|
Our goal is simple -
sharing knowledge on health & food
|
Request for help |
| Our
goal is to educate people worldwide on food and health. You can help us by writing
articles or sending us links to useful information, videos, articles and more. |
Week 47
100 health workers must repeat H1N1
shot
the vaccine given to workers at the long-term-care facility contained too much of the
adjuvant, the substance added to the vaccine to stimulate a stronger immune response.
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger
Immune Response to HIV and Prostate Cancer
Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the
body’s immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer
cells. Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society,
could lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases. The molecules — called
“antibody-recruiting molecule targeting HIV” (ARM-H) and
“antibody-recruiting molecule targeting prostate cancer” (ARM-P) — work by
binding simultaneously to an antibody already present in the bloodstream and to proteins
on HIV, HIV-infected cells and cancer cells. By coating these pathogens in antibodies, the
molecules flag them as a threat and trigger the body’s own immune response. In the
case of ARM-H, by binding to proteins on the outside of the virus, they also prevent
healthy human cells from being infected. “Instead of trying to kill the pathogens
directly, these molecules manipulate our immune system to do something it wouldn’t
ordinarily do,” said David Spiegel, M.D., assistant professor of chemistry and the
corresponding author of both papers.
Research Findings Key for
Understanding, Interpreting Genetic Testing for Long QT Syndrome
Results of a long QT syndrome (LQTS) study published in the current issue of Circulation
play an important role in understanding genetic testing's role in diagnosing disease,
according to the senior author, Michael Ackerman, M.D., Ph.D. A pediatric cardiologist at
Mayo Clinic, Dr. Ackerman directs Mayo's Long QT Syndrome Clinic and is the director of
the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory.
Researchers Hail Innovative Plan to
Save Rainforest, Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions
An innovative proposal by the Ecuadorian government to protect an untouched, oil rich
region of Amazon rainforest is a precedent-setting and potentially economically viable
approach, says a team of environmental researchers from the University of Maryland, the
World Resources Institute and Save America's Forests. The Ecuadorian proposal, known as
the Yasuní-ITT Initiative, would protect a large area of pristine Amazon rainforest, by
leaving untouched nearly one billion barrels of oil that lies beneath the Yasuní National
Park in Ecuador. Under the initiative, the government would sell certificates linked to
the value of the unreleased carbon to provide alternative revenue to that which would come
from exploiting the oil reserves. "This is a really novel approach that could fund a
lot of rainforest protection," said Clinton Jenkins, a research scientist in the
University of Maryland's department of biology. "It's also an innovative way of
dealing with greenhouse gas emissions." "There has been a lot of talk about
engineering ways to reduce or offset greenhouse gas emissions by removing carbon from air
and burying, or sequestering, it in the ground. This approach sequesters carbon by
preventing oil from ever getting out of the ground," said Jenkins.
How aggressive cells invade the
brain
In diseases such as multiple sclerosis, cells of the immune system infiltrate the brain
tissue, where they cause immense damage. For many years, it was an enigma as to how these
cells can escape from the bloodstream. This is no trivial feat, given that specialized
blood vessels act as a barrier between the nervous system and the bloodstream. Until now,
tissue sections provided the sole evidence that the immune cells really do manage to reach
the nerve cells. Now, a team of scientists from the Max Planck Institute of Neurobiology,
the University Medical Center Göttingen, and other institutes, has witnessed the
movements of these cells "live" under the microscope for the very first time. In
the process, they discovered several new behavioural traits of the immune cells. The
consolidated findings mark a significant step forward in our understanding of this complex
disease. (Nature, 14 October 2009)
Key player identified in cascade
that leads to hypertension-related kidney damage
A key player in a cascade that likely begins with stress and leads to high blood pressure
and kidney damage has been identified by researchers who say the finding may lead to
better ways to control both. Medical College of Georgia researchers have found endothelin,
a powerful blood vessel constrictor and inflammatory peptide, increases the number of T
cells in the kidneys, which helps recruit other immune cells, causing inflammation and
destruction. "We think that endothelin somehow causes an increase in T cells which
results in renal injury which makes the hypertension worse and harder to control,"
says Dr. Karthik Krishnan, an MCG allergy/immunology fellow who presents the findings
during the 2009 American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology Annual Meeting Nov.
5-9 in Miami. Dr. Krishnan was honored with one of three Clement von Pirquet Awards for
best scientific paper in allergy/immunology presented by fellows-in-training at the
meeting. The process likely begins in some people when stress, diet or other factors raise
levels of the hormone angiotensin II, another powerful blood vessel constrictor, which, in
turn, increases endothelin levels. Researchers don't know why endothelin increases T-cell
levels in the kidneys. "There are still a lot of mechanistic questions we have,"
notes Dr. Krishnan.
The consumption of melatonin, a
natural hormone segregated by the own human body, regulates sleep better than somniferous
UGR News Melatonin, a natural hormone segregated by the own human body, is an excellent
sleep regulator expected to replace somniferous, which are much more aggressive, to
correct the sleep/wakefulness pace when human biological clock becomes altered. Those are
the conclusions of a research work carried out by Darío Acuña-Castroviejo and Germaine
Escames, professors of the Institute of Biotechnology (Biomedical Research Centre of the
University of Granada), who have been carrying out a complete analysis of the properties
of this natural hormone segregated by the pineal gland for years. Melatonin (frequently
called the ‘hormone of darkness’, because the organism produces it at night) is
currently being used by the pharmaceutical industry to design derivative synthetic
medicines, a very interesting therapeutic tool for the treatment of sleep alterations. Not
in vain, the European Medicines Agency (EMEA) authorized in 2007 the use of melatonin for
this type of therapies, after years of debate about the convenience of this measure.
Near vision research study
The Cornea and Laser Eye Institute is participating in a research study to determine if an
investigational corneal inlay can safely and effectively reduce the need for reading
glasses. Dr. Peter Hersh, the study doctor, will perform the procedures. The
investigational AcuFocus Corneal Inlay (ACI) is intended to improve near vision in
patients with presbyopia, which is the loss of near vision, and reduce dependency on
reading glasses. Qualified participants will receive the procedure at no charge.
Presbyopia, the loss of near vision happens when the eye's natural lens loses the ability
to focus light from both far and near objects. As a result, near tasks like reading or
computer work are blurry. However, it is possible for far objects to still be clear.
Presbyopia is a natural occurrence that happens to most of us by age 45. Patients 45 to 60
years are eligible to participate. Smaller than a contact lens, the ACI Corneal Inlay
looks like a small brown ring. It is 5 microns thick and 3.8 mm across with a small hole
in the center. Over 8,000 tiny holes throughout the ACI help maintain the health of the
cornea. It is placed within the body of the cornea, directly in front of the pupil. The
ACI lets the central rays of light continue on to the retina while blocking out some of
the more out-of-focus rays. This is similar to the effect seen when one looks through a
small pinhole. This increased focus may improve near vision. With the ACI placed in one
eye, the depth of focus is anticipated to provide improved near and in-between vision
while having little effect on far away vision. "We are excited about this
technology," said Dr. Hersh who has performed more than 15,000 laser and surgical
vision correction procedures. "This procedure is very different from anything we've
done with vision correction procedures before."
Study suggests dentists can
identify patients at risk for fatal cardiovascular event
A new study indicates dentists can play a potentially life-saving role in health care by
identifying patients at risk of fatal heart attacks and referring them to physicians for
further evaluation. Published in the November issue of the Journal of the American Dental
Association, the study followed 200 patients (101 women and 99 men) in private dental
practices in Sweden whose dentists used a computerized system, "HeartScore," to
calculate the risk of a patient dying from a cardiovascular event within a 10-year period.
Designed by the European Society of Cardiology, HeartScore measures cardiovascular disease
risk in persons aged 40-65 by factoring the person's age, sex, total cholesterol level,
systolic blood pressure and smoking status. Patients with HeartScores of 10 percent or
higher, meaning they had a 10 percent or higher risk of having a fatal heart attack or
stroke within a 10-year period, were told by dentists to seek medical advice regarding
their condition. Twelve patients in the study, all of them men, had HeartScores of 10
percent or higher. All women participating in the study had HeartScores of 5 percent or
less. Of the 12 male patients with HeartScores of 10 percent or higher, nine sought
further evaluation by a medical care provider who decided that intervention was indicated
for six of the patients. Two patients did not follow the dentist's recommendation to seek
further medical evaluation and one patient was only encouraged by his dentist to
discontinue smoking. Physicians for three patients were not able to confirm their risk for
cardiovascular disease. All 200 patients enrolled in the study were 45 years of age or
older with no history of cardiovascular disease, medications for high blood pressure, high
cholesterol or diabetes and had not visited a physician during the previous year to assess
their glucose, cholesterol or blood pressure levels.
New Notre Dame study provides
insights into the molecular basis of tumor cell behavior
A new study by a team of researchers led by Crislyn D'Souza-Schorey, associate professor
of biological sciences at the University of Notre Dame, sheds light on the molecular basis
by which tumor cells modulate their surroundings to favor cancer progression. The study
elucidates mechanisms involved in the release of microvesicles –small membrane
enclosed sacs– from tumor cells that facilitate creation of paths of least resistance
allowing tumor cells to migrate. The research offers new insights into how tumor cells
invade their surrounding environment and may eventually lead to improved methods for
measuring the progression of cancers. The research paper, which appears this week in an
early online edition of the journal Current Biology, identifies a unique population of
microvesicles that are enriched in proteases- mediators of tissue degradation. The release
of these microvesicles provides a mechanism of tissue breakdown and remodeling at distant
sites and is distinct from the better-characterized mechanisms involved in tissue
degradation adjacent to the leading edge of tumor cells, D'Souza-Schorey notes. The new
study shows that microvesicle shedding requires localized contraction of the cell's
cytoskeleton at sites of microvesicle release and identifies some key regulators involved
in the process. One of these critical determinants is the protein ARF6. Understanding the
role of the ARF6 protein in cancer progression has been a long standing interest of the
D'Souza-Schorey laboratory. Earlier studies from the laboratory using cell and animal
tumor models had documented a role of ARF6 in tumor cell invasion.
Researchers explore new ways to
prevent spinal cord damage using a vitamin B3 precursor
Substances naturally produced by the human body may one day help prevent paralysis
following a spinal cord injury, according to researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College.
A recent $2.5 million grant from the New York State Spinal Cord Injury Research Board will
fund their research investigating this possibility. The Weill Cornell team believes that
permanent nerve damage may be avoided by raising levels of a compound that converts to
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) -- the active form of vitamin B3. The compound
would potentially be administered immediately following spinal cord injury. "Boosting
NAD+ after injury may prevent permanent nerve death," explains Dr. Samie Jaffrey,
associate professor of pharmacology at Weill Cornell Medical College. "Our study is
aimed at synthesizing a molecule that, when given soon after injury, may augment the
body's production of NAD+ and rescue these cells before they are stressed beyond
recovery." The compound, called nicotinamide riboside (NR) -- a natural NAD+
precursor found in foods like milk -- as well as other NR derivatives have already been
proven to protect against cell death and axonal degeneration in cultured cells and in
models of spinal cord injury. In 2007, the authors reported results of laboratory
experiments finding that NR can increase NAD+ concentrations as high as 270 percent when
compared with untreated control cells. No other known agent has been shown to achieve
these types of increases in cells.
Green tea shows promise as
chemoprevention agent for oral cancer, M. D. Anderson study finds
Green tea extract has shown promise as cancer prevention agent for oral cancer in patients
with a pre-malignant condition known as oral leukoplakia, according to researchers at The
University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The study, published online in Cancer
Prevention Research, is the first to examine green tea as a chemopreventative agent in
this high-risk patient population. The researchers found that more than half of the oral
leukoplakia patients who took the extract had a clinical response. Long investigated in
laboratory, epidemiological and clinical settings for several cancer types, green tea is
rich in polyphenols, which have been known to inhibit carcinogenesis in preclinical
models. Still, clinical results have been mixed. "While still very early, and not
definitive proof that green tea is an effective preventive agent, these results certainly
encourage more study for patients at highest risk for oral cancer," said Vassiliki
Papadimitrakopoulou, M.D., professor in M. D. Anderson's Department of Thoracic/Head and
Neck Medical Oncology, and the study's senior author. "The extract's lack of toxicity
is attractive - in prevention trials, it's very important to remember that these are
otherwise healthy individuals and we need to ensure that agents studied produce no
harm." In the Phase II dose-finding study, 41 M. D. Anderson oral leukoplakia
patients were randomized between August 2002 and March 2008 to receive either green tea
extract or placebo. Participants took the extract, an oral agent, for three months at one
of three doses - 500 per meter squared of body mass (mg/m2); 750 mg/m2 or 1,000 mg/m2 -
three times daily. To best assess biomarkers, participants also underwent a baseline and
12-week biopsy, an important component in the design of the study, the researchers say.
"Collecting oral tissue biopsies was essential in that it allowed us to learn that
not only did the green tea extract appear to have benefit for some patients, but we
pointed to anti-angiogenic effects as a potential mechanism of action," said Anne
Tsao, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Thoracic/Head and Neck Medical
Oncology, and the study's first author. "While preliminary because our patient
population was so small, this gives us direction for further study."
Approved lymphoma drug shows
promise in early tests against bone cancer
A drug already approved for the treatment of lymphoma may also slow the growth of the most
deadly bone cancer in children and teens, according to an early-stage study published
online today in the International Journal of Cancer. The study drug, Bortezomib, was found
to be effective against bone cancer in human cancer cell studies and in mice. While key
experiments were in animals, the cancer studied closely resembled the human form and the
drug has already been proven to be safe in human patients. In the current study,
researchers sought to use Bortezomib (Velcade®) against osteosarcoma, an aggressive
cancer that starts in bone, spreads quickly and responds poorly to current chemotherapies.
The drug, a proteasome inhibitor developed by Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Johnson &
Johnson, was approved by the FDA for the treatment of a rare, aggressive form of
non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in 2006 and for multiple myeloma in 2008. "Our most clinically
relevant finding is that a drug already proven safe and effective in treating the most
common cancers of the blood may be equally effective in suppressing bone cancer,"
said Roman Eliseev, M.D., Ph.D., research assistant professor within the Center for
Musculoskeletal Research and the James P. Wilmot Cancer Center, both within the University
of Rochester Medical Center. "Bortezomib caused osteosarcoma cells to self destruct,
and prevented their spread. While further studies are needed, our findings suggest that
this drug may represent a new treatment option for a devastating disease and an effective
complement to current chemotherapies."
Acetaminophen may be linked to
asthma in children and adults
New research shows that the widely used pain reliever acetaminophen may be associated with
an increased risk of asthma and wheezing in both children and adults exposed to the drug.
Researchers from the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada, conducted a
systematic review and metaanalysis of 19 clinical studies (total subjects=425,140) that
compared the risk of asthma or wheezing with acetaminophen exposure.The analysis showed
that the pooled odds ratio (odds ratio for all studies combined) for asthma among users of
acetaminophen was 1.63. The risk of asthma in children who used acetaminophen in the year
prior to asthma diagnosis or in the first year of life was elevated to 1.60 and 1.47,
respectively. Furthermore, results showed a slight increase in the risk of asthma and
wheezing with prenatal use of acetaminophen by mothers. Researchers speculate that
acetaminophen's lack of inhibition of cyclooxygenase, the key enzyme involved in the
inflammatory response of asthma, may be one explanation for the potential link between
acetaminophen use and asthma.
Researcher - 'Optical biopsy' for
breast cancer increasingly accurate
Most biopsies following mammograms reveal benign abnormalities, not cancer. But women may
not have to endure the medical costs, stress and potential complications that accompany
such invasive biopsies forever. A University of Florida biomedical engineering researcher
is making progress on an "optical biopsy" that has the potential to determine
whether growths are cancerous without ever puncturing the skin. "At this stage, it is
just too early for optical tomography to be a screening tool," said Huabei Jiang, the
J. Crayton Pruitt Family professor of biomedical engineering, who has spent more than a
decade developing the technique at UF and Clemson University. "But you can pretty
much say that it is highly likely it can become a diagnostic tool, an adjunct to X-ray
mammography." Surgical biopsies have long been the gold standard for determining
whether growths are cancerous. But at least three out of four biopsies following
mammograms conclude that observed abnormalities are benign and that no intervention was
needed, Jiang said. Depending on if the biopsies are performed with needles or surgery,
that can mean added cost, recuperation and potential scarring or other complications
— all ultimately unnecessary. Jiang has devoted much of his career to an alternative:
"phase-contrast diffuse optical tomography," a screening technology that roots
out breast cancer not with cutting tools and laboratory tests but with light and computing
power. He recently completed the third generation of his apparatus — a bed with an
array of fiber optic laser lights and detectors mounted within a hole where the patient
places her breast.
First use of antibody and stem cell
transplantation to successfully treat advanced leukemia
For the first time, researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center have reported
the use of a radiolabeled antibody to deliver targeted doses of radiation, followed by a
stem cell transplant, to successfully treat a group of leukemia and pre-leukemia patients
for whom there previously had been no other curative treatment options. All fifty-eight
patients, with a median age of 63 and all with advanced acute myeloid leukemia or
high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome – a pre-leukemic condition – saw their blood
cancers go into remission using a novel combination of low-intensity chemotherapy,
targeted radiation delivery by an antibody and a stem-cell transplant. Forty percent of
the patients were alive a year after treatment and approximately 35 percent had survived
three years, about the same rates as patients who received similar treatment but whose
disease was already in remission and who had much more favorable risk for relapse when
therapy began. Results of the research appear online in the journal Blood. The principal
investigator and corresponding author of the paper is John Pagel, M.D., Ph.D, a transplant
oncologist and assistant member of the Hutchinson Center's Clinical Research Division. The
purpose of the study was to find the maximum dose of radiation that patients could
tolerate with acceptable toxic side effects, not to assess how effective the novel
treatment was, according to Pagel and colleagues. However, "the results appear to be
very encouraging and warrant us to study it further for patients who really have no
significant other curative options," Pagel said.
A new system preserves the right to
privacy in Internet searches
A team of Catalan researchers has developed a protocol to distort the user profile
generated by Internet search engines, in such a way that they cannot save the searches
undertaken by Internet users and thus preserve their privacy. The study has been published
in the Computer Communications magazine. Just imagine someone from Company X who uses the
Google search engine to obtain information about a certain technology. If Company Y, a
competitor of X, should discover this situation, it could infer that the abovementioned
technology is going to be used in X's new products, and with that information it could
obtain a competitive edge. In the same way, a mass media enterprise that finds out the
searches undertaken by the competition's journalists could infer what news items they are
working on and beat them to it. A personal report could also be drawn up on someone based
on their searches. In order to solve these types of situations, a team of researchers from
three Catalan universities (the Rovira i Virgili University, the Autónoma of Barcelona
and the Oberta of Catalonia) has developed a system which preserves user privacy via a new
computer protocol, whose details are published in the Computer Communications magazine.
"It is a model based on cryptographic tools which distort the profile of users when
they use search engines on Internet", explains Alexandre Viejo to SINC. He is one of
the authors of the study and a researcher at the Computer Engineering Department of the
Rovira i Virgili University, "in such a way that their privacy is preserved".
Small increases in phosphorus mean
higher risk of heart disease
Higher levels of phosphorus in the blood are linked to increased calcification of the
coronary arteries— a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an
upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN).
"This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is
associated with increased cardiovascular risk that is not otherwise explained by
traditional risk factors," comments Katherine R. Tuttle, MD (Providence Medical
Research Center, Spokane, WA). The study looked at the relationship between phosphorus
levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in nearly 900 healthy adults from the
Spokane Heart Study, a long-term study of heart disease risk factors. Previous studies
have linked CAC—an early sign of atherosclerosis ("hardening of the
arteries")—to an increased risk of myocardial infarction (heart attack) and
other cardiovascular events. At the start of the study, 28 percent of the participants had
CAC. After six years' follow-up, another 33 percent of participants had developed CAC. For
those who already had CAC, the level of CAC increased during follow-up. The relationship
between phosphorus levels and CAC remained significant even after adjustment for other
factors. "Even small increases in the blood level of phosphorus predicted an
increased risk of progressive CAC in these apparently healthy adults," says Tuttle.
The phosphorus-related increase in CAC was comparable to that seen with traditional heart
disease risk factors like high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Kidney function decline increases
risk of heart failure and premature death
Declining kidney function is linked to a higher risk of heart failure, heart attack,
peripheral arterial disease, and early death in individuals with or without kidney
disease, according to a pair of studies appearing in an upcoming issue of the Journal of
the American Society Nephrology (JASN). The findings indicate that poor kidney function
may raise an individual's risk for cardiovascular complications. To evaluate heart health,
clinicians should factor in not only their patients' current level of kidney function, but
also changes in kidney function over time. Chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients have an
increased risk of developing and dying from cardiovascular disease, but the links between
kidney function and heart health are not well understood. Michael Shlipak, MD (San
Francisco VA Medical Center and University of California, San Francisco), Mark Sarnak, MD
(Tufts-New England Medical Center), and their colleagues studied clinical information from
individuals who were enrolled in the Cardiovascular Health Study, a community-based study
of elderly people. Using a new blood test of kidney function, called cystatin C, the
researchers looked for links between changes in kidney function during a period of seven
years with the incidence of heart failure, heart attack, stroke, and peripheral arterial
disease (obstruction of large arteries in the arms and legs) during the subsequent eight
years. Among 4,378 eligible participants in the study, those with rapid kidney decline
(1,083 patients) demonstrated a 32% increased risk of experiencing heart failure, a 48%
increased risk of having a heart attack, and a 67% increased risk of developing peripheral
arterial disease. (They did not have an increased risk of suffering a stroke.)
Gene therapy success in severe
brain disorder applauded by the STOP ALD Foundation
The Stop ALD Foundation today applauded the investigators who are reporting in the current
issue of Science successful results from the pioneering use of gene therapy for
adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), a potentially crippling and fatal brain disorder in young
boys. "As an organization founded by families affected by ALD, we know too well the
ravages that this disorder inflicts on its victims and the heartbreak it brings to those
who love them," said Amber Salzman, president of The Stop ALD Foundation. "We
are deeply thankful to Drs. Cartier and Aubourg and the many other scientists and
physicians whose achievement is reported in Science, and we look forward to continuing to
work with them to build on their success. Their pioneering work in gene therapy brings
hope to those stricken not only by ALD but many other serious diseases as well."
New TMS clinic offers noninvasive
treatment for major depression
Rush University Medical Center has opened the Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
Clinic to offer patients suffering from major depression a safe, effective, non-drug
treatment. TMS therapy is the first FDA-approved, non-invasive antidepressant device-based
treatment clinically proven for treatment of depression. Psychiatrists at Rush University
Medical Center were among the first to test the technique and Dr. Philip Janicak,
professor of psychiatry and lead investigator at Rush for the clinical trials of TMS,
helped to develop this therapy. The TMS therapy system delivers highly focused magnetic
field pulses to a specific portion of the brain, the left prefrontal cortex, in order to
stimulate the areas of the brain linked to depression. The repeated short bursts of
magnetic energy introduced through the scalp excite neurons in the brain. Depression
affects at least 14 million American adults each year. Researchers estimate that by the
year 2020, depression will be the second leading cause of disability worldwide. According
to Janicak, drug treatment options can be ineffective or intolerable due to side effects.
Current antidepressant therapies are not beneficial for at least a third of depressed
individuals, leaving many with a lack of adequate treatment options. "Patients
receive treatment in an outpatient setting and are able to return to normal activities
right away." TMS therapy does not require anesthesia or sedation and patients remain
awake and alert. It is a 40-minute outpatient procedure that is prescribed by a
psychiatrist and administered daily for four-to-six weeks. "TMS therapy is a safe and
effective alternative for patients who suffer from major depressive disorder and are not
getting satisfactory improvement from antidepressant medications," said Janicak.
Rush University Medical Center
Begins Landmark International Lung Cancer Screening Trial
Rush University Medical Center is part of an international effort to evaluate the
effectiveness of a screening test that may provide early detection of lung cancer. Known
as the International Early Lung Cancer Action Project (I-ELCAP), the collaboration brings
together 48 major academic medical centers in nine countries. Physicians at Rush will
study the use of spiral computerized tomography (CT) scanning to detect tiny nodules in
the lungs that could be cancer in its earliest stages. CT scans can detect tumors that are
smaller than a pea and previous research has shown CT scans can detect lung cancer growths
that are often not visible on a chest x-ray. Unfortunately, by the time tumors are large
enough to be viewed on a chest x-ray, the cancer is often too advanced to be cured.
"The CT lung screening means to lung cancer what mammogram screening means to breast
cancer,” said Dr. Mark Yoder, the lead investigator of the study and assistant
professor of pulmonary and critical care at Rush. “The goal of this study is to see
if we can detect and diagnose lung cancers in the very earliest stage. Stage one is the
only stage at which cure by surgery is highly likely.”
Gene therapy technique slows brain
disease
A strategy that combines gene therapy with blood stem cell therapy may be a useful tool
for treating a fatal brain disease, French researchers have found. These findings appear
in the 6 November 2009 issue of the journal Science, which is published by AAAS, the
nonprofit science society. In a pilot study of two patients monitored for two years, an
international team of researchers slowed the onset of the debilitating brain disease
X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) using a lentiviral vector to introduce a therapeutic
gene into patient's blood cells. Although studies with larger cohorts of patients are
needed, these results suggest that gene therapy with lentiviral vectors, which are derived
from disabled vesions of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), could potentially become
instrumental in treating a broad range of human disorders. "This is the first time we
were able to successfully use an HIV-derived lentivirus vector for gene therapy in humans,
and also the first time that a very severe brain disease has been treated with efficacy by
gene therapy. We've demonstrated that this HIV-derived lentivirus vector works as was
hoped for so many years," said coauthor Patrick Aubourg, professor of pediatrics at
University Paris-Descartes and head of a research unit at Inserm-University Paris
Descartes. Featured in the movie "Lorenzo's Oil," ALD is a severe hereditary
condition caused by a deficiency of a protein called ALD that is involved in fatty acid
degradation. Sufferers steadily lose their myelin sheath, the protective layer that coats
nerve fibers in the brain. Without myelin the nerves lose function, leading to increasing
physical and mental disability in patients. X-linked ALD, the most common form of the
disease, affects boys starting at age 6-8 years of age and death usually occurs before the
patients reach adolescence.
Babies' language learning starts
from the womb
From their very first days, newborns' cries already bear the mark of the language their
parents speak, reveals a new study published online on November 5th in Current Biology, a
Cell Press publication. The findings suggest that infants begin picking up elements of
what will be their first language in the womb, and certainly long before their first
babble or coo. "The dramatic finding of this study is that not only are human
neonates capable of producing different cry melodies, but they prefer to produce those
melody patterns that are typical for the ambient language they have heard during their
fetal life, within the last trimester of gestation," said Kathleen Wermke of the
University of Würzburg in Germany. "Contrary to orthodox interpretations, these data
support the importance of human infants' crying for seeding language development."
Human fetuses are able to memorize sounds from the external world by the last trimester of
pregnancy, with a particular sensitivity to melody contour in both music and language,
earlier studies showed. Newborns prefer their mother's voice over other voices and
perceive the emotional content of messages conveyed via intonation contours in maternal
speech (a.k.a. "motherese"). Their perceptual preference for the surrounding
language and their ability to distinguish between different languages and pitch changes
are based primarily on melody. Although prenatal exposure to native language was known to
influence newborns' perception, scientists had thought that the surrounding language
affected sound production much later, the researchers said. It now appears that isn't so.
TV bombards children with
commercials for high-fat and high-sugar foods
Childhood obesity in the United States is reaching epidemic proportions. With more than
one fourth of advertising on daytime and prime time television devoted to foods and
beverages and continuing questions about the role television plays in obesity, a study in
the November/December issue of the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior examines
how food advertising aimed at children might be a large contributor to the problem.
Researchers at the University of California-Davis examined the types of food
advertisements seen by children watching English- and Spanish-language American television
programs on Saturday mornings and weekday afternoons, which are high viewing times for
children. Recordings were made of programs on twelve networks including highly rated
children's cable channels Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, and Kids' WB, networks that appeal
to older youths (MTV, BET), mainstream English-language channels ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX, and
UPN, and Univision and Telemundo, the two highest rated Spanish language channels. Out of
5,724 commercials recorded, 1,162 were food-related, with 91.2% of food promotions in
English, and 8.7% in Spanish. Only 1 commercial was bilingual. Overall, nearly 1 in 5
advertisements was for a food or nutrition-related product, with 5.2 food advertisements
presented every hour. Fast-food restaurants, sugary food, chips/crackers, and sugar-added
beverages collectively accounted for more than 70% of food commercials; 34% were for
''food on the run,'' fast-food restaurants and convenience food. Children's networks had
the highest percentage of food-related commercials. Food advertisements were predominately
for sugary cereals and sweets, high fat food, convenience or fast-food restaurant food,
and chips/crackers. When compared to television for a general audience, children's
networks in this study exposed young viewers to 76% more food commercials per hour than
did the other networks, with the Saturday morning 7-10 AM time slot being more saturated
with food commercials. Approximately 7.7 food commercials per hour appeared in programming
on the children's networks, which is approximately 1 food commercial every 8 minutes
H1N1 vaccine shortage fabricated to
create hysteria, boost demand?
There's a fascinating book by author Robert Cialdini called Influence - The Psychology of
Persuasion. As someone who frequently writes about Big Pharma's social engineering
tactics, I've read and studied many of these tactics, noting carefully how governments and
Big Business use them to wage disinformation campaigns against the People.
Beware of the New Useless and
Dangerous Vaccines in the Works
A storm has erupted over the announcement last month that an experimental AIDS vaccine
tested in Thailand proved modestly effective. It was billed as a major scientific advance
— the long-awaited hard evidence that it is possible to inoculate people against
AIDS. But now the trial has been called into question in a way that is overblown and
possibly destructive.
Kellogg Company Discontinues
Immunity Statements On Rice Krispies Cereals
Kellogg Company today announced its decision to discontinue the immunity statements on
Kellogg's Rice Krispies cereals. Last year, Kellogg Company started the development of
adding antioxidants toRice Krispies cereals. This is one way the Company responded to
parents indicating their desire for more positive nutrition in kids' cereal.
Vitamin D may slow kidney disease
Low levels of vitamin D may account for nearly 60 percent of the elevated risk of
end-stage renal disease in African Americans, U.S. researchers said.
Do trans fats stay in your body
forever?
Like saturated fats, trans fats raise LDL "bad" cholesterol and increase the
risk of heart disease. But unlike saturated fats, trans fats lower HDL "good"
cholesterol.
CDC's Dr. Schuchat Said Nothing --
and That Says a Lot
“Well, if it's [thimerosal], if it's not allowed for pregnant women and their unborn
child, then why wouldn't it be a risk for the rest of the population?”
10 Times More Thimerosal in
Canadian Non-Adjuvanted H1N1 Vaccine
According to this Public Health Agency of Canada website, the non-adjuvanted vaccine [ie:
the H1N1 vaccine without the ASO3 (otherwise known as squalene-oil-water adjuvant)] will
contain 10 times the amount of Thimerosal as in the adjuvanted vaccine presently being
distributed.
No way we gonna inject H1N1 shot
into our kids
Many among this segment are hesitant about inoculating themselves against the deadly swine
flu virus, with some even refusing pointblank to take the vaccination - notwithstanding
calls from national health officials for mass immunizations.
Interleukin-10 in Inflammatory
Bowel Disease
Although Glocker et al. have identified rare recessive genetic mutations that probably do
not contribute to less severe forms of inflammatory bowel disease, their findings are
consistent with the conclusion of studies in mice: that interleukin-10 is indeed a major
immunoregulatory cytokine in the intestine that acts primarily on hematopoietic cells.
This study should spur new energy to fuel the search for genetic and functional
contributions by interleukin-10 and its receptors and their related signaling pathways in
understanding the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease and to reevaluate therapeutic
strategies.
Second-hand smoke linked to breast
cancer
A panel of international medical experts has found a link between exposure to second-hand
smoke and breast cancer in pre-menopausal women.
Study Reveals Breast Cancer Changes
After its Spread
The journal Annals of Oncology is reporting on a study that has revealed that up to 40% of
breast cancers can change form once they spread to the lymph nodes. This means that the
type of treatment might have to be altered in order to be effective.
Antibiotics Top Cause of
Drug-Induced Liver Failure
Antimicrobial agents are the most common cause of drug-induced liver failure, with most
cases ending in death or transplant, a researcher said here.
Antibiotics are never the right
call if patient has a virus
Exactly which infections are caused by bacteria? This becomes important due to that fact
that antibiotics will not treat colds, flu and allergies as many believe. These illnesses
are not caused by bacteria, consequently making antibiotics ineffective and potentially
harmful.
Hybrid Molecules Show Promise For
Exploring, Treating Alzheimer's
One of the many mysteries of Alzheimer's disease is how protein-like snippets called
amyloid-beta peptides, which clump together to form plaques in the brain, may cause cell
death, leading to the disease's devastating symptoms of memory loss and other mental
difficulties.
Allergic to sperm? It's more common
for women than you might imagine
Crazy as it sounds, between 20,000 and 40,000 women in the United States suffer allergic
reactions to their spouse's seminal fluid.
'World first' as miracle drug saves
life of baby with rare disease
An Australian baby has become the first person to be cured of the rare and fatal
brain-poisoning disorder molybdenum cofactor deficiency.
Studies CONFIRMING Thimerosal as a
Health Hazard
You deserve to know the facts, so here’s a compilation of recent studies and research
clearly showing that thimerosal DOES HAVE a very real, detrimental impact on health, and
that mercury toxicity is a reality in those suffering from the type of neurological damage
seen in autistic children.
Arsenic makes good cells go bad
Exposure to arsenic causes human stem cells to transform into cancer cells, report
researchers who studied the cells in a laboratory. People in certain regions of the world
are exposed to high levels of arsenic through drinking water tainted by the
naturally-occurring element. The results of this new study may explain why arsenic is
associated with several human cancers, including prostrate cancer in men.
Babies Cry With an Accent, Study
Finds
Think newborns just eat, sleep and wail the same way across the world? That's not so,
according to a new study which found that babies cry with an accent within the first week
of life.
Breast cancer: Why do some women
get it but not their sisters?
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences has enlisted 51,000 in Sister Study
Coke costs American Academy of
Family Physicians some members
The American Academy of Family Physicians has prompted outcry and lost members over its
new six-figure alliance with the Coca-Cola Co.
Mom's antidepressants tied to child
health risks
Babies whose mothers used antidepressants during pregnancy visit the doctor more often and
have higher risks of certain health problems than other children their age, a new study
suggests.
EPA Proposes New Pesticide Labeling
to Control Spray Drift and Protect Human Health
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has rolled out proposed guidance for new
pesticide labeling to reduce off-target spray and dust drift. The new instructions, when
implemented, will improve the clarity and consistency of pesticide labels and help prevent
harm from spray drift. The agency is also requesting comment on a petition to evaluate
children’s exposure to pesticide drift.
For the Love of Garlic - There's a
Reason Why It's So Popular
Just thinking about garlic can automatically bring about thoughts of Italian fare such as
garlic pasta or bread, or your favorite Asian stir-fry. But what also might come to mind
is the smell. With so many health benefits on garlic’s side, there must be a way to
reap these benefits and avoid the odor or “garlic breath.” Keep reading to
discover the many health benefits of garlic and why garlic supplements are just as
effective as the real deal.
H1N1 swine flu infects commercial
swine in USA
The pork industry desperately wants you to believe "the Big Lie" about swine
flu: That it can't infect pigs, and therefore it's perfectly safe to buy and eat lots and
lots of pork products.
Nice Guys Don’t Always Finish
Last
One jerk in a bar spends the night delivering bad come-ons to women. By the end of the
evening, the women aren’t receptive to even the nicest guys around. It’s a
scenario with a basis in evolutionary theory. Males increase their fitness by acquiring
more mates; however, this is often not the case for females – and therein lies the
conflict.Researchers at Binghamton University and the University of Arizona studied sexual
conflict in water striders, an insect that’s a common model system. They found that,
given a choice, females will group themselves around the gentlemen.
Payments in Ivory Coast Dumping
Case at Risk, Lawyer Says
Thousands of victims of one of the worst toxic dumping scandals in years could lose their
hard-won settlement thanks to maneuverings by a shadowy but “influential” figure
in Ivory Coast.
Probiotics - New Form of Relief for
Hay Fever Sufferers
For years, hay fever sufferers have had to endure the sneezing, sniffling and all-around
breathing difficulties that just came with the season. However, new research is hinting
that probiotics have the power to help the body’s immune system adjust to grass
pollen, which is the most common culprit of hay fever and other seasonal allergies.
Red, processed meats linked to
prostate cancer
Men who eat a lot of red meat and processed meats may have a higher risk of developing
prostate cancer than those who limit such foods, a large study of U.S. men suggests.
Study explains how smells conjure
strong memories
The aroma of Grandmother's fresh-baked cookies etch themselves into the brain's emotional
memory, but so does a whiff of rotten fish, Israeli scientists said in a finding that
might help in treating trauma patients.
Vitamin B-12 May Be Key to Aging
Brain
Older individuals with low levels of vitamin B-12 seem to be at increased risk of having
brain atrophy or shrinkage, according to new research. It’s an important revelation
because brain atrophy is associated with Alzheimer’s disease and impaired cognitive
function.
Carnosine May Help Prevent
Cataracts
A new study conducted on rat eye lenses indicates that the dietary supplement carnosine
may help to prevent—or even treat—cataracts.
D Deficiency May Denote Danger of
Dementia
Low blood levels of vitamin D may increase the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s
disease, says a new hypothesis based on existing risk factors.
Natural Eggshell Membrane Helps
Reduce Joint Pain
Natural Eggshell Membrane (NEM®) was found to be an effective and safe option for the
treatment of pain and stiffness associated with knee osteoarthritis, according to a study
published in the journal Clinical Rheumatology.
Pycnogenol Helps Cut Inflammatory
Conditions
The anti-inflammatory and pain-reducing effects of an extract from French maritime pine
bark may be a result of stopping two enzymes linked to inflammation.
Polycystins - proteins that
regulate the cellular barometer
What is the role of proteins called polycystins in patients with polycystic kidney
disease? A team of researchers from CNRS and INSERM, led by Eric Honoré from the Institut
de Pharmacologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IPMC, Université de Nice Sophia
Antipolis/CNRS) has elucidated the molecular and cellular mechanisms linked to polycystin
malfunctions that cause this common hereditary disease. In a study published on October
30, 2009 in the journal Cell, Honoré and his colleagues reveal a new biological function
for polycystins in regulating pressure sensing. Adult polycystic kidney disease is a
genetic condition that affects about 60,000 people each year in France and for which there
is currently no drug therapy. Hypertension is very often the symptom that reveals the
presence of this disease, which is characterized by the development of renal, hepatic and
pancreatic cysts. Polycystic disease thus affects the kidneys but also other organs, and
particularly the cardiovascular system. Indeed, sufferers present with arterial fragility.
Although this disease is responsible for 10% of cases of terminal renal failure, the most
dangerous complication is linked to the development of intracranial aneurysms that can
cause fatal cerebral hemorrhage. This disease is linked to a malfunction of polycystin
proteins 1 and 2 (coded by two genes, PKD1 and PKD2). At the IPMC, CNRS and INSERM
scientists led by Eric Honoré have discovered the pivotal role of polycystins in sensing
cell pressure. Indeed, they have demonstrated that polycystins 1 and 2 control cell
sensitivity to membrane stretching. These proteins, inserted in the cellular plasma
membrane, form an ion channel that allows the passage of calcium ions. Because of a
genetic mutation that affects the kidneys of polycystic patients, the channels formed by
polycystins do not open correctly; calcium fluxes are reduced, triggering cell
proliferation and the formation of cysts. It is the ratio between polycystins 1 and 2 that
controls this cellular barometer. The inactivation of polycystin 1 in mouse smooth muscle
(a vessel wall constituent) caused an inhibition of pressure sensitivity and consequently
a drop in vascular tone.
Are the Alps growing or shrinking?
The Alps are growing just as quickly in height, as they are shrinking. This paradoxical
result could be proven by a group of German and Swiss geoscientists. Due to glaciers and
rivers about exactly the same amount of material is eroded from the Alp slopes as is
regenerated from the deep Earth’s crust. The climatic cycles of the glacial period in
Europe over the past 2.5 million years have accelerated this erosion process. In the
latest volume of the science magazine “Tectonophysics” (No. 474, S.236-249) the
scientists prove that today's uplifting of the Alps is driven by these strong climatic
variations. The formation of the Alps through the collision of the two continents Africa
and Europe began about approximately 55 million years ago. This led to the upthrusting of
the highest European mountains, which probably already achieved its greatest height some
millions of years ago. At present, however, the Swiss Alps are no longer growing as a
result of this tectonic process. Swiss geodesists, who have already been measuring the
Alps with highest accuracy for decades, have observed, however, that the Alp summits, as
compared to low land, rise up to one millimetre per year. Over millions of years a
considerable height would have to result. But why then are the Alps not as high as the
Himalayas? Researchers from the GFZ German Research Centre for Geosciences were able to
calculate that mountains eroded concurrently at almost exactly the same speed.
A step forward in cell
reprogramming
There are increasingly more research groups that try to discover the mechanisms of cell
differentiation in order to reprogramme differentiated cells. On this occasion,
investigators from the CRG have described a process of cell reprogramming which results in
morphologically and functionally distinct cells with a 100% efficiency rate. Specifically,
the researchers have used B lymphocyte precursor cells and reprogrammed them in order to
transform them into macrophages using the inducible expression of only one transcription
factor. Both types of cells form part of the immune system but are morphologically,
structurally and functionally very different. Whereas type B lymphocytes are
antibody-producing cells, macrophages are responsible, via phagocytosis, for the
elimination of both foreign agents introduced into the body and dead tissue cells. In this
way, the new macrophages induced by the system described by the investigators are bigger
than the original cells, they contain different cellular organelles and the structure of
their cytoskeleton is modified, so they have phagocytic capacity and respond to
inflammation stimuli. Moreover, it was observed that the cells acquire their new form and
function a few hours after induction. Two or three days later these lymphocytes have
converted into completely autonomous macrophages.
Newborns cry differently depending
on their mother tongue
In the first days of their lives, French infants already cry in a different way to German
babies. This was the result of a study by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for
Human Cognitive and Brain Sciences in Leipzig, the Centre for Pre-language Development and
Developmental Disorders (ZVES) at the University Clinic Würzburg, and the Laboratory of
Cognitive Sciences and Linguistics at the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris. In this
study, the scientists compared recordings of 30 French and 30 German infants aged between
two and five days old. While the French newborns more frequently produced rising crying
tones, German babies cried with falling intonation. The reason for this is presumably the
differing intonation patterns in the two languages, which are already perceived in the
uterus and are later reproduced. (Current Biology, November 5th, 2009)
Possible help in fight against
muscle-wasting disease
A compound already used to treat pneumonia could become a new therapy for an inherited
muscular wasting disease, according to researchers at the University of Oregon and the
University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry in New York. The five-member team
reports that pentamidine, when tested in genetically altered mice, counters genetic
splicing defects in RNA that lead to type 1 myotonic dystrophy -- one of nine types of
muscular dystrophy -- also known as DM1 and Steinart's disease.
Less than 1 in 3 Toronto bystanders
who witness a cardiac arrest try to help
Researchers at St. Michael's Hospital working in conjunction with EMS services, paramedics
and fire services across Ontario found that a bystander who attempts cardiopulmonary
resuscitation (CPR) can quadruple the survival rate to over 50 per cent. But Dr. Laurie
Morrison and the research team at Rescu (www.rescu.ca) have found only 30 per cent of
bystanders in Toronto are willing to help, one of the lowest rates of bystanders helping
others in the developed world. "Over the last four years, we have been working hard
with paramedics and firefighters in Southern Ontario to increase the survival rate of
people who experience cardiac arrest outside of the hospital," says Dr. Morrison.
"Since 2004, our efforts have managed to triple the survival rate in the Toronto area
but it is still less than 10 per cent." Compared to other cities during the same time
frame, Toronto has much lower rates of bystander CPR and survival. The research team wants
to encourage all Canadians to learn the basics of CPR. Home is one of the most common
places for cardiac arrests so learning CPR could mean saving a family member's life.
"Even if you perform hands-only CPR, and focus on compressing the chest, you can give
a victim of cardiac arrest as much as a 1 in 2 chance of surviving," says Dr. Marco
Di Buono, Director of Research at the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, "on the
contrary, doing nothing virtually guarantees the victim will not survive at all." Dr.
Morrison's research group, Rescu (www.rescu.ca), is based out of St. Michael's and
dedicated to out of hospital resuscitation. It is a collaborative network of EMS and fire
services, paramedics and firefighters and over 40 hospitals in Southern Ontario. Rescu is
the largest research program of its kind in Canada and the US, and is world renowned for
their clinical trials in out of hospital treatment of cardiac arrest and life threatening
emergencies.
1930s drug slows tumor growth
Drugs sometimes have beneficial side effects. A glaucoma treatment causes luscious
eyelashes. A blood pressure drug also aids those with a rare genetic disease. The newest
surprise discovered by researchers at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine is a
gonorrhea medication that might help battle cancer. "Often times we are surprised
that a drug known to do something else has another hidden property," says Jun Liu,
Ph.D., a professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences at Johns Hopkins and author on
the study published Oct. 1 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. In this
case, the surprise is a big one. The drug, acriflavine, used in the 1930s for treating
gonorrhea, has turned out to have the previously unknown ability to halt the growth of new
blood vessels. Preliminary tests showed that mice engineered to develop cancer had no
tumor growth if treated with daily injections of acriflavine. "As cancer cells
rapidly divide, they consume considerable amounts of oxygen," says Gregg Semenza,
M.D., Ph.D., the C. Michael Armstrong Professor of Pediatrics and director of the vascular
program at the Johns Hopkins Institute for Cell Engineering. "To continue growing, a
tumor must create new blood vessels to deliver oxygen to the tumor cells."
Acriflavine stops blood vessel growth by inhibiting the function of the protein
hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1, which was discovered by Semenza's team in 1992. When
HIF-1 senses that the surrounding environment is low in oxygen, it turns on genes
necessary for building new vessels. Though essential for normal tissue growth and wound
healing, HIF-1 is also turned on by cancers to obtain the oxygen they need to survive.
Most importantly, in order for HIF-1 to work, two subunits must bind together like puzzle
pieces.
Air pollution increases infants'
risk of bronchiolitis
Infants who are exposed to higher levels of air pollution are at increased risk for
bronchiolitis, according to a new study. The study appears in the November 15 issue of the
American Thoracic Society's American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
"There has been very little study of the consequences of early life exposure to air
pollution," said Catherine Karr, M.D. PhD, assistant professor of pediatrics at the
University of Washington and the paper's lead author. "This study is unique in that
we were able to look at multiple sources including wood smoke in a region with relatively
low concentrations of ambient air pollution overall." The researchers analyzed nearly
12,000 diagnoses of infant bronchiolitis between 1999 and 2002 in southwestern British
Columbia, with respect to the individual's ambient pollution exposure based on monitored
levels of nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide
(SO2), and particulate matter from monitoring stations within 10 km of the infants' homes.
They also used land-use regression maps to assess concentrations of ambient pollution with
respect to traffic and wood smoke. They analyzed pollution exposure by dividing subjects
into four categories, or quartiles, of concentration. After accounting for confounding
variables including sex, gestational age, maternal smoking and breastfeeding, they found
that a diagnosis of bronchiolitis was significantly linked to increased lifetime exposure
to specific pollutants. An interquartile increase in exposure to NO, NO2, SO2 and CO
increased bronchiolitis risk by 8, 12, 4 and 13 percent respectively. Infants who lived
within 50 meters of a highway had an increased risk of six percent; those who lived in a
higher wood smoke exposure area had an increase of eight percent in their risk of
bronchiolitis. "In general, we found that traffic-derived air pollutants were
associated with infant bronchiolitis as well as wood smoke and industrial emissions,"
said Dr. Karr. "The magnitude of the effect is modest, but is comparable to most air
pollution studies in North America. The importance of these small magnitude effects become
significant when you consider that they affect a great number of children because these
exposures are so ubiquitous."
We spend more on products with
detailed nutritional information
People would be willing to pay more for products that carry detailed nutritional
information than for the so-called light items. Thus it has been confirmed by researchers
from the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC) and the Centre for Agro-Food Research
and Technology of Aragón (CITA) in a new study on the nutritional labelling of breakfast
biscuits. Based on 400 personal interviews of individuals in Zaragoza, "We made 1,600
observations; we included multiple choice questions so that people could choose a product
for its attributes", the researcher María Loureiro, from the Rudiments of Economic
Analysis Department of the Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences of the USC, explained
to SINC. The product chosen for analysis was the breakfast biscuit owing to its high fat
content and because it is a product that is consumed frequently. The work, which has been
published this year in Food Quality and Preference, analyses perceptions of different
attributes such as price, brand, extensive nutritional labelling and the light description
of the product. The researcher explains the conclusions, "The label component is very
important when selecting a product, although the brand name is even more so. The light
denomination is also significant but less so than the labelling". The research took
into account different variables of a socio-demographic nature such as sex, age,
educational level and salary, "But only age was significant when it interacted with
regard to the brand. The greater the age, the more important the brand name",
Loureiro explains.
Blood test identifies women at risk
from Alzheimer's
Middle-aged women with high levels of a specific amino acid in their blood are twice as
likely to suffer from Alzheimer's many years later, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska
Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. This discovery this could lead to a new
and simple way of determining who is at risk long before there are any signs of the
illness. The thesis is based on the Prospective Population Study of Women in Gothenburg,
which was started at the end of the 1960s when almost 1,500 women between the ages of 38
and 60 were examined, asked questions about their health and had blood samples taken.
Nearly all of the samples have now been analysed and compared with information on who went
on to suffer from Alzheimer's and dementia much later. "Alzheimer's disease was more
than twice as common among the women with the highest levels of homocysteine than among
those with the lowest, and the risk for any kind of dementia was 70 per cent higher,"
says doctor Dimitri Zylberstein, author of the thesis. Homocysteine is an amino acid that
is important for the body's metabolism. It is known that high levels of homocysteine can
damage the blood vessels and increase the risk of blood clots. Previous longitudinal
studies linking homocysteine and dementia had 8 years of follow-up at most. The present
study is by far the longest one with follow-up time of 35 years. The study is also the
first to show association between homocysteine levels in middle aged women and dementia
development several decades later. The researchers do not yet know whether it is the
homocysteine itself that damages the brain, or whether there is some other underlying
factor that both increases levels of the homocysteine and causes dementia. Historically
elevated homocysteine levels were related to certain vitamin defficiencies (B12 anf
folate). Today we know that high homocysteine levels might be present even with perfectly
normal vitamin status. "These days we in our clinical practice use homocysteine
analyses mainly for assessment of vitamin status. However, our results mean that we could
use the very same analysis för assessment of individual's risk profile for dementia
development. This opens the possibility for future preventive treatment at a very early
stage", says Zylberstein.
Researchers find new way to attack
inflammation in Graves' eye disease
A small group of patients with severe Graves' eye disease experienced rapid improvement of
their symptoms — and improved vision — following treatment with the drug
rituximab. Inflammation around their eyes and damage to the optic nerve were significantly
reduced. The same patients had not previously responded to steroids, a common treatment
for Graves' eye disease. Raymond S. Douglas, M.D., Ph.D., an oculoplastics specialist who
recently joined the faculty of the U-M Kellogg Eye Center, reports on the potential of the
drug in the online October issue of Ophthalmology. Douglas reviewed the progress of six
patients he treated while on the faculty of the University of California at Los Angeles.
Graves' eye disease is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation and fatty deposits
in the eye muscles and connective tissue surrounding the eye. Among the symptoms are
pronounced bulging eyes, retracted eyelids, dry eyes, and, in severe cases, loss of
vision. Women are more likely than men to develop the disease . The study suggests that
rituximab is a potentially effective new treatment for the most severe forms of Graves'
eye disease. "These patients had already received the maximum level of steroid
treatment," says Douglas. "Treatment with rituximab calmed inflammation, stopped
progression of the disease, and saved the patients from having to undergo surgery."
Rituximab has been used to treat patients with other autoimmune diseases, including
rheumatoid arthritis and in non-Hodgkin's B-cell lymphoma. The drug works by depleting B
cells—the body's normal antibody-producing cells—that appear to go awry in
autoimmune diseases.
New finding suggests prostate
biopsy is not always necessary
Researchers at Wake Forest University School of Medicine and the University of
Wisconsin-Madison have discovered that some elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA)
levels in men may be caused by a hormone normally occurring in the body, and are not
necessarily a predictor of the need for a prostate biopsy. Elevated levels of PSA have
traditionally been seen as a potential sign of prostate cancer, leading to the widespread
use of PSA testing. However, the researchers found that parathyroid hormone, a substance
the body produces to regulate calcium in the blood, can elevate prostate-specific antigen
(PSA) levels in healthy men who do not have prostate cancer. These "non-cancer"
elevations in PSA could cause many men to be biopsied unnecessarily, which often leads to
unnecessary treatment. "PSA picks up any prostate activity, not just cancer,"
said lead investigator Gary G. Schwartz, Ph.D., M.P.H., an associate professor of cancer
biology and epidemiology and prevention at the School of Medicine. "Inflammation and
other factors can elevate PSA levels. If the levels are elevated, the man is usually sent
for a biopsy. The problem is that, as men age, they often develop microscopic cancers in
the prostate that are clinically insignificant. If it weren't for the biopsy, these
clinically insignificant cancers, which would never develop into fatal prostate cancer,
would never be seen." However, because PSA screening has become so common, more men
are being biopsied, Schwartz said. Most men, when told that they have prostate cancer,
elect treatment even though it may not be necessary. In reality, Schwartz said, in only
one of six cases does a biopsy diagnosis of prostate cancer result in a cancer that would
be fatal if untreated.
'Good Housekeeping' is More
Effective than Insecticides
Research shows pesticide-free homes can be bug-free, too; 'Good housekeeping' is more
effective than insecticides.
Farmers growing genetically
engineereed corn break rules
But a report by a watchdog group, out today, finds that since 2006, farmers have become
increasingly non-compliant with federally-mandated planting requirements designed to keep
the popular technology useful in the future.
FDA says companies violating
flavored cigarette ban
U.S. regulators warned 10 companies for violating a recently enacted ban on sales of
flavored cigarettes, letters released on Friday showed.
More evidence nanoparticles damage
DNA
Researchers in the United Kingdom have found some nanoparticles - which can be found in
common household items - can damage DNA without even penetrating the cells.
Red wine compound slows brain
plaque linked to Alzheimer's disease, study finds
A compound in red wine may offer yet another health benefit – it may slow formation
of the amyloid plaques associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Resveratrol is a compound
that is generating a lot of health buzz, and not just because it is found in red wine.
Results from a newly published laboratory study show the compound may slow the development
of protein clumps – called amyloid fibrils. The fibrils – made of beta-amyloid
protein – ultimately aggregate into the distinctive plaques commonly found in
Alzheimer’s patients.
Seasonal flu may hit Europe after
H1N1
The H1N1 pandemic flu virus could kill up to 40,000 people across Europe and be followed
by seasonal flu waves that could kill the same number, European health experts said on
Friday.
Study reveals possible link between
IBD therapy and skin cancer
Findings from a new retrospective cohort study presented at the American College of
Gastroenterology's 74th Annual Scientific meeting in San Diego indicate that patients with
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), especially those receiving the thiopurine class of
medications to treat IBD, may be at risk for developing non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC)
(see also American College of Gastroenterology).
New Synthetic Molecules Trigger
Immune Response to HIV And Prostate Cancer
Researchers at Yale University have developed synthetic molecules capable of enhancing the
body's immune response to HIV and HIV-infected cells, as well as to prostate cancer cells.
Their findings, published online in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, could
lead to novel therapeutic approaches for these diseases.
Vaccines for the rich! Wall Street
gets H1N1 vaccine bailout while school children told to wait
It seems the financial bailout isn't the only bailout happening on Wall Street these days.
News has now leaked that investment firms Goldman Sachs and Citigroup both received
preferential H1N1 swine flu vaccines even while local clinics that treat school children
had no supply. The uproar is reminding the public just how much special treatment Wall
Street banks get -- both financially and medically -- while everyday people are hung out
to dry.
Lowering babies' body temperature
'can protect them from brain damage'
“Cooling” babies by lowering their body temperature can protect them from brain
damage, a new study suggests.
Tiny tech sparks cell signal find
Tiny metal particles have been shown to cause changes to DNA across a cellular barrier -
without having to cross it.
Vitamin D-Curcumin Combo Offers
Brain Health Potential
A combination of vitamin D3 and curcumin, from turmeric, may boost the immune system and
help it clear the protein plaques linked to Alzheimer’s, says a new study.
What kids drink at 5 could affect
weight at 15
Parents may be setting their daughters up for weight problems simply by allowing them to
drink two or more sweetened drinks daily while young, study findings hint.
Has ‘autism’ become a
term of abuse?
A French politician has used the term "autism" to criticise the Tory Party's
policy on Europe.
Doctor Claims a Link Between Bras
and Breast Cancer
According to Dr. Sydney Singer, there is a link between bras and breast cancer and he
suggests that more research need to be done.
Nitrogen pollution worsens in
Rockies lakes
Airborne nitrogen pollution from vehicle exhaust and farm fertilizer is turning algae in
the alpine lakes of Rocky Mountain National Park into junk food for fish, a study says.
Something's Fishy With Big Island
"Tuna Farm"
Frazer also stated that tuna, as top level predators, have high demands for fish oil and
fish meal in pelletized food, a practice that is depleting stocks of baitfish (herring,
menhaden, anchovies, etc.) across the world's oceans. Land-based proteins like soy are not
suitable, said Frazer, because the digestive systems of tuna are not adapted to an
herbivorous diet.
Pomegranate Extracts Treat Diseases
of Inflammation
Emerging research continues to strengthen the evidence that pomegranate extracts can be
used to treat chronic inflammation, and the diseases that go along with it.
Stem Cells Repair Acute Lung Injury
in Mice
Adult stem cells from bone marrow can prevent acute lung injury in mice, U.S. researchers
report.
Internet use won't cause social
isolation
Although technology and the Internet have taken a beating in the past for potentially
limiting people's social interaction, a new study from the Pew Research Center has found
that the opposite might be true.
Study shows Autism/Thimerosal
Connection
Exposing government and media half truths and baldfaced lies
Why We Need Bees and More People
Becoming Organic Beekeepers
Bees teach us how to live our life in a way that by taking what we need from the world
around us, we leave the world better than we found it.
Chemicals can cause big harm
John Peterson Myers has written extensively about how exposure to certain chemical
hazards, often at levels deemed safe, can harm people while still in the womb and surface
in adulthood as deadly diseases.
New study may deal final blow to
acne drug Accutane
Last week at the annual meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego,
researchers from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, presented evidence showing
a higher rate of bowel disorders in isotretinoin users. Before the study, the connection
was largely anecdotal.
Putting a New Face on Animal
Testing
Studies show Americans’ support for animal research has declined significantly. I
New Smells 'Etched' in Brain
We found that the first pairing or association between an object and a smell had a
distinct signature in the brain," Yaara Yeshurun, of the Weizmann Institute of
Science in Israel.
Honeybees Face Towering Threat From
Cell Phones
The radiation also causes damage to the nervous system of the bee and it becomes unable to
fly.
Now roll up your sleeves for Ab!
Geloven we Klink, Coutinho, Osterhaus en Pauw & Witteman of kunnen we nog zelfstandig
nadenken?
Too much variety 'could make you
fat'
Including lots of different kinds of foods in a meal tricks the brain into believing the
body is eating less than it really is, scientists believe.
On the Lookout for Attempts to
Indoctrinate Our Schoolchildren? Try the American Coal Industry!
Friends of Coal (FOC) is a front group created by the West Virginia Coal Association. Its
mission is to “inform and educate West Virginia citizens about the coal
industry” and “provide a united voice” for the industry. To make dirty coal
seem appealing, FOC has sponsored or initiated license plates, football games, basketball
practices, plane jumps, fishing events, and scholarships.
Seasonal flu may hit Europe after
H1N1
The H1N1 pandemic flu virus could kill up to 40,000 people across Europe and be followed
by seasonal flu waves that could kill the same number, European health experts said on
Friday.
Man held after tonnes of illegal
e-waste are exported to Africa
The director of a British waste export company suspected of illegally shipping defunct
televisions and electronic goods to Africa has been arrested after a joint investigation
by The Independent and Sky News.
Iodine Supplements May Boost
Children's Mental Power
One study published in the Oct 2009 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
suggested that iodine supplements may boost mental function in children who have a mild
deficiency of the nutrient.
Heating, Air-Conditioning and
Carpets May Be Hazardous to Your Health
Damp environments, poorly maintained heating and air-conditioning systems and carpeting
may contribute to poor indoor air quality, according to experts at the annual meeting of
the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Miami Beach, Fla.
Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where they are repeatedly exposed
to indoor allergens and airborne particles that can lead to respiratory symptoms and
conditions.
Formaldehyde Exposure and Asthma in
Children
The results indicate that there is a significant positive association between formaldehyde
exposure and childhood asthma. Given the largely cross-sectional nature of thestudies
underlying this meta-analysis, there remains a need for well-designed prospective
epidemiologic studies.
Chemicals and Cholesterol
PFCs, or polyfluoroalkyl chemicals are everywhere — from Teflon pans to stain
resistant carpeting and take-out food containers. A new study shows a strong association
between these chemicals and increased human cholesterol levels. Host Jeff Young talks with
the lead author of this study, Jessica Nelson, a public health researcher at Boston
University’s School of Public Health.
Brominated and mixed halogenated
dioxins in the Baltic—and beyond
A paper recently published in ES&T (2009, DOI 10.1021/es901705r) suggests that a
freshwater sponge—and/or its associated microorganisms—found in the brackish
Baltic Sea is contributing the relatively high quantities of polybrominated
dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs) being found in Baltic biota.
Animals need to be closely watched
for flu
Some pigs, turkeys and household pets have become infected with the H1N1 flu, but the
pandemic virus does not yet appear to be spreading quickly among animals, the World Health
Organization said on Friday.
Alternative medicine is becoming
mainstream
Many Americans are choosing to treat themselves using nontraditional methods, but to what
end?
Air pollution may up risk of infant
lung infections
Living close to highways and other sources of air pollution is linked to higher rates of a
lung infection called bronchiolitis, the number one reason for infant hospitalizations in
North America.
Dead rat advert sparks watchdog
investigation
Advertising watchdogs are investigating calls for a ban on a television advert that shows
a man coughing-up a dead rat.
Very Weak Magnetic Fields Lower
Sperm Quality
De-Kun Li's new epidemiological study showing that extended exposure to weak magnetic
fields as low as 1.6 mG (0.16 µT) can have negative effects on sperm quality was
published today by Reproductive Toxicology.
Toxic toy checkup offers peace of
mind for concerned parents
Based on turnout at Saturday’s Toxic Toy Testing at the Science Factory, it would
seem the big scare set off two years ago by the recall of thousands of tainted China-made
toys has abated.
Spending too much time in gym 'can
reduce woman's fertility'
Spending too much time in the gym can reduce a woman's chances of having children, a study
suggests.
Soil scientists warn of worsening
food crisis
Soil scientists have warned of worsening food insecurity in the next decades unless
pragmatic measures were adopted to enhance soil productivity by minimising the effects of
changing weather patterns.
Further pollution controls sought
from Xcel's new coal-fired plant
Coal-fired power plants are the largest source of man-made carbon dioxide in the U.S.,
accounting for 40 percent of emissions, and carbon caps could raise the cost of operating
these plants.
Breast Cancer Deception Month -
Hiding the Truth beneath a Sea of Pink
As we near the end of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, once again our country has been awash
from shore to shore in a sea of pink - from pink ribbons and donation boxes to pink
products, charity promotions, celebrities by the score and even pink cleats on NFL
players. Tragically, most people are unaware of the dark history of Breast Cancer
Awareness Month (BCAM) and of the players past and present who have misused it to direct
people and funds away from finding a true cure, while covering up their own roles in
causing and profiting from cancer.
Admitting errors reduces them
Montreal's Jewish General Hospital says a full-disclosure policy regarding mistakes made
during patient care is responsible for a 50 per cent drop in adverse incidents over the
past three years.
At-home fetal monitor may give
'false reassurance'
Expectant parents should not rely on fetal heart monitors at home to give them an accurate
picture of their baby's health, a doctor says.
Many Iranians suffer from vitamin D
deficiency
Iranian health officials claim some 40 to 80 percent of the country's population suffers
from vitamin D deficiency, placing them at an increased risk of different health problems.
Nanoparticles used to target tumors
can cause DNA damage across the body’s protective barriers
A team of British researchers is raising new and serious questions about the health risks
posed by nanoparticles.
Nutrition - can chillies give you a
high?
The Times nutritionist on the health benefits of chillies and vitamin B12, and eating to
prevent varicose veins
Secrecy over trans fat revealed
FOOD soaked in killer trans fats has been banned as councils tackle the obesity epidemic -
but Australia's food watchdog refuses to change the labelling laws.
Phytoestrogens may cause 'female'
effect
One of the nurses in our ER told me that she gives her lactose-intolerant husband a
rice-based milk substitute instead of soymilk because of her concern about the female
hormone effect of the phytoestrogens in soy.
Manufacturer quietly withdraws acne
drug
Move comes amid evidence that Accutane might be linked to inflammatory bowel disease.
Eyes may hold clue to early
Alzheimers diagnosis
US scientists, working with genetically altered mice, have found that the changes that
take place in Alzheimer's disease brains also occur in retinas, including the accumulation
of amyloid plaque lesions.
Fatal Studies Should Have Blocked
NutraSweet Approval
When the G.D. Searle Co. sought FDA approval for NutraSweet they submitted doctored,
fraudulent "studies," so corrupt that the Department of Justice appointed two
prosecutors to Investigate Searle. Searle's lawyers hired the prosecutors and the case
died with the statute of limitations.
200 pharma whistleblowers in line
for court
But there are hundreds more pharma whistleblowers waiting in the wings. There's a backlog
of 1,000 cases at the Department of Justice, and drugmakers are involved in 200 of them.
Resveratrol improves diabetes by
affecting the brain
Think of a treatment for diabetes, and you probably think of a drug or natural therapy
that targets the pancreas to help normalize blood sugar levels. Resveratrol, a
phytochemical found in red grapes, has been shown to have a host of health benefits --
including improving diabetes in animal studies. But, it turns out, that's not necessarily
because it benefits the pancreas. Instead, scientists have made an unexpected discovery:
resveratrol's anti-diabetic properties appear to be mediated through the brain.
A happy ending for boy on
anti-seizure diet
Since September 2007, the boy has been on a ketogenic diet, a high-fat, low-carbohydrate
diet for children who do not respond to antiseizure medication.
Lack of vitamin D causes obesity
Insufficient vitamin D can stunt growth and foster obesity during puberty, according to a
new study.
Excess Diet Soda Consumption
Increases Risk of Health Problems
a new study suggest that drinking just two artificially sweetened soft drinks a day can
result in an increased risk of declining kidney function.
Potential therapeutic target for
curbing inflammation in fat people identified
Researchers from University of California, San Diego have identified a potential
therapeutic target for curbing inflammation in obese people.
Chocolate 'can protect against UV
waves'
According to European Dermatology London, chocolate which contains "exceptionally
high" levels of flavanol can help to protect skin against the impact of UV waves from
sunlight.
A wonder food to be taken with a
pinch of salt
GM soya isn’t going to stop people catching small fish and grinding them up as
fishmeal.
Conflict emerges over value of
handwashing
There’s no evidence that good hand hygiene practices prevent influenza transmission,
according to a Council of Canadian Academies report commissioned by the Public Health
Agency of Canada (PHAC).
'Rapid influenza tests' often fail
to detect H1N1
Although still used in doctors' offices and emergency departments, "rapid influenza
diagnostic tests" actually do a fairly poor job of sniffing out H1N1, a growing body
of evidence shows.
Al Gore Endorses Non-Violent
Lawbreaking in Forcing Anti-Global Warming Action
Al Gore has sought to inject fresh momentum into the Copenhagen build-up, saying he is
certain Barack Obama will attend and predicting a rise in civil disobedience against
fossil-fuel polluters unless drastic action is taken over global warming.
Antimicrobials - Silver (And
Copper) Bullets to Kill Bacteria
Dana Filoti of the University of New Hampshire will present thin films of silver and
copper she has developed that can kill bacteria and may one day help to cut down on
hospital infections. The antimicrobial properties of silver and copper have been known for
centuries -- last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officially registered
copper alloys, allowing them to be marketed with the label "kills 99.9% of bacteria
within two hours." Copper ions are known to penetrate bacteria and disrupt molecular
pathways important for their survival.
Asbestos killing more Canadians
than ever; like old 'landmines'
An aggressive cancer linked to asbestos is killing more Canadians than ever before, even
decades after the end of a boom that saw buildings stuffed with the toxic substance.
Atkins-style low carb, high protein
dieters 'more likely to suffer depression'
People who try to lose weight using an Atkins-style low carb, high protein diet are more
likely to suffer depression, a study suggests.
Bubbles used to find cancer cells
A new technique using tiny bubbles to detect cancer has been developed by clinicians at a
hospital in Kent.
Cancer recurs in 'dense' breasts
Women treated for breast cancer are at a higher risk of a relapse if they have
"dense" breasts, say researchers.
Chemotherapy's link to hearing loss
found
Canadian researchers have discovered why a common chemotherapy drug causes hearing loss in
some childhood cancer patients, paving the way for a simple saliva or blood test that can
predict who is most likely to develop the problem.
Despite Censorship By Beef Magnate,
Michael Pollan Spreads Message About the Real Price of Cheap Food
Pollan took on Big Ag and cheap food in a panel discussion, after the protests of a meat
industry chairman led to his speech at a University being canceled.
H1N1 exposes weak leave policies
In Washington and across the country, the arrival of the flu season has prompted companies
of all sizes to weigh how to accommodate sick workers while keeping the business running.
Ideal Nanoparticle Cancer Therapies
Surf the Bloodstream
Eric Shaqfeh studies blood at Stanford University, using computer models that simulate how
the fluid and the cells it contains move around. On November 11 at a meeting of the
scientific society AVS, he will present his latest unpublished findings from two studies.
One shows how components in blood line up to prepare for healing; the other demonstrates
the best shape to use for man-made nanoparticles that target cancers -- a surfboard.
Newly Discovered Fat Molecule - An
Undersea Killer with an Upside
A chemical culprit responsible for the rapid, mysterious death of phytoplankton in the
North Atlantic Ocean has been found by collaborating scientists at Rutgers University and
the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). This same chemical may hold unexpected
promise in cancer research. The team discovered a previously unknown lipid, or fatty
compound, in a virus that has been attacking and killing Emiliania huxleyi, a
phytoplankton that plays a major role in the global carbon cycle.
Nobel Laureate Slams the Bible,
Calls It "A Catalogue of Cruelties"
The holy book is a "manual of bad morals," according to José Saramago.
WFU study on hormone may cut
prostate biopsies
A research study, co-led by Wake Forest University School of Medicine, has found that a
hormone normally occurring in the body may cause some elevated levels of prostate specific
antigen in men.
Soldiers claim war zone contractors
exposed them to toxins
Nashville lawsuit one of several over 'burn pits' in Iraq and Afghanistan alleged to
contain dioxin, asbestos and human corpses.
Study Claims Even the Most
Sophisticated Readers Can Be Manipulated
Yet new research out of the London School of Economics and Political Science suggests that
even the most hardened Europeans may succumb to media manipulation and change their
political views if they are bombarded long enough with biased news.
Researching Growth-Regulation
Proteins That Underlie Cancer
A University of Arkansas researcher will study potential cancer-causing mutants of a
protein involved in cell growth regulation, thanks to a supplemental grant from the
National Institutes of Health. Paul Adams, assistant professor of chemistry and
biochemistry, has received $108,000 over two years as part of the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act to hire two postdoctoral associates who will perform detailed studies of
two different mutants of a protein involved in cell growth regulation.“One of the
hallmarks of cancer is that the cell does not turn off – it keeps growing,”
Adams said. “Our goal is to find ways to eradicate this behavior.” Adams studies
a member of the Ras family of proteins that is involved in turning the growth of a cell on
and off. His research team has created genetically engineered mutants of the protein with
interesting results.
Nasa plans to irradiate monkeys
anger animal rights groups
Nasa’s plans to irradiate squirrel monkeys in an attempt to model the effects of
long-term exposure to cosmic radiation has met with protests from animal rights groups.
Gene behind vaccine 'memory'
revealed
Scientists have pinpointed the gene responsible for how the body responds to vaccines, a
discovery that could lead to better vaccinations.
Pot smoking can damage young brains
Smoking marijuana is more harmful for young people than previously believed, according to
a Swedish study.
Sweden slammed for UN rights
failures
Sweden has come in for harsh criticism from the country's United Nations association and
15 other organizations for failing to abide by a number of UN conventions.
Wave power plant planned for west
coast
Plans to built the country's first wave power plant in the sea, northwest of Smögen on
Sweden’s west coast, have been proposed by Uppsala-based company Seabased Industry.
Pesticides found in organic tea
Green herb teas are habitually marketed as offering additional health benefits. But eight
of ten popular brands contain chemicals that can be hazardous to health, according to a
new analysis by the company Testfakta.
UCI embryonic stem cell therapy
restores walking ability in rats with neck injuries
The first human embryonic stem cell treatment approved by the FDA for human testing has
been shown to restore limb function in rats with neck spinal cord injuries - a finding
that could expand the clinical trial to include people with cervical damage. In January,
the U.S. Food & Drug Administration gave Geron Corp. of Menlo Park, Calif., permission
to test the UC Irvine treatment in individuals with thoracic spinal cord injuries, which
occur below the neck. However, trying it in those with cervical damage wasn't approved
because preclinical testing with rats hadn't been completed. Results of the cervical study
currently appear online in the journal Stem Cells. UCI scientist Hans Keirstead hopes the
data will prompt the FDA to authorize clinical testing of the treatment in people with
both types of spinal cord damage. About 52 percent of spinal cord injuries are cervical
and 48 percent thoracic.
Expectant moms, babies subjects of
new Singapore study to prevent obesity and diabetes in adults
Three Singapore biomedical institutions have launched a major, long-term study of pregnant
mothers and their fetuses as well as infant children to determine just how profoundly
environmental factors early in life influence the onset of diseases such as obesity and
diabetes in later years. The new research program, inspired by research evidence showing
that the environment in which a baby is conceived, born and grows up determines the
child's growth and development, will involve researchers based at the KK Women's and
Children's Hospital (KKH), the National University Hospital (NUH) and the Singapore
Institute for Clinical Sciences (SICS), which is part of A*STAR (Agency for Science,
Technology and Research). The lead investigator, Chong Yap Seng, M.D., of the National
University Health System (NUHS), is working with a team of Singaporean and international
researchers and is recruiting a total of 1,200 expectant mothers for the study, which
initially will track children from fetal development to 3 years of age, and subsequently,
if further funding is secured, as they grow up to become adults. Attempts at modifying
lifestyles to prevent or reduce diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease have had a
limited impact thus far, Dr. Chong noted. Hence, the importance of a major initiative to
study how fetuses respond to their environment during development.
Hundreds of genes distinguish
patients likely to survive advanced melanoma
Although the chances of surviving advanced melanoma aren't very good with current
therapies, some patients can live for years with cancer that has spread beyond the skin to
other organs. Now it may be possible to identify which patients are more likely to survive
by analyzing the activity of hundreds of genes involved in the immune response and gene
proliferation, according to researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center. In a new study to
be published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the
researchers used a powerful technique called DNA-microarray technology to find 266 genes
associated with shorter or longer survival among 38 patients whose melanomas had recurred
after being surgically removed. Although it is early days, such genetic information may
help decide the best course of treatment for patients with advanced disease. "If we
could actually understand what was happening in those patients, within the tumor itself,
perhaps we'd be able to help them in terms of what therapy they might go on," said
Nina Bhardwaj, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, pathology and dermatology at NYU Langone
Medical Center and the study's senior author. The collaborative study, led by graduate
student Dusan Bogunovic, provides some tantalizing hints about the underlying mechanism of
melanoma. "We found that patients who survived longer had gene activity consistent
with an immune response," Dr. Bhardwaj said. "Patients who didn't survive as
long didn't have an up-regulation of those genes but tended to have higher levels of genes
associated with cell proliferation, suggesting that if your cells are growing more
actively, the tumor is going to grow faster."
New study reveals handwriting is
real problem for children with autism
Handwriting skills are crucial for success in school, communication, and building
children's self-esteem. The first study to examine handwriting quality in children with
autism spectrum disorders (ASD) has uncovered a relationship between fine motor control
and poor quality of handwriting in children with ASD, according to research published in
the November 10, 2009, issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy
of Neurology. The study, conducted by researchers at the Kennedy Krieger Institute,
compared handwriting samples, motor skills, and visuospatial abilities of children with
ASD to typically developing children. The researchers found that overall, the handwriting
of children with ASD was worse than typically developing children. Specifically, children
with ASD had trouble with forming letters, however in other categories, such as size,
alignment, and spacing, their handwriting was comparable to typically developing children.
These findings build on previous studies examining motor skills and ASD conducted in 2009
by Kennedy Krieger researchers. Parents of children with ASD are often the first ones to
observe their child's poor handwriting quality. This study identifies fine motor control
as a root source of the problem and demonstrates that children with ASD may not experience
difficulties across all domains, just forming letters. By identifying handwriting as a
legitimate impairment, parents, teachers and therapists will now be able to pursue
techniques that will improve children's handwriting.
CSHL study shows that some
malignant tumors can be shut down after all
Oncologists have had their hands tied because more than half of all human cancers have
mutations that disable a protein called p53. As a critical anti-cancer watchdog, p53
masterminds several cancer-fighting operations within cells. When cells lose p53, tumors
grow aggressively and often cannot be treated. These tumors might be tough, but they're
not invincible, suggests a new study from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL). The chink
in the tumors' armor, according to CSHL Associate Professor Alea Mills, Ph.D., is a
protein called TAp63, an older sibling of p53 that's usually intact and not mutated in
most cancers. Mills and her team have succeeded in shutting off the growth of tumors in
which p53 is missing by turning up the production of TAp63 proteins, which make up one
class of proteins produced by the p63 gene. TAp63 completely blocked tumor initiation, the
team found, by inducing senescence, a state of growth arrest in which tumor cells are
still metabolically alive but fail to divide. More importantly, turning up the levels of
TAp63 in cells that did not have p53 blocked the progression of established tumors in
mice.
Yoga boosts heart health
Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga
practitioners than in non-practitioners, according to research to be published in a
forthcoming issue of the International Journal of Medical Engineering and Informatics. The
autonomic nervous system regulates the heart rate through two routes - the sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems. The former causes the heart rate to rise, while, the
parasympathetic slows it. When working well together, the two ensure that the heart rate
is steady but ready to respond to changes caused by eating, the fight or flight response,
or arousal. The ongoing variation of heart rate is known as heart rate variability (HRV),
which refers to the beat-to-beat changes in heart rate. In healthy individuals HRV is high
whereas cardiac abnormalities lead to a low HRV.
Researchers show how to divide and
conquer 'social network' of cells
On Noah's Ark animals came in twos: male and female. In human bodies trillions of cells
are coupled, too, and so are the molecules from which they are composed. Yet these don't
come in twos, they are regrouped into indistinguishable clusters. Because these complex
cell networks are the backbone of life – and illness – scientists have long
searched for ways to splice cell clusters down to their original pairs. According to a new
study in the journal Nature Methods, Université de Montréal scientists Stephen Michnick
and Po Hien Ear have managed the feat of dividing cell networks down to their genesis. The
discovery could have applications for diseases such as cancer, where blood-thirsty cells
could be decoupled to curb their multiplication in the human body.
Traumatic memories can be erased
It is well known that fear memories are permanent. However, a recent paper in Science,
evaluated by three Faculty Members for F1000, reports an extraordinary finding that
supports the use of a drug to control recollections of traumatic incidents. The
researchers demonstrated that, in mice, proteins known as extracellular matrix chondroitin
sulfate proteoglycans form 'neural nets' in the brain that protect against the erasure of
memory. They also reported that, when these mice were given a drug called chondroitinase
ABC, fear memories were more likely to disappear than for those mice in the control group.
This finding has important therapeutic implications for sufferers of anxiety disorders, as
it could allow doctors to erase the memories of patients who have had extremely traumatic
experiences, such as survivors of war. In his review for F1000 Medicine, David P. Wolfer
said, "The identification of cellular mechanisms that ... control the stability of
fear memories is extremely important for the development of new and better therapies for
anxiety disorders". The article was also evaluated by Gregory Quirk, an anxiety
disorders expert, who said, "Once we know how perineuronal nets are regulated, it may
be possible to ... allow fears in adults to be erased by extinction-based therapies."
Connection between depression and
osteoporosis detailed by Hebrew University researchers
Research carried out among thousands of people has shown a clear connection between
depression and a loss of bone mass, leading to osteoporosis and fractures. This was
revealed by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers, Prof. Raz Yirmiya, head of the
Brain and Behavior Laboratory, and Prof. Itai Bab, head of the Bone Laboratory. They
further revealed that the relationship between depression and bone loss is particularly
strong among young women. Osteoporosis is the most widespread degenerative disease in the
developed world, afflicting 1 in 3 women and 1 in 5 men over 50. Sufferers experience
decrease in bone density, which often leads to bone fractures. In many cases, these
fractures cause severe disability and even death. Despite the accumulating evidence for a
connection between depression and decreased bone density, official authorities, such as
the US National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization, have not yet
acknowledged depression as a risk factor for osteoporosis, due to the lack of studies in
large samples. To remedy this situation, the Hebrew University researchers assembled the
data from all studies on the subject conducted to date, and analyzed them using a special
statistical approach called meta-analysis. The results were recently reported in the
journal Biological Psychiatry. In the article the Hebrew University scientists assessed
data from 23 research projects conducted in eight countries, comparing bone density among
2,327 people suffering from depression against 21,141 non-depressed individuals.
Women with asthma feel worse
Women with asthma are more anxious, find it harder to sleep and are more tired during the
day than their male counterparts, but nevertheless tend to be better at following their
treatment, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg
in close collaboration with Sahlgrenska University Hospital. "Men and women with
asthma differ biologically, socially, culturally and psychologically, which affects their
quality of life," says Rosita Sundberg, a doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy
and allergy coordinator at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. "It's important that we
take account of this when caring for teenagers and young adults with asthma." Even as
teenagers and young adults, women with asthma feel worse than their male counterparts. In
one of the studies covered by the thesis, just over a hundred men and women around the age
of 20 with severe or moderate asthma responded to a questionnaire on how their day-to-day
lives are affected by the illness. The women felt more strongly that they are limited by
their asthma. "There are more women who cannot do the sports they want to, who are in
pain and who are bothered by their illness when socialising with friends," says
Sundberg.
Language support is important for
children with autism
Teachers and parents must be vigilant in observing difficulties with language
comprehension, reading and spelling in children and young people with autism,
Asperger’s syndrome and ADHD.“It is important that pupils are offered the
support to which they are entitled”, says Jakob Åsberg in a new thesis at the
University of Gothenburg. “Pupils with these neuropsychiatric disorders are often
reported as having problems with spoken and written activities. However, relatively little
research has been carried out within the field. Considering how important such skills are
for coping independently in school and in working life and society in general, it is of
great importance that we become better informed about these issues”, considers Jakob
Åsberg, who is publicly defending his thesis in psychology.Among other things, the
findings in the five studies that comprise the thesis demonstrate that pupils with autism
or Asperger’s syndrome often have problems with comprehension, in particular with
continuous texts such as stories. However, it was common that these children and young
people were able to read individual words correctly and with a satisfactory flow, even
though there was significant variation within the group in this respect.
Scientists successfully reprogram
blood cells
Researchers have transplanted genetically modified hematopoietic stem cells into mice so
that their developing red blood cells produce a critical lysosomal enzyme –preventing
or reducing organ and central nervous system damage from the often-fatal genetic disorder
Hurler's syndrome. The research team from Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
reports its preclinical laboratory results this week in the early edition of Proceedings
of the National Academy of Sciences. The study suggests a new approach to molecular gene
therapy and a much-needed improved treatment option for children with Hurler's syndrome,
said Dao Pan, Ph.D., a researcher in the Division of Experimental Hematology/Cancer
Biology at Cincinnati Children's and the study's principal author. It also is the first
study to demonstrate that developing red blood cells can be used to produce lysosomal
enzymes. "The idea behind this is gene insertion so that after one treatment a person
would be cured," said Dr. Pan. "In the mouse models receiving this treatment,
the pathology of the peripheral organs tested was completely normalized. And although not
as complete, we also saw significantly improved neurological function and brain
pathology."
Reduced muscle strength associated
with risk for Alzheimer's
Individuals with weaker muscles appear to have a higher risk for Alzheimer's disease and
declines in cognitive function over time, according to a report in the November issue of
Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Alzheimer's disease is
characterized by declines in memory and other cognitive (thinking, learning and memory)
functions, according to background information in the article. However, it is also
associated with other features, such as impaired gait and other motor functions,
depression and decreased grip strength. Patricia A. Boyle, Ph.D., and colleagues at Rush
University Medical Center, Chicago, studied 970 older adults (average age 80.3) who did
not have dementia at their initial evaluation. Each participant underwent a structured
initial evaluation that included a medical history, 21 tests of cognitive function,
neurologic and neuropsychological evaluations and a composite measure of muscle strength
derived from testing in 11 muscle groups. During an average of 3.6 years of follow-up,
each participant completed at least one additional identical evaluation. Over the study
period, 138 participants (14.2 percent) developed Alzheimer's disease. Muscle strength
scores ranged from -1.6 to 3.3 units; for each one-unit increase at the beginning of the
study, older adults had about a 43 percent decrease in the risk of developing Alzheimer's
disease during follow-up. Those at the 90th percentile of muscle strength had about a 61
percent reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease compared with those in the 10th
percentile.
Stem cells restore cognitive
abilities impaired by brain tumor treatment, UCI study finds
Human embryonic stem cells could help people with learning and memory deficits after
radiation treatment for brain tumors, suggests a new UC Irvine study.Research with rats
found that transplanted stem cells restored learning and memory to normal levels four
months after radiotherapy. In contrast, irradiated rats that didn't receive stem cells
experienced a more than 50 percent drop in cognitive function. "Our findings provide
the first evidence that such cells can be used to ameliorate radiation-induced damage of
healthy tissue in the brain," said Charles Limoli, UCI radiation oncology associate
professor and senior author of the study, appearing online the week of Nov. 9 in the
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Radiotherapy for brain tumors is limited
by how well the surrounding tissue tolerates the treatment. In receiving radiation at
levels needed to treat tumors, patients suffer varying degrees of learning and memory
impairment that can affect their quality of life. "It's a progressive, debilitating
side effect of cranial irradiation," Limoli said. "Any treatments showing
promise at reversing this are worthy of pursuit."
Words, gestures are translated by
same brain regions, says new research
Your ability to make sense of Groucho's words and Harpo's pantomimes in an old Marx
Brothers movie takes place in the same regions of your brain, says new research funded by
the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), one of the
National Institutes of Health. In a study published in this week's Early Edition of
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), researchers have shown that the
brain regions that have long been recognized as a center in which spoken or written words
are decoded are also important in interpreting wordless gestures. The findings suggest
that these brain regions may play a much broader role in the interpretation of symbols
than researchers have thought and, for this reason, could be the evolutionary starting
point from which language originated. "In babies, the ability to communicate through
gestures precedes spoken language, and you can predict a child's language skills based on
the repertoire of his or her gestures during those early months," said James F.
Battey, Jr., M.D., Ph.D., director of the NIDCD. "These findings not only provide
compelling evidence regarding where language may have come from, they help explain the
interplay that exists between language and gesture as children develop their language
skills." Scientists have known that sign language is largely processed in the same
regions of the brain as spoken language. These regions include the inferior frontal gyrus,
or Broca's area, in the front left side of the brain, and the posterior temporal region,
commonly referred to as Wernicke's area, toward the back left side of the brain. It isn't
surprising that signed and spoken language activate the same brain regions, because sign
language operates in the same way as spoken language does—with its own vocabulary and
rules of grammar.
Antimicrobials - Silver (and
copper) bullets to kill bacteria
Dana Filoti of the University of New Hampshire will present thin films of silver and
copper she has developed that can kill bacteria and may one day help to cut down on
hospital infections. The antimicrobial properties of silver and copper have been known for
centuries -- last year, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency officially registered
copper alloys, allowing them to be marketed with the label "kills 99.9% of bacteria
within two hours." Copper ions are known to penetrate bacteria and disrupt molecular
pathways important for their survival. Using zeolite ceramic structures, Filoti is testing
the hypothesis that the combination of silver and copper might work synergistically to
better kill bacteria, work that she will present on November 12 at a meeting of the
scientific society AVS in San Jose. "The hard ceramic structure looks like Swiss
cheese and inside the holes there are ions of silver and copper," says Filoti. By
experimenting with the ratio of the two metals and the texture of the thin films, she has
been able to reduce the amount of microbes present on the surface by 99 percent. One
application of these antimicrobials, which Filoti is developing in partnership with a
company in New Hampshire, is an antimicrobial face mask designed to protect against
pathogens that cause many hospital-acquired infections.
Breast density associated with
increased risk of cancer recurrence
A new study finds that women treated for breast cancer are at higher risk of cancer
recurrence if they have dense breasts. Published in the December 15, 2009 issue of Cancer,
a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the study's results indicate that
breast cancer patients with dense breasts may benefit from additional therapies following
surgery, such as radiation. Previous studies indicate that women with dense breast tissue
are at increased risk of breast cancer. Researchers have suspected that high breast
density may also increase the risk of cancer recurrence after lumpectomy, but this theory
has not been thoroughly studied. Researchers led by Steven A. Narod, MD, of the Women's
College Research Institute in Toronto, reviewed the medical records of 335 patients who
had undergone lumpectomy for breast cancer. Investigators monitored the patients for
cancer recurrence and compared recurrence with breast density as seen on mammogram,
categorized as low density (<25 percent dense tissue), intermediate density (25 percent to 50 percent dense tissue) or high density (>50 percent dense tissue). The researchers found that patients
with the highest breast density had a much greater risk of cancer recurrence than did
women with the lowest breast density. Over ten years, women in the highest breast density
category had a 21 percent chance of cancer recurrence, compared with a 5 percent chance
among women in the lowest category. The difference in the recurrence rates at ten years
was even more pronounced for women who did not receive radiation. In those women, 40
percent with high-density breast tissue had a recurrence compared with none of the
patients with low density.
Teenage obesity linked to increased
risk of MS
Teenage women who are obese may be more than twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis
(MS) as adults compared to female teens who are not obese, according to a study published
in the November 10, 2009, print issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American
Academy of Neurology. The research involved 238,371women from the Nurses' Health Study and
Nurses' Health Study II who were 25 to 55 years old. The women answered a questionnaire
about their health behavior and medical information every two years. Over the course of 40
years, 593 developed MS. Participants reported their weight and height at age 18.
Scientists then calculated their body mass index (BMI). The women were also asked to
choose one of nine body silhouettes, ranging from very thin to extremely obese, to
describe their body size at five, 10 and 20 years old. The study found that women who had
a BMI of 30 or larger at age 18 had more than twice the risk of developing MS compared to
those with a BMI between 18.5 and 20.9. A woman with a BMI of 25 to 29.9 kilograms per
meter squared was considered overweight whereas a woman who was considered obese had a BMI
of 30 or more kilograms per meter squared. The disease risk among women who were
overweight but not obese at age 18 was only somewhat increased. The results were the same
after accounting for smoking status and physical activity level.
Scientists uncover new key to the
puzzle of hormone therapy and breast cancer
The use of postmenopausal hormone therapy has decreased over time in the United States,
which researchers suggest may play a key role in the declining rate of atypical ductal
hyperplasia, a known risk factor for breast cancer. "Postmenopausal hormone treatment
is associated with increased rates of benign breast biopsies, and early and late stages of
cancer. Atypical ductal hyperplasia is associated with the use of postmenopausal hormone
treatment and its rates have decreased with the decline in use of this treatment,"
said researcher Tehillah Menes, M.D., who was the chief of breast service in the
Department of Surgery at Elmhurst Hospital Center, New York, when this study was
conducted. Details of these findings are published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers
& Prevention, which is a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Atypical ductal hyperplasia is abnormal cells that grow in the milk ducts of the breast.
Previous research has shown that women who are diagnosed with atypical ductal hyperplasia
are at a three- to five-fold increased risk of developing breast cancer. Using data from
the Breast Cancer Surveillance Consortium, Menes and colleagues examined the rates of
atypical ductal hyperplasia to determine risk factors and rates for more than 2.4 million
mammography studies with and without breast cancer.
Exposure to Several Common
Infections Over Time May Be Associated With Risk of Stroke
Cumulative exposure to five common infection-causing pathogens may be associated with an
increased risk of stroke, according to a report posted online today that will appear in
the January 2010 print issue of Archives of Neurology, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Stroke is the third leading cause of death and leading cause of serious disability in the
United States, according to background information in the article. Known risk factors
include high blood pressure, heart disease, abnormal cholesterol levels and smoking, but
many strokes occur in patients with none of these factors. "There is therefore
interest in identifying additional modifiable risk factors," the authors write. Some
evidence exists that prior infection with pathogens such as herpes viruses promotes
inflammation, contributes to arterial disease and thereby increases stroke risk. Mitchell
S. V. Elkind, M.D., M.S., of Columbia University Medical Center, New York, and colleagues
studied 1,625 adults (average age 68.4) living in the multi-ethnic urban community of
northern Manhattan, New York. Blood was obtained from all participants-none of whom had a
stroke-and was tested for antibodies indicating prior exposure to five common pathogens:
Chlamydia pneumoniae, Helicobacter pylori, cytomegalovirus and herpes simplex virus 1 and
2. A weighted composite index of exposure to all five pathogens was developed.
Mood Improves on Low-Fat, but not
Low-Carb, Diet Plan
After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters' mood than
a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a report in the
November 9 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.
Obese individuals who lose weight tend to have an improved psychological state, including
a better mood, according to background information in the article. "Despite the
consistency of official recommendations advocating a high-carbohydrate, low-fat,
energy-restricted diet for obesity treatment, the obesity epidemic has led to widespread
interest in alternative dietary patterns for weight management, including very
low-carbohydrate 'ketogenic' diets that are typically high in protein and fat
(particularly saturated fat)," the authors write. "While recent clinical studies
have shown that low-carbohydrate diets can be an effective alternative dietary approach
for weight loss, their long-term effects on psychological function, including mood and
cognition, have been poorly studied."
Women with asthma feel worse
Women with asthma are more anxious, find it harder to sleep and are more tired during the
day than their male counterparts, but nevertheless tend to be better at following their
treatment, reveals a thesis from the Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg
in close collaboration with Sahlgrenska University Hospital. "Men and women with
asthma differ biologically, socially, culturally and psychologically, which affects their
quality of life," says Rosita Sundberg, a doctoral student at the Sahlgrenska Academy
and allergy coordinator at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. "It's important that we
take account of this when caring for teenagers and young adults with asthma." Even as
teenagers and young adults, women with asthma feel worse than their male counterparts. In
one of the studies covered by the thesis, just over a hundred men and women around the age
of 20 with severe or moderate asthma responded to a questionnaire on how their day-to-day
lives are affected by the illness. The women felt more strongly that they are limited by
their asthma.
Greening of the Sahara desert
triggered early human migrations out of Africa
A team of scientists from the NIOZ Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research and the
University of Bremen (Germany) has determined that a major change in the climate of the
Sahara and Sahel region of North Africa facilitated early human migrations from the
African continent. The team’s findings will be published online in the Nov. 9th
installment of Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA.
Among the key findings are that the Sahara desert and the Sahel were considerably wetter
around 9,000, 50,000 and 120,000 years ago then at present, allowing for the growth of
trees instead of grasses.
Putting the squeeze on DNA
Researchers in Egypt have developed a technique to compress DNA sequences of the kind used
in medical research so that they take up a lot less space in a computer database but
without loss of information. The approach is described in detail in a forthcoming issue of
the International Journal of Bioinformatics Research and Applications. Molecular sequence
databases, such as those at EMBL, GenBank, and Entrez contain millions of DNA sequences
filling many thousands of gigabytes of computer storage capacity of sequences. With almost
every new scientific publication in genetics and related sciences, a new sequence is added
and the rate at which the data is accumulating is on the rise. These sequences play a
vital role in medical research, disease diagnosis, and the design and development of new
drugs.
Discovery in worms by Queen's
researchers points to more targeted cancer treatment
Researchers at Queen's University have found a link between two genes involved in cancer
formation in humans, by examining the genes in worms. The groundbreaking discovery
provides a foundation for how tumor-forming genes interact, and may offer a drug target
for cancer treatment. "When cancer hijacks a healthy system, it can create tumors by
causing cells to divide when they shouldn't," says Ian Chin-Sang, a developmental
biologist at Queen's and lead researcher on the study. "Certain genes control the
normal movement and growth of cells, and by studying how these genes interact, we can
understand what is abnormal when cancer is present." There is an important gene in
humans called PTEN that acts as a tumor suppressor. When the PTEN gene function is lost,
it can lead to cancers. For example, 70-80 per cent of all prostate cancers have lost PTEN
function. Another gene family, called Eph receptors, often shows high levels in cancers,
but a connection between PTEN and Eph Receptors in cancer formation has never been shown.
The Queen's study shows the remarkable relationship between these genes in worms.
People with less education could be
more susceptible to the flu
People who did not earn a high school diploma could be more likely to get H1N1 and the
vaccine might be less effective in them compared to those who earned a diploma, new
research shows. The University of Michigan study looked at a latent virus called CMV in
young people, and the body's ability to control the virus. Previous studies have shown
that elderly people with less education are less successful at fighting off CMV, but this
is the first known study to make that connection in younger adults as well, said study
co-author Jennifer Dowd, who began the work while in the Health and Society Scholars
program at the U-M School of Public Health. Previous studies have shown that high levels
of CMV antibodies make it tougher for the elderly to fight new infections like H1N1, and
hampers the body's immune response to the flu vaccine. The U-M findings suggest that lower
socioeconomic status may make it tougher even for adults of all ages to fight new
infections and may make the flu vaccine less effective.
New UAB Study Sheds Light on
Brain’s Response to Distress, Unexpected Events
In a new study, psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are able to
see in detail for the first time how various regions of the human brain respond when
people experience an unexpected or traumatic event. The study could lead to the creation
of biological measures that could identify people with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) or identify PTSD sufferers who would benefit from specific treatments. In the
study, UAB researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to see how
activity in the parts of the brain associated with fear, learning and memory respond when
research participants were startled by a loud static sound and when they were able to
correctly predict when the sound would occur.
Minimally Invasive Surgery Shown
Safe and Effective Treatment for Rectal Cancer
Laparoscopic surgery has been used in the treatment of intestinal disorders for close to
20 years, but its benefits have only recently begun to be extended to people with rectal
cancer. In a prospective study of 103 patients who underwent straightforward or
"hand-assisted" laparoscopic surgery for rectal cancer, a team of colon and
rectal surgeons at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center has shown
that the minimally invasive approach can be as effective as traditional open surgery in
treating rectal cancers. The advantages of laparoscopic and other minimally invasive
surgical techniques are well known. After laparoscopic surgery, patients experience
shorter hospital stays, smaller scars, far less pain and faster recovery, compared with
open surgery. NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell has offered these procedures for many
years, and continues to be at the forefront of innovation, applying the minimally invasive
approach to diseases and conditions once considered treatable mainly using open surgery
techniques. Until recently, rectal cancer was one such disease — and its treatment
via laparoscopic surgery is still seen by some as controversial. Rectal surgery, according
to Dr. Jeffrey Milsom, chief of colon and rectal surgery at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill
Cornell, is inherently more challenging than colon surgery. For one, the pelvic cavity of
the body where the rectum lies, is a narrow space, making rectal tumors difficult to
access. Surgical success depends not only on the complete removal of the cancerous tumor
and repair of the rectum, but also on restoring continence. For these reasons, rectal
cancer has been a difficult arena to apply advances in minimally invasive surgery.
Over 2,200 veterans died in 2008
due to lack of health insurance
A research team at Harvard Medical School estimates 2,266 U.S. military veterans under the
age of 65 died last year because they lacked health insurance and thus had reduced access
to care. That figure is more than 14 times the number of deaths (155) suffered by U.S.
troops in Afghanistan in 2008, and more than twice as many as have died (911 as of Oct.
31) since the war began in 2001. The researchers, who released their analysis today
[Tuesday], pointedly say the health reform legislation pending in the House and Senate
will not significantly affect this grim picture.
Copper-Zinc Interaction Additive,
Affects Toxic Response in Soybean
Agricultural soils accumulate trace metals, particularly copper and zinc, as a result of
their presence in wastes (sewage biosolids and manures) and fungicides that are applied
over long periods of time. Regulations and guidelines for tolerable concentrations of
these potentially plant-toxic elements in soils are based on the assumption that the toxic
effects of the metals are substantially independent and not additive. However, additivity
would imply that soil tolerance limits for each metal must be adjusted to compensate for
the presence of another metal. There has been very little experimental work to date to
provide a basis for determining the degree to which copper-zinc interaction in soils is
additive as defined by the toxicity response in crops. Researchers at Cornell University
have investigated the copper-zinc interaction in two soils with different textures, using
soybean growth and metal uptake into leaves to evaluate both toxicity and availability of
these metals to the plants. Soybean crops were grown in pots in the field in two
successive years after allowing copper and zinc sulfate-amended soils to age in the field
for one year prior to the first planting. Copper and zinc were added to individual soils
to provide 0, 50,100, 200, and 400 mg/kg of each metal as well as every possible
combination of addition levels of the two metals. The results from the study are published
in the November-December issue of Journal of Environmental Quality.
New imagining technique could lead
to better antibiotics and cancer drugs
A recently devised method of imaging the chemical communication and warfare between
microorganisms could lead to new antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral and anti-cancer drugs,
said a Texas AgriLife Research scientist. "Translating metabolic exchange with
imaging mass spectrometry," was published Nov. 8 in Nature Chemical Biology, a
prominent scientific journal.
Iowa State University researcher
discovers key to vital DNA, protein interaction
A researcher at Iowa State University has discovered how a group of proteins from plant
pathogenic bacteria interact with DNA in the plant cell, opening up the possibility for
what the scientist calls a "cascade of advances." Adam Bogdanove, associate
professor in plant pathology, was researching the molecular basis of bacterial diseases of
rice when he and Matthew Moscou, a student in the bioinformatics and computation biology
graduate program, discovered that the so-called TAL effector proteins injected into plant
cells by strains of the bacterium Xanthomonas attach at specific locations to host DNA
molecules. They found that different proteins of this class bind to different DNA
locations, and particular amino acids in each protein determine those locations, called
binding sites, in a very straightforward way. "When we hit on it, we thought, 'Wow,
this is so simple, it's ridiculous,'" Bogdanove said. Bogdanove's research will be
published in an upcoming issue of the journal Science and is highlighted in last week's
Science Express, an early online edition for research the Science editors feel is
particularly timely and important. The paper is being published alongside a study from
another research team that arrived at the same conclusions independently. In his research,
Bogdanove was examining how Xanthomonas uses TAL effectors to manipulate gene function in
plants in ways that benefit the pathogen. Bogdanove was specifically interested in how
different TAL effector proteins are able to activate different corresponding plant genes.
'Escaped' proteins add to hearing
loss in elderly, UF researchers find
Age-related hearing loss is the most common sensory disorder among the elderly. But
scientists are still trying to figure out what cellular processes govern or contribute to
the loss. Now a University of Florida team and researchers from University of Wisconsin
and three other institutions have identified a protein that is central to processes that
cause oxidative damage to cells and lead to age-related hearing loss. The findings help
point the way toward a new target for antioxidant therapies and will be published online
this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. One theory of aging
holds that free radicals damage components of mitochondria, the energy center of cells.
Such damage accumulates over time, leading to a destabilization of the mitochondria, which
leads to release of certain proteins. "Within the mitochondria these proteins cause
life, but when they're out they're deadly," professor Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, Ph.D.,
chief of the biology of aging division at UF's College of Medicine and a member of the
Institute on Aging. The cell death triggered by the escaped proteins lead to physical
effects we associate with aging, such as hearing loss.
'Emotions increase or decrease
pain' researchers
Getting a flu shot this fall? Canadians scientists have found that focusing on a pretty
image could alleviate the sting of that vaccine. According to a new Université de
Montréal study, published in the latest edition of the Proceedings of the National
Academy of Sciences (PNAS), negative and positive emotions have a direct impact on pain.
"Emotions – or mood – can alter how we react to pain since they're
interlinked," says lead author Mathieu Roy, who completed the study as a Université
de Montréal PhD student and is now a post-doctoral fellow at Columbia University.
"Our tests revealed when pain is perceived by our brain and how that pain can be
amplified when combined with negative emotions." As part of the study, 13 subjects
were recruited to undergo small yet painful electric shocks, which caused knee-jerk
reactions controlled by the spine that could be measured. During the fMRI process,
subjects were shown a succession of images that were either pleasant (i.e. summer
water-skiing), unpleasant (i.e. a vicious bear) or neutral (i.e. a book). Brain reaction
was simultaneously measured in participants through functional magnetic resonance imaging
(fMRI).
A pain in the neck
The world record for fastest text message typing is held by a 21-year old college student
from Utah, but his dexterous digits could mean serious injury later on. Most adults aged
18-21 prefer texting over e-mail or phone calls, and ergonomics researchers are starting
to wonder whether it's putting the younger generation at risk for some overuse injuries -
once reserved for older adults who have spent years in front of a computer. Judith Gold,
an assistant professor of Epidemiology at the College of Health Professions and Social
Work, thinks this might be the case. At this year's annual meeting of the American Public
Health Association, she presented preliminary research which suggested that among college
students, the more they texted, the more pain they had in their neck and shoulders.
"What we've seen so far is very similar to what we see with office workers who've
spent most of their time at a computer," said Gold, who directs the Ergonomics and
Work Physiology Laboratory. "The way the body is positioned for texting –
stationary shoulders and back with rapidly moving fingers – is similar to the
position for typing on a computer."
Neuroimaging provides insights into
new treatment options for Alzheimer's disease
With about 35 million people around the world suffering from Alzheimer's disease (AD) by
the year 2010 and an expectation that these numbers will double every twenty years with
approximately 115 million cases by 2050, pressure on healthcare systems worldwide will be
intense. In a special issue of the journal Behavioural Neurology, twelve contributions
from an international group of researchers discuss imaging techniques that may contribute
to early diagnosis and advancements in treatment for this devastating disease. As life
expectancy increases across the globe, the incidence of AD rises dramatically. Currently,
AD care costs US Medicare and Medicaid and businesses over $148 billion dollars per year.
With an aging population, these costs could potentially triple by 2050. With the
prevalence of AD doubling with every decade of life after age 75, merely delaying the
onset of AD by five years would produce a 50% decrease in the prevalence of disease.
Study shows brief training in
meditation may help manage pain
Living with pain is stressful, but a surprisingly short investment of time in mental
training can help you cope. A new study examining the perception of pain and the effects
of various mental training techniques has found that relatively short and simple
mindfulness meditation training can have a significant positive effect on pain management.
Though pain research during the past decade has shown that extensive meditation training
can have a positive effect in reducing a person's awareness and sensitivity to pain, the
effort, time commitment, and financial obligations required has made the treatment not
practical for many patients. Now, a new study by researchers at the University of North
Carolina at Charlotte shows that a single hour of training spread out over a three day
period can produce the same kind of analgesic effect.The research appears in an article by
UNC Charlotte psychologists Fadel Zeidan, Nakia S. Gordon, Junaid Merchant and Paula
Goolkasian, in the current issue of The Journal of Pain. "This study is the first
study to demonstrate the efficacy of such a brief intervention on the perception of
pain," noted Fadel Zeidan, a doctoral candidate in psychology at UNC Charlotte and
the paper's lead author. "Not only did the meditation subjects feel less pain than
the control group while meditating but they also experienced less pain sensitivity while
not meditating."
Drug shrinks lung cancer tumors in
mice
A potential new drug for lung cancer has eliminated tumours in 50% of mice in a new study
published today in the journal Cancer Research. In the animals, the drug also stopped lung
cancer tumours from growing and becoming resistant to treatment. The authors of the
research, from Imperial College London, are now planning to take the drug into clinical
trials, to establish whether it could offer hope to patients with an inoperable form of
lung cancer. One in five people with lung cancer have small cell lung cancer and only
three per cent of these people are expected to survive for five years. With this form of
lung cancer, tumours spread quickly so it is rarely possible to remove the tumours
surgically. Because of this, small cell lung cancer is treated with chemotherapy, with or
without additional radiotherapy. Initially, the treatment often appears to work, reducing
the size of the tumours. However, the tumours usually grow back rapidly and then become
resistant to further treatment. The researchers behind today's study have identified a
drug that, in some mice, was able to completely shrink tumours away. In the mouse models,
it was also able to stop tumours from growing and it helped other forms of chemotherapy to
work more effectively. If the drug proves successful in humans, the researchers hope that
it could help patients with this kind of lung cancer to live longer. In small cell lung
cancer, tumours spread quickly because the tumour cells grow and divide faster than normal
cells. Previous research carried out by the Imperial team showed that these tumour cells
proliferate faster because they are fuelled by a growth hormone called FGF-2. This growth
hormone also triggers a survival mechanism in the tumour cells that makes them become
resistant to chemotherapy.
FDA approved leukemia drugs shows
promise in ovarian cancer cells
The drug Sprycel, approved for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in patients
with chronic myeloid leukemia, significantly inhibited the growth and invasiveness of
ovarian cancer cells and also promoted their death, a study by researchers with UCLA's
Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center found. The drug, when paired with a chemotherapy
regimen, was even more effective in fighting ovarian cancer in cell lines in which
signaling of the Src family kinases, associated with the deadly disease, is activated. The
study appears in the Nov. 10, 2009 edition of the British Medical Journal. Ovarian cancer,
which will strike 21,600 women this year and kill 15,500, causes more deaths than any
other cancer of the female reproductive system. Few effective therapies for ovarian cancer
exist, so it would be advantageous for patients if a new drug could be found that fights
the cancer, said Gottfried Konecny, an assistant professor of hematology/oncology, a
Jonsson Cancer Center researcher and first author of the study. "I think Sprycel
could be a potential additional drug for treating patients with Src dependent ovarian
cancer," Konecny said. "It is important to remember that this work is only on
cancer cell lines, but it is significant enough that it should be used to justify clinical
trials to confirm that women with this type of ovarian cancer could benefit."
Amyloid beta protein gets bum rap
While too much amyloid beta protein in the brain is linked to the development of
Alzheimer's disease, not enough of the protein in healthy brains can cause learning
problems and forgetfulness, Saint Louis University scientists have found. The finding
could lead to better medications to treat Alzheimer's disease, said John Morley, M.D.,
director of the division of geriatrics at Saint Louis University and the lead researcher
on the study. This research is very exciting because it causes us to look at amyloid beta
protein in a different way," Morley said. "After 20 years of research, what we
found goes totally against long-standing beliefs about amyloid beta protein. Our results
indicate that amyloid beta protein itself isn't the bad guy. The right amount of amyloid
beta protein happens to be very important for memory and learning in those who are
healthy."
Scripps team shows diet switching
can activate brain's stress system, lead to 'withdrawal' symptoms
In research that sheds light on the perils of yo-yo dieting and repeated bouts of
sugar-bingeing, researchers from The Scripps Research Institute have shown in animal
models that cycling between periods of eating sweet and regular-tasting food can activate
the brain's stress system and generate overeating, anxiety, and withdrawal-like symptoms.
The research is being published in an advance, online Early Edition of the journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) the week of November 9, 2009.
"When many people diet, they try to avoid fattening foods that taste good, but
ultimately end up going back to their regular eating habits," said senior author Eric
Zorrilla, Ph.D., an associate professor and member of the Pearson Center for Alcoholism
and Addiction Research and Harold L. Dorris Neurological Research Institute at Scripps
Research. "We found that rats cycled in this way between palatable food and less
tasty, but otherwise acceptable, food, begin to binge on the sweet food, stop eating their
regular food, and show withdrawal-like behaviors often associated with drug addiction. As
in addiction to drugs or ethanol, the brain's stress system is involved in each of these
changes." "Our research suggests that this eating pattern leads to a vicious
circle," explained Pietro Cottone, Ph.D., who is co-first author of the paper with
Valentina Sabino, Ph.D.; both are former postdoctoral fellows at Scripps Research who are
now assistant professors and co-directors of the Laboratory of Addictive Disorders at
Boston University School of Medicine. "The more you cycle this way, the more likely
it is you cycle again. Having a 'free day' in your diet schedule is a risky habit."
Climate studies to benefit from 12
years of satellite aerosol data
Aerosols, very small particles suspended in the air, play an important role in the global
climate balance and in regulating climate change. They are one of the greatest sources of
uncertainty in climate change models. ESA's GlobAerosol project has been making the most
of European satellite capabilities to monitor them. Using data from the Along Track
Scanning Radiometer-2 on the ERS-2 satellite, the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer
and the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer on Envisat and the Spinning Enhanced
Visible & InfraRed Imager (SEVIRI) instrument on the Meteosat Second Generation,
GlobAerosol has produced a global aerosol dataset going back to 1995. The full dataset is
available on the GlobAerosol website. Some aerosols occur naturally, originating from
sea-spray, wind-blown dust, volcanic eruptions and biochemical emissions from oceans and
forests, while others are produced through emissions from industrial pollution,
fossil-fuel burning, man-made forest fires and agriculture. They are important because
they strongly affect Earth’s energy balance in two ways: they scatter and absorb
sunlight and infrared emission from Earth's surface, and act as condensation nuclei for
the formation of cloud droplets. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change, these effects tend to cool the planet to almost the same degree as carbon dioxide
emissions warm it. These estimates are uncertain, however, so more data are needed.
Cells which prevent the development
of asthma
According to the great paradigms of immunology, asthma, an allergic disease of the
respiratory system, should always develop upon exposure to airborne antigens that are
constantly being inhaled. However, the fact that 94 % of the Western population does not
develop the disease suggests that as yet undefined mechanisms protect the respiratory
tract from developing an allergic response. A team of researchers at University of Liege
(Belgium), GIGA Research Center, led by Professor Fabrice Bureau, has shown that asthma is
inhibited by regulatory macrophages, a cell population never previously described. Asthma
affects 6 % of the population and kills twenty thousand people in Europe each year.
Patients suffering from the disease first develop, often at a very early age, a useless
and even harmful immune reaction to airborne allergens (mite excrement, pet scales,
pollens, etc.). Whenever exposed to these allergens, the patient's innate respiratory
immune system is reactivated, thereby inducing a narrowing of the airways, which in turn
results in insufficient oxygenation. As the airborne antigens we take in with each breath
are foreign to our bodies, this should elicit a response of the immune system. Moreover,
ambient air contains a significant number of immunostimulatory molecules (bacterial
endotoxins) that act as danger signals and should prompt the immune system to respond to
the inhaled antigens. If this were so, the entire population would be asthmatic.
Potential danger in canned soups,
veggies, foods
A study just released by Consumer Reports reports the presence of Bisphenol A (BPA) a
dangerous chemical found in nearly all name-brand canned foods, even those with labels
assuring they were "BPA-free" and "organic."
Chemical Exposure, Obesity Behind
Early Puberty For Girls
r. Lynch said earlier puberty puts girls at higher risk of sexual abuse, teasing or
bullying, mental health disorders and short stature as adults. Those are more reasons to
help kids control their weight since it might help delay puberty.
UK starts study on using human DNA
in animals
British scientists begin a new study on Tuesday to consider how human DNA is used in
animal experiments and to determine what the boundaries of such controversial science
might be.
Research Shows Why Diabetics Should
Avoid Vitamin D Deficiency
Based on new research, scientists are beginning to understand why people with diabetes
should be particularly wary of vitamin D deficiency.
Why Antidepressants Don't Work
The majority of people who take antidepressants for depression never get relief. Why?
Because the cause of depression has been oversimplified, and drugs designed to treat it
aim at the wrong target, according to a new study that appears to topple some strongly
held beliefs about depression.
Dirty air, heat, cold may all
trigger heart attacks
Extreme temperatures and heavy air pollution boost heart attack risk, according to a major
new study.
New Study Sheds Light on Brain's
Response to Distress, Unexpected Events
In a new study, psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are able to
see in detail for the first time how various regions of the human brain respond when
people experience an unexpected or traumatic event. The study could lead to the creation
of biological measures that could identify people with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) or identify PTSD sufferers who would benefit from specific treatments.
Plastics have more harmful impact
than thought
As scientists worldwide continue to look at plastics and how they are being used, yet
another article has surfaced that points out how a new ocean threat has been identified.
Yangtze delta warned to prepare for
effects of climate change
Delta has been warming faster than global average for a decade, and the impact is already
being felt, according to WWF China
'Toxic' US ship banned in India
India has blocked entry to a former US naval ship heading for break-up at a scrap yard on
its west coast, citing environmental and pollution concerns.
A Hunt for Seeds to Save Species,
Perhaps by Helping Them Move
“We recognize that climate change is likely to be very rapid and that seeds only
disperse a few hundred yards, half a mile at most, naturally,” said Kayri Havens, the
botanic garden’s director of plant science and conservation. “They’ll need
our help if we want to keep those species alive.”
Deafness gene discovered by
scientists
The findings will help doctors better understand the nature of age-related decline in
hearing and may lead to new therapies to prevent or treat the condition.
Eight in 10 hospital infections
going unreported 'because of Government targets'
Eight in ten hospital infections are going unreported and patients dying unnecessarily
because hospitals are focusing on just two Government-targeted superbugs, a new report
warns.
Yo-yo dieters 'suffer drug
withdrawal symptoms'
Yo-yo dieting may produce withdrawal symptoms similar to those suffered by alcoholics and
drug addicts, a study suggests.
How far should scientists take
animal research?
From Frankenstein to the Island of Dr Moreau we're well used to the idea of scientists
(mad or otherwise) pushing the boundaries of what is, and is not, acceptable.
Swedish researchers reveal key to
forming lasting memories
Researchers at Sweden's Karolinska Institutet have uncovered the mechanism that controls
how the brain creates long-term memories, marking a significant step forward for
developing new treatments for Alzheimer's disease.
Brain changes from PTSD seen in
soldiers
Powerful scans are letting doctors watch just how the brain changes in American veterans
with post-traumatic stress disorder and concussion-like brain injuries — signature
damage of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.
Study confirms clot risks with
anti-anemia drugs
Cancer patients who took drugs to cut the risk of anemia were twice as likely to develop
blood clots in the lungs or legs as other patients, a decade-long study of more than
55,000 cancer patients has found.
Cell Phones on Hip May Weaken Bone
Study Suggests Link Between Bone Weakness and Wearing a Cell Phone on the Hip
Doctor calls in warning
Millions of mobile phone users in the UAE could be at risk of developing brain tumours,
according to a leading expert on electromagnetic radiation, who will release his findings
in Dubai today.
Energy-saving powder
It is currently estimated that natural gas resources will be exhausted in 130 years;
however, those reserves where extraction is cost-effective will only flow for another 60
years or so. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Coal Research and at the Max
Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces might be helping to make it worthwhile to tap
into previously unused resources. They have developed a catalyst that converts methane to
methanol in a simple and efficient process. Methanol can be transported from locations
where it is not economical to build a pipeline. (Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., September 1,
2009) It is not cost-effective to lay pipelines to remote or small natural gas fields; nor
is it worthwhile accessing the methane in coal seams or in gas sand, or which is burned
off as a by-product of oil production, although the methane burned off throughout the
world could more than satisfy Germany's requirement for natural gas. It is also too
expensive to liquefy the gas and transport it on trains or in tankers - and even chemistry
has so far been unable to offer a solution. Although there are chemical ways to convert
methane to methanol, which is easy to transport and which is suitable as a raw material
for the chemical industry, "the processes commonly used up to now for producing
diesel fuel - steam reforming followed by methanol synthesis or Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
- are not economical," says Ferdi Schüth, Director at the Max Planck Institute for
Coal Research in Mülheim an der Ruhr. He and his colleagues have been working with Markus
Antonietti and his team at the Max Planck Institute of Colloids and Interfaces in Potsdam
to develop a catalyst that might change all this. The catalyst consists of a nitrogenous
material, a covalent, triazine-based network (CTF) synthesized by the chemists in Potsdam.
"This solid is so porous that the surface of a gram is approximately equivalent in
size to a fifth of a football field," says Markus Antonietti. The researchers in
Mülheim insert platinum atoms into the voluminous lattice of the CTF. Thanks to the large
surface area, the catalyst oxidizes the methane efficiently to methanol, as it offers the
methane a large area in which to react when the chemists immerse it in oxidizing sulphuric
acid, force methane into the acid and heat the mixture to 215° Celsius under pressure.
Methanol is created from more than three-quarters of the converted gas.
New evidence that dark chocolate
helps ease emotional stress
The "chocolate cure" for emotional stress is getting new support from a clinical
trial published online in ACS' Journal of Proteome Research. It found that eating about an
ounce and a half of dark chocolate a day for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones
in the bodies of people feeling highly stressed. Everyone's favorite treat also partially
corrected other stress-related biochemical imbalances. Sunil Kochhar and colleagues note
growing scientific evidence that antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dark
chocolate may reduce risk factors for heart disease and other physical conditions. Studies
also suggest that chocolate may ease emotional stress. Until now, however, there was
little evidence from research in humans on exactly how chocolate might have those
stress-busting effects. In the study, scientists identified reductions in stress hormones
and other stress-related biochemical changes in volunteers who rated themselves as highly
stressed and ate dark chocolate for two weeks. "The study provides strong evidence
that a daily consumption of 40 grams [1.4 ounces] during a period of 2 weeks is sufficient
to modify the metabolism of healthy human volunteers," the scientists say.
Largest-ever database for liver
proteins may lead to treatments for hepatitis
Scientists at a group of 11 research centers in China are reporting for the first time
assembly of the largest-ever collection of data about the proteins produced by genes in a
single human organ. Their focus was the liver, and their massive database in both protein
and transcript levels could become a roadmap for finding possible new biomarkers and
treatments for liver disease. Those include hepatitis and liver cancer, which is at
epidemic levels in China and affects millions of people worldwide. Part of the China Human
Liver Proteome Project, which was officially launched by the Ministry of Science and
Technology of China (MOST) and chaired by Fuchu He, the study appears online in ACS'
Journal of Proteome Research. He and colleagues point out that the liver plays many
essential roles in the body, such as producing digestive enzymes, hormones, most of the
proteins in the blood, storing carbohydrates for use in supplying energy to the muscles,
and activates and breaks down drugs. Despite that key role, huge gaps likely exist in
scientific knowledge about proteins involved in these activities. Using 10 tissue samples
of healthy liver from volunteers, they identified 6,788 non-redundant proteins in the
liver samples, the largest group of proteins ever identified by scientists in any human
organ. Half of the proteins have never been seen in the human liver before. One intriguing
and unexplained discovery: Many of the new-found proteins appear related to diseases in
the nervous system.
Athletes on performance enhancers
more likely to abuse alcohol, other drugs
College athletes who use performance-enhancing substances may be at heightened risk of
misusing alcohol and using recreational drugs as well, according to new research in the
Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs. The study, of 234 male athletes at one
university, found that those who used performance enhancers -- ranging from steroids to
stimulants to weight-loss supplements -- were more likely to admit to heavy drinking and
using drugs like marijuana and cocaine. Moreover, they also had elevated rates of alcohol-
and drug-related problems, such as missing classes, failing tests or getting into fights.
The implication is that many athletes are not only experimenting with recreational drugs
and alcohol, but suffering consequences as well, says study co-author Dr. Robert J.
Pandina, director of the Center of Alcohol Studies at Rutgers University in Piscataway,
New Jersey. Until now, it had been unclear whether college athletes who use performance
enhancers might have any higher risk of misusing other substances. On one hand, Pandina
explained, many athletes might avoid habits that could threaten their performance on the
field. On the other, athletes drawn to performance-enhancing substances might have certain
traits -- such as a propensity toward "sensation seeking" -- that make the
misuse of alcohol or other drugs more likely. In their study, the researchers, led by Dr.
Jennifer F. Buckman, assistant research professor at the Center of Alcohol Studies, found
that nearly one third of the athletes acknowledged using a performance-enhancing substance
in the past year. The list included banned substances like steroids, creatine,
"Andro," stimulants and weight-loss aids.
Exploration by explosion - studying
the inner realm of living cells
Scientists in Washington, DC, are reporting development and successful tests of a new way
for exploring the insides of living cells, the microscopic building blocks of all known
plants and animals. They explode the cell while it is still living inside a plant or
animal, vaporize its contents, and sniff. The study appears in online in ACS' journal
Analytical Chemistry. Akos Vertes and Bindesh Shrestha note that knowing the contents of
cells is the key to understanding how healthy cells differ from those in disease. Until
now, however, the only way to "look" inside an individual cell was to remove it
from its natural environment in an animal or plant, or change its environment. But doing
so changed the cell. Scientists never knew whether one cell differed from another because
of the disease, or because they had removed it to a new environment.The new report
describes development of a new technique that uses laser pulses focused through a tiny
glass fiber to explode a cell and turn its contents into vapor. Scientists then use a
laboratory instrument to analyze the vapor and get a profile of the chemicals inside. It
can reveal differences between diseased and healthy cells, even between adjacent cells in
the same tissue. The scientists used this new technique to analyze the contents of living
plant and animal cells and show that it quickly and accurately identified important
chemical details that would have been overlooked using conventional techniques.
Workplace BPA exposure increases
risk of male sexual dysfunction
High levels of workplace exposure to Bisphenol-A may increase the risk of reduced sexual
function in men, according to a Kaiser Permanente study appearing in the journal Human
Reproduction, published by Oxford Journals. [1] The five-year study examined 634 workers
in factories in China, comparing workers in BPA manufacturing facilities with a control
group of workers in factories where no BPA was present. The study found that the workers
in the BPA facilities had quadruple the risk of erectile dysfunction, and seven times more
risk of ejaculation difficulty. This is the first research study to look at the effect of
BPA on the male reproductive system in humans. Previous animal studies have shown that BPA
has a detrimental effect on male reproductive system in mice and rats. Funded by the U.S.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, this study adds to the body of
evidence questioning the safety of BPA, a chemical made in the production of
polycarbonated plastics and epoxy resins found in baby bottles, plastic containers, the
lining of cans used for food and beverages, and in dental sealants. The BPA levels
experienced by the exposed factory workers in the study were 50 times higher than what the
average American male faces in the United States, the researchers said.
Reducing Greenhouse Gases May Not
Be Enough to Slow Climate Change
According to Stone’s paper, as the international community meets in Copenhagen in
December to develop a new framework for responding to climate change, policymakers need to
give serious consideration to broadening the range of management strategies beyond
greenhouse gas reductions alone. “Across the U.S. as a whole, approximately 50
percent of the warming that has occurred since 1950 is due to land use changes (usually in
the form of clearing forest for crops or cities) rather than to the emission of greenhouse
gases,” said Stone. “Most large U.S. cities, including Atlanta, are warming at
more than twice the rate of the planet as a whole – a rate that is mostly
attributable to land use change. As a result, emissions reduction programs – like the
cap and trade program under consideration by the U.S. Congress – may not sufficiently
slow climate change in large cities where most people live and where land use change is
the dominant driver of warming.” According to Stone’s research, slowing the rate
of forest loss around the world, and regenerating forests where lost, could significantly
slow the pace of global warming.
New mechanism explains how the body
prevents formation of blood vessels
Researchers at Uppsala University, in collaboration with colleagues in Sweden and abroad,
have identified an entirely new mechanism by which a specific protein in the body inhibits
formation of new blood vessels. Inhibiting the formation of new blood vessels is an
important aspect of, for example, cancer treatment. The study is published in the November
issue of the journal Molecular Cancer Research. Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood
vessels, is strictly regulated by a number of molecules that serve to either promote or
inhibit the process. Certain diseases are characterised by excessive or insufficient
angiogenesis. The rapid growth of tumors, for example, is conditioned on the formation of
new blood vessels to supply oxygen and nutrients, which explains why angiogenesis is
accelerated in cancer patients. "At present, there are five approved drugs for
inhibiting formation of new blood vessels," says research fellow Anna-Karin Olsson of
the Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology at Uppsala University, who headed
the study. "All of these medications work in a similar way, by influencing the
function of one of the agents that promotes angiogenesis. A problem with the medications
is that the body develops resistance to them as treatment progresses. Improved knowledge
about which molecules promote or inhibit the formation of blood vessels in the body, and
the mechanisms by which they operate, is accordingly a research goal." The study in
question involved researchers from Uppsala University collaborating with colleagues in
Sweden, Norway, Finland and Germany to investigate the function of histidine-rich
glycoprotein (HRG), a plasma protein naturally present in the body. Previous studies
involving mice had shown that HRG inhibits angiogenesis and tumor growth. The new study
demonstrates, among other things, that the HRG fragment responsible for the inhibitory
effect is present in human tissue, which suggests that it serves as one of the body's own
angiogenesis inhibitors.
Sex-based prenatal brain
differences found
Prenatal sex-based biological differences extend to genetic expression in cerebral
cortices. The differences in question are probably associated with later divergences in
how our brains develop. This is shown by a new study by Uppsala University researchers
Elena Jazin and Björn Reinius, which has been published in the latest issue of the
journal Molecular Psychiatry. Professor Elena Jazin and doctoral student Björn Reinius at
the Department of Physiology and Developmental Biology previously demonstrated that
genetic expression in the cerebral cortices of human beings and other primates exhibits
certain sex-based differences. It is presumed that these differences are very old and have
survived the evolutionary process. The purpose of the new study was to determine whether
they appear during the process of brain development or first upon the conclusion of that
process. Identifying the initial genetic mechanisms that prompt the brain to develop in a
female or male direction is a long-range research objective.
Teens less likely to wash hands
when cooking, more likely to cross-contaminate raw food than adults
A Kansas State University study has shown that when preparing frozen foods, adolescents
are less likely than adults to wash their hands and are more susceptible to
cross-contaminating raw foods while cooking. "While half of the adults we observed
washed their hands after touching raw chicken, none of the adolescents did," said
Casey Jacob, a food safety research assistant at K-State. "The non-existent hand
washing rate, combined with certain age-specific behaviors like hair flipping and
scratching in a variety of areas, could lead directly to instances of cross-contamination
compared to the adults." Food safety isn't simple, and instructions for safe handling
of frozen chicken entrees or strips are rarely followed by consumers despite their best
intentions, said Doug Powell, K-State associate professor of food safety who led the
study. As the number and type of convenience meal solutions increases — check out the
frozen food section of a local supermarket — the researchers found a need to
understand how both adults and adolescents are preparing these products and what can be
done to enhance the safety of frozen foods.
New UAB Study Sheds Light on
Brain’s Response to Distress, Unexpected Events
In a new study, psychologists at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) are able to
see in detail for the first time how various regions of the human brain respond when
people experience an unexpected or traumatic event. The study could lead to the creation
of biological measures that could identify people with post-traumatic stress disorder
(PTSD) or identify PTSD sufferers who would benefit from specific treatments. In the
study, UAB researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to see how
activity in the parts of the brain associated with fear, learning and memory respond when
research participants were startled by a loud static sound and when they were able to
correctly predict when the sound would occur.
Controversial new climate change
results
New data show that the balance between the airborne and the absorbed fraction of carbon
dioxide has stayed approximately constant since 1850, despite emissions of carbon dioxide
having risen from about 2 billion tons a year in 1850 to 35 billion tons a year now. This
suggests that terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans have a much greater capacity to absorb
CO2 than had been previously expected. The results run contrary to a significant body of
recent research which expects that the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems and the oceans
to absorb CO2 should start to diminish as CO2 emissions increase, letting greenhouse gas
levels skyrocket. Dr Wolfgang Knorr at the University of Bristol found that in fact the
trend in the airborne fraction since 1850 has only been 0.7 ± 1.4% per decade, which is
essentially zero. The strength of the new study, published online in Geophysical Research
Letters, is that it rests solely on measurements and statistical data, including
historical records extracted from Antarctic ice, and does not rely on computations with
complex climate models. This work is extremely important for climate change policy,
because emission targets to be negotiated at the United Nations Climate Change Conference
in Copenhagen early next month have been based on projections that have a carbon free sink
of already factored in. Some researchers have cautioned against this approach, pointing at
evidence that suggests the sink has already started to decrease.
Children with autism show slower
pupil responses, MU study finds
Autism affects 1 in 150 children today, making it more common than childhood cancer,
juvenile diabetes and pediatric AIDS combined. Despite its widespread effect, autism is
not well understood and there are no objective medical tests to diagnose it. Recently,
University of Missouri researchers have developed a pupil response test that is 92.5
percent accurate in separating children with autism from those with typical development.
In the study, MU scientists found that children with autism have slower pupil responses to
light change.'No comprehensive study has been conducted previously to evaluate the pupils'
responses to light change, or PLR, in children with autism," said Gang Yao, associate
professor of biological engineering in the MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural
Resources and the College of Engineering. "In this study, we used a short light
stimulus to induce pupil light reflexes in children under both dark and bright conditions.
We found that children with autism showed significant differences in several PLR
parameters compared to those with typical development." In the study, scientists used
a computerized binocular infrared device, which eye doctors normally use for vision tests,
to measure how pupils react to a 100-millisecond flash light. A pupil reaction test
reveals potential neurological disorders in areas of the brain that autism might affect.
The results showed that pupils of children diagnosed with autism were significantly slower
to respond than those of a control group.
New research shows that wireless
telephones can affect the brain
A study at Örebro University in Sweden indicates that mobile phones and other cordless
telephones have a biological effect on the brain. It is still too early to say if any
health risks are involved, but medical researcher Fredrik Söderqvist recommends caution
in the use of these phones, above all among children and adolescents. Few children who
regularly use mobile phones use a headset often or always, even though the Swedish
Radiation Safety Authority recommends this. “Children may be more sensitive than
adults to radiation from wireless phones,” says Fredrik Söderqvist, who is
presenting his research findings in a new doctoral thesis at Örebro University. On the
one hand, he examined the use of wireless telephones among children and adolescents, on
the other hand, whether adolescents themselves perceive any health problems that might be
related to this use. He then went on to study blood samples from adults, looking at two
so-called biomarkers to see whether wireless phone use has a biological effect on the
brain. One of these studies focused on a protein that exists in the so-called
blood-cerebrospinal-fluid barrier, which is part of the brain’s protection against
outside influences. The study revealed an association between use of wireless telephony
and increased content of the protein transthyretin in the blood.
Iowa State scientist develops lab
machine to study glacial sliding related to rising sea levels
Neal Iverson opened his laboratory's walk-in freezer and said the one-of-a-kind machine
inside could help scientists understand how glaciers slide across their beds. And that
could help researchers predict how glaciers will react to climate change and contribute to
rising sea levels. Iverson is an Iowa State University professor of geological and
atmospheric sciences. He's worked for three years on his big new machine, which is over
nine feet tall, that he calls a glacier sliding simulator. At the center of the machine is
a ring of ice about eight inches thick and about three feet across. Below the ice is a
hydraulic press that can put as much as 170 tons of force on the ice, creating pressures
equal to those beneath a glacier 1,300 feet thick. Above are motors that can rotate the
ice ring at its centerline at speeds of 100 to 7,000 feet per year. Either the speed of
the ice or the stress dragging it forward can be controlled. Around the ice is circulating
fluid - its temperature controlled to 1/100th of a degree Celsius - that keeps the ice at
its melting point so it slides on a thin film of water.
90 percent of Africans are not
protected by smoke-free laws
As African nations are poised to undergo the highest increase in the rate of tobacco use
among developing countries, nearly 90 percent of people on the continent remain without
meaningful protection from secondhand smoke, according to a new report released at a
regional cancer conference today. The report, Global Voices - Rebutting the Tobacco
Industry, Winning Smokefree Air, points to signs of hope, however. Several African
countries are fighting against the tobacco industry's aggressive efforts to stop public
health interventions by putting smoke-free laws into place, protecting more than 100
million more people since 2007. The report was published by the multi-partner Global
Smokefree Partnership. "For the first time in history, we have the tools in hand to
prevent a pandemic," said Dr. Otis W. Brawley, chief medical officer of the American
Cancer Society. "Recent data suggests that, with current trends, more than half of
the region of Africa will double its tobacco consumption within 12 years. Smoke-free
public places are one example of a low-cost and extremely effective intervention that must
be implemented now to protect health." Within the last year, Kenya and Niger have
enacted national smoke-free policies, and South Africa, which has been smoke-free since
March 2007, continues to play an important role in the region, demonstrating that
smoke-free laws can work in Africa. In a first for the region, Mauritius recently passed a
law that is close to meeting the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) standards,
ranking among the most robust anti-smoking measures in the world. Implementation remains a
challenge in many places, including Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Uganda, according
to the report. Obstacles include identifying resources for implementation, and opposition
to smoke-free laws by the tobacco industry. In Abuja, Nigeria, for example, 55 percent of
school students are not aware that secondhand smoke is harmful to health, and only 1
percent of Nigeria's population is protected by strong smoke-free laws. The report exposes
the tobacco industry's tactics to hold back legislation and to convince African
governments that tobacco is important to economic activity; that raising taxes on
cigarettes and implementing smoke-free laws will result in revenue and job losses. In
Kenya, for example, the tobacco industry has issued a legal challenge to a strong
smoke-free law passed by the Parliament. And in Zambia, British American Tobacco has
helped to dilute proposals for a smoke-free law.
Merck Cholesterol Pill Sales May
Drop 20% After Study
Merck & Co. may face a third negative study result within two years for its
cholesterol pills Vytorin and Zetia, which have lost 14 percent of sales since January and
could sink further.
Statin Drugs Cause Muscle Damage
Even After You Stop Using Them
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may cause serious and long-term muscle damage that
persists even after the drugs are halted, according to a new study conducted by
researchers from Tufts Medical Center and the University of Bern, and published in the
Canadian Medical Association Journal.
WSU professors' fat blocker shows
promise in test study
If you want to lose weight without changing your diet, Mirafit FBCX, a natural fat blocker
invented by two Wayne State University researchers, is designed to help accomplish that
goal.
Prohormone, Vitamin D and Your
Sources This Winter
Technically, the chemical of Vitamin D is a prohormone (or a precursor to what makes a
hormone or a hormone prototype if you please).
Migrating Brain Cells Stick
Together
Slime molds provide a textbook example of self-organization. They live as single cells
until food becomes scarce. Then, they broadcast chemical signals that trigger their mass
assembly into a fruiting body, with some cells forming a stalk and others turning into
spores that cast about in the winds to spread far and wide.
Hip Fracture Incidence in Relation
to Age, Menopausal Status, and Age at Menopause
At around the time of the menopause, hip fracture incidence is about twice as high in
postmenopausal than in premenopausal women, but this effect is short lived. Among
postmenopausal women, age is by far the main determinant of hip fracture incidence and,
for women of a given age, their age at menopause has, at most, a weak additional effect.
Epidemiological Pathology of
Dementia - Attributable-Risks at Death in the Medical Research Council Cognitive Function
and Ageing Study
Such AR estimates cannot be derived from the living population; rather they estimate the
relative contribution of specific pathologies to dementia at death. We found that multiple
pathologies determine the overall burden of dementia. The impact of therapy targeted to a
specific pathology may be profound when the dementia is relatively “pure,” but
may be less impressive for the majority with mixed disease, and in terms of the
population. These data justify a range of strategies, and combination therapies, to combat
the degenerative and vascular determinants of cognitive decline and dementia.
Birth control pill makers targeted
in Madison County
After a birth control pill spent months in the spotlight during commercials aimed at
correcting misrepresentations about it, the pill is now at the center of a Madison County
lawsuit.
Milk may not be as good as
advertised
Milk has long been regarded as a nutritional mainstay, vital to building strong bones,
particularly among Western cultures. But in recent years, a rising chorus of critics has
come to argue that cow's milk, far from doing a body good, is in fact bad for our health.
Smoking can harm asthma patients
Tobacco smoke can prove extremely harmful for patients with asthma, rhinitis and nasal
obstruction, according to an international health expert.
Factors Linked to Postpartum
Diabetes Identified
Women with gestational diabetes have at least a four-fold risk of developing postpartum
diabetes if they have two or more risk factors, according to a study in the November issue
of Diabetes Care.
Common infections may increase
stroke risk
Common infections caught over the course of a lifetime could increase the risk of having a
stroke, researchers say.
Video - Pregnancy Health - Prevent
Fatty Liver Disease In Baby
Pregnancy health is important, and a new study tells about how pregnant women can help the
health of their childs liver. Watch on this weeks WLS News.
New film on why bees are dying
Sierra Club welcomes the release of Nicotine Bees, a new documentary that provides an
excellent synopsis of the loss of honeybees. Producers Kevin Hansen and Krista Keenan did
a superb job researching, interviewing and splicing together an extraordinary story.
Agriculture at a Crossroads - Food
for Survival
Climate change, hunger and poverty, loss of biodiversity, forest destruction, water
crises, food safety – what all these threats have in common is that a principal cause
for each of them is in the way we produce, trade, consume and discard food and other
agricultural products.
BPA raised workers' risk of sexual
dysfunction, study says
Chinese factory workers exposed to huge amounts of bisphenol A substantially increased
their risk of sexual dysfunction, according to a study released late Tuesday that is
expected to add more urgency to the question of the chemical's safety.
Environmental causes of violence
Violent and anti-social behavior is usually attributed to social factors, including
poverty, poor education, and family instability. There is also evidence that many forms of
violent behavior are more frequent in individuals of lower IQ. The role of exposure to
environmental contaminants has received little attention as a factor predisposing to
violent behavior. However a number of environmental exposures are documented to result in
a common pattern of neurobehavioral effects, including lowered IQ, shortened attention
span, and increased frequency of antisocial behavior. This pattern is best described for
children exposed to lead early in life, but a similar pattern is seen upon exposure to
polychlorinated biphenyls and methyl mercury. Although not as extensively studied, similar
decrements in IQ are seen upon exposure to arsenic and secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure.
Prenatal and postnatal SHS exposure is also associated with increased rates of conduct
disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity. Recent evidence suggests that temporal
trends in rates of violent crime in many nations are consistent with earlier preschool
blood lead trends, with a lag of about 20 years. These ecologic correlations are
consistent with many controlled studies suggesting that lead-exposed children suffer
irreversible brain alterations that make them more likely to commit violent crimes as
young adults. If this pattern is true for lead and other contaminants, the most effective
way to fight crime may be to prevent exposure to these contaminants.
Toxic chemicals in freshwater fish
widespread
Nearly half of lakes and reservoirs nationwide contain fish with potentially harmful
levels of the toxic metal mercury, according to a federal study released Tuesday.
Experts fear Africa
"pandemic" from rise in smoking
Africa faces a surge in cancer deaths unless action is taken in the next decade to stem
rising smoking levels in a continent where anti-tobacco laws remain rare, U.S. scientists
said Wednesday.
More than 200 Paraguay villagers
thought sprayed with pesticide
More than 200 indigenous people who refused to vacate their land in eastern Paraguay were
sprayed late last week with what some believe was pesticide, sending seven to the
hospital, a government cabinet member said this week.
Week 46 | Week 45 | Week 44 | 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
Submit data or links here
|
|
|