse genetically engineered to be missing a form of the LTBP4 gene with
skin tissue samples from one of the children. She found remarkable similarities. The
mouse, provided by Daniel Rifkin, M.D., the Charles Aden Poindexter Professor of Medicine
and professor of cell biology at NYU Langone Medical Center, showed similar connective
tissue alterations by electron microscopy as the patient. The child had cutis laxa, lethal
pulmonary complications and gastrointestinal and urinary disease.
Study shows how substance in grapes
may squeeze out diabetes
A naturally produced molecule called resveratrol, found in the skin of red grapes, has
been shown to lower insulin levels in mice when injected directly into the brain, even
when the animals ate a high-fat diet. The findings from a new UT Southwestern Medical
Center study suggest that when acting directly on certain proteins in the brain,
resveratrol may offer some protection against diabetes. Prior research has shown that the
compound exerts anti-diabetic actions when given orally to animals with type 2 diabetes
(non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus), but it has been unclear which tissues in the
body mediated these effects. “Our study shows that the brain plays an important role
in mediating resveratrol’s anti-diabetic actions, and it does so independent of
changes in food intake and body weight,” said Dr. Roberto Coppari, assistant
professor of internal medicine at UT Southwestern and senior author of the study appearing
online and in the December issue of Endocrinology.
Arctic Now Traps 25 Percent of
World’s Carbon
The arctic could potentially alter the Earth’s climate by becoming a possible source
of global atmospheric carbon dioxide. The arctic now traps or absorbs up to 25 percent of
this gas but climate change could alter that amount, according to a study published in the
November issue of Ecological Monographs. In their review paper, David McGuire of the U.S.
Geological Survey and the University of Alaska at Fairbanks and his colleagues show that
the Arctic has been a carbon sink since the end of the last Ice Age, which has recently
accounted for between zero and 25 percent, or up to about 800 million metric tons, of the
global carbon sink. On average, says McGuire, the Arctic accounts for 10-15 percent of the
Earth’s carbon sink. But the rapid rate of climate change in the Arctic – about
twice that of lower latitudes – could eliminate the sink and instead, possibly make
the Arctic a source of carbon dioxide. “This study is another example of the
important role played by USGS and its partners in providing the scientific research that
must be the backbone of any actions related to climate change,” said Secretary of the
Interior Ken Salazar.
Misuse of antibiotics not the only
cause of resistance says report
The perception that antibiotic resistance is primarily the undesirable consequence of
antibiotic abuse or misuse is a view that is simplistic and inaccurate, according to a
recent report by the American Academy of Microbiology. The reasons behind the spread of
resistance are much more complex, including appropriate antibiotic use, lack of proper
sanitation and hygiene, and even the environment. The report, "Antibiotic Resistance:
An Ecological Perspective on an Old Problem," is based on a colloquium convened by
the Academy in October 2008. It states that resistance development is founded in the
inevitability of microbial evolution. There are no scapegoats, and responsibility is
partly due to medical practice, including patient demand, industrial practices, politics,
and antibiotics themselves. "Antibiotic resistance is an international pandemic that
compromises the treatment of all infectious diseases. At the present time, resistance
essentially is uncontrollable. The reasons behind the establishment and spread of
resistance are complex, mostly multi-factorial, and mostly unknown. The colloquium
consensus was that efforts must target both the bacterial transmission and antimicrobial
use," states colloquium co-chair, Jacques F. Acar, M.D. More research bridging
medical, chemical, and environmental disciplines is needed now according to the Academy
report. Resistance is often portrayed as simply an undesirable consequence of antibiotic
abuse or misuse, but the rate of antibiotic resistance emergence is related to all uses of
drugs, not just misuse, and the total amount of antibiotics used and the environment also
play roles. The main driving factor behind resistance may actually be a lack of adequate
hygiene and sanitation, which enables rapid proliferation and spread of pathogens.
Skin cells may provide early
warning for cancer risk elsewhere in body
While some scientists have argued that cancer is such a complex genetic disease that you'd
have to sequence a person's complete genome in order to predict his or her cancer risk, a
University of California, Berkeley, cell biologist suggests that the risk may be more
simply determined by inexpensively culturing a few skin cells. Harry Rubin, professor
emeritus of molecular and cell biology at UC Berkeley, acknowledges that cancer cells have
mutations in hundreds of genes, making it hard to determine which are the key triggers and
making prognosis and treatment equally difficult. Even normal tissue differs from person
to person because of a myriad of less disruptive mutations and because of different
environmental exposures, both of which affect future cancer risk. But in the September
issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, Rubin argues that,
while it may be hard to dissect the role of each of these mutations, their collective
effect should be observable in tissue before any cancers develop. Specifically, increases
in how densely the cells grow, which Rubin argues are a prelude to cancer, may be
detectable even before the cancer appears, warning of risks that could be lessened by
behavioral changes. "Over a 50-year career, I've worked with cells transforming (into
cancer) in culture and seen the first step in a dynamic way, seen cells continuing to
multiply when they should have stopped," Rubin said. "This is the first step in
cancer, though not yet cancer, and you can measure these changes quantitatively." The
problem, of course, is that it is impractical to test all the body's tissues to determine
whether they have abnormal cell growth. But Rubin has found evidence from other studies
that, in some cases, skin fibroblasts show these early changes even before cancer appears
in other tissues, such as the colon. "The abnormal growth behavior of skin
fibroblasts in cancer-prone individuals has suggested that, at least in some cases, cancer
can be considered a systemic disease and that this difference in the behavior of skin
fibroblast cells from such individuals may be a practical basis for prevention, diagnosis
and management of the disease," he concluded in his paper.
The food-energy cellular connection
revealed
Our body's activity levels fall and rise to the beat of our internal drums—the
24-hour cycles that govern fundamental physiological functions, from sleeping and feeding
patterns to the energy available to our cells. Whereas the master clock in the brain is
set by light, the pacemakers in peripheral organs are set by food availability. The
underlying molecular mechanism was unknown. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute for
Biological Studies shed light on the long missing connection: A metabolic master switch,
which, when thrown, allows nutrients to directly alter the rhythm of peripheral clocks.
Since the body's circadian rhythm and its metabolism are closely intertwined, the risk for
metabolic disease shoots up, when they are out of sync. "Shift workers face a 100
percent increase in the risk for obesity and its consequences, such as high blood
pressure, insulin resistance and an increased risk of heart attacks," says Howard
Hughes Medical Investigator Ronald M. Evans, Ph.D., a professor in the Salk Institute's
Gene Expression Laboratory. The researchers' findings, which are published in the Oct. 16,
2009, issue of Science, could have far-reaching implications, from providing a better
understanding how nutrition and gene expression are linked, to creating new ways to treat
obesity, diabetes and other related diseases. "It is estimated that the activity of
up to 15 percent of our genes is under the direct control of biological clocks," says
Evans. "Our work provides a conceptual way to link nutrition and energy regulation to
the genome." The clocks themselves keep time through the rhythmic waxing and waning
of circadian gene expression on a roughly 24-hour schedule that anticipates environmental
changes and adapts many of the body's physiological functions to the appropriate time of
day. The most obvious one, the sleep-wake rhythm, is tightly linked to the night-day
cycle. But so are physical activity and metabolism. "When we get up in the morning we
'break the fast'," says Evans. While opening the fridge doesn't require a lot of
physical activity, the situation for animals in the wild is quite different. "If you
are a predatory animal you run to hunt. If you are prey, you run to get away."
What drives our genes? Salk
researchers map the first complete human epigenome
Although the human genome sequence faithfully lists (almost) every single DNA base of the
roughly 3 billion bases that make up a human genome, it doesn't tell biologists much about
how its function is regulated. Now, researchers at the Salk Institute provide the first
detailed map of the human epigenome, the layer of genetic control beyond the regulation
inherent in the sequence of the genes themselves. "In the past we've been limited to
viewing small snippets of the epigenome," says senior author Joseph Ecker, Ph.D.,
professor and director of the Genomic Analysis Laboratory at the Salk Institute and a
member of the San Diego Epigenome Center. "Being able to study the epigenome in its
entirety will lead to a better understanding of how genome function is regulated in health
and disease but also how gene expression is influenced by diet and the environment."
Their study, published in the Oct. 14, 2009 advance online edition of the journal Nature,
compared the epigenomes of human embryonic stem cells and differentiated connective cells
from the lung called fibroblasts, revealing a highly dynamic, yet tightly controlled,
landscape of chemical signposts known as methyl-groups. The head-to-head comparison
brought to light a novel DNA methylation pattern unique to stem cells, which may explain
how stem cells establish and maintain their pluripotent state, the researchers say.
'ECG for the mind' could diagnose
depression in an hour
An innovative diagnostic technique invented by a Monash University researcher could
dramatically fast-track the detection of mental and neurological illnesses. Monash
biomedical engineer Brian Lithgow has developed electrovestibulography which is something
akin to an 'ECG for the mind'. Patterns of electrical activity in the brain's vestibular
(or balance) system are measured against distinct response patterns found in depression,
schizophrenia and other Central Nervous System (CNS) disorders. The vestibular system is
closely connected to the primitive regions of the brain that relate to emotions and
behaviour, so Lithgow saw the diagnostic potential of measuring and comparing different
patterns of electrovestibular activity. Working with psychiatry researchers at Monash
University's Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre (MAPrc) in Melbourne, Australia, he tested
volunteers and found distinct response patterns, or "biomarkers", that
distinguished different CNS diseases from each other and from regular electrovestibular
activity. Monash has teamed up with corporate partner Neural Diagnostics to develop and
patent electrovestibulography, or EVestG™. It is hoped the simple, quick and
inexpensive screening process for CNS diseases will eventually become standard practice in
hospitals around the world. "The patient sits in a specially designed tilt chair that
triggers electrical responses in their balance system. A gel-tipped electrode placed in
the individual's ear canal silences interfering noise so that these meaningful electrical
responses are captured and recorded," the Monash researcher said. "The responses
are then compared to the distinct biomarkers indicative of particular CNS disorders,
allowing diagnosis to be made in under an hour."
In shaping our immune systems, some
'friendly' bacteria may play inordinate role
Out of the trillions of "friendly" bacteria - representing hundreds of species
-that make our intestines their home, new evidence in mice suggests that it may be a very
select few that shape our immune responses. The findings detailed in two October 16th
reports appearing in the journals Cell and Immunity, both Cell Press publications, offer
new insight into the constant dialogue that goes on between intestinal microbes and the
immune system, and point to a remarkably big role for a class of microbes known as
segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB). "It's the first example of a commensal bacteria
that can induce accumulation in the gut of a highly specific branch of the immune
system," said Dan Littman of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the New York
University School of Medicine, who led the study reported in Cell. "We're headed into
an exciting new area, and we hope more pieces of how the microbial-host interaction
contributes to health will begin to fall into place." "Our study provides the
surprising result that among the hundreds of bacterial species composing the gut
microbiota -- only a very small number, the prototype of which is SFB -- can efficiently
stimulate the post-natal physiologic maturation of the immune barrier," added
Valérie Gaboriau-Routhiau of INSERM in France, who led the Immunity report. "A
unique feature of SFB appears to be its capacity to simultaneously stimulate a large
spectrum of intestinal immune responses -- innate and adaptive, pro-inflammatory and
regulatory -- which complete and balance each other." Notably, those SFBs stimulate
particular types of helper T cells, known as Th17 cells, the studies show. In Littman's
case, the findings by his group were something of an accidental discovery. They were
studying T cells in the intestine and were getting some inconsistencies in their results.
Those inconsistencies could be traced to differences in the gut floras of mice obtained
from different sources, and specifically, they found, in the presence or absence of SFB.
Scientists remove amyloid plaques
from brains of live animals with Alzheimer's disease
A breakthrough discovery by scientists from the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL, may lead
to a new treatment for Alzheimer's Disease that actually removes amyloid
plaques—considered a hallmark of the disease—from patients' brains. This
discovery, published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org), is based on the
unexpected finding that when the brain's immune cells (microglia) are activated by the
interleukin-6 protein (IL-6), they actually remove plaques instead of causing them or
making them worse. The research was performed in a model of Alzheimer's disease
established in mice. "Our study highlights the notion that manipulating the brain's
immune response could be translated into clinically tolerated regimens for the treatment
of neurodegenerative diseases," said Pritam Das, co-author of the study, from the
Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, FL. Das and colleagues made this unexpected discovery when
they initially set out to prove that the activation of microgila trigger inflammation,
making the disease worse. Their hypothesis was that microglia would attempt to remove the
plaques, but would be unable to do so, and in the process cause excessive inflammation. To
the surprise of the researchers, when microglia were activated by IL-6, they cleared the
plaques from the brains. To do this, the researchers over-expressed IL-6 in the brains of
newborn mice that had yet to develop any amyloid plaques, as well in mice with
pre-existing plaques. Using somatic brain transgenesis technology, scientists analyzed the
effect of IL-6 on brain neuro-inflammation and plaque deposition. In both groups of mice,
the presence of IL-6 lead to the clearance of amyloid plaques from the brain. Researchers
then set out to determine exactly how IL-6 worked to clear the plaques and discovered that
the inflammation induced by IL-6 directed the microglia to express proteins that removed
the plaques. This research suggests that manipulating the brain's own immune cells through
inflammatory mediators could lead to new therapeutic approaches for the treatment of
neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Alzheimer's disease.
Treatment not testicular cancer
poses greatest risk to survivors' long-term health
Testicular cancer survivors can face an increased risk of long-term illness, not because
of the malignancy, but the highly effective treatment they receive, according to a study
in the urology journal BJUI. Researchers from the Norwegian Radium Hospital at the
University of Oslo found that the number of problems faced by survivors are higher than
generally thought, because clinicians only report those that are life-threatening or
require medical intervention. Awareness of this discrepancy has led to a greater focus on
patient-reported outcomes. The research review, part of a November BJUI special issue on
testicular cancer, shows that as many as a quarter of survivors develop long-term
neurological, hearing and circulation problems and they are twice as likely to develop a
secondary cancer. On a more positive note, up to 80 per cent who attempt to become fathers
after treatment are successful. "Patients can suffer considerable mental distress
after having one testicle removed due to cancer, but this gradually decreases with
treatment" says lead author Professor Sophie D Fossa. "Gastrointestinal
side-effects are common during both chemotherapy and radiotherapy and chemotherapy carries
added risks like infections and blood clots. Long-term problems include secondary cancers,
heart problems, and conditions related to lower hormone levels."We believe that the
best way to reduce the short and long-term health of survivors is to reduce the risk, by
smoking cessation, physical activity and weight reduction, and to provide adequate
follow-up for patients who could develop life-threatening toxicity."
Unusual bacteria help balance the
immune system in mice
Medical researchers have long suspected that obscure bacteria living within the intestinal
tract may help keep the human immune system in balance. An international collaboration
co-led by scientists at NYU Langone Medical Center has now identified a bizarre-looking
microbial species that can single-handedly spur the production of specialized immune cells
in mice. This remarkable activation of the immune response could point to a similar
phenomenon in humans, helping researchers understand how gut-dwelling bacteria protect us
from pathogenic bacteria, such as virulent strains of E. coli. The study, published in the
Oct. 30, 2009, issue of Cell, also supports the idea that specific bacteria may act like
neighborhood watchdogs at key locations within the small intestine, where they sense the
local microbial community and sound the alarm if something seems amiss. In mice, at least,
the newly identified neighborhood watchdog looks like something out of Disney's "The
Shaggy D.A." Distinguished by long hair-like filaments, "These bacteria are the
most astounding things I've ever seen," says Dan Littman, MD, PhD, the Helen L. and
Martin S. Kimmel Professor of Molecular Immunology and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute
Investigator. Co-led by Dr. Littman's lab, the collaboration with researchers in Japan,
California, and Massachusetts zeroed in on a little-known microbe named segmented
filamentous bacterium, or SFB. In mice raised under germ-free conditions, the scientists
found that adding SFB was sufficient to trigger the appearance of specialized T helper
cells known as Th17 cells. These immune specialists, in turn, can send signals that tell
epithelial cells lining the small intestine to increase their output of molecules
targeting selected microbes.
Stem cells offer new hope for
kidney disease patients
Several cell-based therapy approaches could provide new treatments for patients with
Alport syndrome, reports an upcoming paper in the Journal of the American Society of
Nephrology (JASN). "Our study opens up many considerations of how new therapies
related to the use of stem cells can be devised for our kidney patients with chronic
disease," comments Raghu Kalluri, MD, PhD (Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA). Led
by Valerie LeBleu, PhD (also of Harvard Medical School), the researchers tested various
types of cell-based therapy in mice with a gene defect similar to that causing Alport
syndrome, a genetic kidney disease. Most often occurring in boys, Alport syndrome causes
progressive kidney disease leading to kidney failure at a young age. Patients may develop
hearing loss and eye disease as well. Although treatment can slow the progression of
kidney disease, there is currently no cure for Alport syndrome. The experiments provide
evidence that stem cell treatments could repair the kidney defects associated with Alport
syndrome. "We found that stem cells derived from adult bone marrow are equally useful
as embryonic stem cells," says Kalluri. "This will make it easier to translate
these scientific discoveries to a treatment protocol for patients with Alport
syndrome."
Rare procedure documents how the
human brain computes language
A study by researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
reports a significant breakthrough in explaining gaps in scientists' understanding of
human brain function. The study – which provides a picture of language processing in
the brain with unprecedented clarity – will be published in the October 16 issue of
the journal Science. "Two central mysteries of human brain function are addressed in
this study: one, the way in which higher cognitive processes such as language are
implemented in the brain and, two, the nature of what is perhaps the best-known region of
the cerebral cortex, called Broca's area," said first author Ned T. Sahin, PhD,
post-doctoral fellow in the UCSD Department of Radiology and Harvard University Department
of Psychology. The study demonstrates that a small piece of the brain can compute three
different things at different times – within a quarter of a second – and shows
that Broca's area doesn't just do one thing when processing language. The discoveries came
through the researchers' use of a rare procedure in which electrodes were placed in the
brains of patients. The technique allowed surgeons to know which small region of the brain
to remove to alleviate their seizures, while sparing the healthy regions necessary for
language. Recordings for research purposes were then made while the patients were awake
and responsive. The procedure, called Intra-Cranial Electrophysiology (ICE), allowed the
researchers to resolve brain activity related to language with spatial accuracy down to
the millimeter and temporal accuracy down to the millisecond.
Researchers identify promising
therapeutic target for central nervous system injuries
Scars can serve as double-edged swords in spinal cord injuries—saving a victim's
life, but sealing his or her fate as a paraplegic or quadriplegic. The scar forms a wall
around the wound, preventing the injury from spreading, but limiting opportunities for
neural regeneration. Cells in the scar release molecules that keep severed nerve fibers
from passing the damaged tissue, so they cannot connect with their original targets to
restore motor and sensory function.Now, a team of researchers from Harvard Medical School
and Case Western Reserve University has identified where these potent
molecules—called chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs)—bind to the surface
of neurons, exposing a novel therapeutic target. Their findings appear online in the
journal Science on Oct. 15. "The docking station for these molecules has eluded
scientists for nearly two decades," says Harvard Medical School Professor John
Flanagan, senior author on the study. "Our collaborator Jerry Silver discovered that
CSPGs inhibit regeneration of the central nervous system in the early 1990s, but nobody
knew how they were keeping neurons at bay." Now chemists can hunt for small molecules
that will block the docking station and explore other approaches to disrupt it. "This
discovery suggests that we might be able to treat central nervous system injuries with a
pill in the future," says Silver, who is a professor at Case Western Reserve
University. "In reality, we'll probably need a drug cocktail because CSPGs are not
the only barrier to regeneration." Most scientists had given up on finding a docking
station for CSPGs because they suspected such a location did not exist. Like M&Ms,
CSPGs are covered in slippery sugar, which coats their sticky interior. The tough sugar
coating ruled out the typical interaction with a docking station, or receptor. Flanagan's
cell biology lab, however, recently discovered an anomaly—a family of receptors on
cells that tolerate and bind to the hard sugar coating itself.
Discovery of enzyme structure
points way to creating less toxic anti-HIV drugs
By discovering the atomic structure of a key human enzyme, researchers at The University
of Texas at Austin have pointed the way toward designing anti-HIV drugs with far less
toxic side effects. "Many anti-HIV drugs are designed to stop the process of DNA
replication," says Dr. Whitney Yin, assistant professor of chemistry and
biochemistry. "That turns out to be a great thing to do to help cure virus
infections, because it stop the processes of viral replication. "At the same time,
however, when you target such a critical process in viruses, you may also target human
enzymes that perform similar functions in normal cells, and this is what causes harmful
drug side effects." Yin and her graduate student, Young-sam Lee, have solved the
atomic structure of an enzyme, known as Pol ? (pol gamma), that is responsible for DNA
replication in human mitochondria. When mitochondria are working normally, they produce
most of the energy that sustains human cells. When pol gamma comes into contact with
certain anti-retroviral drugs, however, it can incorporate the drug into mitochondrial
DNA, and thus interfere with the normal replication process. This interferes with the
ability of mitochondria to function. The consequences can range from simple nausea to bone
marrow depletion to organ failure. "Patients who are taking this class of anti-HIV
drugs have suffered these drug toxicities for a long time," says Yin. "Dosages
and combinations of drugs can be chosen so they don't kill you, but they still can't be
used at their most effective concentrations against HIV. However, in large part because
combination therapies have become more successful and patients are living longer, toxicity
has become more of an issue than before."
'Cruel and inhumane' squabble puts
asbestos victims in limbo
COMPENSATION claims to dying asbestos victims are being delayed by legal feuding between
Australia's two asbestos manufacturers, James Hardie and CSR, over how they share
financial liability.
'Food intolerance' could afflict
half of UK
Almost half the population of Britain could be suffering from food intolerance resulting
in weight gain, diabetes and other complications.
'Toxic legacy' seeps from melting
Alpine glaciers
Swiss researchers have found that Alpine glaciers melting under the impact of climate
change are releasing highly toxic pollutants that had been absorbed by the ice for
decades.
Big-name companies conceal
pollution info
Environmental group Greenpeace on Tuesday criticized 18 leading companies from both home
and abroad for concealing polluting information - a violation of Chinese regulations.
Boost Your Stamina with Beetroot
Juice
Great news for has been announced for endurance athletes, the elderly population, and
those that struggle with cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases. Those that
have a need to exercise longer and tire less quickly would be interested to know that a
new British study indicates that beetroot juice has the ability to increase physical
stamina and exercise endurance up to 16 percent.
British scientists develop 'brain
to brain communication'
The system, developed by a team at the University of Southampton, is said to be the first
technology that would allow people to send thoughts, words and images directly to the
minds of others, particularly people with a disability.
Cancer study hopes to predict risk
SIXTY thousand women volunteers are needed to take part in the world's largest study to
predict breast cancer risk, hospital chiefs said yesterday.
Brookline scientist looking for
cause of breast cancer in household objects
Doctor Perinaaz Wadia has started to view all the plastics in her house with suspicion.
She’s stopped microwaving leftovers in plastic containers and eats out of glass
dishes whenever possible.
Cell phones raise brain cancer risk
Cell phone users are at higher risk of developing brain cancer, a new meta-analysis study
published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology suggests.
Cigarette maker destroyed studies
on tobacco, researchers say
Imperial Tobacco Canada destroyed seven million pages of research which included decades
worth of studies that indicated the devastating effects of smoking, a new medical journal
article alleges.They also said the studies demonstrated how second-hand smoke was worse
than first-hand smoke.
Coal plant would add 'harmful'
amount of mercury to Chesapeake Bay
A proposed coal-fired power plant in Surry County would add “significant and
harmful” amounts of mercury and other pollutants to the Chesapeake Bay and several
river systems in coastal Virginia already suffering from excessive mercury levels, a study
released Wednesday concludes.
Farm Workers and Allies Ask Gov't
to Protect Kids From Toxic Pesticide Drift
Petition to EPA includes immediate no-spray buffer zones around homes, schools, day care
centers for most toxic pesticides
Japanese rivers polluted with
Tamiflu
Rivers polluted with Tamiflu could help a resistant flu strain develop in birds
Getting infected with flu may be a
blessing
Earlier flu viruses provided some immunity to current H1N1 influenza, study shows.
Is Michelle Obama About to Take on
Big Food?
bama Foodorama has been tirelessly reporting on these maneuvers, which have remained under
the radar—even to the point of Mrs. Obama holding “secret meetings” between
her policy team and USDA officials.
Drinking From Plastic Raises BPA
Levels 70 percent
Drinking water from plastic bottles made with the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA)
increases urinary levels of the chemical by nearly 70 percent, according to a study
conducted by researchers from Harvard University and the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
Does the Vaccine Matter?
Yet some top flu researchers are deeply skeptical of both flu vaccines and antivirals.
Like the engineers who warned for years about the levees of New Orleans, these experts
caution that our defenses may be flawed, and quite possibly useless against a truly lethal
flu.
Loss of Tumor-Suppressor and
DNA-Maintenance Proteins Causes Tissue Demise, Penn Study Finds
A study published in the October issue of Nature Genetics demonstrates that loss of the
tumor-suppressor protein p53, coupled with elimination of the DNA-maintenance protein ATR,
severely disrupts tissue maintenance in mice. As a result, tissues deteriorate rapidly,
which is generally fatal in these animals. In addition, the study provides supportive
evidence for the use of inhibitors of ATR in cancer therapy.Essentially, says senior
author Eric Brown, PhD, Assistant Professor of Cancer Biology at the University of
Pennsylvania School of Medicine, the findings highlight the fact that day-to-day
maintenance required to keep proliferative tissues like skin and intestines functional is
about more than just regeneration, a stem cell-based process that forms the basis of
tissue renewal. It's also about housekeeping, the clearing away of damaged cells. Whereas
loss of ATR causes DNA damage, the job of p53 is to monitor cells for such damage and
either stimulate the early demise of such cells or prevent their replication, the
housekeeping part of the equation. The findings indicate that as messy as things can
become in the absence of a DNA maintenance protein like ATR, failing to remove resulting
damaged cells by also deleting p53, is worse. "Because the persistence of damaged
cells in the absence of p53 prevents appropriate tissue renewal, these and other studies
have underscored the importance not only of maintaining competent stem cells, but also of
eliminating what gets in the way of regeneration," explains Brown.
University of the Basque Country
study on proteins related to Alzheimer
The cause, or at least one of the possible causes, of memory loss amongst Alzheimer
sufferers is related to the location of certain proteins. The aim of this University of
the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) PhD thesis was to analyse the location of certain proteins
related to Alzheimer´s. The author of the thesis was Ms Naroa Anabitarte Gonzalez and her
work is entitled, Alzheimer gaixotasunarekin erlazionatutako proteinen ultraegitura
mailako kokapena baldintza fisiologikoetan: APP eta PS1 arratoi helduen hipokanpoan
(Ultrastructural location of the proteins related to Alzheimer’s disease: APP and PS1
in the hyperfield of mature rats).A number of studies were undertaken on the proteolysis
of the APP protein and on the location of this process in the interior of the cell. It is
not yet very clear where this proteolysis or rupture occurs. In this vein, with the help
of an electronic microscope, Ms Anabitarte studied the location of the proteins related to
Alzheimer’s disease (APP and PS1) in the region of the plasma membrane To this end,
she employed a number of antibodies capable of recognising fragments of APP protein. She
also used another antibody in order to analyse the location of the PS1 protein. According
to the results, both are found in large concentrations in the membranes of the synapses.
These results coincide with those from the other groups, given that they situate the APP
and PS1 proteins in the synapses. Synapses are involved in the process of communication
between neurones. Synaptic plasticity is the property arising from the nature and
functioning of neurones when these make communication with each other. All memory and
learning processes are based on the mentioned property. In order for synaptic plasticity
to occur, a number of molecules have to participate, and the APP protein is one of the
most important. To this end, it is important to know how and when the rupture or
proteolysis of this protein occurs.
Trial raises doubts over
alternative pain therapy for arthritis
Copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps are ineffective in relieving arthritis pain,
according to a new study led by a University of York academic. Researchers conducted the
first randomised placebo-controlled trial on the use of both copper bracelets and magnetic
wrist straps for pain management in osteoarthritis – the most common form of the
condition.The devices are used worldwide for helping to manage pain associated with
chronic musculoskeletal disorders. The results of this trial conflict with those from
previous studies, by showing that both magnetic and copper bracelets were ineffective for
managing pain, stiffness and physical function in osteoarthritis. The research is
published in the latest issue of the journal Complementary Therapies in Medicine. The
trial was led by Stewart Richmond, a Research Fellow in the Department of Health Sciences
at the University of York, who said: “This is the first randomised controlled trial
to indicate that copper bracelets are ineffective for relieving arthritis pain.”
Substance abuse diagnostic test for
teens can also predict high risk sexual behavior
Alcohol and drug use are known contributors to adolescents engaging in dangerous sexual
activity; leading to substantial health risks such as unwanted pregnancies, sexually
transmitted illnesses, drug overdoses and alcohol poisonings. Yet, research suggests that
fewer than half of pediatricians report screening patients for substance use and at-risk
sexual behavior. CRAFFT, the diagnostic test developed and currently being employed at
Children's Hospital Boston, allows primary care physicians to accurately screen teens for
high risk drug and alcohol use in a matter of minutes. Now, according to a new study
appearing in the Journal of Adolescent Health, Children's researchers have established
that the CRAFFT diagnostic test can also identify teens that are more likely to be
engaging in high risk sexual behaviors. The studies researchers found that teens who
screened positive for substance use had significantly greater odds of having sexual
contact after using drugs or alcohol. According to the findings, these teens were more
likely to have unprotected sex, multiple sexual partners and even a sexually transmitted
illness. The cross-sectional survey consisted of 305 adolescents from ages 12- to
18-years-old in 3 different urban clinics. Participants were asked the CRAFFT questions,
and also completed a self-administered questionnaire about high risk sexual behaviors. Of
those who screened positive, 42.6% reported having sexual contact without a condom, 26.1%
after drinking alcohol, 15.6% after drug use and 21.7% with a partner who had been
drinking alcohol.
New findings on the formation of
body pigment
The skin's pigment cells can be formed from completely different cells than has hitherto
been thought, a new study from the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet shows.
The results, which are published in the journal Cell, also mean the discovery of a new
kind of stem cell.The body's pigment gives essential protection against UV radiation. It
is made up of a substance called melanin, which is produced by pigment cells in the skin
called melanocytes. According to the established theory of body pigmentation, these
melanocytes bud off from the spinal cord at an early foetal stage and then migrate to the
skin where they remain for the rest of their lives. Scientists at Karolinska Institutet in
Stockholm have now shown that most melanocytes actually appear later on in foetal
development from an immature cell type that exists in the skin's nerve fibres. These
cells, called Schwann cell precursors (SCPs), can also be found in adults. In addition to
this, the scientists have demonstrated how neuronal damage in adults can excite the
maturation of melanocytes to form hyperpigmentation around the affected nerves.
Television Has Less Effect on
Education about Climate Change than Other Forms of Media
Worried about climate change and want to learn more? You probably aren't watching
television then. A new study by George Mason University Communication Professor Xiaoquan
Zhao suggests that watching television has no significant impact on viewers' knowledge
about the issue of climate change. Reading newspapers and using the web, however, seem to
contribute to people's knowledge about this issue. The study, "Media Use and Global
Warming Perceptions: A Snapshot of the Reinforcing Spirals", looked at the
relationship between media use and people's perceptions of global warming. The study asked
participants how often they watch TV, surf the Web, and read newspapers. They were also
asked about their concern and knowledge of global warming and specifically its impact on
the polar regions. "Unlike many other social issues with which the public may have
first-hand experience, global warming is an issue that many come to learn about through
the media," says Zhao. "The primary source of mediated information about global
warming is the news." The results showed that people who read newspapers and use the
Internet more often are more likely to be concerned about global warming and believe they
are better educated about the subject. Watching more television, however, did not seem to
help.
Scientists demonstrate link between
genetic defect and brain changes in schizophrenia
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine have
found that the 22q11 gene deletion – a mutation that confers the highest known
genetic risk for schizophrenia – is associated with changes in the development of the
brain that ultimately affect how its circuit elements are assembled.
Super sticky barnacle glue cures
like blood clots
Barnacles are a big problem for boats. Adhering to the undersides of vessels, carpets of
the crustaceans can increase fuel consumption by as much as 25%. Ship owners would love to
know how to stop these hitchhikers gluing on, but before you can learn how to disrupt an
adhesive, you have to understand the curing process. Curious about many aspects of the
crustacean's lifestyle, Dan Rittschof from Duke University decided to find out how
barnacle adhesive polymerizes. 'The process must be related to something because glue
isn't de novo,' says Rittschof, so he wondered what else coagulates under water and came
up with two answers: blood and semen. With a colossal body of blood clotting literature to
draw on, Rittschof decided to follow his evolutionarily inspired theory to see whether
barnacle glue polymerization is really an extreme example of scab formation and publishes
his results on 16 October 2009 in the Journal of Experimental Biology. Rittschof teamed up
with Gary Dickinson and the first thing that Dickinson had to do was work out how to
collect the unpolymerised glue and keep it fluid. Building on 30 years of Rittschof's
experience and Beatriz Orihuela's expertise at growing and reattaching barnacles,
Dickinson learned to gently lift polymerised glue away from the pores that secrete the
adhesive and quickly collect the minute drops as they oozed from the shell. Working in the
cold room to slow the polymerization process, Dickinson had only 5 minutes before each
sample polymerized and the glue set solid.Next the team had to convince themselves that
the viscous secretion was glue and not some other body fluid. Dickinson found that the
fluid polymerised rapidly and was packed full of protein, just like barnacle glue. Next
Dickinson teamed up with Kathy Wahl to use atomic force microscopy to compare the
molecular structures of naturally cured glue (from stuck-down barnacles) and his
polymerized samples. The two samples were virtually indistinguishable and Dickinson could
clearly see tangled webs of fibres in his glue drops, similar to the tangled fibres in
blood clots.
Protein interaction network can
respond Helicobacter pylori infection?
Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) is a gram negative bacterium which infects about 50% of the
world population. H pylori colonization causes a strong systemic immune response. Various
tools have been employed to identify the relationship between H pylori and gastric cancer,
including c-DNA microarrays. However, most of these methods did not consider the
systematic interaction of biological components. A research team from South Korea studied
the complex reaction of gastric inflammation induced by Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) in
a systematic manner using a protein interaction network. Their study will be published on
September 28, 2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology. The results showed that the
scale-free network showing the relationship between inflammation and carcinogenesis was
constructed. Mathematical analysis showed hub and bottleneck proteins, and these proteins
were mostly related to immune response. The network contained pathways and proteins
related to H pylori infection, such as the JAK-STAT pathway triggered by interleukins.
Activation of nuclear factor (NF)-kB, TLR4, and other proteins known to function as core
proteins of immune response were also found. These immune-related proteins interacted on
the network with pathways and proteins related to the cell cycle, cell maintenance and
proliferation, and transcription regulators such as BRCA1, FOS, REL, and zinc finger
proteins. The extension of nodes showed interactions of the immune proteins with
cancer-related proteins. One extended network, the core network, a summarized form of the
extended network, and cell pathway model were constructed.
Promising novel treatment for human
cancer -- Chrysanthemum indicum extract
A series of studies have demonstrated that Chrysanthemum indicum possesses antimicrobial,
antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, and neuroprotective effects. Recently, much attention
has been devoted to the anticancer activity of Chrysanthemum indicum, especially in
hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, its anticancer mechanism of action is still not
clear and needs further investigation. A research article to be published on September 28,
2009 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question. The research team,
led by Prof. Zong-fang Li from the Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, Xi'an
Jiaotong University, investigated the effects of Chrysanthemum indicum extract (CIE) on
inhibition of proliferation and on apoptosis, and the underlying mechanisms, in a human
HCC MHCC97H cell line. They examined viable rat hepatocytes and human endothelial ECV304
cells by trypan blue exclusion and MTT assay, respectively, as normal controls. The
proliferation of MHCC97H cells was determined by MTT assay. The cellular morphology of
MHCC97H cells was observed by phase contrast microscopy. Flow cytometry was performed to
analyze cell apoptosis with annexin V/propidium iodide (PI), mitochondrial membrane
potential with rhodamine 123 and cell cycle with PI in MHCC97H cells. Apoptotic proteins
such as cytochrome C, caspase-9, caspase-3 and cell cycle proteins, including P21 and
CDK4, were measured by Western blotting.
'Spaghetti' scaffolding could help
grow skin in labs
Scientists are developing new scaffolding technology which could be used to grow tissues
such as skin, nerves and cartilage using 3D spaghetti-like structures. Their research is
highlighted in the latest issue of Business, the quarterly highlights magazine of the
Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC). The new structures are
being developed by scientists from the University of Bristol, using proteins from alpha
helices – one of the fundamental ways that strings of amino acids fold - to create
long fibres called hydrogelating self assembling fibres (hSAFs), or hydrogels. By learning
how to build hSAFs from scratch, the researchers are starting to understand how they might
use these 3D scaffolds to support the growth of nerves, blood vessels and cartilage
tailored to the needs of individual patients. Professor Dek Woolfson who is leading the
work, explains: "To make hydrogels you need something long and thin that will
interact with copies of itself and form meshes, but is also water soluble. However rather
than using natural proteins, which are complex, we've tried to make something as simple as
possible that we fully understand using peptides and self assembling proteins."
Currently, hydrogel scaffold structures, made either synthetically or from natural
resources such as seaweed, are used in everyday products from shampoos to drug capsules.
Be overweight and live longer
Contrary to what was previously assumed, overweight is not increasing the overall death
rate in the German population. Matthias Lenz of the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer
Science, and Natural Sciences of the University of Hamburg and his co-authors present
these and other results in the current issue of Deutsches Ärtzeblatt International (Dtsch
Artzebl Int 2009; 106[40]: 641??). Most Germans are overweight, with a body mass index
(BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m2. About 20% are obese (BMI of 30 or over), with age- and
gender-related differences. The authors systematically evaluated 42 studies of the
relationships between weight, life expectancy, and disease. The Süddeutsche Zeitung
published an advance notice of the report which shows that overweight does not increase
death rates, although obesity does increase them by 20%. As people grow older, obesity
makes less and less difference. For coronary heart disease, overweight increases risk by
about 20% and obesity increases it by about 50%. On the other hand, a larger BMI is
associated with a lower risk of bone and hip fracture.
'Plastic Planet' zooms in on the
perils of chemicals
The director of a documentary that he says inspired Austrian audiences to question the
safety of plastic products hopes the film will have the same effect on viewers here.
15,000 people to move away from
lead poisoning threat in central China
The government of Jiyuan, China's biggest lead smelting base, plans to move 15,000
residents away from the threat of lead poisoning, after nearly 1,000 children were tested
to have excessive lead in blood.
A whey protein supplement decreases
post-prandial glycemia
Incidence of diabetes, obesity and insulin resistance are associated with high glycemic
load diets. Identifying food components that decrease post-prandial glycemia may be
beneficial for developing low glycemic foods and supplements. This study explores the
glycemic impact of adding escalating doses of a glycemic index lowering peptide fraction
(GILP) from whey to a glucose drink.
Arctic Ocean meltdown
Much of the ice in one region is too thin to survive next summer’s melt season,
according to an expedition that trekked across the ice in the Beaufort Sea off the coasts
of Canada and Alaska.
British men have more stamina in
bed than foreigners, study finds
Researchers in Holland measured the sexual performance of nearly 500 men from five
countries against the clock.
Giving babies Tylenol may blunt
vaccines' effects
Giving babies Tylenol to prevent fever when they get childhood vaccinations may backfire
and make the shots a little less effective, surprising new research suggests.
Got Bad Breath? Try Chlorophyll for
Halitosis
Bad breath is usually a sign of a toxic colon, and chlorophyll helps to remove the toxins.
French experts - Limit exposure to
mobile phones
French health watchdogs, in a precautionary move, recommended on Thursday reducing
exposure to mobile phones and other portable wireless devices.
New flu can kill fast, researchers
agree
The new H1N1 flu is "strikingly different" from seasonal influenza, killing much
younger people than ordinary flu and often killing them very fast.
New York judge blocks mandated
swine flu shots
A New York state judge on Friday blocked enforcement of a requirement that all state
healthcare workers be vaccinated for the seasonal and the swine influenza, according to a
New York Times web site.
Swine Flu Shots Revive a Debate
About Vaccines
There are also claims that the vaccine contains adjuvants — sometimes added to make
vaccines more effective — although they have not been used in this one.
Birth Weight Increase Seen with
Folic Acid Supplementation
A study from the Netherlands finds that supplements of folic acid taken by the mother
before conception may increase the birth weight of the baby by more than 60 grams.
Capsaicin Appears to Prevent
Diabetes-Like Symptoms
Dietary intake of capsaicin, the compound that gives red pepper its heat, may prevent the
development of diabetes-like symptoms in overweight people, says a new study with mice.
New Study Emphasizes Milk Thistle's
Heart-Healthy Benefits
An extract of milk thistle reduced the oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)
cholesterol by up to 86%, according to a study conducted by researchers in Arkansas.
Vitamine D en (Reumatoďde)
Artritis
VIDRA staat voor Vitamine D en Reumatoďde Artritis. Dit is een onderzoek dat in de regio
Rotterdam is gestart naar de rol van vitamine D bij het ontstaan en chronisch worden van
artritis (=gewrichtsontsteking). Vitamine D is een stof die met name in de huid onder
invloed van zonlicht wordt opgenomen en is van belang voor een goede botaanmaak.
Reumatoďde Artritis (RA) en andere vormen van reuma veroorzaken ontstekingen van
gewrichten veroorzaakt en kunnen op langere termijn het bot aantasten.
Top insurer tells 1,000 GPs not to
give swine flu vaccine
An insurance company has warned 1,000 GPs not to administer the swine flu vaccine.
Albany Judge Blocks Vaccination
Rule
A New York State judge on Friday suspended a health regulation that would compel hundreds
of thousands of health care workers and hospital volunteers to be vaccinated for seasonal
and swine flu.
Bad Buzz For Bayer
The aspirin giant is under fire from the FDA, Congress, health advocates and now
beekeepers.
Childhood abuse, obesity linked
Physical abuse at a young age may lead to higher adult BMI scores, a study suggests.
Data shows a possible wide-spread
presence of PCBs in Brooklyn schools
Recently obtained School Construction Authority (SCA) data reveals that between 2008 and
now, over 30 recently-renovated Brooklyn schools contained high levels of PCBs, a toxic
chemical compound that was banned in 1978.
Ear acupuncture alleviates back
pain in pregnant women
Ear acupuncture can help ease lower back and pelvic pain, a complaint frequently reported
in pregnant women, a new study finds.
Immunohistochemical Study of
Postnatal Neurogenesis After Whole-body Exposure to Electromagnetic Fields
It is well established that strong electromagnetic fields (EMFs) can give rise to acute
health effects, such as burns, which can be effectively prevented by respecting exposure
guidelines and regulations. Current concerns are instead directed toward the possibility
that long-term exposure to weak EMF might have detrimental health effects due to some
biological mechanism, to date unknown. (1) The possible risk due to pulsed EMF at
frequency 2.45 GHz and mean power density 2.8 mW/cm2 on rat postnatal neurogenesis was
studied in relation to the animal’s age, duration of the exposure dose, and
post-irradiation survival. (2) Proliferating cells marker, BrdU, was used to map age- and
dose-related immunohistochemical changes within the rostral migratory stream (RMS) after
whole-body exposure of newborn (P7) and senescent (24 months) rats. (3) Two dose-related
exposure patterns were performed to clarify the cumulative effect of EMF: short-term
exposure dose, 2 days irradiation (4 h/day), versus long-term exposure dose, 3 days
irradiation (8 h/day), both followed by acute (24 h) and chronic (1–4 weeks)
post-irradiation survival. (4) We found that the EMF induces significant age- and
dose-dependent changes in proliferating cell numbers within the RMS. Our results indicate
that the concerns about the possible risk of EMF generated in connection with production,
transmission, distribution, and the use of electrical equipment and communication sets are
justified at least with regard to early postnatal neurogenesis.
Organic Farming Can Cool the World
that Chemical Farming Overheated
A report from GRAIN discusses how agriculture can put back much of the excess carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere into the soil. Soils contain enormous amounts of carbon, mostly
in the form of organic matter. The report shows that industrial agriculture, and thus the
global food system, has spewed large amounts of this carbon into the atmosphere. Policies
focused on restoring soil fertility – restoring the organic matter in the soil which
has been lost – would make a huge contribution to resolving the rapidly escalating
climate crisis.
Pesticide endosulfan considered for
global ban
Scientists took a step closer on Friday to banning the pesticide endosulfan, widely used
on crops like cocoa and cotton, despite objections from India which is a major producer
and consumer of the toxic chemical.
Pregnant Borders teenager who died
from swine flu is named
THE young woman who died of swine flu when she was eight months pregnant has been named as
Denise Murray.
Secret Trafigura report said
‘likely cause’ of illness was release of toxic gas from dumped waste
A suppressed report which details how an oil company dumped toxic waste in Africa that may
cause serious burns has been released following a parliamentary row over freedom of
speech.
Vitamin D can save half million
babies each year
Results of a new trial presented at an international research conference in Bruges suggest
that vitamin D supplementation can reduce the risk of premature births and boost the
health of newborn babies, the Times reported Oct 10.
Ten questions about flu vaccines
that doctors and health authorities refuse to answer
Vaccine mythology remains rampant in both western medicine and the mainstream media. To
hear the vaccination zealots say it, vaccines are backed by "good science,"
they've been "proven effective" and they're "perfectly safe." Oh
really? Where's all that good science?
Misguided neurons play role in
Autism spectrum disorders
In a newly developing nervous system, there is a constant jumble of activity - cells are
growing and dividing, chemical signals are diffusing through tissues, and neurons are
trying to reach their targets and maintain connections that will be used and strengthened
later in the developmental process.
Animal Industry Should Reform, Not
Improve PR
Economics alone must not be the sole justification for an animal production
practice,” noted animal behavior expert Temple Grandin told ag industry professionals
H1N1 vaccine for Madison schools
will contain mercury
The Madison Metropolitan School District has announced it will be vaccinating students
against the H1N1 virus starting next week. They will be administering vaccines supplied in
multi-dose vials which will be preserved with thimerosal (50 percent mercury)
Four Ways Massage Therapy Helps
Sinusitis Sufferers
Discover four different techniques that massage therapists can utilize to help decrease
the pain, pressure and congestion characteristic of chronic sinusitis.
2 ALS Cases May Be Linked to
Gardasil Vaccine
Researchers Believe Cervical Cancer Vaccine Could Be Linked to Cases of Lou Gehrig's
Disease
Minimally invasive prostate cancer
surgery - Not-so-minimal risk?
a new study recently revealed that such surgery entails risks as well as benefits.
SAfrica to limit trans fats as
heart disease rises
South Africa's health department says it will draft regulations aimed at reducing the
trans fats South Africans consume.
Aspartame linked to brain cancer?
Scientists think that it is because 10 percent of the chemical substance, after ingestion,
becomes free methyl alcohol (wood alcohol), which as one scientist in the film states, is
a “real poison.” Another says, “the poisonous effect of methyl alcohol and
its methyl esters are well-known.” Even small amounts of this poison can lead to
blindness and death.
Neurologists Investigate Possible
New Underlying Cause of MS
Neurologists at the University at Buffalo are beginning a research study that could
overturn the prevailing wisdom on the cause of multiple sclerosis (MS).
Severe Swine Flu Could Lead to
Blood Clots in Lungs
People who are severely ill with the H1N1 swine flu run the risk of blood clots in the
lungs, University of Michigan researchers say.
Pistachios can deter obesity,
diabetes
following a recommendation that Americans limit their sugar intake by the American Heart
Association (AHA), some researchers are parading pistachios as a way to moderate sugar
consumption.
Alcohol Linked to Lower Risk for
Diabetes and Less Insulin Secretion
Moderate daily alcohol intake (1-3 drinks per day) is linked to a reduced risk for
incident diabetes and to lower insulin secretion in patients assigned to metformin or
lifestyle modification for diabetes prevention, according to the results of a new study.
Hormones in the environment causing
fish to feminize; could lead to cancers in humans
Just when we got clear of growth hormones in our milk, now comes news that estrogens and
other hormones are floating around our waterways, interfering with the biological
functions of fish and wildlife — and causing yet untallied health issues for humans.
Amyloid Beta does not correlate to
Alzheimer Disease
We have extensively reviewed the literature which claims that AD is caused by the
deposition of A? within structures called senile plaques that invade AD brains and that
such plaque formation then leads to further abnormalities within the nerve cells,
eventually killing them.
Consumer health group calls for
scientific inquiry into safety of cervical cancer vaccines
While the pharmaceutical has been quick to blame all side effects and deaths on things
other than the vaccine, an increasing number of parents and consumer watchdogs are alarmed
by the reports of injury and death that occur within hours after receiving cervical cancer
vaccinations.
Swine flu fears grow as NHS staff
shun vaccine
The Department of Health has ordered NHS bosses across England to ensure that frontline
staff get immunised against swine flu amid growing signs that many doctors and nurses
intend to shun the vaccine.
Organic Sector Sprouts
Protectionism
While the U.S. embraces organic foods, agricultural producers find themselves competing
with foreign growers.
'Ethical' stem cell crop boosted
US researchers have found a way to dramatically increase the harvest of stem cells from
adult tissue.
Beef industry under fire after N.Y.
Times article
This time, it's not a new contamination of food causing outrage and putting the meat
industry and federal regulators on the defensive.
Cancer Expert Counters Reckless
Claims That Hormonal Milk Is Safe
The Cancer Prevention Coalition is criticizing a widely publicized recent report,
"Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin" (rBST) which claims that milk from cows
injected with this genetically engineered hormone is safe.
Everyday chemicals gather in most
people
As a volunteer for Alaska Community Action on Toxics and one who cares deeply about public
health issues, Roxanne Chan didn't hesitate taking part in a project that would inventory
the foreign chemicals lurking in her body.
Hormone therapy possible culprit
for Marin's high breast cancer rate
Medical researchers trying to unlock the mystery of Marin County's high incidence of
breast cancer now suspect that Marin women's use of estrogen and progesterone to treat
menopausal symptoms was likely a major factor.
Lead poisoning can impact a
child’s development
The couple’s home was built in 1904, and much of the problem was due to the
windows’ wooden frames that had lead-based paint on them. The couple would put box
fans in the windows that spread the lead dust around.
Oral piercings up brain infection
risk
Oral piercings, previously linked to a list of health concerns including tooth fracture
and gum disease, increase the risk of deadly brain abscesses.
What are these black particles?
People living in the shadows of the South Carolina Electric & Gas coal plant here have
wondered for years about the black specks in their drinking water.
Video - CNN Pushes Vaccine for
Smokers
CNN reporter explains how a new vaccin could work for smokers....
‘Tanorexic’ woman fearful
of going blind after refusing to wear goggles on sunbeds
A self-confessed “tanorexic” woman from Sunderland, Sam Laing, who used sunbeds
for a decade, has told of her fear of going blind after refusing to wear goggles.
26-year-old dies of cancer after
doctor fails to spot signs eight times
A 26-year-old woman died of cancer after her GP failed to spot the symptoms eight times in
four years.
Alberta oilsands get
‘disproportionate’ bad reputation
Canada’s new ambassador to the United States said Alberta’s oilsands are facing
a “disproportionate amount” of criticism in the climate-change debate.
The Rich Have Stolen the Economy
Bloomberg reports that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner's closest aides earned millions
of dollars a year working for Goldman Sachs, Citigroup and other Wall Street firms.
Bloomberg adds that none of these aides faced Senate confirmation. Yet, they are
overseeing the handout of hundreds of billions of dollars of taxpayer funds to their
former employers.
Battle at sea
Now, because of a state law that aims to create underwater parks that would limit or halt
the taking of marine life, Rocky Point is at the center of a tug of war between
environmental and fishing interests.
Botox lawsuit raises issues on
injections
Now a federal lawsuit filed in California by Las Vegas physician Ivan Goldsmith argues
that sales representatives for Allergan Inc., maker of the popular anti-wrinkle drug
Botox, promote multipatient use of its 50-unit or 100-unit single-use vials.
Fish Kills Linked to Water
Pollutants
Researchers have found what they call "the feminization of fish" or the presence
of immature eggs in male fish.
Has Medical Journalism Sold Its
Soul?
How the Encroachment of Marketing Threatens Journalistic Integrity
Hive of activity at Moray farm as
volunteers create bees’ safe haven
A queen bee breeding programme was created near lush Moray farmland yesterday to help
reverse the insects’ dramatic decline in Britain.
Household Insecticides May Be
Linked to Autoimmune Diseases
New research suggests a link between women's exposure to household insecticides --
including roach and mosquito killers -- and the autoimmune disorders rheumatoid arthritis
and lupus.
Is your new car making you sick?
For the sake of your health you should give recently purchased vehicles a good airing.
Study reaffirms benefit of car
booster seats
Using a booster seat instead of just a seat belt significantly reduces the risk of injury
in children aged 4 to 8 years old who are involved in a car crash, according to an updated
assessment of booster seat effectiveness released today.
Swimming with turtles? Not a good
idea, says report on biggest US turtle-salmonella outbreak
Two girls who swam with pet turtles in a backyard pool were among 107 people sickened in
the largest salmonella outbreak blamed on turtles nationwide, researchers report.
What the Dairy Industry
Doesn’t Want You to Know
We have all seen the ads on TV and on billboards proclaiming “Every Body Needs
Milk” but is that a true statement or just really good PR by the dairy industry? The
truth is that every body needs calcium and that milk is just another source of calcium.
Another truth is that milk is not even the best source of calcium, vegetables are.
Let’s take a closer look at the milk myth.
Higher folates, not antioxidants,
can reduce hearing loss risk in men*
High intake of folates or folic acid can help reduce hearing loss by 20 percent, according
to new a new study presented at the 2009 American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck
Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) Annual Meeting & OTO EXPO, in San Diego, CA.
Scientists move closer to beating
secondary breast cancer
Scientists have used cutting edge microscopes to look at the effect of chemical signals on
cancer cells which could hold the key to stopping secondary forms of the disease.
US Wheat Industry Reiterates
Support for GMO Wheat
Farmers don't have the choice to avoid GMO crops either. Time has proven over and over
that it is nearly impossible to contain the modified varieties. Plants reproduce all the
time without our permission. It's very difficult to avoid GMO contamination.
Well-done meat linked to high risk
of pancreatic cancer*
Charred, grilled or burned meat may increase the risk o pancreatic cancer, acording to a
study presented in April 2009 at the American Association for Cancer Research 100th Annual
Meeting.
PETA's push for changes in USDA
testing pays off for animals
Following PETA's call for U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Center for Veterinary
Biologics (CVB) to adopt non-animal methods to test the potency of each batch of a
vaccine, the CVB has informed PETA that three of the tests involving pigs have been
replaced with modern non-animal methods. The USDA has amended its Web site to reflect the
changes. Specifically, PETA asked the CVB to follow the lead of Europe in adopting an in
vitro test for the vaccine for erysipelas—an infectious bacterial disease that
strikes pigs. Prior to this change, erysipelas vaccine tests had required that pigs be
deliberately infected with the disease. Erysipelas causes fever, arthritis, skin lesions,
and death. The CVB has further informed PETA that it is moving to convert antibody
production from an intensely painful method in mice to a humane and reliable system based
on cell cultures. "By mandating modern, effective, and humane testing methods, the
USDA will not only reduce the number of animals who are harmed and killed in tests but
also improve vaccine testing," says Jessica Sandler, director of PETA's Regulatory
Testing Division. "The USDA is on the right track, and we look forward to a
productive partnership to further replace the use of animals."
PETA Members to Descend on Neuro
Convention to Protest Animal Experimentation
Holding blown-up photos of animals who have been abused in laboratories, PETA
members--joined by Lawrence A. Hansen, M.D., whom the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease named
one of the top 100 researchers in the world for 2009--will converge on McCormick Place on
Monday as the Society for Neuroscience holds its convention inside the facility. One of
the convention's goals is to garner support for animal experimentation in the face of
mounting public opposition to the cruel practice. A recent Pew Research Center poll found
that 43 percent of adults--and nearly 60 percent of those under 30--oppose the use of
animals in experiments.
Global warming may spur increased
growth in Pacific Northwest forests
Global warming in the next century could cause a significant increase in the productivity
of high-elevation forests of the Pacific Northwest, a new study suggests. However, forests
at lower elevations – which in recent years have accounted for more than 80 percent
of the region’s timber harvest – could face a decline in growth. The potential
changes, which are based on the projections of computer models, would be most pronounced
in Washington. In that state, high-elevation forests could see their productivity increase
substantially, from 35 percent a year to as much as 500 percent, depending on which
climate scenario is used.
Diabetic Episodes Affect Kids'
Memory
Children who have had an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis, a common complication of
diabetes, may have persistent memory problems, according to a new study from researchers
at the UC Davis Center for Mind and Brain. Diabetic ketoacidosis occurs when the body is
lacking insulin and burns fat for energy instead of sugar. Apart from nausea, vomiting and
fatigue, patients can feel mentally sluggish. If the condition is not treated, patients
may fall into a coma. The new study, published online Oct. 15 in the Journal of
Pediatrics, shows that children known to have had such an episode in the past performed
worse on memory tests than children with diabetes who had not had such an episode.
Diabetic ketoacidosis -- and its consequences -- can be avoided with proper glucose
control in patients known to have diabetes, said Simona Ghetti, associate professor at the
UC Davis Department of Psychology and the Center for Mind and Brain. Many cases, however,
occur at the time of diagnosis of diabetes and these cases are more difficult to detect
early.
Going out on a limb
Mother Nature has provided the lizard with a unique ability to regrow body tissue that is
damaged or torn ? if its tail is pulled off, it grows right back. She has not been quite
so generous with human beings. But we might be able to come close, thanks to new research
from Tel Aviv University. Prof. Meital Zilberman of TAU's Department of Biomedical
Engineering has developed a new biologically active "scaffold" made from soluble
fibers, which may help humans replace lost or missing bone. With more research, she says,
it could also serve as the basic technology for regenerating other types of human tissues,
including muscle, arteries, and skin. "The bioactive agents that spur bone and tissue
to regenerate are available to us. The problem is that no technology has been able to
effectively deliver them to the tissue surrounding that missing bone," says Prof.
Zilberman. Her artificial and flexible scaffolding connects tissues together as it
releases growth-stimulating drugs to the place where new bone or tissue is needed ? like
the scaffolding that surrounds an existing building when additions to that building are
made. Scientific peer-reviewed research on this scaffold fiber has appeared in a number of
journals, including Acta Biomaterialia, and is currently being licensed through Ramot,
TAU's technology transfer company.
Brain-damaged children often have
cold feet
Many wheelchair-using children with neurological disorders have much colder hands and feet
than other children, and most receive no special help even though they have had these
problems for a long time, is revealed in at thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the
University of Gothenburg, Sweden. "These children have a disorder that can make it
difficult to express how they feel, but it must be unpleasant to have cold hands and
feet," says physiotherapist Lena Svedberg, author of the thesis. "I find it
surprising that the matter hasn't been given more attention." The thesis shows that
skin temperature in brain-damaged preschool children in wheelchairs was several degrees
lower than in children without neurological disorders. The temperature of their feet was
three degrees lower and their hands two degrees lower than children without brain damage.
The reason for their cold extremities may be that the brain damage affects the part of the
nervous system that is not controlled by the will and which, among other things, regulates
blood circulation, digestion and sleep. "This hypothesis is supported by a study in
the thesis that shows that children with cerebral palsy who had cold hands and feet also
had problems with constipation, sleeping disorders, pain and impaired well-being,"
says Svedberg. There is currently no established treatment for cold hands and feet, but a
small pilot study - also part of the thesis - demonstrates that acupuncture might be
effective.
New technique paves way for medical
discoveries
Researchers have previously been able to analyse which sugar structures are to be found on
certain proteins, but not exactly where on the protein they are positioned. This is now
possible thanks to a new technique developed at the Sahlgrenska Academy. The technique
entails preparing samples in a new way and is a development of applied mass spectrometry.
Presented in the latest issue of renowned journal Nature Methods, the technique will
enable medical researchers to study the mechanisms behind diseases in more detail and,
with luck, find new ways of treating them. “When we developed the method, we were
analysing cerebrospinal fluid from healthy subjects and could see that many proteins had
sugar structures previously unknown to us,” says Jonas Nilsson, a researcher at the
Department of Clinical Chemistry and Transfusion Medicine at the Sahlgrenska Academy.
“We know that some of these proteins play a role in diseases such as Alzheimer’s
disease, and now it’s possible to study whether faults in these sugar structures are
responsible for the development of the disease.”
A master mechanism for
regeneration?
Biologists long have marveled at the ability of some animals to re-grow lost body parts.
Newts, for example, can lose a leg and grow a new one identical to the original. Zebrafish
can re-grow fins.`These animals and others also can repair damaged heart tissue and
injured structures in the eye. In contrast, humans have only rudimentary regenerative
abilities, so scientists hoping eventually to develop ways of repairing or replacing
damaged body parts are keenly interested in understanding in detail how the process of
regeneration works. Using zebrafish as a model, researchers at the University of Michigan
have found that some of the same genes underlie the process in different types of tissues.
Genes involved in fin regeneration and heart repair are also required for rebuilding
damaged light receptors in the eye, they found, suggesting that a common molecular
mechanism guides the process, no matter what body part is damaged. Zhao Qin a graduate
student in the department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology will present
the research Oct. 19 at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Chicago. Her
coauthors on the paper, which also was published in the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences, are professor and chair Pamela Raymond and research laboratory
specialist Linda Barthel. The researchers briefly exposed zebrafish to intense light,
which destroys the light receptors in their eyes, just as staring into the sun harms human
eyes. But unlike humans, who remain blinded if the damage is severe enough, zebrafish
repair the damage with new nerve cells (neurons).Where do those new cells come from? The
U-M researchers suspected they develop from cells in the retina called Müller glia, known
to have the ability to give rise to nerve cells, and in previous work another graduate
student in Raymond's lab confirmed the suspicion.
Smart rat 'Hobbie-J' produced by
over-expressing a gene that helps brain cells communicate
Over-expressing a gene that lets brain cells communicate just a fraction of a second
longer makes a smarter rat, report researchers from the Medical College of Georgia and
East China Normal University. Dubbed Hobbie-J after a smart rat that stars in a Chinese
cartoon book, the transgenic rat was able to remember novel objects, such as a toy she
played with, three times longer than the average Long Evans female rat, which is
considered the smartest rat strain. Hobbie-J was much better at more complex tasks as
well, such as remembering which path she last traveled to find a chocolate treat. The
report comes about a decade after the scientists first reported in the journal Nature that
they had developed "Doogie," a smart mouse that over-expresses the NR2B gene in
the hippocampus, a learning and memory center affected in diseases such as Alzheimer's.
Memory improvements they found in the new genetically modified Long Evans rat were very
similar to Doogie's. Subsequent testing has shown that Doogie maintained superior memory
as he aged. "This adds to the notion that NR2B is a universal switch for memory
formation," says Dr. Joe Z. Tsien, co-director of the MCG Brain & Behavior
Discovery Institute and co-corresponding author on the paper published Oct. 19 in PLoS ONE
(see http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0007486). Dr. Xiaohua Cao at East China
Normal University also is a co-corresponding author. The finding also further validates
NR2B as a drug target for improving memory in healthy individuals as well as those
struggling with Alzheimer's or mild dementia, the scientists says.
Redefining obesity's health risks
The body mass index (BMI) has long been the yardstick in deciding who is at risk because
of their weight. BMI is essentially a measure of density, identifying 'under-' and
'over-weight' risk groups. Recent studies however point towards a more sophisticated
approach to the issue. In a recent article for F1000 Biology Reports, Manfred J Müller
and colleagues at the University of Kiel in Germany explain how 'functional' body
composition analysis (BCA) measures more of the variables that determine whether or not
obesity is 'benign'. Recent studies using similar analysis suggest that up to 30% of obese
people do not in fact require medical treatment. Widespread adoption of BCA could
significantly improve the targeting of limited healthcare resources in the context of one
of modern society's global killers.
Herbal tonic for radiotherapy
Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the Gingko biloba tree may protect cells from
radiation damage, according to a study published in the International Journal of Low
Radiation. The discovery may one day be used to help reduce side effects in cancer
patients undergoing radiotherapy. Chang-Mo Kang of the Korea Institute of Radiological and
Medical Sciences in Taegu and colleagues are interested in the protective effects of
well-known herbal remedies of which Gingko biloba is one. G. biloba is a unique tree
species with no close living relatives and extracts of its leaves contain antioxidant
compounds including glycosides and terpenoids known as ginkgolides and bilobalides. These
compounds are thought to protect cells from damage by free radicals and other reactive
oxidizing species found in the body. These are generated continuously by the body's normal
metabolism, and in excess in some diseases or after exposure to pollution or radiation.
They damage proteins, DNA and other biomolecules and left unchecked can kill cells. As
such, extracts of certain plants that contain antioxidants, including G. biloba, have
attracted interest for their pharmacological activity. G. biloba is currently sold as a
herbal supplement and there are numerous claims for health benefits, including the
possibility of preventing the onset of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Kang and
colleagues have now collected human white blood cells, lymphocytes, from healthy donors
aged 18 to 50 years. They treated half of these cells with commercially available G.
biloba extract in the laboratory and doused the other half with salt solution as an
experimental control. They then compared the effects of gamma radiation from radioactive
cesium on the white blood cells compared to the untreated control samples.
Shifting the world to 100 percent
clean, renewable energy as early as 2030 -- here are the numbers
Most of the technology needed to shift the world from fossil fuel to clean, renewable
energy already exists. Implementing that technology requires overcoming obstacles in
planning and politics, but doing so could result in a 30 percent decrease in global power
demand, say Stanford civil and environmental engineering Professor Mark Z. Jacobson and
University of California-Davis researcher Mark Delucchi. To make clear the extent of those
hurdles – and how they could be overcome – they have written an article that is
the cover story in the November issue of Scientific American. In it, they present new
research mapping out and evaluating a quantitative plan for powering the entire world on
wind, water and solar energy, including an assessment of the materials needed and costs.
And it will ultimately be cheaper than sticking with fossil fuel or going nuclear, they
say. The key is turning to wind, water and solar energy to generate electrical power
– making a massive commitment to them – and eliminating combustion as a way to
generate power for vehicles as well as for normal electricity use. The problem lies in the
use of fossil fuels and biomass combustion, which are notoriously inefficient at producing
usable energy. For example, when gasoline is used to power a vehicle, at least 80 percent
of the energy produced is wasted as heat. With vehicles that run on electricity, it's the
opposite. Roughly 80 percent of the energy supplied to the vehicle is converted into
motion, with only 20 percent lost as heat. Other combustion devices can similarly be
replaced with electricity or with hydrogen produced by electricity.
Well-educated women hardest hit by
breast cancer
Well-educated women and those who live alone are emotionally the hardest hit by breast
cancer, according to the findings of a new Australian study announced during October's
Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The MBF Foundation Health and Wellbeing after Breast Cancer
Study, undertaken by Monash University Medical School's Women's Health Program, found that
older women tended to experience lower levels of overall wellbeing compared to women of
similar age in the community two years after their diagnosis. "Up until now, there
has been uncertainty about exactly what the impact of being diagnosed with breast cancer
is in terms of mood and wellbeing over time. In our study, we found that two years post
diagnosis women with breast cancer were not more likely to be depressed but were more
likely to experience a lowered sense of control over their life, and lower general health,
with lessened vitality being limited to older women," explains Dr Susan R Davis,
Professor of Women's Health, Monash University Medical School, who was involved in the
study."The experience of having breast cancer is a personal one and is often
accompanied by very complex emotions due to the fact that it strikes at a woman's very
sense of self, purpose and sexuality." Co-chief investigator of the study, Associate
Professor Robin Bell, added: "That women living alone were more likely to have a
lower wellbeing is a novel and important finding and would suggest that such women may
benefit by targeted provision of social support." More educated women are likely to
be the best informed about their breast cancer and treatment, and their lower wellbeing
results may reflect greater anxiety over decision making and their difficulty coping with
a sense loss of control over their health and wellbeing. "We would encourage health
care providers to be sensitive to the fact that more highly educated women may deal less
well with psychological aspects of their disease than others," said Professor Davis.
Arctic lake sediments show warming,
unique ecological changes in recent decades
An analysis of sediment cores indicates that biological and chemical changes occurring at
a remote Arctic lake are unprecedented over the past 200,000 years and likely are the
result of human-caused climate change, according to a new study led by the University of
Colorado at Boulder.While environmental changes at the lake over the past millennia have
been shown to be tightly linked with natural causes of climate change -- like periodic,
well-understood wobbles in Earth's orbit -- changes seen in the sediment cores since about
1950 indicate expected climate cooling is being overridden by human activity like
greenhouse gas emissions. The research team reconstructed past climate and environmental
changes at the lake on Baffin Island using indicators that included algae, fossil insects
and geochemistry preserved in sediment cores that extend back 200,000 years. "The
past few decades have been unique in the past 200,000 years in terms of the changes we see
in the biology and chemistry recorded in the cores," said lead study author Yarrow
Axford of CU-Boulder's Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research. "We see clear
evidence for warming in one of the most remote places on Earth at a time when the Arctic
should be cooling because of natural processes." The study was published Oct. 19 in
the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study included researchers from
CU-Boulder, the State University of New York's University at Buffalo, the University of
Alberta, the University of Massachusetts and Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario.
First-time Internet users find
boost in brain function after just 1 week
You can teach an old dog new tricks, say UCLA scientists who found that middle-aged and
older adults with little Internet experience were able to trigger key centers in the brain
that control decision-making and complex reasoning after just one week of surfing the Web.
The findings, presented Oct. 19 at the 2009 meeting of the Society for Neuroscience,
suggest that Internet training can stimulate neural activation patterns and could
potentially enhance brain function and cognition in older adults. As the brain ages, a
number of structural and functional changes occur, including atrophy, reductions in cell
activity and increases in deposits of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, which can impact
cognitive function. Research has shown that mental stimulation similar to that which
occurs in individuals who frequently use the Internet may affect the efficiency of
cognitive processing and alter the way the brain encodes new information. "We found
that for older people with minimal experience, performing Internet searches for even a
relatively short period of time can change brain activity patterns and enhance
function," said study author Dr. Gary Small, a professor of psychiatry at the Semel
Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA and the author of
"iBrain," a book that describes the impact of new technology on the brain and
behavior.
Yale's scan of Turkish infant's
genome yields a surprise diagnosis
In a dramatic illustration of the power of emerging genetic technologies, Yale University
researchers have reported making a clinical diagnosis for the first time using
comprehensive DNA sequencing of all the protein-coding genes in the genome. The
information changed the course of treatment of a baby boy suffering from symptoms of
dehydration thousands of miles away in Turkey. The new approach to DNA sequencing used by
Yale researchers and described online Oct. 19 in the Proceedings of the National Academy
of Sciences is called whole exome sequencing because it selectively analyzes the 1 percent
of the genome that contains genes that code for proteins. This approach has the potential
to lead to dramatic new insights into almost every human disease and, as cost of the
technology decreases, will be commonly used in clinical settings, predicted Richard
Lifton, senior author of the paper and Sterling Professor and chair in the Department of
Genetics and professor of internal medicine. "We believe this heralds the dawn of a
new era in genetics and personalized medicine," said Lifton, an investigator for the
Howard Hughes Medical Institute. The new approach is a marriage of advanced DNA sequencing
technology and microarray protocols that can selectively sequence protein-coding regions
of the genomes. The paper shows the methodology can identify genetic mutations with great
precision at a cost 10 to 20 times less than sequencing the entire genome with its 3
billion "letters." Because the vast majority of mutations with large clinical
effects lie in these protein-coding regions, this promises to be an efficient strategy for
discovering disease-related genes, Lifton said. The Yale team — which included Murim
Choi, a postdoctoral fellow, and Shrikant Mane, director of Yale Center for Genome
Analysis at the new Yale West Campus —combined whole exome arrays to purify the
protein coding genes and the latest high-throughput DNA sequencing to identify sequence
changes in protein coding genes.
Research Identifies Link Between
Childhood ADHD and Adult Crime
Schoolchildren with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder are substantially more likely
to engage in many types of criminal activity such as burglary, theft and drug dealing as
they grow older, a new study by the Yale School of Public Health has found. The research
was published in The Journal of Mental Health Policy and Economics. An analysis of more
than 10,000 adolescents who were later surveyed as young adults found that children with
ADHD were twice as likely to commit theft later in life and had a 50 percent higher
incidence of selling drugs. The research results are believed to be the first evidence of
a link between illegal activity and the childhood condition commonly known as ADHD that
uses a national sample of individuals. Authors Jason M. Fletcher, assistant professor at
the school, and Barbara Wolfe of the University of Wisconsin-Madison say the findings
suggest that children exhibiting ADHD symptoms should be viewed as an at-risk group and
that intervention programs might be appropriate.
MIT neuroscientists find neural
stopwatch in the brain
What's New: MIT researchers have identified populations of neurons that code time with
extreme precision in the primate brain. These neurons are found in two interconnected
brain regions, the prefrontal cortex and the striatum, both of which are known to play
critical roles in learning, movement, and thought control. Why it matters - The timing of
individual actions, whether we are speaking, driving a car, or playing the piano, require
very precise control. Although our daily life is extremely dependent on this remarkable
capability, surprisingly little has been known about how time is represented in the
activity of brain cells. The discovery made by MIT neuroscientists is an important step
toward answering this fundamental question.How they did it - The team of researchers, led
by Institute Professor Ann Graybiel, a member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research
and the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, trained two macaque monkeys to perform
a simple eye-movement task. After receiving a "go" signal, the monkeys were free
to perform the task at their own speed. The researchers found that neurons in the
prefrontal cortex and the striatum that consistently fired at specific times — 100
milliseconds, 110 msec, 150 msec, and so on — after the "go" signal. Like a
stopwatch, these neurons provided a fine-scale coverage over a period of several seconds.
The combined activity of these neurons provided "time stamps" that could specify
any given time point with a remarkable precision of less than 50 milliseconds, more than
sufficient to account for most behaviors.
Infants able to identify humans as
source of speech, monkeys as source of monkey calls
Infants as young as five months old are able to correctly identify humans as the source of
speech and monkeys as the source of monkey calls, psychology researchers have found. Their
finding, which appears in the latest issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences (PNAS), provides the first evidence that human infants are able to correctly
match different kinds of vocalizations to different species. The study's co-authors were
Athena Vouloumanos, an assistant professor in New York University's Department of
Psychology; Madelynn Druhen, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Psychology at the
University of North Carolina at Greensboro; Marc Hauser, a professor in Harvard
University's Departments of Psychology and Human Evolutionary Biology; and Anouk Huizink,
a researcher in McGill University's Department of Psychology. The research was conducted
at the McGill Infant Development Centre and the NYU Infant Cognition and Communication
Lab, under the direction of Vouloumanos. While young children know that humans speak,
monkeys grunt, and ducks quack, it's not clear when we come to know which vocalizations
each of these animals produce. Although much is known about infants' abilities to match
properties of human voices to faces, such as emotion, it is unknown whether infants are
able to match vocalizations to the specific species that produces them. In the PNAS study,
the team of psychologists explored this question by asking whether young infants expect
humans, but not other animals, to produce speech, and also, whether infants can identify
the sources of vocalizations produced by other species. To do so, the researchers showed
five-month-old infants from English- and French-speaking homes a sequence of individually
presented pictures of human faces and rhesus monkey faces paired either with human speech
or with rhesus vocalizations. They then examined whether infants preferentially attended
to the human faces when human vocalizations were presented (two Japanese single words
"nasu" and "haiiro"), and whether infants preferentially attended to
the rhesus faces when rhesus vocalizations (a coo and a gekker call) were presented.
Previous research has revealed that when presented with audiovisual stimuli, infants tend
to look longer at sounds and images that correctly match, so the researchers predicted
that if infants identified the sources of vocalizations, they would look longer when the
vocalizations and faces matched.
Study finds mercury levels in
children with autism and those developing typically are the same
In a large population-based study published online today, researchers at the UC Davis MIND
Institute report that after adjusting for a number of factors, typically developing
children and children with autism have similar levels of mercury in their blood streams.
Mercury is a heavy metal found in other studies to adversely affect the developing nervous
system. The study, appearing in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, is the most
rigorous examination to date of blood-mercury levels in children with autism. The
researchers cautioned, however, that the study is not an examination of whether mercury
plays a role in causing the disorder. "We looked at blood-mercury levels in children
who had autism and children who did not have autism," said lead study author Irva
Hertz-Picciotto, an internationally known MIND Institute researcher and professor of
environmental and occupational health. "The bottom line is that blood-mercury levels
in both populations were essentially the same. However, this analysis did not address a
causal role, because we measured mercury after the diagnosis was made." The research
was conducted as part of the Northern California-based Childhood Autism Risks from
Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) Study, of which Hertz-Picciotto is the principal
investigator. The CHARGE Study is a large, comprehensive, epidemiologic investigation
designed to identify factors associated with autism and discover clues to its origins.
CHARGE study participants include children between 24 and 60 months who are diagnosed with
autism, as well as children with other developmental disorders and typically developing
controls. The study looked at a wide variety of sources of mercury in the participants'
environments, including fish consumption, personal-care products (such as nasal sprays or
earwax removal products, which may contain mercury) and the types of vaccinations they
received. The study also examined whether children who have dental fillings made of the
silver-colored mercury-based amalgam and who grind their teeth or chew gum had higher
blood-mercury levels. In fact, those children who both chew gum and have amalgams did have
higher blood-mercury levels. But the consumption of fish — such as tuna and other
ocean fish and freshwater fish — was far and away the biggest and most significant
predictor of blood-mercury levels. Data on most possible sources of mercury — fish
consumption and dental amalgams –— were collected by interviews with the study
subjects' parents. Information on vaccines was obtained from the child's vaccination and
medical records. A few children had recently had a vaccine containing mercury, and their
blood-mercury levels were not elevated. Of the 452 participants included in the research,
249 were diagnosed with autism, 143 were developing typically and 60 had other
developmental delays, such as Down syndrome. At the outset, the children with autism
appeared to have significantly lower blood-mercury levels than the typically developing
children. But children with autism tend to be picky eaters and, in this study, ate less
fish. When adjusted for their lower levels of fish consumption, their blood-mercury
concentrations were roughly the same as those of children with typical development and
very similar to those found in a nationally representative sample of 1- to 5-year-old
children.
Mice regain ability to extend
telomeres suggesting potential for dyskeratosis congenita therapy
The human genetic disease dyskeratosis congenita (DKC) is an autosomal dominant disease
that leads to abnormalities in tissues with a rapid cell turnover – the skin, nails,
bone marrow, lungs and gut. Patients with DKC experience life-threatening symptoms. Bone
marrow failure increases their risk of fatal infections and cancer. Many die before the
age of 30 and management of the disease is limited to trying to treat its symptoms. At the
heart of DKC is telomerase, the enzyme that maintains the length of telomeres, the
protective caps on the ends of chromosomes. Telomerase has two main components; telomerase
reverse transcriptase (TERT) and telomerase RNA. The latter is the template that TERT uses
to produce telomere-extending DNA. Patients with DKC have a mutation in one TERT allele
and under produce telomerase. This leads to a failure to maintain normal telomere length.
Once the chromosomes erode beyond a certain point, they start to rearrange and cells show
increasing genomic instability followed by cell death and tissue malfunction. "DKC is
one of the few examples in which there is a clear link between a genetic mutation that
directly affects telomerase function and human disease," comments senior author Lea
Harrington (Ontario Cancer Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada). "Teasing out the
difference between cause and effect is a challenge." mTert mice, which have one
functional TERT allele and one disrupted allele, also show telomere shortening and
represent a useful model for DKC. Research with this mouse model now aims to determine the
potential for adaptive extension of telomeres. The underlying mechanisms could suggest
novel therapies for DKC and could lead to methods of blocking telomerase inhibition in
normal tissues during cancer therapy, so improving treatment efficacy. "mTert mice
provide an appropriate model for DKC that we can use to examine the long term consequences
of TERT deficiency over several generations in a controlled setting," explains
Harrington.
Researchers optimizing progesterone
for brain injury treatment
New approaches include adding vitamin D and using water-soluble analogues. As doctors
begin to test progesterone for traumatic brain injury at sites across the country,
researchers are looking ahead to optimizing the hormone's effectiveness. Two abstracts
summarizing Emory research on progesterone are being presented at the 2009 Society for
Neuroscience (SFN) meeting in Chicago. A multisite phase III clinical trial called ProTECT
III will begin to evaluate progesterone's effectiveness for treating traumatic brain
injury early next year. The trial grows out of years of research by Donald Stein, PhD, Asa
G. Candler Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory School of Medicine, demonstrating that
progesterone can protect damaged brain tissue. Stein is director of the Department of
Emergency Medicine's Brain Research Laboratory. One of the SFN abstracts reports on
progesterone analogues that are more water-soluble. This work comes from Stein and his
colleagues in collaboration with the laboratory of Dennis Liotta, PhD, Emory professor of
chemistry. Currently, the lack of water solubility limits delivery of progesterone, in
that the hormone must be prepared hours ahead and cannot be kept at room temperature.
Small chemical modifications may allow similar compounds with the same effects as
progesterone to be given to patients closer to the time of injury. According to the
results, two compounds similar to progesterone showed an equivalent ability to reduce
brain swelling in an animal model of traumatic brain injury. The second abstract describes
evidence that adding vitamin D to progesterone enhances the hormone's effectiveness when
applied to neurons under stress in the laboratory. Like progesterone, vitamin D is a
steroid hormone that is inexpensive, has good safety properties and acts on many different
biochemical pathways. The authors showed that a low amount of vitamin D boosted the
ability of progesterone to protect neurons from excito-toxicity , a principal cause of
brain injury and cell death.
Researchers reveal mechanism for
neuron self-preservation
Tsuruta et al. find that a lipid kinase directs a voltage-gated calcium channel's
degradation to save neurons from a lethal dose of overexcitement. The study appears in the
October 19, 2009 issue of the Journal of Cell Biology (www.jcb.org). An important player
in cellular signaling, calcium is also terribly toxic at high levels. Neurons have evolved
ways to protect themselves against the calcium influxes that come during periods of
intense electrical activity. One way to limit the calcium flood is to remove the
gatekeepers, calcium channels, from the cell surface. How neurons direct this is
clinically important in a range of disorders, including stroke, Parkinson's disease, and
Alzheimer's disease. In a proteomic screen for binding partners of the CaV1.2 channel,
Tsuruta et al. extracted what seemed a strange companion at first: PIKfyve, the lipid
kinase that generates PI(3,5)P2 and promotes the maturation of endosomes into lysosomes.
Other groups had recently shown that mutations affecting PI(3,5)P2 production cause
degeneration of excitable cells in both mice and humans, including mutants found in ALS
and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease. The team hypothesized that PIKfyve might be directing
CaV1.2 degradation. Using glutamate excitation to simulate excitotoxic stress, the authors
showed that CaV1.2 is internalized, associates with PIKfyve, and is degraded in the
lysosome. When Tsuruta et al. squelched levels of PIKfyve or PI(3,5)P2, excess channels
stayed at the surface and left neurons vulnerable to apoptosis.
Major advance in organic solar
cells
Professor Guillermo Bazan and a team of postgraduate researchers at UC Santa Barbara's
Center for Polymers and Organic Solids (CPOS) today announced a major advance in the
synthesis of organic polymers for plastic solar cells. Bazan's team:The reduced reaction
time effectively cuts production time for the organic polymers by nearly 50%, since
reaction time and purification time are approximately equal in the production process, in
both laboratory and commercial environments. The higher molecular weight of the polymers,
reflecting the creation of longer chains of the polymers, has a major benefit in
increasing current density in plastic solar cells by as much as a factor of more than
four. Over polymer batches with varying average molecular weights, produced using varying
combinations of the elements of the new methodology, the increase in current density was
found to be approximately proportional to the increase in average molecular weight. The
methodology, detailed in a Nature Chemistry paper published online today and slated for
later inclusion in the print publication, "will greatly accelerate research in this
area," stated Bazan, "by making possible the rapid production of different
batches of polymers for evaluation." He further noted, "We plan to take
advantage of this approach both to generate new materials that will increase solar cell
efficiencies and operational lifetimes, and to reevaluate previously-considered polymer
structures that should exhibit much higher performance than they showed initially."
Violence between couples is usually
calculated, and does not result from loss of control
Violence between couples is usually the result of a calculated decision-making process and
the partner inflicting violence will do so only as long as the price to be paid is not too
high. This is the conclusion of a new study by Dr. Eila Perkis at the University of Haifa.
"The violent partner might conceive his or her behavior as a 'loss of control', but
the same individual, unsurprisingly, would not lose control in this way with a boss or
friends," she explains. In this new study, carried out under the supervision of Prof.
Zvi Eisikovits and Dr. Zeev Winstok of the University of Haifa's School of Social Work,
Dr. Perkis examined intimate violence based on the fact that in most cases the offending
partner is a law-abiding individual living a normative life outside of the family unit.
Dr. Perkis says that in most cases the couple continues living together and sustaining a
shared family unit, so it is important that we learn to understand the dynamics of such
partnerships in order to treat them. First Dr. Perkis divided intimate violence into four
levels of severity: verbal aggression; threats of physical aggression; moderate physical
aggression; and severe physical aggression. "These four levels follow one another in
an escalating sequence; someone who uses verbal violence might well move on over time to
threatening physical attack, and from there it is only downhill towards acting on the
threat," she explains. Dr. Perkis warns however, that the results of this study
should not be correlated to cases of murder, since the dynamics between couples in such
cases are different and such offenses are not included in the chain of violent acts being
examined. The researcher found that acting on each type of violence is calculated, such
that the violence constitutes a tool for solving conflict between the partners.
"Neither of the couple sits down and plans when he or she will swear or lash out at
the other, but there is a sort of silent agreement standing between the two on what limits
of violent behavior are 'ok', where the red line is drawn, and where behavior beyond that
could be dangerous," she explains. She adds that when speaking of one-sided physical
violence, most often carried out by men, the violent side understands that for a slap,
say, he will not pay a very heavy price, but for harsher violence that is not included in
the 'normative' dynamic between them, he might well have to pay a higher price and will
therefore keep himself from such behavior. "A 'heavy price' could be the partner's
leaving or reporting the incident to the police or the workplace. As such, it can be said
that violent behavior is not the result of loss of control and both sides are aware of
where the red line is drawn, even if such an agreement has never been spoken between
them," she says.
U of C chemists discover recipe to
design a better type of fuel cell
Fuel cells are often touted as one method to help decrease society's addiction to fossil
fuels. But there is still a lot of work to be done before fuel cells will be ready for
mass market to be used in transportation, home heating and portable power for emergencies.
U of C chemists Jeff Hurd and George Shimizu have taken the science behind a specific type
of fuel cell towards a higher level of design. They have discovered a new material that
allows a PEM fuel cell, known as a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell, to work at a
higher temperature. This discovery is extremely important in terms of increasing the
efficiency and decreasing the cost of PEM fuel cells. "This research will alter the
way researchers have to this point perceived candidate materials for fuel cell
applications," says Shimizu a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the
University of Calgary. A research paper by Shimizu, Hurd, Ramanathan Vaidhyanathan and
Venkataraman Thangadurai of the University of Calgary, and Christopher Ratcliffe and Igor
Moudrakovski of the Steacie Institute for Molecular Sciences, National Research Council,
has just been published in Nature Chemistry online. Shimizu filed a patent with the US
patent office last year. A fuel cell is an electrochemical energy conversion device which
converts the chemicals hydrogen and oxygen into water and electrical energy. Water usually
carries the ions (protons) in a hydrogen fuel cell but this research uses higher boiling
molecules trapped in a molecular scaffolding. Currently, PEM fuel cells can produce energy
from hydrogen below 90 °C, just under the boiling point of water. With Shimizu's
material, energy can be produced at a higher temperature, up to 150 °C. This could
ultimately make the fuel cell cheaper to produce because at a higher temperature less
expensive metals can be used to convert hydrogen into energy. Currently, platinum is used
which is extremely expensive. Also, reactions at a higher temperature would be faster thus
increasing efficiency.
Metals could forge new cancer drug
Drugs made using unusual metals could form an effective treatment against colon and
ovarian cancer, including cancerous cells that have developed immunity to other drugs,
according to research at the University of Warwick and the University of Leeds. The study,
published in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, showed that a range of compounds
containing the two transition metals Ruthenium and Osmium, which are found in the same
part of the periodic table as precious metals like platinum and gold, cause significant
cell death in ovarian and colon cancer cells. The compounds were also effective against
ovarian cancer cells which are resistant to the drug Cisplatin, the most successful
transition metal drug, which contains the metal platinum. Dr Patrick McGowan, one of the
lead authors of the research from the School of Chemistry at the University of Leeds,
explains: "Ruthenium and Osmium compounds are showing very high levels of activity
against ovarian cancer, which is a significant step forward in the field of medicinal
chemistry.
A major step in making better stem
cells from adult tissue
A team led by scientists from The Scripps Research Institute has developed a method that
dramatically improves the efficiency of creating stem cells from human adult tissue,
without the use of embryonic cells. The research makes great strides in addressing a major
practical challenge in the development of stem-cell-based medicine. The findings were
published in an advance, online issue of the journal Nature Methods on October 18, 2009.
The new technique, which uses three small drug-like chemicals, is 200 times more efficient
and twice as fast as conventional methods for transforming adult human cells into stem
cells (in this case called "induced pluripotent stem cells" or "iPS
cells"). "Both in terms of speed and efficiency, we achieved major improvements
over conventional conditions," said Scripps Research Associate Professor Sheng Ding,
Ph.D., who led the study. "This is the first example in human cells of how
reprogramming speed can be accelerated. I believe that the field will quickly adopt this
method, accelerating iPS cell research significantly." In addition to its significant
practical advantages, the development of the technique deepens the understanding of the
biology behind the transformation of adult human cells into stem cells.
Migraine sufferers more prone to
hangover headache
Migraine sufferers, beware. You may be more prone to an alcohol-induced headache after a
night of drinking, according to researchers from the Jefferson Headache Center. The
research will be presented at Neuroscience 2009, the Annual Meeting of the Society for
Neuroscience, in Chicago. Until now, studying the mechanism behind migraine and other
forms of recurrent headaches has not been possible in an animal model, according to
Michael Oshinsky, Ph.D., assistant professor of Neurology at Jefferson Medical College of
Thomas Jefferson University, and a member of the Jefferson Headache Center team. In order
to facilitate the study of migraine, Dr. Oshinsky developed a rat model in which headaches
are induced by repeatedly stimulating, over weeks to months, the brain's dura mater with
an inflammatory mixture. Dr. Oshinsky and Christina Maxwell, a Ph.D. student in the
Neuroscience program at the Jefferson College of Graduate Studies, used their rat model to
study the effects of alcohol on rats who suffer recurrent migraines, compared to rats that
do not get headaches. They analyzed four groups of rats: two groups received repeated
dural simulation, followed by an oral ingestion of saline or alcohol (the equivalent of
one to two shots of liquor). Two control groups received no inflammatory stimulation, and
received the similar oral ingestion of saline or alcohol. Migraine headaches are
associated with hypersensitivity to light, sound and light touch on the head and face. The
researchers measured the rats' sensitivity to touch around the eye, using von Frey
monofilaments. They monitored the change in pain threshold of the face resulting from the
repeated dural stimulation.
New chromosomal abnormality
identified in leukemia associated with Down syndrome
Researchers identified a new chromosomal abnormality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL)
that appears to work in concert with another mutation to give rise to cancer. This latest
anomaly is particularly common in children with Down syndrome. The findings have already
resulted in new diagnostic tests and potential tools for tracking a patient's response to
treatment. The research, led by scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital,
also highlights a new potential ALL treatment. Clinicians are already planning trials of
an experimental medication targeting one of the altered genes.This study is published in
the October 18 online edition of Nature Genetics. "A substantial proportion of
children with ALL lack one of the previously identified, common chromosomal abnormalities.
Also, children with Down syndrome have an increased risk of ALL, but the reasons why are
unclear," said Charles Mullighan, M.D., Ph.D., assistant member in the St. Jude
Department of Pathology. Mullighan is senior author of the study, which involved
scientists from 10 institutions in the U.S. and Italy. "Our results have provided
important data regarding the mechanisms contributing to leukemia in these cases," he
said. Instead of the normal pairs of 23 chromosomes, individuals with Down syndrome
inherit an extra copy of one chromosome, in this case chromosome 21. Chromosomes are made
of DNA and carry the genes that serve as the assembly and operations manual for life. Down
syndrome is associated with a variety of medical and developmental problems, including a
10¬-to-20–fold increased risk of ALL. But patients with Down syndrome rarely have
the genetic and chromosomal alterations commonly associated with childhood ALL. Until
recently the genetic basis of the elevated risk for these patients was unknown. The new
gene alteration was identified by St. Jude scientists following up on an earlier
observation. They had previously found a recurring deletion in a region of DNA duplicated
on the X and Y chromosomes. The region is known as pseudoautosomal region 1 or PAR1.
Stanford study identifies cellular
mechanism that causes lupuslike symptoms in mice
Macrophages, the scavenger cells of the body's immune system, are responsible for
disposing of dying cells. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers have
identified one pathway in this important process in mice that, if disrupted, causes a
lupuslike autoimmune disease. The findings could lead to both a better understanding of
the cause of lupus in humans and potential drug treatments for the disorder, which affects
an estimated 1.5-2 million people in the United States. "Just like in mice, in
humans, if you don't clear the dying cells, then that predisposes you to lupus," said
Lata Mukundan, PhD, a Stanford research associate and one of the first authors of the
study to be published online in Nature Medicine Oct. 18. "If you look at patients
with lupus, they have an inability to clear those dead cells." Added Ajay Chawla, MD,
PhD, assistant professor of endocrinology and senior author of the study: "The
clearing away of dying cells is important. If they're not cleared away, they can provide
antigens against ourselves, leading to development of autoimmunity." Lupus is an
autoimmune disease in which the body's system attacks its own cells. The chronic
inflammation causes symptoms that can resemble other types of arthritis and rheumatic
diseases, affecting the skin, heart, lungs, kidneys, joints and nervous system. The cause
is unknown.Mukundan, Chawla and their colleagues have uncovered one of the pathways by
which macrophages sense and silently dispose of these dying cells — a
naturally-occurring process not previously understood — by conducting lab experiments
in vitro with mouse and human macrophages, as well as in genetically engineered mice.
Researchers hypothesized that a molecule in the nucleus of cells called PPAR-delta plays a
pivotal role in orchestrating the timely disposal of dying cells by macrophages, the white
blood cells that swallow and digest cellular debris and pathogens, triggering other immune
cells to aid in the response to a pathogen.
APP -- Good, bad or both?
New data about amyloid precursor protein, or APP, a protein implicated in development of
Alzheimer's disease, suggests it also may have a positive role -- directly affecting
learning and memory during brain development. So is APP good or bad? Researchers at
Georgetown University Medical Center say both, and that a balance of APP is critical.
Alzheimer's disease, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States, is
characterized by neuronal cell death and a progressive loss of functioning in the brain.
Symptoms of Alzheimer's (AD) include memory loss and impaired judgment. Abeta is one of
many proteins found to be associated with the disease. It is released when APP, a larger
protein, is cut by several enzymes. Research suggests this occurs when APP is abnormally
processed, possibly due to trauma, cholesterol levels or oxidative stress. When Abeta is
released, it can form plaque, a contributing factor in AD. Thus, Abeta and APP are
involved in the early process of AD development.APP is also known to be present at the
synapses between neurons though its molecular action is not understood. Synapse loss is
thought to be one of the main contributors to the cognitive decline seen in AD. In a
presentation at the 39th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, Georgetown
University Medical Center researchers say that while APP is negatively associated with AD,
it appears to play a critical role in brain development. Many studies have elucidated the
importance of synapses and dendritic spines, the protrusions that allow communication
between brain neurons, in learning and memory. In this new research, the GUMC scientists
found decreased spine density in mice that have been genetically modified to not produce
APP. The scientists then looked at four-week-old mice that over produced APP and found a
significant increase in spine density. At one year old, however, these mice have Abeta
plaques, as well as a decrease in spine density due to the effect of Abeta, which is known
to be neurotoxic.
Fine-tuning treatments for
depression
New research clarifies how neurotransmitters like norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine,
are regulated – a finding that may help fine-tune therapies for depression. Current
drugs for depression target the regulatory process for neurotransmitters, and while
effective in some cases, do not appear to work in other cases. Recent findings suggest
that synucleins, a family of small proteins in the brain, are key players in the
management of neurotransmitters -- specifically, alpha- and gamma-synuclein. Additionally,
researchers have found elevated levels of gamma-synuclein in the brains of both depressed
animals and humans. In a study presented at the 39th annual meeting of the Society for
Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center researchers observed increased
depressive-like behavior in mice where gamma-synuclein acts alone to regulate
neurotransmitters, confirming earlier studies by this group. "These findings show the
importance of, and clarify a functional role for, gamma synuclein in depression and may
provide new therapeutic targets in treatment of this disease," says Adam Oaks, a
student researcher in the Laboratory of Molecular Neurochemistry at GUMC.
"Understanding how current therapies work with the synucleins is important because
the drugs don't work for all patients, and some are associated with side effects including
an increased risk of suicide."
A New Understanding Of Why Seizures
Occur With Alcohol Withdrawal
Epileptic seizures are the most dramatic and prominent aspect of the “alcohol
withdrawal syndrome” that occurs when a person abruptly stops a long-term or chronic
drinking habit. Researchers have shown that the flow of calcium ions into brain cells via
voltage-gated calcium channels plays an important role in the generation of alcohol
withdrawal seizures, because blocking this flow suppresses these seizures. But do the
changes in calcium currents contribute to alcohol withdrawal seizures or are they a
consequence of the seizures? Using a careful analysis of correlations between the course
of alcohol withdrawal seizures and the expression of calcium currents, Georgetown
University Medical Center researchers found that the enhancement of total calcium current
density in pre-clinical animal studies occur prior to the onset of alcohol withdrawal
seizures. The research presented at 39th annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience
also shows that calcium currents remain enhanced during the period of seizure
susceptibility, but return to control levels when the period of seizure susceptibility is
over. “These preliminary findings are the first to indicate that altered calcium
channel activity contributes to the occurrence of alcohol withdrawal seizures,”
explains lead author, Prosper N’Gouemo, PhD, an assistant professor in the department
of pediatrics at GUMC. “The next step in our research is to determine which types of
voltage-gated calcium channels contribute to the enhanced current density that takes place
before the onset of alcohol withdrawal seizures so a potential treatment can be
developed.”
When Parents Are Too Toxic to
Tolerate
prolonged stress can kill cells in the hippocampus, a brain area critical for memory. The
good news is that adults are able to grow new neurons in this area in the course of normal
development.
Garlic Can be Helpful in Warding
Off a Cold
The garlic group experienced 111 days of sickness, versus 366 for those given a placebo.
They also recovered faster.
Why are preemies more likely to
develop autism?
Researchers have long seen signs of autism in children born prematurely, and some studies
have suggested that such signs can develop into full-blown autism in childhood.
Outings tailored for autistic kids
Seeing the latest blockbusters on the big screen in a darkened theater wasn't always easy
for the autistic teenager.
No link between pets and childhood
asthma
The study ‘Asthma in Australian Children’, published by the Institute of Health
and Welfare, revealed that kids with allergies to any kind of food, grass or bees were
twice as prone to be an asthma patient as children with no allergies.
Antibiotics Could Up Intestinal
Risk in Children
Infants and young children who take antibiotics may have an increased risk of developing a
rare type of intestinal blockage, according to a new study.
Parasites may be allergy defence
The first clue is that in countries where infection by parasitic worms is common, the
incidence of allergies is low, but rises when children are treated for parasites.
Cancer drug crosses key hurdle in
brain
An experimental drug appears to cross a protective barrier in the brain that screens out
most chemicals, offering potentially better ways to treat brain tumors, U.S. researchers
said on Sunday.
Bowel disease drugs increase cancer
risk
Some treatments for inflammatory bowel disease increase the risk of infection-related
cancers, French scientists said on Monday, but the benefits of the drugs still outweigh
the risks.
UC Davis nutrition researchers
debate new study that human brains regulate sodium intake naturally
According to a new study by UC Davis researchers published as an article this week in the
Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, the human brain naturally
regulates its own sodium intake for the entire body.
Inflammation causes both heart
disease, muscle loss
More recent research has focused on how these and other stressors elicit white blood cells
to invade artery walls, ultimately causing inflammation. Once inflamed, the arteries tend
to attract plaque.
Pre-diabetes 'timebomb' warning
An estimated seven million people in the UK have early warning signs of diabetes, a
charity has warned.
Post-Traumatic Stress May Raise
Death Risks
Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder face an increased risk for dying after
surgery, even if the surgery is performed years after they have completed their service,
according to a U.S. study.
Mice Study Gives Clue to How Breast
Cancer Spreads
Scientists who watched tumor cells spread in living mice said on Sunday they had found a
gene signal controlling how cancer cells move, which could help companies design new drugs
to fight the disease.
Could BPA Trigger the Fall of the
Western World?
While advances in chemistry since the industrial revolution should have given humanity
enough insight to avoid the same mistake, continued findings about the effects of a
little-known chemical called BPA reveals that the western world may have been poisoning
itself in a similar fashion for the last 60 years.
One pair of dirty hands equals many
infections
A single doctor, nurse or technician with dirty hands can undo all the good work of an
entire hospital staff trained to carefully wash their hands to prevent the spread of
infection, French researchers reported on Monday.
Melanoma treatment options 1 step
closer
A targeted chemotherapy for the treatment of skin cancer is one step closer, after a team
of University of Alberta researchers successfully synthesized a natural substance that
shows exceptional potential to specifically treat this often fatal disease.U of A
chemistry professor Dennis Hall said after three years of work, his research team has
successfully produced the substance called Palmerolide A. "The potency of palmerolide
is exceptional and melanoma is a very aggressive cancer for which there is almost no
chemotherapeutic recourse," said Hall. "Natural substances like palmerolide
offer real hope for such treatments. "Current chemotherapy as an overall strategy is
not very effective in treating melanoma. Less than a quarter of patients respond to
chemotherapy and it typically only works for less than a year, and it has little to no
effect on survival time. Palmerolide A as a targeted therapy may prove to be more
effective [for treatment] with less toxicity," said Hall. "One of the problems
with most cancer drugs is the lack of selectivity for cancer cells versus normal cells.
Preliminary data for Palmerolide A looks very promising in terms of solving this
issue," he said. "For commercialization, the structure needs to be made more
'drug-like;' smaller and more water-soluble, while preserving the potency," said
Hall, who is optimistic that his U of A team is moving forward in the race to develop a
treatment for melanoma.
Cancer survivors may not be getting
the help they need to stop smoking
More than a quarter of cancer survivors who still smoke have not been advised to quit
smoking by their health care providers in the last year, according to a study published by
researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center in the current issue of the Journal of General
Internal Medicine. The findings suggest that health care providers – from doctors to
dentists to nurses – are missing an opportunity to make a dramatic difference in the
quality of life of their patients. "While smoking cessation is difficult, it can play
an important role in increasing cancer survivors' quality of life," says the paper's
lead author Elliot Coups, Ph.D., former associate member of Fox Chase Cancer Center's
faculty and a participant in the Fox Chase Keystone Program in Cancer Risk and Prevention.
"Time and again, studies have shown that people really do listen to what is said at
the doctor's office in regards to smoking, so health care providers need to take advantage
of this teachable moment." According to Coups, an associate professor of medicine at
UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, who recently joined the Division of Public
Health Science at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the harmful effects of smoking have
an important impact on cancer survivors. Smoking is known to adversely affect survivors'
quality of life, lower their projected life-spans, and to increase their risk for
cardiovascular disease, as well as second, unrelated cancers. "With improvements in
cancer medicine, we are seeing a growing population of cancer survivors who are returning
to their primary physicians with their unique medical issues," says Carolyn Heckman,
Ph.D., assistant professor at Fox Chase Cancer Center and a co-author of the study.
"Smoking cessation, in particular, needs to be addressed at every visit with a health
care provider."
GSU professor develops new method
to help keep fruit, vegetables and flowers fresh
Did you know that millions of tons of fruits and vegetables in the United States end up in
the trash can before being eaten, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture? A
Georgia State University professor has developed an innovative new way to keep produce and
flowers fresh for longer periods of time. Microbiologist George Pierce's method uses a
naturally occurring microorganism — no larger than the width of a human hair —
to induce enzymes that extend the ripening time of fruits and vegetables, and keeps the
blooms of flowers fresh. The process does not involve genetic engineering or pathogens,
but involves microorganisms known to be associated with plants, and are considered to be
helpful and beneficial to them. "These beneficial soil microorganisms serve
essentially the same function as eating yogurt as a probiotic to have beneficial organisms
living in the gastrointestinal system," Pierce said. The process works by
manipulating the organism's diet so that it will over express certain enzymes and
activities that work in the ripening process and keeping the flower blooms fresh. Pierce
analogizes this to using diet and exercise to improve the performance of an athlete.
"We change the diet of the organism, and we can change its performance," Pierce
said. "It's no different than taking a good athlete and putting them on a diet and
exercise regime, and turning him or her into a world-class athlete." In a very simple
sense, climacteric plants — such as apples, bananas, peaches and tomatoes
—respond to climactic change, and when they do, they produce increased levels of
signal compounds like ethylene. For fruit such as peaches, ethylene causes the peach to
ripen, increases aroma chemicals, but unfortunately, makes the peach very fragile.
Americans who believe in equality
are more likely to buy on impulse
A new study from Rice University’s Jones Graduate School of Business finds that
Americans who believe in equality are more-impulsive shoppers. And it has implications for
how to market products differently in countries where shoppers are more likely to buy on
impulse. The study, “Power-Distance Belief and Impulsive Buying,” was authored
by Rice management professor Vikas Mittal and recently accepted for publication in the
Journal of Marketing Research. Power-distance belief (PDB) is the degree of power
disparity the people of a culture expect and accept. It is measured on a scale of zero to
100, and the higher the PDB, the more a person accepts disparity and expects power
inequality. Americans have a low PDB score relative to people in countries like China and
India. The study found that people who have a high PDB score tend to exhibit more
self-control and are less impulsive when shopping. “In our studies, people with low
PDB scores spent one-and-a-half times the amount spent by high-PDB individuals when buying
daily items like snacks and drinks,” Mittal said.
NC State Develops Material That
Could Boost Data Storage, Save Energy
North Carolina State University engineers have created a new material that would allow a
fingernail-size computer chip to store the equivalent of 20 high-definition DVDs or 250
million pages of text, far exceeding the storage capacities of today’s computer
memory systems. Led by Dr. Jagdish “Jay” Narayan, John C.C. Fan Family
Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and director of the National
Science Foundation Center for Advanced Materials and Smart Structures at NC State, the
engineers made their breakthrough using the process of selective doping, in which an
impurity is added to a material that changes its properties. The process also shows
promise for boosting vehicles’ fuel economy and reducing heat produced by
semiconductors, a potentially important development for more efficient energy production.
Working at the nanometer level — a pinhead has a diameter of 1 million nanometers
— the engineers added metal nickel to magnesium oxide, a ceramic. The resulting
material contained clusters of nickel atoms no bigger than 10 square nanometers, a 90
percent size reduction compared to today’s techniques and an advancement that could
boost computer storage capacity. “Instead of making a chip that stores 20 gigabytes,
you have one that can handle one terabyte, or 50 times more data,” Narayan says.
Accelerated bone growth may be an
indicator of hypertension in children
Children whose bones are "older" than their chronological age may be at an
increased risk of hypertension, according to a study reported today (19 October) in
Hypertension: Journal of the American Heart Association.(1) As a result, the investigators
suggest that markers of biological maturity should be evaluated in hypertensive children,
and that physical activity and diet may deter the accelerated development of biological
maturity. Behind the study lies the hypothesis that the origins of hypertension are
associated with abnormalities of growth and maturation in childhood. This study compared
bone age as a marker of biological maturation in hypertensive children with healthy
controls closely matched for body mass index (BMI), age and sex, to assess the association
between skeletal maturation and hypertension. The investigators X-rayed the left-hand
wrists of 54 untreated hypertensive Polish children (average age 14.2 years) and compared
them to X-ray images of 54 children with optimal blood pressure. Both groups were compared
with reference images and rates of maturity were defined as physiological, accelerated and
delayed.
Exon-skipping drug prevents muscle
wasting, maintains muscle function in dystrophin deficient mice
An exon skipping PPMO has demonstrated dramatic effects in the prevention and treatment of
severely affected, dystrophin and utrophin-deficient mice, preventing severe deterioration
of the treated animals and extending their lifespan. These findings were published online
today in the journal Molecular Therapy and support the promise of this therapeutic
approach for the treatment of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). These results were
published by researchers at University of Oxford, AVI BioPharma, Inc. (Nasdaq: AVII) and
the University of Western Australia, Perth. DMD is an incurable muscle–wasting
disease associated with errors in the gene that makes dystrophin. Studies and research
have shown that the ability to skip certain exons in dystrophin pre-mRNA could circumvent
these dystrophin gene errors and provide a potential treatment for DMD patients. The paper
"Prevention of Dystrophic Pathology in Severely Affected
Dystrophin/Utrophin-deficient Mice by Morpholino-oligomer-mediated Exon-skipping"
details the successful exon skipping and treatment of utrophin/dystrophin double knockout
(dKO) mice with a cell-penetrating peptide-conjugated phosphorodiamidate morpholino
oligomers (PPMO) targeting exon 23 in dystrophin pre-mRNA.
Research indicates vegetable juice
can be an easy, enjoyable way to increase daily intake
Decades of studies have documented the link between eating a diet rich in vegetables and
multiple health benefits, yet nearly eight out of 10 people worldwide fall short of the
daily recommendation. Research presented at the International Symposium on Human Health
Effects of Fruits and Vegetables suggests the best approach may be to focus on the factors
that are often behind this vegetable gap: convenience and enjoyment. Two studies presented
at the symposium found that the addition of vegetable juice in people's diets was a
successful strategy to help them reach the vegetable guidelines (at least 4 servings per
day). In fact, the addition of a portable drink, such as V8® 100% vegetable juice, was
more successful than an approach that focused solely on nutrition education, or offering
dietary counseling on ways to increase vegetable intake. Researchers at the University of
California-Davis conducted a 12-week study among adults ages 40-65 years. All of the
people in the study who drank at least two cups of vegetable juice met daily vegetable
recommendations, yet only seven percent of the non-juice drinkers met the goal. The
participants in the study with borderline high blood pressure who drank one to two
servings of V8 juice lowered their blood pressure significantly. According to the
research, the vegetable juice drinkers said they enjoyed the juice and felt like they were
doing something good for themselves by drinking it. "Enjoyment is so critical to
developing eating habits you can stick with for the long-term," said study co-author
Carl Keen, PhD, Professor of Nutrition and Internal Medicine at the University of
California-Davis. "Health and nutrition professionals must help people find simple
ways for people to get their vegetables or they simply won't do it, and that means they
won't reap the benefits of a vegetable-rich diet. Vegetable juice is something that people
enjoy, plus it's convenient and portable, which makes it simple to drink every day."
Research conducted at the Baylor College of Medicine revealed that drinking vegetable
juice helped overweight individuals with metabolic syndrome lose more weight compared to
non-juice drinkers. In the study, participants who drank one to two servings of Low Sodium
V8® 100% vegetable juice a day as part of a balanced diet increased their vegetable
intake and lost an average of four pounds over the 12-week study period. Those who did not
drink juice lost only one pound. Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of risk factors for heart
disease and diabetes that includes excess body fat in the midsection, high blood pressure,
high blood sugar and elevated blood cholesterol.
Illness often undiscovered and
undertreated among the uninsured
A new study shows uninsured American adults with chronic illnesses like diabetes or high
cholesterol often go undiagnosed and undertreated, leading to an increased risk of costly,
disabling and even lethal complications of their disease.The study, published online today
[Tuesday] in Health Affairs, analyzed data from a recent national survey conducted by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The researchers, based at Harvard
Medical School and the affiliated Cambridge Health Alliance, analyzed data on 15,976 U.S.
non-elderly adults from th e National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a
CDC program, between 1999 and 2006. Respondents answered detailed questions about their
health and economic circumstances. Then doctors examined them and ordered laboratory
tests. The study found that about half of all uninsured people with diabetes (46 percent)
or high cholesterol (52 percent) did not know they had these diseases. In contrast, about
one-quarter of those with insurance were unaware of their illnesses (23 percent for
diabetes, 29.9 percent for high cholesterol). Undertreatment of disease followed similar
patterns, with the uninsured being more likely to be undertreated than their insured
counterparts: 58.3 percent vs. 51.4 percent had their high blood pressure poorly
controlled, and 77.5 percent vs. 60.4 percent had their high cholesterol inadequately
treated. Surprisingly, being insured was not associated with a widely used measure of
diabetes control (a hemoglobin A1c level below 7), a finding the authors attribute to the
stringent definition of good diabetes control used in the NHANES survey. Even with
excellent medical care, many diabetics fail to achieve such low hemoglobin A1c levels.
Using less stringent hemoglobin A1c thresholds of 8 and 9, uninsured adults had
significantly worse blood sugar control than their insured counterparts, the researchers
found.
Psychiatric disorders and sexual
trauma are associated with lower urinary tract symptoms
Depression, anxiety disorders and sexual trauma have all been implicated as risk factors
in lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) such as incontinence and overactive bladder. The
exact nature of these associations is unknown. In a study published online in The Journal
of Urology, researchers from the Division of Urology, Virginia Commonwealth University
School of Medicine and the Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Affairs Hospital, Richmond,
Virginia, explored the possible association of LUTS with those factors. Two
questionnaires, the Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 and Incontinence Impact
Questionnaire-7, were administered to 121 women referred to a specialized urology clinic
for evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms. These data were then analyzed according to
psychiatric comorbidities, history of sexual trauma, age, race and obstetric history.
Baseline incidence of psychiatric comorbidity and sexual trauma was also compared to a
control population of 1,298 women from the Veterans Affairs primary care clinic. Women
referred for evaluation of lower urinary tract symptoms had higher rates of psychiatric
comorbidities (64.5% vs. 25.9%) and sexual trauma (49.6% vs. 20.1%) compared to those in
the primary care clinic. Separate analysis showed that women younger than 50 years and
with a history of miscarriage had higher Urogenital Distress Inventory-6 scores, while
higher Incontinence Impact Questionnaire-7 scores were associated only with psychiatric
comorbidities and history of miscarriage. Writing in the article, Adam P. Klausner, MD,
and colleagues state, "This is the first study to our knowledge to characterize the
association of psychiatric comorbidities and sexual trauma with the type, severity and
quality of life impact of LUTS in women using validated surveys. The prevalence of
psychiatric comorbidities and sexual trauma is high in women veterans presenting for
evaluation of LUTS." Dr. Klausner is an associate professor and the Director of
Neurourology, Female Urology, and Voiding Dysfunction at Virginia Commonwealth University
Medical Center.
Looking for the origins of music in
the brain
Music serves as a natural and non-invasive intervention for patients with severe
neurological disorders to promote long-term memory, social interaction and communication.
However, there is currently no plausible explanation of its neural basis for why and how
music affects physical and psychosocial responses. Origins of music perception in humans
may have their foundation in animal communication calls, as evidenced here in non-human
primates. Many speech sounds and animal vocalizations, for instance, contain components,
commonly referred to as complex tones, which consist of a fundamental frequency (f0) and
higher harmonics. Using electrophysiological recording techniques to study the neuronal
activities in the auditory cortex of awake monkeys, researchers at Georgetown University
Medical Center's have shown neurons tuned to the fundamental frequencies and harmonic
sounds, and such neural mechanisms of harmonic processing lay close to tonotopically
organized auditory areas. They presented their findings at the 39th annual meeting Society
of Neuroscience. "The understanding of neural mechanism of 'innate' music features in
non-human primates will facilitate an improved understanding of music perception in the
human nervous system," explains Yuki Kikuchi, PhD, a research associate in the
department of physiology and biophysics. "This will allow a neurobiological framework
from which to understand the basis of the effectiveness of music therapeutic
interventions."
Understanding The Brain’s
Natural Foil For Over-Excited Neurons
Glutamate is to the brain like coffee is to our bodies. A cup of Joe in the morning can
wake us, but overloading on caffeine causes the stimulant to work against us. Glutamate is
the major excitatory neurotransmitter in a mammal’s central nervous system. It is an
important component for neuroplasticity, the synaptic communication between neurons.
It’s also key to learning and memory. But in high concentrations, glutamate becomes
toxic-- over-exciting the neurons. Glutamate-induced excitotoxicity is known to exacerbate
damage caused by brain injury, stroke and other neurodegenerative diseases. In order to
understand possible ways to reduce the damage of excessive glutamate, researchers at
Georgetown University Medical Center have shown how, when high concentrations of glutamate
activate the metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGlu1 receptors), they become protective.
This concentration of glutamate is normally toxic. The study, presented at the 39th annual
meeting of the Society for Neuroscience, suggests that this glutamate-induced protection
occurs due to the association of mGlu1 receptors with the intracellular protein
?-arrestin, which causes a sustained phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases,
and protects cells from apoptotic death. “Studies about the signal transduction
involved in mGlu1-mediated neuroprotection may enhance our understanding of the role that
this glutamate receptor plays in brain injury,” explains Andrew Emery, a PhD
candidate in the Interdisciplinary Program in Neuroscience at GUMC. “Such studies may
contribute to rational drug design for potential therapeutic approaches to protect against
excitotoxic brain damage following injury, stroke and neurodegenerative diseases.
Children's blood lead levels linked
to lower test scores
Exposure to lead in early childhood significantly contributes to lower performances on
end-of-grade (EOG) reading tests among minority and low-income children, according to
researchers at Duke University and North Carolina Central University."We found a
clear dose-response pattern between lead exposure and test performance, with the effects
becoming more pronounced as you move from children at the high end to the low end of the
test-score curve," said lead investigator Marie Lynn Miranda, director of the
Children's Environmental Health Initiative (CEHI) at Duke's Nicholas School of the
Environment. "Given the higher average lead exposure experienced by African-American
children in the United States, our results show that lead does in fact explain part of the
observed achievement gap that blacks, children of low socioeconomic status and other
disadvantaged groups continue to exhibit in school performance in the U.S. education
system, compared to middle- and upper-class whites," Miranda said. The study,
published online in the peer-reviewed journal NeuroToxicology, linked data on blood-lead
levels from the North Carolina Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Program surveillance
registry to EOG reading test scores for 4th graders in all 100 of the state's counties.
Researchers used innovative methods, including the use of a statistical approach called
quantile regression, to measure the contribution of lead exposure to declining levels in
children's EOG scores. Their analyses revealed that early childhood exposure to lead, the
family's poverty status and parental education all account for test-score declines. On
average, exposure to lead accounts for between 7 percent and 16 percent of the decline,
with the larger declines associated with higher blood-lead levels. By comparison, they
found the family's poverty status, as indicated by enrollment in a free or reduced-price
school lunch program, accounts for 25 percent to 28 percent of EOG declines.
Dutch women are natural
entrepreneurs
The rich trading history of the Northern Netherlands is not just a story of men. According
to Dutch researcher Danielle van den Heuvel, Dutch women played a significant part in that
trade. Women were able to capture a place in the world of commerce as a result of
large-scale commercialisation following the Golden Age. For her research, Van den Heuvel
received the prize for the best dissertation at the World Economic History Congress 2009.
The heroic female entrepreneurs of the Northern Netherlands were already portrayed in old
travel journals. However, up until now the degree of genuine involvement of these women in
trade was not known. Van den Heuvel analysed figures from two centuries of trade from the
Northern Netherlands and discovered that the women did not really become involved in
commercial enterprise until just after the Golden Age. They did not, therefore, profit
from the economic prosperity of that age, but only managed to establish their position in
the period immediately ensuing it. There was a reasonably mature commercial sector at the
end of the seventeenth century. According to Van den Heuvel, this situation afforded the
women a unique opportunity. For instance, there was a wide range of products and an even
larger demand for inexpensive consumer goods. This allowed women with just a small amount
of initial capital to set up their own businesses.
Sick from smells, but not silly
People who become ill from harmless smells are not being silly, says Dutch researcher
Patricia Bulsing. Rather, they perceive these smells differently than other people. The
smell is detected more rapidly by the brain and processed more deeply. If you expect to
become ill from a smell, then the smell in question might really make you ill. Would your
favourite perfume smell just as attractive if the bottle displayed a large label saying
‘Warning: perfume can be toxic'? Probably not. But some people react even more
violently, actually becoming ill. Analyses of odour molecules and receptors in the nose
have not yet been able to show why people become sick from what are actually harmless
odours. According to Patricia Bulsing, our unconscious perception may well have a part to
play in this. She has discovered, for instance, that people subconsciously associate the
notion of odours with illness. Also, our own experiences exert a significant influence on
the way our brains process incoming odours. If you've ever eaten anything that actually
made you ill, you know that afterwards you cannot tolerate the smell of the food concerned
for a while. You then associate the odour with a feeling of queasiness. This is the sort
of association that Bulsing taught her trial volunteers. She combined a smell with a
painful stimulus in the nose. This led to the volunteers expecting a specific odour to be
associated with pain. Not in your nose and not between your ears, but in your brain.
Females sing sexily with
testosterone
Dutch researcher Tessa Hartog knows how you can make a female canary sing using
testosterone and the protein BDNF. Normally, female canaries don't sing, but with a few
tweaks, the females' brain structure can be altered in a way that lets them burst into
song. Their singing can even be sexy. The influence of hormones on the brain, and on
learning and memory processes, is complex and difficult to measure, but canary song is a
good model for analysing these types of process. Hartog analysed which substances played a
part in the singing behaviour of female canaries and how these substances altered the
anatomy of the brain. Previous research had already shown that testosterone influenced
singing behaviour. It gave rise to new neurones (nerve cells) in the area of the brain
that controls singing. However, the extent to which other proteins, such as BDNF, also
played a part remained unclear. Hartog established that BDNF could get the females to
sing, even if the female birds had not been treated with testosterone. Moreover, combining
BDNF and testosterone allowed the females to master the art of ‘sexy' song
structures, normally reserved for virile male birds.
A greener, life-prolonging system
for cleaning water wells
Wells are used to extract water from aquifers, natural underground stores of water found
on layers of permeable rock, gravel or clay. The water is pumped up and transported via
pipes to treatment works, where it is cleaned and filtered through gravel beds before
being conveyed to domestic and business consumers via a network of smaller pipes or mains.
“In large areas of Germany, hygienically acceptable groundwater deposits can be found
at depths of 100-400 metres,” says Dr Andreas Vassmer of Brunnen-Und Pumpenservice
Celle (BPS-Celle) GmbH, well regeneration specialists and lead partner of EUREKA project
E! 3920 WELL REGENERATION. “Making these deposits available as good quality drinking
water is relatively easy and economically feasible, especially for small and medium sized
water suppliers.” However, depending on the geological characteristics of its
location, a well needs to be ‘regenerated’ annually using mechanical, chemical
and ultrasound methods of cleaning. After a time the well starts to age and overall
performance gradually deteriorates. Pipes erode and may become blocked from an
accumulation of mud and deposits composed of aluminium, carbonates, iron and manganese.
Many wells in countries with a central European climate and geology suffer from this kind
of aging, which is caused by chemical or bacterial oxidisation and accelerated by bacteria
in the soil. If the mud becomes hard, removing the solidified deposits becomes
increasingly difficult; a well eventually becomes economically unviable and a new one must
be built at an average cost of €50,000.
Brains benefit from multilingualism
For a considerable time already there has been discussion within scientific circles about
whether knowing and using multiple languages could possibly have positive effects on the
human brain and thinking. There have been a number of international studies on the
subject, which indicate that the ability to use more than one language brings an
individual a considerable advantage. The report of the research team appointed by the
European Commission, ”The Contribution of Multilingualism to Creativity”,
presents the first known macro analysis based on the available evidence, which has been
conducted by searching through several studies and giving particular attention on recent
research on the brain. David Marsh, specialized planner at the Continuing Professional
Development Centre of Jyväskylä University, who coordinated the international research
team behind the study, says that especially the research conducted within neurosciences
offers an increasing amount of strong evidence of versatile knowledge of languages being
beneficial for the usage of an individual’s brain.
Why certain people feel incompetent
and others are overconfident?
In a paper published in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, a group of
investigators headed by John De Figueiredo explores what is behind the feeling of not
being competent. This article presents the development and application of a method to
diagnose and measure subjective incompetence, the clinical hallmark of demoralization. The
subjects (n = 112) were patients with cancer at a consultation clinic of a cancer center.
They completed a questionnaire on general background information, the Brief Cope Scale,
and a newly developed scale to measure subjective incompetence. The development and
psychometric properties of this scale were studied. Data analysis included both univariate
and bivariate statistical tests and an examination of the intercorrelations between the
subjective incompetence scores and the scores on the Brief Cope Scale. The scale for
subjective incompetence was found to have adequate reliability and validity. The proposed
scale will allow the investigators to determine if the distinction between depression and
demoralization has practical implications and to what extent and to further clarify the
role of demoralization in the etiology and pathogenesis of both physical illnesses and
mental disorders.
Little words that mean a lot
Little words can be very important for how we understand American films but are rarely
translated into Swedish even though this is often possible, id reveiled in a new thesis
from the University of Gothenburg, Sweden.Jenny Mattsson's thesis is about the translation
of small but significant elements of the dialogue in American films. The English words
well, you know, I mean and like (known as discourse particles) were studied in ten
American films (including Legally Blonde, Pulp Fiction and Fargo). The thesis looks at how
and whether they were translated in the subtitles shown at the cinema, on DVD, on public
service television (SVT) and on commercial television (TV3 and TV4). Discourse particles
are words and expressions that can have different functions in a language depending on the
context in which they are used. They can be used both to give structure to the spoken
language (for example the English like and the Swedish bara/ba, which are often used
colloquially to introduce quotations) and to indicate the relationship between two or more
speakers in various ways (for example the English you know and the Swedish du vet and ju,
which are often used to create a connection between speakers). Subtitling is a special
form of translation as there is a very limited amount of space for the words on each line
on a cinema or television screen. Given the lack of space and the short amount of time for
which the translation is shown, much of the original dialogue tends to be abbreviated. One
of the fundamental questions posed by the thesis is whether discourse particles are
actually translated in Swedish subtitles despite the difficulty in defining their function
and the restrictions inherent in subtitling.
How children can be helped
psychologically after a disaster - the experience of tsunami
What to do to help children psychologically after a natural disaster (earthquake,
flooding, etc.) is a controversial issue. The current issue of Psychotherapy and
Psychosomatics reports on an important study which adopted a controlled design to evaluate
the effectiveness of a school-based intervention. On December 26, 2004, a tsunami hit the
southern coast of Sri Lanka, leaving thousands dead and injured. Previous research has
found significant mental health problems among children exposed to major disasters.
School-based universal interventions have shown promise in alleviating distress and
posttraumatic symptomatology in children and adolescents. This study evaluated the
efficacy of a school-based intervention in reducing stress-related symptomatology among
Sri Lankan children exposed to the tsunami. In a quasi-randomized controlled trial 166
elementary school students (ages 9-15) with significant levels of tsunami exposure and
previous traumatic background were randomly assigned to a 12-session structured program
'ERASE Stress Sri Lanka' (ES-SL) or to a waiting list (WL) religious class control group.
Students were assessed 1 week prior and 3 months after the intervention on measures of
posttraumatic symptomatology [including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and severity
of posttraumatic symptomatology], depression, functional problems, somatic problems and
hope. This study shows a significant reduction on all outcome variables. PTSD severity,
functional problems, somatic complaints, depression and hope scores were all significantly
improved in the ES-SL group compared to the WL group. No new cases of PTSD were observed
in the experimental group. This study adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting the
efficacy of school-based universal approaches in helping children in regions touched by
war, terror and disaster and suggests the need to adopt a two-stage approach toward
dealing with trauma-exposed students, namely, starting with a universal intervention
followed by targeted specialized interventions for those still suffering from
posttraumatic distress.
Evolutionary arms race between
bacteria and their viruses in soil
Viruses of soil bacteria (phages) evolve to improve their ability to infect the bacterial
hosts that surround them. This is shown in a new study by Dutch researcher Michiel Vos,
published in the journal Science. Phages appear to be better able to infect bacteria from
the same small soil sample than bacteria from just a few centimetres away. Evolution can
therefore restructure ecosystems on a very small scale. Working at the University of
Oxford, Michiel Vos took 5 lots of 5 samples from an area of soil measuring 25cm by 25cm.
From each sample, he isolated Stenotrophomas bacteria and their associated phages. Phages
infect bacteria, proliferate, burst out of the cell and then go on to infect new bacteria.
More than a third of the bacteria were found to be sensitive to infection by phages from
the same area of soil. Phages can therefore markedly control populations of soil bacteria.
Vos went on to investigate whether the phages were better at infecting their surrounding
bacteria than bacteria from a few centimetres (further) away. This turned out to be the
case: phages were better at infecting bacteria from the same soil sample than those from
other soil samples. In the language of evolutionary ecologists, the phages are
‘locally adapted'. Whether the bacteria in turn adapted to the phages (co-evolution)
was not investigated in the experiment, but this is quite likely. This study demonstrates
the importance of interactions between different types of soil microbes in structuring of
biodiversity. While microorganisms in the soil are tremendously abundant and diverse, and
are key to ecosystem functioning, relatively little is known about them - certainly
compared with our knowledge of animals and plants.
New light on the SARS virus
Using novel techniques, Dutch researcher Matthijs Raaben has cast new light on the
replication of coronaviruses, a family of viruses including the cause of SARS. He has
shown, using luminescent viruses, how coronaviruses use host cells and how we can use the
intracellular processes to attack the virus. Coronaviruses are entirely dependent, for
their replication and dissemination, on the cells they infect. Using microchips, Raaben
has successfully investigated various processes involving the mouse hepatitis coronavirus
(MHV) in a cell. His discoveries included a finding that the proliferation of MHV can be
restrained by blocking the proteasome of a cell, the mechanism that deals with cleaning
out surplus proteins. Restricting this clean-up action may also combat infections from the
coronavirus in living animals. Attacking the virus at the level of the host cells may be a
better way of avoiding an increase in resistance to antiviral medicines. This is because
the treatment does not attack the virus directly, but rather the processes in the cell
that the virus needs in order to replicate itself. Raaben used microchips for his
research, but also a new technique - bioluminescence imaging - to track the virus in a
living organism. He arranged for the virus to start producing a luminescent protein,
derived from a firefly. This light could then be detected using an extremely
light-sensitive camera, allowing the spread of the virus to be monitored closely. The
major benefit of this is that only one mouse is needed for research into different phases
of a virus infection, instead of a different mouse for each phase.
Scientists Identify Specific
Markers that Trigger Aggressiveness of Liver Cancer
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) or primary liver cancer forms in the epithelial tissue of
the liver and is most commonly caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV) or hepatitis C virus
(HCV). In the U.S., the National Cancer Institute (NCI) estimates that 15,000 men and
6,000 women are diagnosed with HCC each year. Worldwide, HCC accounts for 632,000 cases
with the highest regions being Western Pacific and Africa according to a 2004 World Health
Organization (WHO) report. Researchers from Taipei Veterans General Hospital investigated
the molecular mechanisms of HCC, one of the most common tumors found in Taiwan and largely
caused by the high prevalence (15%-20%) of HBV in the country. The study, funded in part
by a grant from the National Science Council, is the first to provide a comprehensive
profile of multiple Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) markers and to demonstrate
that Snail and Twist, but not Slug, are the major inducers of EMT in HCC. Results of the
study are published in the November issue of Hepatology, a journal of the American
Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.
Checkered history of mother and
daughter cells explains cell cycle differences
When mother and daughter cells are created each time a cell divides, they are not exactly
alike. They have the same set of genes, but differ in the way they regulate them. New
research now reveals that these regulatory differences between mother and daughter cells
are directly linked to how they prepare for their next split. The work, a collaboration
between scientists at Rockefeller University and the State University of New York, Stony
Brook, may ultimately lead to a better understanding of how cell division goes awry in
different types of cancer. The findings are reported in this week's PLoS Biology.
"You can basically think of mother and daughter cells as different cells just like
you would a neuron and liver cell but on a much subtler level," says first author
Stefano Di Talia, who received his Ph.D. from Rockefeller in 2009. "We found that
their differences in gene expression are also what makes the mother and daughter cells
start their cell cycles differently." When a mature cell divides, it produces a
mother and a daughter cell, the daughter being smaller than the mother, explains Di Talia,
who is now a postdoc at Princeton University. Since the 1970s, it was thought that both
mother and daughter cells use the same gears and levers to prepare for cell division. The
only difference was that the daughter cell would take longer to start dividing on account
of its size. This tidy explanation now gives way to a more nuanced version, the seeds of
which can be traced to research from the University of Wisconsin in 2003. It was then
proposed that the size of the daughter cell has no bearing on whether it is ready to
divide. What matters is that the daughter cell, and not the mother cell, receives a
protein called Ace2 at the time the two cells are born. "This model was against the
accepted dogma and against our own previous findings. Our work was an attempt to resolve
the debate," says Di Talia.Di Talia and Frederick R. Cross, head of Rockefeller's
Laboratory of Yeast Molecular Genetics and a researcher who, like the Wisconsin group,
works with budding yeast, seem to have reconciled the two theories and in the process
nailed down new details. The researchers found that both mothers and daughters do control
and sense their size before committing to divide but the levers and gears that they use to
make that commitment are different. The reason: Daughters, but not mothers, receive the
protein Ace2 as well as a never-before-implicated protein called Ash1, which, like Ace2,
controls the levers that crank genes into gear.
Serious Vaccine Reactions to Now Be
Called 'Coincidence'?
If you or your child are injured from getting a flu swine flu shot, you are on your own.
Congress has shielded the vaccine manufacturers and any person giving swine flu shots from
lawsuits if people get hurt.
Unused cancer meds can be donated,
law says
Gwinner hopes a new law that establishes a way for unused, unopened cancer drugs to be
donated to participating pharmacies and dispensed to qualifying patients will change that.
Cancer-Free Smokers Can Sue Philip
Morris, Court Says
Philip Morris USA can be sued by cancer-free smokers seeking a court order that the
company pay for medical monitoring for signs of the illness, the highest court in
Massachusetts ruled.
The Internet Is Altering Our Brains
Adults with little Internet experience show changes in their brain activity after just one
week online, a new study finds.
Vitamin pills can cause cancer
Vitamin supplements do nothing to stave off illness and could even lead to cancer, a
leading expert has warned.
Large-scale UAE study of vitamin D
levels
A study is under way to monitor the vitamin D levels of hundreds of Emiratis for up to two
years in an attempt to find ways to prevent the widespread deficiency of a nutrient
considered essential to good health.
Swine flu vaccinations start; many
parents say no
But many families were saying no, worried that the vaccine could cause side effects or
make people sick -- problems that health officials said are minor and uncommon.
Mangosteen juice may lower
inflammation
Mangosteen juice has anti-inflammatory properties which could help prevent heart disease
and diabetes in obese patients, U.S. researchers said.
Gardasil and Lou Gehrig's Disease -
Two Cases
Researchers believe that two separate cases of Lou Gehrig’s Disease in young girls
that progressed rapidly following the Gardasil injection may be related to the cervical
cancer drug.
The Many Ills of Peripheral Nerve
Damage
a good friend was nearly paralyzed, also temporarily, following a flu shot, by a far more
serious form of peripheral neuropathy — an autoimmune affliction called
Guillain-Barré syndrome, in which one’s own antibodies attack the myelin sheath that
protects nerves throughout the body.
Diabetes reduces brain function
Repeated exposure to the low blood sugar levels caused by poorly controlled diabetes may
damage the brain's cognitive function, according to a study conducted by researchers from
the University of Edinburgh and presented at a conference of the nonprofit Diabetes U.K.
The President Has to do What
Letterman Did, Refuse to Pay Hush Money
The White House promised Big Pharma, big insurance, and the American Medical Association
the moral equivalent of what Joel Halderman allegedly demanded of David Letterman: hush
money.
Pharma's hidden secrets revealed
I hope that I have your attention because I am going to reveal what the medical
establishment and Big Pharma has hidden from the citizens of the world for over 65 years.
University will research swine flu
vaccine impact on asthma patients
Researchers at the University will take part in study with five other schools from across
country, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
Store wheat flour in fridge if you
have asthma
Do not store wheat flour at room temperature if you have a child who has asthma.
Dear pharmacist
This is an archive of Suzy’s syndicated health column, “Dear Pharmacist®”
which has appeared in newspapers nationwide since 1999. Please check back as it is
continuously updated.
Mold and lyme toxins
Mold toxins are found in foods such as grains and peanuts. Far more serious are the mold
toxins found in buildings and vehicles with water leaks. Buildings with flat roofs
andbuildings on a concrete slab are ready-made for mold problems. Mold toxins are the most
common of the biotoxins and are responsible for many if not most of the symptoms ofmany
Lyme disease patients.
'Green spaces' tied to better
health
People who live in green environs may be less likely than those surrounded by concrete to
suffer a range of health problems, particularly depression and anxiety, according to a new
study.
'Weight loss lip balm' under fire
Lip balm is mostly used to heal chapped lips. But now there's a different kind on the
market which claims to help you lose weight.
Agribusiness Tries to Block Michael
Pollan Speeches
Even if agribusiness could shut Michael Pollan up, the outspoken author of Omnivore's
Dilemma and a journalism professor at University of California, Berkeley, it still has the
Los Angeles Times to contend with.
BBC's Panorama rapped over coal
power station documentary
A BBC programme on coal fired power stations and global warming has been censured for
using steam rising from cooling towers as an illustration of greenhouse gas emissions.
Big oil presses issue of climate
bills' cost
Executives of the nation's top oil companies huddled in Austin on Monday with the
industry's top lobbying group, and while the meetings were private, it was clear that a
central topic was climate change legislation that could cost the industry billions.
Cancer accounts for annual 30,000
deaths in Iran
Latest figures have revealed that some 70 thousand Iranians are diagnosed with cancer each
year, adding that 30 thousand of them die from the condition.
Exposure to p,p?-DDE - A Risk
Factor for Type 2 Diabetes
In conclusion, it has been suggested that environmental pollutants might be a part of the
explanation for increased incidence of type 2 diabetes. Several cross-sectional studies
have indicated strong associations between POP exposure levels and type 2 diabetes, but
the question of reversed causality remained unanswered. The results from the present
case-control study, with a follow-up design, confirms an association between p,p?-DDE
exposure and type 2 diabetes.
DNA-Damaging Chemical Found in
High-Fructose Corn Syrup
What these USDA researchers discovered is that when HFCS is heated, it forms
hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), a chemical that can kill honey bees. The production of HMF
during cooking rose in parallel to the temperatures to which HFCS was exposed.
One third of five years olds have
tooth decay
Almost one third of five-year-olds in England have decayed, filled or missing teeth,
official figures have revealed.
Omega-3s beat depression
Can eating more omega-3s really boost our moods? The answer, based on the available
scientific and clinical evidence, seems to be a cautious yes. There are four lines of
evidence supporting the role of omega-3 essential fatty acids in depression.
Mobile phone users cannot walk in
straight line
People chatting on mobile phones are oblivious to their surroundings and can pose a risk
to themselves and others, scientists have claimed.
Melting Himalayan ice prompts
conflict fear
Nepalese villagers living in the shadow of Mt Langtang Lirung say the snows did not fall
in their valley last February, the first time that had happened in living memory
Women evolving to be shorter and
heavier, says research
New research at Yale University has provided the strongest evidence yet that humans are
evolving – and suggests that women of the future will be shorter, heavier, and
healthier, and will have children for longer.
Will the Soldiers We Train in
Afghanistan End Up Trying to Kill Us in the Future?
For 30 years we've been deeply involved in creating, financing, and sometimes arming a
part of the world that has shown willingness to create violence on our own soil.
Vilsack Earns Boos for Pushing GM
Food
Genetically modified foods have been linked to accelerated aging, dysfunctional immune
regulation, organ damage, gastrointestinal distress, and immune system damage. What’s
more, genetically modified crops, on average, actually reduce yield.
Stem cell transplants stalled
blindness in rats
erve stem cell transplants may help slow the progression of macular degeneration, the most
common cause of blindness in the developed world, U.S. researchers said on Monday.
Risky Beauty Business
A group of advocates are concerned the chemicals used in manicures, and especially acrylic
nails, are affecting the health of nail salon workers.
Researchers exploit genetic
‘co-dependence’ to kill treatment-resistant tumor cells
Cancer cells fueled by the mutant KRAS oncogene, which makes them notoriously difficult to
treat, can be killed by blocking a more vulnerable genetic partner of KRAS, report
scientists at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.
Polluted air may give you a
headache
A study from the densely populated Santiago Province of Chile -- a region surrounded by
the Coastal and Andes mountains and, therefore, geographically prone to air pollution -
found increased hospital admissions for migraines and other headaches on days of elevated
air pollution readings.
Video - Turmeric - The World's Most
Important Herb
Turmeric could be the most important herb. The benefits of turmeric have been researched
in hundreds of studies. It's biggest benefits are on heart and liver health and
inflammation.
Video - Is a Lack of Sleep Making
You Fat?
Mark Hyman, M.D. discusses how a lack of sleep may cause you to be fat. He explains the
steps necessary to get a get night sleep, and get healthy.
Video - Chronic Fatigue and Blood
Sugar
Dr. Stephen Langer explains that taking a simple at home blood sugar reading, with a
glucometer, is a good idea for people who are chronically fatigued. Establishing if you
have a problem with hypoglycemia, and maintaining a healthy blood sugar level will help
you keep your energy up.
Video - Dr. Roizen Explains
Inflammation's Causes and Natural Treatments
Michael Roizen, M.D. explains what inflammation is, what causes it, and the problems that
it causes. He also gives us some tips to reduce inflammation in our body and reduce the
health risks associated with inflammation. One simple tip given, is to floss your teeth
every day. Another tip given is to take DHA fish oil supplements because of their
anti-inflammatory properties.
Video - Dr. Michael Roizen on Age
Related Cognitive Decline
Michael Roizen, M.D., explains that 'normal' health problems, like heart-disease and
vascular disease should not be typical and can be avoided. There is often an underlying
cause to dementia and explains that keeping your entire body healthy is very important.
Video - Dr. Roizen on the Health
Benefits of Coffee
Michael Roizen, M.D. explains the many anti-aging health benefits provided by coffee. If
you don't have one of the four 'unhealthy symptoms' related to coffee consumption, it is a
very healthy choice due to the high polyphenol content and anti-cancerous benefits.
Video - Chris Moore on Food
Reserves
Chris Moore of the UN's World Food Program discusses the role of food reserves in
addressing global hunger.
Video - 5 Most Damaging Things to
Your Health
Video - Chefs A'Field, Green
Cuisine - King of Alaska
Chefs A Field was one of the first in the cooking genre to focus on environmental issues
pertaining to food, travel, and lifestyle. The tradition continues in this fourth season
with a strong focus on sustainable agriculture and seafood, shopping with an environmental
mindset, ideas to get the whole family closer to where their food comes from, and ways to
prepare a delicious meal with healthy ingredients.
Video - Hidden US Cost of Burning
Fossil Fuels - $120 Billion per year!
A new report by the National Academy of Sciences estimates that burning fossil fuels costs
the United States about $120 billion a year in hidden costs. The study estimated that
nearly 20,000 people die prematurely each year from air pollutants emitted by power plants
and vehicles. The study found that coal burning was the biggest single source of such
external costs. Environmental groups said the actual hidden cost of burning fossil fuels
is even higher, because the study did not include expenses related to global warming. The
National Mining Association criticized the report for ignoring what it described as the
hidden benefits of coal-based generation.
Video - A Few Words on Mandatory
Vaccinations
Constitutional Attorney Jonathan Emord speaks out on how any mandatory vaccinations are
unconstitutional and a violation of human rights. Filmed at the 4th International Public
Conference on Vaccinations which was sponsored by the Nat'l Vaccine Information Center.
October, 2009.
Video - Organic Acid Test For
Autism
Autism Intervention - Organic acid profiling is an important diagnostic assessment for
individuals on the autism-spectrum to evaluate for yeast and bacterial toxins as well as
other markers of genetic imbalances.
Video - The Problem With Cereal
Alan Watson, author of the explosive new book "Cereal Killer," talks about how
dry boxed cereals are "high glycemic," they raise blood sugar rapidly.
Video - Dr. Philip Cole on
Formaldehyde Exposure and Cancers of the Blood and Bone Marrow
The Journal of the National Cancer Institute released a study concerning formaldehyde
exposure and possible links between cancers of the blood and bone marrow. The following is
an interview with Dr. Philip Cole, Professor Emeritus at the University of Alabama at
Birmingham, concerning the study and its findings. Dr. Cole served as a member of an
independent panel convened by FCI to analyze the JNCI study.
Costs of plug-in cars key to broad
consumer acceptance
A University of Michigan survey released today shows widespread consumer interest in
buying plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). But the cost of the cars is much more
influential than environmental and other non-economic factors as a predictor of purchase
probabilities. The survey of a nationally representative sample of 2,513 adults age 18 and
over was conducted between July and November 2008 as part of the Reuters/University of
Michigan Surveys of Consumers. The findings were released at The Business of Plugging In:
A Plug-In Electric Vehicle Conference in Detroit. "The data provide strong evidence
that a combination of economic and social incentives may be most effective in successfully
introducing these vehicles," said economist Richard Curtin, director of the
Reuters/University of Michigan Surveys of Consumers, conducted by the U-M Institute for
Social Research.
Extremists more willing to share
their opinions
People with relatively extreme opinions may be more willing to publicly share their views
than those with more moderate views, according to a new study. The key is that the
extremists have to believe that more people share their views than actually do, the
research found.
Eating right, not supplements, is
best at keeping your good bacteria healthy, dietitian says
Healthy eating, not supplements, is the best way to keep the good bacteria in your gut
healthy, says a dietitian and researcher. As with vitamins, it's best to get the bacteria
you need from healthy food rather than taking often expensive and potentially ineffective
supplements, says Gail Cresci, Medical College of Georgia dietitian and researcher.
"Consumers are buying stuff like crazy that is probably not even helping them and
could potentially hurt them," says Ms. Cresci, assistant professor of surgery at the
MCG School of Medicine and winner of the 2009 Excellence in Practice Award for Clinical
Nutrition by the American Dietetic Association. Increasing awareness of the benefit some
of these organisms play in sickness and in health has resulted in an explosion of
prebiotic and probiotic additives and products marketed directly to consumers. It's also
created confusion – even among nutrition and other health care experts – about
how best to use them, says Ms. Cresci, who prescribes them to help surgery patients
recover and works in the lab to learn more about their potential. She discussed the latest
findings about their implications for clinical practice at the association's 2009 Food
& Nutrition Conference & Expo in Denver, Oct. 17-20. She equates the good
bacterium in your gastrointestinal tract to another living being inside that helps keep
you healthy. "If you do good by your bacteria, they will do good by you," Ms.
Cresci says. There are about 800 bacterial species with more than 7,000 strains inhabiting
the average gut and even though many sound similar they likely aren't: a little
Lactobacillus acidophilus combined with some Lactobacillus bifidus, for example, has been
shown extremely beneficial in preventing antibiotic-induced diarrhea while Lactobacillus
bulgaricus with some Streptococcus thermophilus is useless. "You need to be
careful," Ms. Cresci says. "You don't just give the same probiotic to try and
treat everybody." That's why she lectures to dietitians, physicians and anyone
interested in how to make good use of these front-line protectors that attack invaders
that enter the body via the mouth and help the immune system keep a more global watch over
the body, as well.
Alcohol Tolerance Switch Found in
Fruit Flies
Researchers at North Carolina State University have found a genetic “switch” in
fruit flies that plays an important role in making flies more tolerant to alcohol. This
metabolic switch also has implications for the deadly liver disease cirrhosis in humans. A
counterpart human gene contributes to a shift from metabolizing alcohol to the formation
of fat in heavy drinkers. This shift can lead to fatty liver syndrome – a precursor
to cirrhosis. In the study, published in the October print issue of the journal Genetics,
the research team measured the time it takes for flies to stagger due to alcohol intake
while simultaneously identifying changes in the expression of all their genes. They used
statistical methods to identify genes that work together to help the flies adapt to
alcohol exposure. In looking at corresponding human genes, a counterpart gene called ME1
was associated with alcohol consumption in humans, as people with certain variations of
the gene showed a tendency to drink stronger alcoholic beverages. Dr. Robert Anholt,
William Neal Reynolds Professor of Biology and Genetics at NC State and the senior author
of the study, says the research has possible clinical implications. “Our findings
point to metabolic pathways associated with proclivity for alcohol consumption that may
ultimately be implicated in excessive drinking,” he said. “Translational studies
like this one, in which discoveries from model organisms can be applied to insights in
human biology, can help us understand the balance between nature and nurture, why we
behave the way we do, and – for better or worse – what makes us tick.”
Women outperform men when
identifying emoties
Women are better than men at distinguishing between emotions, especially fear and disgust,
according to a new study published in the online version of the journal Neuropsychologia.
As part of the investigation, Olivier Collignon and a team from the Université de
Montréal Centre de recherche en neuropsychologie et cognition (CERNEC) demonstrated that
women are better than men at processing auditory, visual and audiovisual emotions. While
women have long been thought to outperform men in neuropsychological tests, until now,
these findings were inconsistent. To obtain more conclusive evidence, the Université de
Montréal researchers did not use photographs to analyze the reaction of subjects.
Instead, the scientists hired actors and actresses to simulate fear and disgust.
“Facial movements have been shown to play an important role in the perception of an
emotion's intensity as well as stimulate different parts of the brain used in the
treatment of such information,” says Collignon, who also works as a researcher at the
Université catholique de Louvain's Institute of Neuroscience in Belgium.
Sexual problems rarely addressed by
internists caring for cancer survivors
Few internists who care for cancer survivors address issues of sexual dysfunction with
their patients, according to a study led by Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)
researchers. In their article appearing in a November 2009 cancer survivor supplement to
the Journal of General Internal Medicine, now available online, the investigators report
that more than half the internists responding to a survey indicated they rarely or never
discussed sexual problems with their patients who had survived cancer. "Sexual
dysfunction is an important quality-of-life issue that many cancer survivors struggle
with," says Elyse Park, PhD, MPH, of the MGH Institute for Health Policy, who led the
study. "If these conversations are not happening in the primary care physician's
office, they're not likely to be happening anywhere." As more cancer patients live
longer after treatment, quality-of-life concerns become more important. Sexual dysfunction
is common not only among prostate and breast cancer survivors but also in significant
percentages of survivors of other types of tumors. Problems may result from the cancer
itself or its treatment, and patients can also experience depression, anxiety and concerns
about body image that can interfere with desire, intimacy and sexual functioning. While
many effective treatments are available for sexual dysfunction, the authors note,
treatment can only begin if affected patients are identified. And for more and more cancer
survivors, the primary care physician is their most significant health care provider. The
current report is part of a larger survey of primary care physicians' caring for cancer
survivors. Among questions on the survey sent to more than 200 internists affiliated with
the University of Colorado were how often they addressed issues of sexual dysfunction with
adult cancer survivors and how likely they were to initiate such discussions. Only 46
percent reported they were somewhat or very likely to bring up sexual issues during a
patient visit, and 62 percent indicated they rarely or never addressed the subject with
cancer survivors.
Alzheimer's lesions found in the
retina
The eyes may be the windows to the soul, but new research indicates they also may mirror a
brain ravaged by Alzheimer's disease. UC Irvine neuroscientists have found that retinas in
mice genetically altered to have Alzheimer's undergo changes similar to those that occur
in the brain - most notably the accumulation of amyloid plaque lesions.In addition, the
scientists discovered that when Alzheimer's therapies are tested in such mice, retinal
changes that result might predict how the treatments will work in humans better than
changes in mouse brain tissue. These findings are key to developing retinal imaging
technology that may help diagnose and treat people with Alzheimer's, which afflicts 5.3
million people in the U.S. and is the leading cause of elderly dementia. Brain imaging
techniques are being tested, but retinal imaging could be less invasive, less expensive
and easier to perform.
Clots traveling from lower veins
may not be the cause of pulmonary embolism in trauma patients
A report from a team of Massachusetts General Hospital physicians calls into question the
longstanding belief that pulmonary embolism – the life-threatening blockage of a
major blood vessel in the lungs – is caused in trauma patients by a blood clot
traveling from vessels deep within the legs or lower torso.
Childhood risk factors for
developing substance dependence
There is ample evidence for the genetic influence of alcohol dependence, and ongoing
studies are actively looking for specific genes that may confer this increased
susceptibility. In addition, while it is well-known that individual risk is increased with
the number of relatives with alcohol dependence, scientists have not been in a position to
identify who among these individuals might have greater or lesser risk. Biological
Psychiatry is now publishing an article in which researchers evaluated and identified
childhood risk factors for the development of future substance use disorders (SUD). Dr.
Shirley Hill and her colleagues recruited children with either high or low familial risk
for developing alcohol dependence and followed them annually over an eleven-year span.
During this time, they repeatedly evaluated a series of thirteen predictors that are
thought to influence familial risk, including educational achievement scores, personality
variables, self-esteem, and anxiety, along with specific neurobiological variables (P300
amplitude, a brain neuroelectric potential, and postural body sway). They found that
children with increased body sway and reduced P300 amplitude had an 8-fold increase in
their likelihood of developing a substance use disorder by young adulthood, indicating
that neurobiological variables are among the most important in predicting outcome.
"The P300 is a brain signal that is associated with the significance of events in our
environment and may reflect an individual's ability to make optimal use of such
information to guide future behavior. It is both interesting and important that the
long-term risk for developing alcohol dependence can be connected to this relatively basic
feature of brain wiring," explained Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological
Psychiatry.
Fetal study highlights impact of
stress on male fertility
Exposure to a combination of excess stress hormones and chemicals while in the womb could
affect a man's fertility in later life, a study suggests. Researchers looked at the effect
of stress hormones – glucocorticoids – combined with a common chemical used in
glues, paints and plastics. They found that the combination strikingly increased the
likelihood of reproductive birth defects. These include cryptorchidism, when the testes
fail to drop, and hypospadias, when the urinary tract is wrongly aligned. The conditions
are the most common birth defects in male babies. Researchers from the University of
Edinburgh and Medical Research Council believe the findings could help explain why rates
of babies born with these problems are increasing. Dr Mandy Drake, at the University of
Edinburgh's Centre for Cardiovascular Science, said: "What the study shows is that it
is not simply a case of one factor in isolation contributing to abnormalities in male
development but a combination of both lifestyle and environmental factors, which together
have a greater impact. "In most studies reproductive disorders are only seen after
abnormally high levels of exposure to chemicals, which most humans are not exposed to. Our
study suggests that additional exposure to stress, which is a part of everyday life, may
increase the risk of these disorders and could mean that lower levels of chemicals are
required to cause adverse affects." The study looked at male fetal development in
rats. It found that while exposure to the chemical compound dibutyl phthalate –
present in products including glues, paints and plastics – had some effects on
reproductive development, this was significantly increased with simultaneous exposure to
stress hormones.
Lifestyle changes remain important
in fighting peripheral arterial disease
Modifying the risk of peripheral arterial disease (or PAD)—with healthy lifestyle
changes—remains vital to one's health, note researchers in a recent issue of the
Journal of Vascular and Interventional Radiology. And while PAD can progress and worsen
over time, there is not enough evidence yet to advocate minimally invasive treatment in
patients who have had a narrowing or blockage of a leg artery but showing no signs or
symptoms of the disease, say Irish researchers in a retrospective study of more than 900
individuals. "In the early stages of PAD, many patients will have no symptoms at all
and often will go undiagnosed," noted Aoife Keeling, an interventional radiologist at
Northwestern Hospital in Chicago, Ill. She indicated that the prevalence or frequency of
asymptomatic PAD is likely underestimated; however, researchers studied whether minimally
invasive treatments—such as angioplasty and/or stenting—should be offered to
asymptomatic PAD patients. "While this study is useful in examining the possibility
of treating PAD earlier, additional research into the factors that cause PAD progression
and the rate of progression—along with methods to slow the disease—need to be
conducted," said Keeling. "Prevention of PAD progression is vital and can be
achieved with risk factor modification, for example, if individuals stop smoking, watch
their diets, lower their cholesterol and have their blood pressure monitored," she
noted. PAD (or "hardening of the arteries" particularly in one's legs) affects
an estimated 10 million people in the United States. PAD occurs when plaque accumulates in
arteries that supply blood to areas of the body other than the heart and brain. Since
plaque blocks the leg arteries first, PAD is considered a red flag for several
life-threatening vascular diseases, such as heart attack (the number one killer in this
country) and stroke; it can also result in the loss of limb(s). PAD causes a range of
symptoms, from no symptoms to pain in the legs while walking (intermittent claudication)
to its most severe form that results in pain in the feet/legs at rest that can progress to
ulcers (sores/wounds on the feet and toes) and eventual gangrene (black discoloration of
the toes or feet; also called critical limb ischemia). The disease's progression can
result in limb loss and even in death.
Scientists develop a new forensic
technique to speed up the identification of more than 2,000 missing persons in Kosovo
during former Yugoslavia war
A research work carried out at the Laboratory of Forensic Anthropology of the University
of Granada will speed up the identification of more than 2,000 missing persons in Kosovo
during former Yugoslavia war, besides developing a new forensic technique based on the
study of ribs and pubis, which will be very useful for the identification of persons in
armed conflicts. This work, pioneer all over the world, has involved the study of one of
the greatest forensic samples never before analysed. The author of this research work is
Edixon Quińones Reyes, whose doctoral thesis has been supervised by the professors of the
University of Granada Inmaculada Alemán Aguilera and Miguel Botella López. The new
forensic identification technique developed at the UGR can not only be applied not only
for the Kosovar-Albanian, but only for other ethnic groups who live in Kosovo (Roman,
Serbian and other former Yugoslavian groups), and can also be applied to Albanians from
Albania and other regions of the Balkans and Europe and to the Serbians both from Serbia
and the rest of the Balkans.
A scientific basis the 'golden
rule' of pairing wines and foods
Scientists in Japan are reporting the first scientific explanation for one of the most
widely known rules of thumb for pairing wine with food: "Red wine with red meat,
white wine with fish." The scientists are reporting that the unpleasant, fishy
aftertaste noticeable when consuming red wine with fish results from naturally occurring
iron in red wine. The study is in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, a
bi-weekly publication. Takayuki Tamura and colleagues note that wine connoisseurs
established the rule of thumb because of the flavor clash between red wine and fish. They
point out, however, that there are exceptions to the rule, with some red wines actually
going well with seafood. Until now, nobody could consistently predict which wines might
trigger a fishy aftertaste because of the lack of knowledge about its cause. The
scientists asked wine tasters to sample 38 red wines and 26 white wines while dining on
scallops. Some of the wines contained small amounts of iron, which varied by country of
origin, variety, and vintage. They found that wines with high amounts of iron had a more
intensely fishy aftertaste. This fishy taste diminished, on the other hand, when the
researchers added a substance that binds up iron. The findings indicate that iron is the
key factor in the fishy aftertaste of wine-seafood pairings, the researchers say,
suggesting that low-iron red wines might be a good match with seafood.
Women veterans less likely to
report pain than male counterparts
In the first study to look at sex-specific pain prevalence in Operation Enduring
Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom (OEF/OIF) Veterans, researchers from the VA Connecticut
Healthcare System and the Yale University School of Medicine found women Veterans had a
lower prevalence of pain than male counterparts returning from the conflicts.
Approximately 60% of OEF/OIF Veterans were assessed with pain during the study period.
Full details of the study appear in the October issue of Pain Medicine, a journal
published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, the
Faculty of Pain Medicine of the Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists and
the International Spine Intervention Society. Sally Haskell, M.D. and colleagues set out
to evaluate the difference in the prevalence of overall pain, moderate-severe pain, and
persistent pain between male and female Veterans. The study sample was derived from U.S.
military personnel listed on the Veterans Administration (VA) OEF/OIF roster who were
discharged between October 1, 2001 and November 30, 2007. Researchers limited the sample
to 153,212 Veterans (18,481 female; 134,731 male) who had 1 year of observation after
their last deployment. Results indicate that for those Veterans evaluated for pain, 43.3%
reported any pain, 63.2% of those with pain reported moderate-severe pain, and over 20% of
those with pain scores recorded over 3 months time reported persistent pain. Researchers
found no significant difference in the probability of pain assessment by sex. According to
the study, female Veterans were less likely to report any pain (38.1% F vs. 44.0% M). In
Veterans with any pain, researchers found female Veterans were more likely to report
moderate–severe pain (68.0% vs. 62.6%) and less likely to report having persistent
pain (18.0% vs. 21.2%) than male colleagues. "We were surprised by the lower pain
prevalence in women Veterans which is contrary to studies conducted in civilian
populations," noted Dr. Haskell.
Advance in 'nano-agriculture' -
Tiny stuff has huge effect on plant growth
With potential adverse health and environmental effects often in the news about
nanotechnology, scientists in Arkansas are reporting that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) could
have beneficial effects in agriculture. Their study, scheduled for the October issue of
ACS Nano, a monthly journal, found that tomato seeds exposed to CNTs germinated faster and
grew into larger, heavier seedlings than other seeds. That growth-enhancing effect could
be a boon for biomass production for plant-based biofuels and other agricultural products,
they suggest. Mariya Khodakovskaya, Alexandru Biris, and colleagues note that considerable
scientific research is underway to use nanoparticles — wisps 1/50,000th the width of
a human hair — in agriculture. The goals of "nano-agriculture" include
improving the productivity of plants for food, fuel, and other uses. The scientists report
the first evidence that CNTs penetrate the hard outer coating of seeds, and have
beneficial effects. Nanotube-exposed seeds sprouted up to two times faster than control
seeds and the seedlings weighed more than twice as much as the untreated plants. Those
effects may occur because nanotubes penetrate the seed coat and boost water uptake, the
researchers state. "This observed positive effect of CNTs on the seed germination
could have significant economic importance for agriculture, horticulture, and the energy
sector, such as for production of biofuels," they add.
Glacial melting may release
pollutants in the environment
Those pristine-looking Alpine glaciers now melting as global warming sets in may explain
the mysterious increase in persistent organic pollutants in sediment from certain lakes
since the 1990s, despite decreased use of those compounds in pesticides, electric
equipment, paints and other products. That's the conclusion of a new study, scheduled for
the Nov. 1 issue of ACS' Environmental Science & Technology, a semi-monthly journal.
In the study, Christian Bogdal and colleagues focused on organic pollutants in sediment
from a model body of water –– glacier-fed Lake Oberaar in the Bernese Alps,
Switzerland –– testing for the persistent organic pollutants, including dioxins,
PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and synthetic musk fragrances. They found that while
contamination decreased to low levels in the 1980s and 1990s due to tougher regulations
and improvements in products, since the late 1990s flow of all of these pollutants into
the lake has increased sharply. Currently, the flow of organochlorines into the lake is
similar to or even higher than in the 1960s and 1970s, the report states. The study
attributed the most recent spike in the flow of pollutants into Lake Oberaar to the
accelerated release of organic chemicals from melting Alpine glaciers, where contaminants
were deposited earlier and preserved over decades. "Considering ongoing global
warming and accelerated massive glacial melting predicted for the future, our study
indicates the potential for environmental impacts due to pollutants delivered into
pristine mountainous areas," Bogdal said.
Single-stranded DNA-binding protein
is dynamic, critical to DNA repair
Researchers report that a single-stranded DNA-binding protein (SSB), once thought to be a
static player among the many molecules that interact with DNA, actually moves back and
forth along single-stranded DNA, gradually allowing other proteins to repair, recombine or
replicate the strands.Their study, of SSB in the bacterium Escherichia coli, appears today
in the journal Nature. Whenever the double helix of DNA unravels, exposing each strand to
the harsh environment of the cell, SSB is usually first on the scene, said University of
Illinois physics professor and Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator Taekjip Ha,
who led the study. Although DNA unwinding is necessary for replication or recombination,
it is normally a transient process, he said. Exposed single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) can be
damaged or degraded by enzymes in the cell. Damaged DNA may also come unwound, and ssDNA
can bond to itself, forming hairpin loops and other problematic structures. "If you
have lots of single-stranded DNA in the cell, basically it's a sign of trouble," Ha
said. "SSB needs to come and bind to it to protect it from degradation and to control
what kind of proteins have access to the single-stranded DNA."
Light At Night Linked To Symptoms
Of Depression In Mice
Too much light at night can lead to symptoms of depression, according to a new study in
mice. Researchers found that mice housed in a lighted room 24 hours a day exhibited more
depressive symptoms than did similar mice that had a normal light-dark cycle. However,
mice that lived in constant light, but could escape into a dark, opaque tube when they
wanted showed less evidence of depressive symptoms than did mice that had 24-hour light,
but only a clear tube in their housing. “The ability to escape light seemed to quell
the depressive effects,” said Laura Fonken, lead author of the study and a graduate
student in psychology at Ohio State University.
School children could lead the way
on sustainability
Many children are not only passionate about environmental issues, but more than capable of
driving forward sustainability initiatives, argues new research into the role of schools
in developing more sustainable communities. Children already play a key role in becoming
more sustainable by encouraging changes in behaviour of those around them whether in terms
of recycling, saving energy, growing vegetables and healthy eating etc. But, argues
researcher Dr Barry Percy-Smith, these changes alone are not enough; we need to encourage
learning and change across whole communities. Children are well placed and also keen to
take on wider roles and responsibilities as active (rather than passive) citizens in
improving their communities – for example, as activists in community based projects
and campaigns, as community researchers, and as ambassadors of change in other schools and
in community groups. Some of the children in this study, for example, engaged in projects
to encourage more sustainable approaches to food consumption involving community research
into shopping habits, publishing a booklet about local opportunities for buying
sustainable food, and lobbying supermarkets to decrease packaging and increase the stock
of local produce. In another school, young people organised a No/Low Energy day in the
school to explore what might be possible in reducing energy consumption. "With their
dynamism, energy and new ideas children demonstrate considerable potential as agents of
change," says Dr Percy-Smith. "But as a society we neither encourage nor harness
that energy and creativity. We have too little respect for the abilities of children and
too many people feel that children either can't or shouldn't take a lead on change. Many
children are very keen to use their learning to educate others about sustainability. We
have to create opportunities where children and young people can contribute to development
within their community. "
Identifying the metabolism of a
healthy embryo could improve infertility treatment
Embryos that are most likely to result in a pregnancy are crucial to the success of in
vitro fertilization (IVF) but are difficult to identify. Researchers at Yale School of
Medicine, led by Emre Seli, M.D., are developing a fast, non-invasive test to help assess
embryo viability for IVF. Seli, associate professor in the Department of Obstetrics,
Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences at Yale, will present new embryo selection findings
at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) meeting held in Atlanta, Georgia
from October 17 to 21. Women undergoing infertility treatment with IVF are hormonally
stimulated to produce multiple eggs, which are then fertilized in the lab. In most cases,
multiple embryos are generated and cultured. Selecting embryos for implantation is
currently highly subjective. "It's a guessing game that can end in IVF failure or
multiple pregnancies," said Seli. "Our goal is to find a way to pinpoint the
embryos with the best chance of success, so that we can transfer fewer embryos and cut
down on the possibility of multiple pregnancies without reducing the pregnancy rate."
To detect the difference between a viable and non-viable embryo, Seli and his team have
studied the metabolomic profile of spent embryo cultures. A metabolomic profile is the
unique chemical fingerprint that results from the metabolic activity of embryos in
culture. The team previously found that metabolomic profiling could give an instant
snapshot of the physiology of a cell. This non-invasive approach may provide a useful
adjunct to the current embryo grading systems based on the structure of the embryo and the
rate at which the embryo divides.
Evolution’s Path May Lead To
Shorter, Stouter Women Who Give Birth Earlier
Yale University researchers have detected the effects of natural selection among two
generations of contemporary women and predict their descendents will be slightly shorter
and chubbier, have lower cholesterol and blood pressure and have their first children
earlier in life. The predictions, which were made in the Oct. 19 online edition of the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, were based on an analysis of women who
have participated in the famous Framingham Heart Study, that began in 1948. The results
illustrate the medical value of evolutionary biology principles, 150 years after Darwin
published The Origin of the Species, the authors say.“The idea that natural selection
has stopped operating in humans because we have gotten better at keeping people alive is
just plain wrong,” said Stephen C. Stearns, senior author of the paper and Edward P.
Bass Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. The reason is that traits that enable
women to have children will continue to be subject to selection. As a first step, the Yale
researchers measured the individual reproductive success of two generations of more than
2000 women who participated in the Framingham study and had reached menopause. They then
surveyed the traits that conferred reproductive success. After adjusting for environmental
factors such as income, education and lifestyle choices such as smoking, the researchers
estimated the heritability of traits by applying correlations among all relatives. They
also adjusted for the indirect effects of selection by measuring the impacts the traits
have on each other – such as whether high blood pressure is correlated with lower or
higher age of sexual maturity.
The bowels of infection
Current research suggests that latent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection may exacerbate
inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The related report by Onyeagocha et al, "Latent
cytomegalovirus infection exacerbates experimental colitis," appears in the November
2009 issue of The American Journal of Pathology. CMV infects between 50% and 80% of adults
in the United States. Most people who are infected have no symptoms, and the virus remains
hidden but inactive in the body for the rest of the person's life unless activated by
suppression of the immune system. IBD, which affects between 1 and 1.4 million people in
the United States, causes pain, vomiting, and diarrhea in affected individuals as well as
leads to an increased risk for colorectal cancer. Acute CMV infection exacerbates IBD;
however, the effects of latent CMV infection on the development and/or severity of IBD
have not been studied. Researchers led by Dr. Andrew Gewirtz at Emory University in
Atlanta, GA therefore examined IBD development in mice with latent CMV infection. They
found that while latent CMV infection did not induce IBD, it exacerbated the severity of
intestinal inflammation if colitis were already present. In addition, CMV infection
resulted in increased levels of intestinal white blood cells and heightened immune
responses to normally harmless bacteria found in the intestine; which are associated with
IBD severity. Therefore, modulation of mucosal immunity by latent CMV infection may
contribute to the pathogenesis of IBD.
Infant sucking habits may affect
how baby talks
Pacifier, baby bottle or finger sucking may hamper a child's speech development if the
habit goes on too long. In a study that took place in Patagonia, Chile, researchers
associated the persistence of these sucking habits with an increased risk of speech
disorders in preschool children. The children were more likely to have difficulty
producing certain word sounds and to simplify their pronunciation. The results were
published Wednesday, Oct. 21, in BMC Pediatrics, an online, open-access medical journal. A
team led by Clarita Barbosa from Corporacion de Rehabilitacion Club De Leones Cruz Del Sur
conducted the study, along with collaborators from the University of Washington (UW)
Multidisciplinary International Research Training (MIRT) Program in the School of Public
Health, the Department of Epidemiology, and the Department of Global Health. Looking at a
group of 128 children age 3 years to 5 years, the researchers gathered parents' reports of
each child's feeding and sucking behaviors during infancy and evaluated the child's
speech. The researchers found that delaying giving a baby bottle until the child was at
least 9 months old reduced the risk of later developing speech disorders, while children
who sucked their fingers or who used a pacifier for more than 3 years were three times
more likely to develop speech impediments.
Maternal smoking may increase
newborns' discomfort
A new research study being published in the October 15th issue of Biological Psychiatry
suggests that maternal smoking may increase the level of distress of newborns. Studies
have consistently found that prenatal cigarette smoke exposure is associated with
increased rates of behavior problems, irritability, attention-deficit/hyperactivity
disorder, the risk of violent offenses, conduct disorder, adolescent onset of drug
dependence, and the risk for criminal arrest in offspring. This study adds another
potential negative outcome to the list of reasons for mothers to stop smoking while
pregnant. Most of the effects of tobacco either during pregnancy or on postnatal outcomes
are attributed to nicotine. However, smoking is associated with reduced monoamine oxidase
A (MAO-A) activity, enzymes that degrade brain neurotransmitters in smokers. Prenatal
smoke exposure-induced low MAO-A activity in fetal life may dysregulate brain
neurotransmission, creating a potential vulnerability to develop behavioral disorders
later in life. This dysregulation can occur with or without interaction with nicotine's
effect on the developing brain. French scientists compared blood biomarkers of MAO-A
activity in smoking and non-smoking pregnant women and in the cord blood of their
newborns. They also assessed the newborns' comfort level during their first 48 hours of
life. They found that MAO-A activity is reduced both in pregnant smokers and in their
newborns. The newborns of smoking mothers also showed significantly more discomfort than
those of non-smoking mothers, potentially related to MAO-A inhibition. Corresponding
author Dr. Ivan Berlin explained that this paper's findings "may have implications
for future research because it proposes a biological explanation for the previously
demonstrated relationship between smoking during pregnancy and behavioral disorders in the
offspring." "We know that maternal smoking can negatively affect a newborn in
many ways, such as contributing to low birth weight. Berlin and colleagues provide new
evidence that the newborns of mothers who smoke experience more behavioral discomfort, and
they suggest a mechanism that helps to explain the cause of this discomfort,"
commented Dr. John Krystal, Editor of Biological Psychiatry. Although additional studies
are needed, this work highlights the importance of targeting pregnant women for help to
stop smoking.
Drinking coffee slows progression
of liver disease in chronic hepatitis C sufferers
Patients with chronic hepatitis C and advanced liver disease who drink three or more cups
of coffee per day have a 53% lower risk of liver disease progression than non-coffee
drinkers according to a new study led by Neal Freedman, Ph.D., MPH, from the National
Cancer Institute (NCI). The study found that patients with hepatitis C-related bridging
fibrosis or cirrhosis who did not respond to standard disease treatment benefited from
increased coffee intake. An effect on liver disease was not observed in patients who drank
black or green tea. Findings of the study appear in the November issue of Hepatology, a
journal published by Wiley-Blackwell on behalf of the American Association for the Study
of Liver Diseases. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infects approximately 2.2% of the world's
population with more than 3 million Americans infected. The Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention (CDC) cites HCV as the leading cause of liver transplantation in the U.S.
and accounts for 8,000 to 10,000 deaths in the country annually. Globally, the World
Health Organization (WHO) estimates 3 to 4 million persons contract HCV each year with 70%
becoming chronic cases that can lead to cirrhosis of the liver and liver cancer. This
study included 766 participants enrolled in the Hepatitis C Antiviral Long-Term Treatment
against Cirrhosis (HALT-C) trial who had hepatitis C-related bridging fibrosis or
cirrhosis and failed to respond to standard treatment of the anti-viral drugs
peginterferon and ribavirin. At the onset of the study, HALT-C patients were asked to
report their typical frequency of coffee intake and portion size over the past year, using
9 frequency categories ranging from 'never' to 'every day' and 4 categories of portion
size (1 cup, 2 cups, 3-4 cups, and 5+ cups). A similar question was asked for black and
green tea intake. "This study is the first to address the association between liver
disease progression related to hepatitis C and coffee intake," stated Dr. Freedman.
Studies point to cellular factors
linking diet and behavior
New research released today is affirming a long-held maxim: you are what you eat —
and, more to the point, what you eat has a profound influence on the brain. The findings
offer insight into the neurobiological factors behind the obesity epidemic in the United
States and other developed countries. The findings exposed changes in brain chemistry due
to diet and weight gain, and were reported at Neuroscience 2009, the Society for
Neuroscience's annual meeting and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain
science and health. Obesity has been linked to rises in diabetes, stroke, and heart
attacks, among other disorders. In the past decade alone, medical spending for obesity is
estimated to have increased 87 percent in the United States — reaching $147 billion
in 2008 — according to a study funded by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. The new research adds another dimension to understanding how obesity rates
have more than doubled in the past 30 years.
Genomes of Two Popular Research
Strains of E. coli Sequenced
An international team of researchers from the United States, Korea, and France has
sequenced and analyzed the genomes of two important laboratory strains of E. coli
bacteria, one used to study evolution and the other to produce proteins for basic research
or practical applications. The findings will help guide future research and will also open
a window to a deeper understanding of classical research that is the foundation of our
understanding of basic molecular biology and genetics. The team, which includes two
researchers from the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National
Laboratory, published its results online on October 17, 2009, in three papers in the
Journal of Molecular Biology. E. coli has been associated with recent outbreaks of
food-borne illnesses, but the two most important laboratory types, named K-12 and B, were
isolated from benign E. coli that are normal inhabitants of the human intestine. Both have
been indispensable tools for biomedical research and biotechnology.
Experts issue call to reconsider
screening for breast cancer and prostate cancer
Twenty years of screening for breast and prostate cancer – the most diagnosed cancer
for women and men – have not brought the anticipated decline in deaths from these
diseases, argue experts from the University of California, San Francisco and the
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio in an opinion piece published in
the “Journal of the American Medical Association.” Instead, overall cancer rates
are higher, many more patients are being treated, and the incidence of aggressive or
later-stage disease has not been significantly decreased, the authors conclude. Current
screening programs are leading to “potential tumor over detection and over
treatment,” they write in the Oct. 21, 2009 issue of JAMA. “Screening does
provide some benefit, but the problem is that the benefit is not nearly as much as we
hoped and comes at the cost of over diagnosis and over treatment,” said Laura
Esserman, MD, MBA, professor of surgery and radiology, director of the UCSF Carol Franc
Buck Breast Care Center, and co-leader of the breast oncology program at the UCSF Helen
Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center.
Growing Cartilage from Stem Cells
Damaged knee joints might one day be repaired with cartilage grown from stem cells in a
laboratory, based on research by Professor Kyriacos Athanasiou, chair of the UC Davis
Department of Biomedical Engineering and his colleagues. Using adult stem cells from bone
marrow and skin as well as human embryonic stem cells, Athanasiou and his group have
already grown cartilage tissue in the lab. Now they are experimenting with various
chemical and mechanical stimuli to improve its properties. Cartilage is one of the very
rare tissues that lacks the ability to heal itself. When damaged by injury or
osteoarthritis, the effects can be long-lasting and devastating.
Teens behaving badly?
Drinking. Drugs. Caving into peer pressure. When parents expect their teenagers to conform
to negative stereotypes, those teens are in fact more likely to do so, according to new
research by Professor of Psychology Christy Buchanan. “Parents who believe they are
simply being realistic might actually contribute to a self-fulfilling prophecy,” says
Buchanan, who studies adolescent development and behavior. “Negative expectations on
the part of both parents and children predict more negative behaviors later on.”
Experimental treatments restore
partial vision to blind people
Two experimental treatments, a retinal prosthesis and fetal tissue transplant, restored
some vision to people with blinding eye diseases. The findings, presented at Neuroscience
2009, the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience and the world's largest source of
emerging news on brain science and health, may lead to new treatments for the blind.
Researchers also reported that an engineered protein restored vision in an animal model
and identified ways to improve stem cell treatments. The new studies tested both people
and animals with two degenerative eye diseases: retinitis pigmentosa and age-related
macular degeneration. These diseases destroy the light-sensitive nerve cells in the
retina, leading to blindness. In all, vision loss and eye disease affect 3.6 million
Americans and cost the United States $68 billion each year.
Muscle 'synergies' may be key to
stroke treatment
What's new - Researchers at MIT and San Camillo Hospital in Venice, Italy, have shown that
motor impairments in stroke patients can be understood as impairments in specific
combinations of muscle activity, known as synergies.Why it matters - Previous work in
animals and humans has shown that groups of muscles tend to be co-activated as a unit in
predicable patterns, or synergies, across a wide range of movements. These synergies are
thought to represent the fundamental building blocks from which the brain constructs
complex movements. The new findings support this concept and also suggest new approaches
to the rehabilitation of stroke patients. Stroke is a leading cause of long-term
disability in the United States, with about 700,000 new or recurrent cases each year. How
they did it - The researchers, led by Emilio Bizzi, an MIT Institute Professor and a
member of the McGovern Institute for Brain Research and the Department of Brain and
Cognitive Sciences, used electromyographic (EMG) recording to measure activity in arm and
shoulder muscles of eight stroke patients as they performed a variety of reaching
movements. The patients had stroke damage in one cortical hemisphere only, so one arm was
impaired while the other was largely unaffected. The researchers used computational
methods to identify groups of muscles whose activation was correlated across movements. In
seven out of eight patients, these correlations, or synergies, were largely identical
between the affected and unaffected arms, even though the actual movements were very
different between the two arms. The results support the view that the synergies are
encoded in the brainstem or spinal cord, areas that were unaffected in these patients.
"We show that descending neural signals from the motor cortex select, activate and
combine a small number of muscle synergies specified by networks in the spinal cord or
brainstem," Bizzi explains, "and different movements emerge as these synergies
are recruited to various degrees."
Protein linked with lung cancer
development
A protein that normally helps defend cells from infection, known as NF-kappaB, can play a
critical role in the development of lung cancer, according to MIT cancer biologists. The
MIT team found that a particular pair of genetic circumstances is required to activate
NF-kappaB in mouse lung tumors: expression of the cancer gene ras, and loss of the tumor
suppressor gene p53. They also showed that inhibition of NF-kappaB in mice with that
genetic profile can slow tumor growth.
Texas A&M researchers find new
mechanism for circadian rhythm
Molecules that may hold the key to new ways to fight cancer and other diseases have been
found to play an important role in regulating circadian rhythm, says Liheng Shi, a
researcher in Texas A&M's Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences.Circadian
rhythm is the roughly 24-hour cycle of physiological activities of humans, animals and
even bacteria, Shi explains. He and colleagues have had their research, currently focusing
on the circadian rhythm in chickens' eyes, published in the "Journal of Biological
Chemistry." Chicken eyes have a lot in common with human eyes. "The prefix
'photo-' in photoreceptors means light, and photoreceptors in animals' eyes receive light
signals and then translate them into signals that their brain can understand, and that is
how they see," he explains. Shi notes there are two kinds of photoreceptors –
cone photoreceptors and rod photoreceptors, named for the shape they resemble. Some
channels that scientists call L-VGCCs are important to the circadian rhythm in chickens'
eyes. These channels are important because they are the pathways through which messages go
in and out of photoreceptors, and these messages are crucial to the proper functioning of
the eye. A group of proteins (L-VGCC?1C) carries the messages in and out. At night, they
get more work done than during the day to "prepare chickens' eyes for another day's
busy work" and "tell various parts of the eye to adjust to the darkness,"
explains Shi, who holds a post-doctoral position under the mentorship of Gladys Ko, one of
the coauthors of the article. These proteins are controlled by messengers called mRNA, and
they are especially active, raising the question of why, he says.
Studies improve knowledge of
underlying brain changes caused by addiction
New research using animal models is enabling a deeper understanding of the neurobiology of
compulsive drug addiction in humans — knowledge that may lead to more effective
treatment options to weaken the powerful cravings that cause people to relapse. The
findings were released today at Neuroscience 2009, the Society for Neuroscience's annual
meeting and the world's largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.
Drug addiction is known to change the structure and function of the brain, affecting a
person's self control and decision-making ability. According to the Substance Abuse and
Mental Health Services Administration's latest survey, 23.6 million persons aged 12 or
older needed treatment for an illicit drug or alcohol abuse problem in 2006. These new
studies have identified brain mechanisms that help explain how addictions form, as well as
the cognitive problems associated with them. Additional research findings discussed could
also offer hope against addiction relapses.
Blood test shows promise for early
diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease
Elderly people exhibiting memory disturbances that do not affect their normal, daily life
suffer from a condition called "mild cognitive impairment" (MCI). Some MCI
patients go on to develop Alzheimer's disease within a few years, whereas other cases
remain stable, exhibiting only benign senile forgetfulness. It is crucial to develop
simple, blood-based tests enabling early identification of these patients that will
progress in order to begin therapy as soon as possible, potentially delaying the onset of
dementia. A group of investigators, led by Professor Massimo Tabaton of the University of
Genoa, Italy, have data that sheds light on this issue. The results of their research are
published in the October issue of the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease. The investigators
report that the concentration in blood of amyloid beta "42," the toxic molecule
that is believed to be the main cause of Alzheimer's disease, is, on average, higher in
MCI cases that went on to develop Alzheimer's disease approximately three years later. The
values of amyloid beta in blood vary considerably among the patient groups examined (MCI
that develop Alzheimer's disease; MCI stable; normal subjects). "This variability is
likely very important," Dr. Tabaton noted and went on to add, "but means that
this needs further work before we can use this test for a definitive diagnosis." For
example, the scientists are going to set up a test that picks up a variant of amyloid beta
potentially more specific of the disease.
2 brain structures key to emotional
balance especially in threatening situations
Researchers have discovered that a primitive region of the brain responsible for
sensorimotor control also has an important role in regulating emotional responses to
threatening situations. This region appears to work in concert with another structure
called the amygdala to regulate social and emotional behavior. Georgetown University
Medical Center researchers have recently discovered that activation of a primitive brain
region, the deep layers of superior colliculus (DLSC), elicits defensive behaviors such as
an exaggerated startle, hypervigilance, cowering, and escape. Researchers say it is
possible that a prolonged activation of this defense system may lead to emotional
disorders. In a study presented at the 39th annual meeting of the Society for
Neuroscience, the GUMC scientists say, in addition to triggering defensive behaviors, the
activation of DLSC leads to a decrease in affiliative social interactions. Typically,
social interactions are thought to be domain of the amygdala, a region known to work
closely with high-level executive structures to regulate emotional processes. The
researchers say there is no information about possible interactions between the amygdala
and DLSC for regulating social and emotional responses. They decided to try simultaneously
activating DLSC while inhibiting the amygdala. In doing so, they discovered that the
manipulations cancelled each other out. "These results suggest that the amygdala and
DLSC interact to modulate emotional and social behaviors, either directly, or indirectly
by converging on a common target in the brain," says Ashley Decker, a research
assistant in the pharmacology department at GUMC, and now a student at the Georgetown
University School of Medicine. "The understanding of the functional interaction
between these two brain structures is expected to reveal novel targets for therapeutic
intervention for post traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders."
Important new rheumatology resource
unveiled
A comprehensive account of the most important advances in rheumatology research from the
past decade has been published in BioMed Central’s open access journal Arthritis
Research and Therapy (AR&T). This freely available collection of 38 articles written
by an internationally recognized group of experts spanning more than 400 pages is an
essential educational tool which provides clinicians and researchers with a detailed
overview of the current status of basic, translational and clinical research in
rheumatology. Rheumatic diseases affect the body’s joints, muscles, skin and a
variety of internal organs and connective tissues. Current estimates indicate that some 43
million Americans have been diagnosed to date as well as even greater numbers worldwide.
AR&T’s new review collates the expertise of 39 renowned scientists and
rheumatologists to present physicians and scientists around the globe with an invaluable
reference work outlining the biologic processes underlying rheumatic diseases and
analyzing the most significant developments in specific rheumatic diseases from the past
decade.
Cows Die Of Mystery Illness -
Africans Then Eat Them
The fact that the villagers are eating the carcasses of the dead animals is really one
that is hard to believe. On one hand, the villagers state that they have never seen the
"disease" before yet, the villagers have no fear of eating the meat from these
dead animals.
Government scientist and Royal
Society in double push to promote GM
A double push for Britain to grow more genetically modified (GM) crops is to be made today
John Beddington, the Government’s chief scientific adviser.
Spying on Americans
The bipartisan consensus that encourages unaccountable secret state agencies to illegally
spy on the American people under color of a limitless, and highly profitable, "war on
terror" was dealt a (minor) blow October 13.
Africa - 1.02 Billion Hungry People
In 2009
Food in Africa has only become a problem since Colonialism ended. Prior to that Africa was
a net exporter of food.
Potential Role of Decoy B7-H4 in
the Pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Our findings in mice indicate that sH4 acts as a decoy molecule to block the inhibitory
functions of cell-surface B7-H4, leading to exacerbation of collagen-induced arthritis. If
the preliminary correlation between sH4 levels and disease activity in patients with RA
can be confirmed to reflect a similar mechanism, these findings suggest a novel target for
treatment approaches.
Made In China - Importing America
To Its Own Death
Each year, China sells the United States $700 billion in goods. Unlike Clinton, we
'inhale' that much junk from China!
Male or Female? For Honeybees, a
Single Gene Makes All the Difference
Male or female? How genes send a developing embryo down one path or the other varies
substantially among species. In honeybees, it boils down to whether a particular
chromosomal location has the same version of a gene (called homozygous) or two different
versions (heterozygous). Honeybees that have two different versions of the sex
determination locus (SDL) develop female traits.
Cancer Society, in Shift, Has
Concerns on Screenings
The American Cancer Society, which has long been a staunch defender of most cancer
screening, is now saying that the benefits of detecting many cancers, especially breast
and prostate, have been overstated.
The Salt Cave - an alternative way
to breathe easier
People in Eastern Europe have used halotherapy for respiratory complaints. Can a man-made
cave in London do the same?
Too clean for our own good
New Zealanders are facing a growing epidemic of allergies and the cause might be a bath or
two away.
A particle God doesn’t want us
to discover
Could the Large Hadron Collider be sabotaging itself from the future, as some physicists
say
Fruit juice 'may upset stomach in
some'
Fruit juice is broadly good for your health but an Australian study has shown that for
many people it can upset their stomach.
The Pharmaceutical Industrial
Complex
It has been a particularly bad month for the pharmaceutical industrial complex in its
ongoing litigations in American courts. Among the main pharmaceutical headlines,
Merck’s Gardasil vaccine for HPV, now being widely administered to pre-teens, was
found to be linked to amyltrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s
disease; following a $1.4 billion fine in promoting one of its blockbuster drugs Zyprexa
off-label, deceptive correspondence was uncovered by Eli Lilly gaming the system again by
promoting another one of its drugs, Cymbalta, off-label for fibromyalgia; AstraZeneca was
fined $160 million for scamming the Medicaid system in Kentucky after being fined $215
million for ripping off Alabama; Glaxo lost a Pennsylvania trial for failing to warn
doctors and pregnant women of the dangers of its antidepressant drug Paxil related to
birth defects; and Pfizer scored a record-breaking fine of $2.3 billion for illegally
marketing several drugs over the years: Bextra, Zyvox, Geodon and Lyrica.
Should Photos Come With Warning
Labels?
Foes see such images as harming women by promoting a standard of beauty so false that it
can be achieved solely by manipulating a photograph of an already slender model.
Do You Eat Too Well?
Do you eat too well? For some people, eating healthy can become an obsession.
Climate change in Russia's Arctic
tundra - Our reindeer go hungry
survival in this remote region of north-west Siberia is under serious threat from climate
change as Russia's ancient permafrost melts
Meat, dairy and breast cancer
Cutting down on processed meats and red meat cooked at high temperatures as well as
high-fat diary products may help reduce a woman's risk of risk of developing breast
cancer, hints results of a large study on diet and breast cancer.
Protein-rich diet link to
Alzheimer's in test mice
SCIENTISTS studying Alzheimer's disease in mice have found a high-protein diet led them to
develop smaller brains.
Cranberries, Probiotics May Fight
Ulcer-Causing Bacteria in Children
Cranberry juice or probiotics can clear children's stomach of a bacterial strain known to
cause ulcers and cancer, according to new research.
L-Carnitine Supplementation May
Help Reduce Bone Loss
Supplementing with L-carnitine may reduce bone loss in postmenopausal women, if promising
results from a rat study can be repeated in humans.
Omega-3 Essential Fatty Acids are
Linked to Healthier Eyes
An increased consumption of the omega-3 fatty acids DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and EPA
(eicosapentaenoic acid) found in fish reduced the risk of age-related macular degeneration
(AMD) by about 70%, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical
Nutrition.
Study Explains How Cranberries Help
Prevent Urinary Infections
The National Health Information Center reports “Researchers at Worcester (MA)
Polytechnic Institute say they have solved the mystery of how cranberry juice prevents
urinary tract infections.”
Dr. Brian Peskin on Essential Fatty
Acids, Oxygenation and Cancer Prevention
Parent Essential Fatty Acids, Oxygeneration and Cancer Prevention: A New Solution by Brian
Peskin BS at the 2009 A4M Orlando Conference.
Dr. Robert Posner on Serotonin
Supplementation and Weight Loss
Oral Serotonin Supplementation and Weight Loss by Robert Posner, MD at the 2009 A4M
Orlando Conference.
Dr. Thomas Levy on Glutathione in
Anti-Aging Medicine
The Role of of Glutathione in Anti-Aging Medicine by Thomas A. Levy, MD, JD at the 2009
A4M Orlando Conference.
Guardian still under secret toxic
waste gag
Legal obstacles, which cannot be identified, involve proceedings, which cannot be
mentioned, on behalf of a client who must remain secret. Over the last 24 hours, a lot of
self-congratulating hyperbole has appeared on and off line about how the popular short
message service Twitter saved free speech in the UK. Twitter did not save free speech
— and free speech has not been saved.The twitter "back-patting storm"
follows an agreement not to use an existing High Court gag order to block the Guardian's
reporting of a single sentence made in parliament by Paul Farrelly MP. Farrelly's question
related to press freedoms and in particular, a leaked WikiLeaks report, the so-called
"Minton report", which exposed a toxic dumping disaster inflicted on the Ivory
Coast by oil trading giant Trafigura and its contractors and hospitalized up to 100,000
people.
Week 43 | Week 42 | Week 41
Week 40 | Week 39 | Week 38 | Week 37 | Week 36 | Week 35
Week 34 | Week 33 | Week 32 | Week 31
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