Super-sized Cisplatin molecule effective against cancer while being less toxic

Using chemistry and nanotechnology, researchers at Harvard and Brigham and Women’s Hospital designed a super-sized Cisplatin molecule able to deliver toxic platinum atoms to tumors while proving nontoxic to kidneys.  The research was conducted on laboratory animals.
Cisplatin is a powerful anti-cancer drug used in first-line chemotherapy but with limited use because of its toxicity. The team designed a polymer what would bind to Cisplatin, making it wrap itself into a 100 nanometers ball, too large to enter the kidneys, lungs, liver and spleen.  Once the molecule reached the tumor it falls apart dumping its toxic load on the cancerous tissue.
The new compound has been found to be effective against lung and breast cancers and outperformed Cisplatin in a transgenic ovarian cancer model that mimics the disease in humans


source: http://www.healthyfeeds.com

Minocycline could be a cheap and safe treatment for stroke

Minocycline, an old anti-inflammatory drug, could be a safe and cheap treatment for stroke, with no adverse effects if the dose is between 200 and 700 milligrams. According to researchers from the Medical College of Georgia and the University of Georgia the drug is easy to administer and can be given with tPA.
Minocycline “is an old drug that has been studied extensively in healthy young people,” said Dr. Susan C. Fagan, professor of pharmacy at UGA, assistant dean for the MCG program of the UGA College of Pharmacy and the study’s first author. “Now that we know it’s also safe in a predominantly older stroke population, we can look more closely to identify the dose necessary to give us the pharmacologic effect we need.”
The early-stage clinical trial funded by the National Institutes of Health, opens the door to a much larger clinical trial assessing the antibiotic’s efficacy. The researchers are pursuing federal funding for a 2,000-patient international trial.

source: http://www.healthyfeeds.com

Insulin Tablets with better heat resistance 08/03/2010

More than 200 Million people are victims of Diabetes in the world.
Insulin is the most commonly drug which is used against diabetes.The most common problems with the insulin are that it should be kept at cool place(4 Centigrade) and can only be administered by injection.

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But now,a chemist "Miss. Wynn Le-rope" with her fellows,has found the solution for both problems,according to which Insulin can be kept at room temperature and can also be administered in the form of tablet dosage form.
Wynn Le-rope says,"I made a new chemical formula for insulin which can resist against heat up-to room temperature.(25 Centigrade) and soon it will also available in Tablet form."
The present form of insulin need to keep at  4 Centigrade for long term use after which the chemical formula of insulin start to be changed and ultimately denatured.Due to this reason it is very difficult to handle the insulin for long term use.
"I am also working on tablet dosage form of insulin and have succeeded in initial trials.In short period,diabetic patient will get relief from the pain of injection",she further said.

 

source:

http://www.epharmacygold.com/12/post/2010/08/insulin-tablets-and-with-better-heat-resistance.html

Army’s Vaccine Plan: Inject Troops With Gas-Propelled, Electro-Charged DNA Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/08/armys-vaccine-plan-inject-troops-with-gas-propelled-electro-charged-dna

The Army’s got a one-two punch to perfect vaccinations and offer scientists the ability to quickly develop inoculations that stave off new dangers. First, they’ll shoot troops up using a “gene gun,” that’s filled with DNA-based vaccines. Then they’ll follow it up with “short electrical pulses to the delivery site.”
The Pentagon’s still after a comprehensive way to inoculate troops and civilians against existing illnesses, rapidly respond to emerging threats, and even predict pathogenic mutations before they happen. To that end, the military’s already funding a handful of projects, from plant-based vaccine production to genetic signatures for ultra-early diagnosis.
In a small business solicitation released last week, the Army put out a call for “Multiagent Synthetic DNA Vaccines Delivered by Noninvasive Electroporation.” The program would start by transforming conventional development methods, like standard egg-based vaccines.
The old-school methods are slow, don’t allow for readily combined vaccines, and can pose sterility risks. DNA-based vaccines, on the other hand, would be quick to engineer and offer reliable immunity — provided the DNA can enter host cells to trigger the production of immunity proteins.
Right now, DNA-based vaccines are injected into muscles, meaning a genetically engineered plasmid is delivered to “intracellular spaces,” and “is not efficiently taken up by the host cells.” So the Army would instead like to shoot people. Seriously.

In its solicitation, the Army says it wants DNA vaccines that are painted onto microscopic beads, then “deposited into skin cells by gas propulsion.” And since that method can only inject a small dose of DNA, they want researchers to combine the approach with intramuscular electroporation, which “involves injecting the DNA then quickly applying short electrical pulses.” The electric charge creates pores in cell membranes, making it easier for DNA to enter targeted cells.
Sounds great, except that current approaches to intramuscular electroporation are invasive, and, obviously, they hurt. One study in rats also noted the “possibility of low and transient tissue damage induced by electroporation.” The Army wants a gadget that doesn’t rely on jamming needles and electrical pulses into muscle, and instead are after “injection and noninvasive electroporation [that] can be performed using a single integrated device.”
DNA-based vaccines are also still in their infancy: in 2005, the first-ever DNA vaccine for horses was approved, but human trials have yet to generate stellar results. And speaking of invasive: the Army’s delivery method of choice, gene guns, use helium gas to blast DNA into cells and often require surgically exposed muscle tissue to get the job done.
In other words, the Army’s asking for a non-invasive way to do what’s not yet possible, even using surgical methods. If researchers do come up with a device that meets the lofty criteria, though, it’d be just what the Pentagon’s looking for:  a reliable way to engineer and deliver combination vaccines — not to mention a quick way to fight back against “unknown, emerging, or genetically engineered pathogens.”

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/08/armys-vaccine-plan-inject-troops-with-gas-propelled-electro-charged-dna/#ixzz0vfAkFTWN

Diabetes : Dapagliflozin Clinical Trial Results Indicate Improvement In Key Glycemic Measures In Treatment-Naïve Type 2 Diabetes Patients

30 Mar 2009  

Findings published in Diabetes Care from a 12-week, Phase IIb dose-ranging study showed that dapagliflozin, a novel, selective, sodium glucose co-transporter2 (SGLT2) inhibitor, produced clinically meaningful reductions across all key glycemic measures studied [glycosylated hemoglobin level (HbA1c), fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and postprandial plasma glucose (PPG)] in treatment-naïve type 2 diabetes patients, compared to placebo. The study findings also showed that patients receiving dapagliflozin experienced greater reductions in body weight compared to patients on placebo. Adverse events across dapagliflozin and metformin doses were reported at a similar rate, which was somewhat higher than placebo.

Dapagliflozin is an investigational SGLT2 inhibitor currently in Phase III trials under joint development by Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (NYSE: BMY) and AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN) as a once-daily therapy for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. SGLT2 inhibitors act by inhibiting the reabsorption of glucose in the kidney, thereby reducing the return of filtered glucose to the circulation.

"These data suggest that dapagliflozin, the first SGLT2 to be studied in Phase III clinical trials, may reduce important glycemic measures and facilitate weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes," said Elisabeth Svanberg, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Development Lead, Bristol-Myers Squibb. "We look forward to further studies of dapagliflozin to fully understand its potential in the treatment of people with type 2 diabetes," said William Mezzanotte, M.D., M.P.H., vice president, Global Products, AstraZeneca.

About the Study

This Phase IIb study, presented at the 2008 American Diabetes Association annual meeting, was designed to assess the efficacy and safety of dapagliflozin across a wide range of doses. The data represent findings from a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study of 389 individuals with type 2 diabetes (ages 18-79) who were treatment-naïve and whose HbA1c was greater than or equal to 7 percent and less than or equal to 10 percent. After a two-week lead-in phase that included diet, exercise and placebo, individuals were randomized to one of seven separate treatment arms: dapagliflozin 2.5 mg (n=59), 5 mg (n=58), 10 mg (n=47), 20 mg (n=59), 50 mg (n=56), metformin extended release 750 mg force-titrated at Week 2 to 1500 mg (n=56) or placebo (n=54), once daily for 12 weeks. Metformin was included as a positive control benchmark; no statistical comparison was made to the metformin arm.

The primary endpoint of the study compared mean HbA1c change from baseline for each dapagliflozin group versus placebo. The secondary endpoints included FPG change from baseline as compared to placebo, dose-dependent trends in glycemic efficacy, the proportion of individuals achieving the American Diabetes Association recommended HbA1c target of less than 7 percent and the change in 24-hour urinary glucose-to-creatinine ratio.

Study Results

After 12 weeks, individuals receiving dapagliflozin demonstrated a significant adjusted mean decrease in HbA1c from baseline of -0.71 percent for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, -0.72 percent for dapagliflozin 5 mg, -0.85 percent for dapagliflozin 10 mg, -0.55 percent for dapagliflozin 20 mg and -0.90 percent for dapagliflozin 50 mg, compared to -0.18 percent for placebo (p-value at the 2.5, 5, 10 and 50 mg dose levels less than 0.001; p-value at the 20 mg dose level equal to 0.007). The adjusted mean decrease for metformin was -0.73 percent. No log-linear dose response relationship was demonstrated (P trend = 0.41).

Dapagliflozin also demonstrated a clinically meaningful adjusted mean decrease in FPG from baseline of -16 mg/dL for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, -19 mg/dL for dapagliflozin 5 mg, -21 mg/dL for dapagliflozin 10 mg, -24 mg/dL for dapagliflozin 20 mg and -31 mg/dL for dapagliflozin 50 mg, compared to -6 mg/dL for placebo (p-value at the 2.5 mg dose level equal to 0.03; p-value at the 5 mg dose level equal to 0.005; p-value at the 10 mg dose level equal to 0.002; p-value at the 20 mg and 50 mg dose levels less than or equal to 0.001). The adjusted mean decrease for metformin was -18 mg/dL.

The percentage of individuals treated with dapagliflozin that achieved HbA1c of less than 7 percent after the 12 week treatment period was 46 percent for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, 40 percent for dapagliflozin 5 mg, 52 percent for dapagliflozin 10 mg, 46 percent for dapagliflozin 20 mg and 59 percent for dapagliflozin 50 mg, compared to 32 percent for placebo and 54 percent for metformin. The 50 mg result was the only statistically significant result, with a p-value equal to 0.01.

Over 12 weeks, the incidence of adverse events was 59 percent for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, 60 percent for dapagliflozin 5 mg, 68 percent for dapagliflozin 10 mg, 68 percent for dapagliflozin 20 mg and 63 percent for dapagliflozin 50 mg; the incidence of events was 54 percent for placebo and 68 percent for metformin. The percentages of the most commonly reported (greater than or equal to 10 percent in any group) adverse events for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, 5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, and 50 mg doses and placebo and metformin, respectively, were: urinary tract infection [5, 9, 11, 7, 7, 6, 7], nausea [5, 7, 6, 3, 5, 6, 11], headache [7, 5, 4, 5, 2, 11, 4], and diarrhea [2, 2, 2, 7, 2, 7, 13].

The rate of reported hypoglycemic events was 7 percent for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, 10 percent for dapagliflozin 5 mg, 6 percent for dapagliflozin 10 mg, 7 percent for dapagliflozin 20 mg and 7 percent for dapagliflozin 50 mg; the incidence of reported hypoglycemic events was 4 percent for placebo and 9 percent for metformin. There was no occurrence of confirmed hypoglycemia (symptoms of hypoglycemia with a fingerstick glucose less than or equal to 50 mg/dL).

Effects of Dapagliflozin on Weight Loss

The Phase IIb study also evaluated the potential impact of dapagliflozin-induced glucosuria on weight loss in people with type 2 diabetes, compared to placebo. These findings included data measuring changes in total body weight and body mass index over the 12-week study period.

Overall, greater percent decreases in total body weight occurred in the dapagliflozin treatment groups: -2.7 percent for dapagliflozin 2.5 mg, -2.5 percent for dapagliflozin 5 mg, -2.7 percent for dapagliflozin 10 mg, -3.4 percent for dapagliflozin 20 mg and -3.4 percent for dapagliflozin 50 mg compared to -1.2 percent for placebo and -1.7 percent for metformin.

About Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a chronic disease in which the body does not produce or properly use insulin. Insulin is a hormone that is needed to convert sugar, starches (carbohydrates) and other nutrients into glucose, which is used as energy needed for daily life. The cause of diabetes continues to be investigated, and both genetic and environmental factors such as obesity and lack of exercise appear to play a role. Diabetes is associated with long-term complications that affect almost every part of the body. The disease may lead to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.

There are two primary underlying causes associated with type 2 diabetes: the body does not produce enough insulin (insulin deficiency), and the cells ignore the insulin (insulin resistance). Symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop gradually, and their onset is not as sudden as in type 1 diabetes. Symptoms may include fatigue, frequent urination, increased thirst and hunger, weight loss, blurred vision, and slow healing of wounds or sores. Some people, however, have no symptoms.

The kidneys play a key role in the overall regulation of blood glucose levels in the body. Normally, in healthy individuals, the kidneys filter a large volume of glucose and actively reabsorb virtually all of it. In patients with type 2 diabetes that have hyperglycemia, a greater amount of glucose is filtered and reabsorbed by the kidneys despite the fact that this perpetuates the hyperglycemia.

Over time, the factors that contribute to sustained hyperglycemia lead to glucotoxicity, which worsens insulin resistance and contributes to dysfunction in the beta cells of the pancreas. In this way, hyperglycemia appears to perpetuate a vicious cycle of deleterious effects that exacerbate type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is most often associated with older age, obesity, family history of diabetes, previous history of gestational diabetes, physical inactivity and certain ethnicities. People with type 2 diabetes often are characterized with: insulin resistance, abdominal obesity, a sedentary lifestyle, having low HDL-C ("good") cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels and hypertension.

About SGLT2 Inhibitors

The kidney continuously filters glucose through the glomerulus; however, nearly all of this glucose is reabsorbed in a separate part of the kidney called the proximal tubule. A protein called SGLT2 is responsible for the majority of glucose reabsorption and helps the body retain glucose for it's energy requirements. Inhibiting the activity of SGLT2 helps limit the amount of glucose that is reabsorbed and retained in the body, thereby leading to the excretion of glucose in the urine.

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca Partnership

Bristol-Myers Squibb and AstraZeneca entered into collaboration in January 2007 to enable the companies to research, develop and commercialize two investigational drugs for type 2 diabetes - saxagliptin and dapagliflozin. The Bristol-Myers Squibb/AstraZeneca Diabetes collaboration is dedicated to global patient care, improving patient outcomes and creating a new vision for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

About Bristol-Myers Squibb

Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to extend and enhance human life. For more information visit http://www.bms.com.

About AstraZeneca

AstraZeneca is a major international healthcare business engaged in the research, development, manufacturing and marketing of meaningful prescription medicines and supplier for healthcare services. AstraZeneca is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies with healthcare sales of US$ 31.6 billion and is a leader in gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, neuroscience, respiratory, oncology and infectious disease medicines. For more information about AstraZeneca, please visit: http://www.astrazeneca.com.

Source
AstraZeneca

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Article URL: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/144154.php

New cochlear implant improves the quality of sound while doing less damage to the ear

A new cochlear implant developed in the Biosystems Interface Laboratory at the Georgia Institute of Technology improves the quality of sound several times more than the conventional cochlear implants.

The new device called the thin film array uses a thinner wire on which are paired 12 electrodes. The thinner wire does less damage to the ear and could preserve residual hearing more than standard cochlear implants, while the higher number of electrodes improves the quality of sound. Dr. Kenneth Iverson, one of the researchers who worked on the device, said: “For the patient, it would be like the difference between hearing a Bach concerto played by a music box versus a quartet.”
Researchers presented their findings about the new device at the 11^th International Conference on Cochlear Implants and Other Auditory Implantable Technology in Stockholm, Sweden June 30 – July 3/2010


Source:
healthyfeeds.com

Glutathione :Short discription

Glutathione

Description
Glutathione is produced in the human liver and plays a key role in intermediary metabolism, immune response and health, though many of its mechanisms and much of its behavior await further medical understanding. It is also known as gamma-Glutamylcysteineglycine and GHS. It is a small protein composed of three amino acids, cysteine, glutamic acid and glyceine. Glutatione is found in two forms, a monomerthat is a single molecule of the protein, and a dimmer that is two of the single molecules joined together. The monomer is sometimes called reduced glutathione, while the dimmer is also called oxidized glutathione. The monomer is the active form of glutathione. Oxidized glutathione is broken down to the single molecule by an enzyme called glutathione reductase.
Glutathione, in purified extracted form, is a white powder that is soluble in water and in alcohol. It is found naturally in many fruits, vegetables, and meats. However, absorption rates of glutathione from food sources in the human gastrointestinal tract are low.
 
General use
Glutathione was first isolated in yeast in 1929. Its metabolism in the body was described in 1984, and its role in cancer treatment dates from 1984.
Glutathione is a major antioxidant highly active in human lungs and many other organ systems and tissues. It has many reported uses. It has a critical role in protecting cells from oxidative stress and maintaining the immune system. Higher blood levels of glutathione have been associated with better health in elderly people, but the exact association between glutathione and the aging process has not been determined.
Among the uses that have been reported for glutathione are:
•    treatment of poisoning, particularly heavy metal poisons
•    treatment of idiopathic pulmonary firbosis
•    increasing the effectiveness and reducing the toxicity of cis-platinum, a chemo drug used to treat breast cancer
•    treating Parkinson's disease
•    lowering blood pressure in patients with diabetes
•    increasing male sperm counts in humans and animals
•    treatment of liver cancer
•    treatment of sickle cell anemia
Claims made about glutathione have included that it will increase energy, improve concentration, slow aging, and protect the skin.
The importance of glutathione is generally recognized, although its specific functions and appropriate clinical use remain under study. Similarly, because ingested glutathione has little or no effect on intracellular glutathione levels, there are questions regarding the optimal method for raising the intracellular levels.
In addition to ongoing studies of the role of glutathione in cancer and cancer therapy, there are currently clinical trials of glutathione in Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The U. S. National Cancer Institute has included glutathione in a study to determine whether nutritional factors could inhibit development of some types of cancer.
European researchers, with support from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, are examining the potential uses of inhaled glutathione in cystic fibrosis. Some physicians also use inhaled glutathione in treating airway restriction and asthma. Other studies are investigating whether administration of alpha-lipoic acid, a material that can elevate intracellular glutathione, may be beneficial in restoring the immune system in AIDS patients.
 
Preparations
Although glutathione is marketed as a nutritional supplement, it does not appear that glutathione supplements actually increase the levels of glutathione inside cells. In human studies, oral doses of glutathione had little effect in raising blood levels. Further, glutathione is so widely distributed in common foods that supplements are not normally required. Supplements of vitamin C are more effective at increasing intracellular glutathione than taking oral glutathione supplements. Oral supplements of whey protein and of alpha-lipoic acid appear to help restore intracellular levels of glutathione.
Glutathione is available as capsules of 50, 100, and 250 milligrams. It is also included in many multivitamin and multi-nutrient formulations.
 
Precautions
At this time, the only established precautions are sensitivity to any of the inactive ingredients in the preparations of glutathione or the products used to stimulate glutathione levels. This is a discussion of glutathione, not C and whey. There is some new literature that suggests supplementing it may be helpful to some cancer patients, but detrimental to others.
 
Side effects
There are no established side effects to glutathione or to the substances used to elevate glutathione levels.
 
Training & certification
Glutathione has been classified as an orphan drug for treatment of AIDS. For this purpose, medical licensure is required. Glutathione has been given intravenously for amelioration of the side effects of cisplatin therapy. Specific training is required to order, prepare, start, and monitor intravenous therapy. No specific training is required to use glutathione or the compounds which have been reported to raise glutathione levels for other purposes.

BOOKS
Pressman, A. H. Glutathione: the Ultimate Antioxidant. New York: St. Martin's Press, 1997.
Rozzorno J. E., J. T. Murray, eds. Textbook of Natural Medicine, 2nd ed. Edinborough, Scotland: Churchill Livingston, 1999.
PERIODICALS
Carlo, M. D. Jr, and R. F. Loeser. "Increased oxidative stress with aging reduces chondrocyte survival: correlation with intracellular glutathione levels." Arthritis Rheum (December 2003): 3419–30.
Hamilton D., and G. Batist. "Glutathione analogues in cancer treatment." Curr Oncol Rep (March 2004): 116–22.
Wessner, B., E. M. Strasser, A. Spittler, and E. Roth. "Effect of single and combined supply of glutamine, glycine, N-acetylcysteine, and R, S-alpha-lipoic acid on glutathione content of myelomonocytic cells." Clin Nutr (December 2003): 515–22.
Witschi A., S. Reddy, B. Stofer, and B. H. Lauterburg. "The systemic availability of oral glutathione." Eur J Clin Pharmacol
Wu, G., Y. Z. Fang, S. Yang, J. R. Lupton, and N. D. Turner. "Glutathione metabolism and its implications for health." J Nutr (March 2004): 489–92.
Zenger, F., S. Russmann, E. Junker, C. Wuthrich, M. H. Bui, and B. H. Lauterburg. "Decreased glutathione in patients with anorexia nervosa. Risk factor for toxic liver injury?" Eur J Clin Nutr. (February 2004): 238–43.
ORGANIZATIONS
ALS Therapy Development Foundation. 215 First Street, Cambridge Mass. 02142.
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. 6931 Arlington Road, Bethesda MD 20814.
NCCAM Clearinghouse. P.O. Box 7923 Gaithersburg, MD 20898.
Samuel Uretsky, Pharm.D
 

Resorbable Heart Device Effective in Kids

By Crystal Phend, Senior Staff Writer, MedPage Today
Published: July 20, 2010
Reviewed by Dori F. Zaleznik, MD; Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston and
Dorothy Caputo, MA, RN, BC-ADM, CDE, Nurse Planner 

A novel partially biodegradable device appears to close small to moderate congenital atrial septal defects (ASD) in children as well as the standard permanent device does, according to a small cohort study.

The biodegradable BioSTAR device implanted in 10 eligible patients successfully closed 90% of small to moderate size holes within 24 hours, compared with 100% of repairs among 10 matched controls with the most commonly-used nonbiodegradable implant, reported Lee Benson, MD, of the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, and colleagues.

At six months, closure rates were 100% for both devices, the researchers reported in the July issue of Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions.
Only one child had a residual hole with the new device, a shunt of less than 2 mm (0.078 in), in an area of prolapsed anterior arm, which the authors termed of "no hemodynamic significance."

This suggested that there had been sufficient overgrowth of the novel device, which leaves behind only the metal supporting arms after the collagen discs dissolve within six months, they said.
While Benson's group suggested the device be considered for repairing small-to-moderate ASDs, they noted that this size of hole is relatively uncommon and the learning curve is steep.
However, a biodegradable closure that leaves behind minimal metal may solve the problem of transseptal access in treating the heart rhythm disorders that show up often decades later in children with ASDs, they suggested.
Traditional devices with substantial amounts of metal have been linked to late complications including erosion, apparently from chronic friction with the cardiac chamber walls, Benson's group said.
The study included a consecutive series of 10 children treated with the BioSTAR biodegradable device by a single operator (in Canada, where the device has regulatory approval) for atrial septal defect occlusions of 16 mm (0.62 in) in diameter or smaller.
The 10 controls were matched for defect size, imaging modality, and body weight from a cohort of 54 children treated for ASD closure using the nonbiodegradable Amplatzer Septal Occluder.
Device implantation was ultimately successful in all cases, although one biodegradable device had to be retrieved and replaced with a larger size version during the procedure due to instability.
No vascular complications were seen in either group, which has been a concern in adult patent foramen ovale closure. Nor were there any thrombotic or bleeding complications reported.
Hospital stay and recovery times were similar between groups as well.
However, the biodegradable device resulted in substantially longer procedural times at a median of 52 versus 39.5 minutes (P<0.05). It didn't prolong fluoroscopy time, though, compared with the standard device (median 6.7 versus 6.1 min, P=NS).

 

Primary source: Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions
Source reference:
Morgan G, et al "A biodegradable device (BioSTARTM) for atrial septal defect closure in children" Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2010; DOI: 10.1002/ccd.22517.

Natural remedies against muscles ache

When you have trained very hard and you get muscular fever, or if you caught a flu and all muscles hurt, you should not hurry taking pain killers. Instead, you may choose to apply clay or other herbs compresses, with a relaxing effect. Clay has anti-inflammatory effect

Clay powder is a well known remedy in arthrosis, with an anti-inflammatory effect. It may also be used is alleviating muscles ache, no matter the cause. All you need is 4-5 tablespoons of powder clay, in which to add warm water and keep stirring until obtaining a homogeneous paste. This paste can then be applied directly on the entire surface of the painful muscle, or only at the ends, near the joints, in a 5 centimeter layer. Leave it on for 20 minutes to 2 hours. This remedy is also very efficient for back aches.
Cabbage leaves, old but efficient remedy
This is a very old remedy, that our grandparents used to apply on joints affected by arthritis. Besides it being very helpful in muscular aches, it is also very easy to use. All you have to do is smash some cabbage leaves and apply those directly on the affected area, leaving them on for about 30 to 40 minutes. You may use as well oak, birch, walnut or willow leaves.
Warm baths, followed by compresses
Warmth enlarges blood vessels and stimulates the bloodstream, therefore helping aching muscles to relax. That is why a warm bath is more than welcomed in cases of muscles ache. To obtain an even more relaxing effect, add to the bath sweet flag (calamus) or willow bark extract. The extract is prepared by boiling a tablespoon of each plant (add only when the water is boiling) in a liter of water, for about 10 to 15 minutes. The liquid is filtered and poured in the bath tub filled with warm water. The bark or plants remained may be applied on the muscles after the bath.
Very useful in cases of muscle fever is also St John’s wort (hypericum perforatum) or lavender soak applied directly on the affected surface. Raw potatoes or powder mint poultice (cataplasm), mixed until obtaining a homogenous paste can be applied on gauze and afterwards on the muscle.
And remember: a simple exercise often helps reducing muscular fever!

Thanks to china!!!!! Tiantan Puhua Stem Cell Treatment Center

About Tiantan Puhua

Beijing Tiantan Puhua Hospital provides the world's most advanced stem cell procedures and treatments in Asia's top neurosurgical hospital, bringing new hope and a better quality of life to people all over the globe.  The Hospital is a world-class facility in the heart of Beijing that now leads the cutting-edge neurological healthcare activities for its internationally-renowned parent hospital and next-door neighbor, Tiantan Hospital.  Established in 1956, Tiantan Hospital boasts a strong reputation as one of the world's top three neurosurgical research institutes and Asia's largest centre for neurosurgical therapy, research and education today.  It has been appointed the World Health Organization's (WHO) neurosurgical training centre for China.

With the most modern facilities in one of the world's fastest growing cities, Beijing, Tiantan Puhua Hospital is a joint venture between the American Pacific Medical Group, Tiantan Hospital in Beijing, and the local Chongwen District Health Bureau.  Tiantan Puhua (pronounced Tee En Tan [rhymes with Ron] Pooh Hwah) Hospital is proud to be home to many of not only Asia's, but the world's leading doctors and researchers in neurosurgery, and conducts well over 4,000 brain operations each year.   

Located just next to next to the famous Tiantan Park (Temple of Heaven) in Beijing, the Tiantan Puhua Neurosurgical Hospital was formally established in May 2005 as its own independent hospital.  With state-of-the-art operating rooms and intensive care facilities, 50 beds in European standard rooms, 25 top doctors and 42 trained nurses, you are assured of the very best care and treatment available in Asia.

When it comes to the latest in stem cell healthcare, Tiantan Puhua Hospital doctors have developed a number of unprecedented and world leading stem cell treatment programs including 'Self stem cells Activation and Proliferation Program', neural stem cells implantation by Sterotacxios technique and Spinal Cord Stem Cell Injections. Every patient at Tiantan Puhua has a team of doctors treating them from different departments to be sure to receive the most complete and comprehensive medical care available anywhere.

From your first communication with us, through your carefully considered medical treatment plan, to the top staff, international-level care, our extremely pleasant surroundings, and our total focus on a better quality of life for you, we are sure Tiantan Puhua Hospital will bring you an altogether positive experience.  Please contact us today for more information and to discuss your situation with our caring staff.

Green Tea, a must in the cold season

To cope up with emotional problems like stress, depression and anxiety during the cold season but also to develop and strengthen a healthy body, green tea is highly recommended.
Green tea contains numerous polyphenols which grant high antioxidant properties. Due to these properties, green tea has protective effects against cardiovascular diseases, cancer, arthritis, diabetes, seasonal diseases, Alzheimer and Parkinson and against aging also.
During the cold winter, the green tea helps you find the emotional equilibrium which is at high risk during this time of the year when the lack of sunlight and the cold can drag you to a continuous state of stress, depression and nervousness.
The more tea you drink, the less you feel stressed. Scientists have reached this conclusion after studying over 42.000 persons with age over 40s. Together with the disappearance of the stress effects, the pneumonia and depression risk is diminished to about 45%.
Against flu and cold green tea effect are even stronger. Polyphenols and flavonoids contained, strengthen the immune system making it much more resistant against cold, flu and all types of infections.
Because on the market there are many varieties of green tea, always go for the Japanese ones (the most concentrated and efficient ones) since many do not deserve their name.
Stay Healthy!




source:healthy feeds.com

Contrast-enhanced MRI could lead to a more targeted therapy for rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis

According to a new study contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) could help to differentiate between psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis in hands and wrists.  Because in the past the treatment for patients with psoriatic arthritis was based on the treatment for those with rheumatoid arthritis the results of the study might lead to a more targeted therapy unique to each condition.
The study that took place at the University Hospital of Tubingen imaged using contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging 31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 14 with psoriatic arthritis. The contrast media in rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis is presumed to be different and the difference can only be seen 15 minutes after the contrast material is given.
“Our study revealed a significant difference in perfusion between those patients with rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis after 15 minutes. However, since it was a small group of patients and there was an overlap in perfusion values between both types of arthritis, a diagnosis could not be led by contrast-enhanced MRI alone. Our results are nonetheless promising though,” said Nina Schwenzer, lead author of the study.

source:
healthyfeeds.com

Chinese Boy is just 2yrs & Is World’s Youngest Smoker

Melbourne: A two-year-old Chinese boy is the world’’s youngest smoker. And it was Tong Liangliang’’s dad who taught him how to spark up between tantrums and milky vomits.

Liangliang’’s dad said his son was born with a hernia, and being too young for an operation, has taken up smoking to help him deal with the pain.
“The father wasn”t aware how serious the toddler’’s habit had become until the child began to increase the number of cigarettes he smoked per day,” News.com.au quoted news agency CRI as saying.
However, The Guinness Book of World Records may not accept the feat, as it has refused such requests before on the grounds that it “promoted a harmful habit”. (ANI)

source:
http://www.indiannews1.com

Changing weather may affect our health

It is true that we change with weather at least regarding health and state of mind. We all are influenced more or less by temperature variations.

Arthritis symptoms worsen 

Human body is equipped with sensory receptors that sense external temperature variations as well as atmospheric pressure changes. As these receptors are highly sensible to climate changes they can influence pain sensation. Namely when weather changes, pain rising from already existing illnesses worsens. That is why rheumatics are natural thermometers and barometers. Person suffering from arthrosis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis experience greater articular pain.
Increased heart arrest risk
During winter, approximately half of hypertension persons fatalities are caused by heart arrest due the blood vessels contractions when exposed to cold. In the case of arteriosclerosis sufferings, blood vessel contraction can lead to occlusion. When temperatures lower above 4 degree Celsius (39F) risk of cardiac problems rises with 115% while high temperature variations increase the risk with 140%
Asthma attacks are more frequent
Strong wind has a negative effect upon asthma sufferings. Cold an dry air irritates the already sensible mucosa, leading to violent spasms. Muscles that surround the bronchi stiffen limiting air flow and creating respiratory difficulties.

source: healthyfeeds.com

New technique could help millions suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis

French researchers developed a revolutionary technique for administering bone repairing drugs which could help millions suffering from arthritis and osteoporosis.
Researchers from Strasbourg University hope the new technique will help bone and cartilage recovery thanks to the implant that gradually releases the necessary drugs (growth hormone drugs) into the body.
The new technique developed by the University of Strasbourg was tested only in the laboratory and on animals. This discovery is especially important to the elderly because in their case broken bones heal slower and may lead to permanent disability and even death.

source :healthyfeeds.com

It's Alive! Artificial Life Springs From Manmade DNA

A team of scientists create the first real-life "Frankenstein" by injecting man-made DNA into a previously lifeless cell.

 THE GIST

• Scientists report the first successful implantation of fully synthetic genome.
• The manmade genome was more than one million base pairs long.
• The step could help lead to cheaper drugs, vaccines, and biofuels. 

It may not quite be "Frankenstein," but for the first time scientists have created an organism controlled by completely manmade DNA.
Using the tools of synthetic biology, scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute installed a completely artificial genome inside a host cell without DNA. Like the bolt of lightening that awakened Frankenstein, the new genome invigorated the host cell, which began to grow and reproduce, albeit with a few problems.
The research marks a technical milestone in the synthesis and implantation of artificial DNA. Venter, along with dozens of other companies and researchers in the same field, expects the research will lead to cheaper drugs, vaccines and biofuels in several years.

"This is the first synthetic cell that's been made," said Venter. "We call it synthetic because the cell is totally derived from a synthetic chromosome, made with four bottles of chemicals on a chemical synthesizer, starting with information in a computer."
The research, published today in the journal Science, combines two of Venter's past achievements.
In 2007 Venter transplanted the genome of one Mycoplasma bacterium into another. Venter and his colleagues also synthesized a trimmed down, artificial version of Mycoplasma's DNA, a project known as the Minimal Genome Project. Attempts to implant the synthetic DNA all failed, until now.



In the current research Venter and his colleagues, which includes Nobel laureate Hamilton Smith, first synthesized Mycoplasma's full genome. Then they added hundreds of thousands of additional base pairs to "watermark" the DNA to distinguish it from a natural one.
Venter and his colleagues created a special code, similar to Morse code, to "write" within the DNA itself. Instead of dots and dashes, they used the sequence of four DNA nucleotides, thymine (T), guanine (G), cytosine (C), and adenine (A), as a code for any letter, number or punctuation mark. Using the code, the team included the names of the study co-authors, a website, and even several philosophical quotes, complete with punctuation.
The completed DNA sequence was more than one million base pairs long. The human genome, by comparison, is more than three billion base pairs long.
No machine can turn out a single piece of DNA anywhere close to that long, however. Instead, Venter and his colleagues started with many relatively small pieces of DNA. Then the scientists transferred DNA pieces back and forth between a yeast cell and E. coli bacteria, turning the many short pieces into fewer but longer DNA segments.
Once the synthetic DNA segment reached the desired length the scientists injected it into a Mycoplasma bacterium that had had its own DNA removed earlier. Needless to say, the process of assembling such a lengthy piece of synthetic DNA was complicated.
"I hope the day comes when making genomes is something everyone can do," said Pamela Silver, a systems biologist at Harvard Medical School.
The new, synthetic DNA "booted up" the bacterium, but not without a few problems; several of the synthesized genes didn't work properly. And the genes that did work didn't do anything particularly useful, at least by human standards.
The Mycoplasma bacteria grew and reproduced, but that was about all. Within several years however, Venter, along with dozens of other researchers and companies, hope to create more exciting bacteria that will speed up the production and drive down the costs of biofuels, vaccines and drugs.
Venter has teamed up with a major oil and gas company, and a pharmaceutical company, to help realize these goals.
Venter's work falls into a nascent field of science known as synthetic biology. Synthetic biology builds on the decades-old field of genetic engineering. Unlike genetic engineering, where scientists introduce a handful of new genes into an organism, synthetic biology aims to reprogram entire organisms, including bacteria and viruses.
The creation and insertion of a synthetic genome more than one million base pairs is a technical landmark, said Frances Arnold, a synthetic biologist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. He says the feat showcases scientists' ability to precisely manipulate long sections of DNA.
But before consumers see any benefit several significant hurdles have to be solved. One of the biggest problems is that scientists are still searching for the specific genetic code to produce cheap drugs, biofuel and other products.
"We can write anything we want," said Arnold. "The problem is that we don't know what to write."

also video on:
http://news.discovery.com/videos/tech-synthetic-life-becomes-reality.html


 

The gene that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy can be repaired

The gene that causes Duchenne muscular dystrophy 1), a hereditary disease affecting one in 3500 males, can be repaired according to researchers from Universite Laval’s Faculty of Medicine and the CHUQ Research Center.
Researchers performed in vitro tests by inserting into human muscle cells a variety of meganucleases, enzymes with the ability to correct the dystrophin gene, and also in vivo with mice carrying the mutation that causes the illness. Both series of testing showed that the meganucleases can lead to a restoration of the normal nucleotide sequences of the dystrophin gene and its expression in muscle cells.
A number of hurdles must be overcome before this approach can be tested in humans, cautions Dr. Jacques P. Tremblay who led the team of researchers. “It must first be proven in laboratory animals that it is possible to insert a meganuclease targeting the dystrophin gene directly into muscle cells, and that this will induce the synthesis of dystrophin able to attach to the muscle fiber membrane,” explains the researcher. “We’re still two to three years away from this stage,” he estimates. “Subsequent stages, including human trials, could take even longer,” adds Dr. Tremblay.

1 Duchenne muscular dystrophy is characterized by a rapid progression of muscle degeneration that begins in early childhood leading to loss of ambulation and even death.

source:
healthy feeds.com

Sulforaphane from broccoli can inhibit breast cancer stem cells

Researchers at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center studied the effectiveness of sulforaphane¹⁾ in targeting and killing breast cancer stem cells on both mice and cell cultures with promising results.  In the study the sulforaphane extracted from broccoli sprouts prevented new tumors from growing.
“Sulforaphane has been studied previously for its effects on cancer, but this study shows that its benefit is in inhibiting the breast cancer stem cells. This new insight suggests the potential of sulforaphane or broccoli extract to prevent or treat cancer by targeting the critical cancer stem cells,” says Duxin Sun²⁾.
After injecting various concentrations of sulforaphane in mice with breast cancer, researchers measured the number of cancer stem cells in the tumors. The findings showed a decrease in the cancer stem cell population after treatment with sulforaphane, with little effect on the normal cells. Also, the cancer cells from mice treated with sulforaphane were unable to generate new tumors. Similar results were obtained after the researchers tested sulforaphane on human breast cancer cell cultures.
“This research suggests a potential new treatment that could be combined with other compounds to target breast cancer stem cells. Developing treatments that effectively target the cancer stem cell population is essential for improving outcomes,” says Max S. Wicha³⁾.

¹⁾ Sulforaphane is a organosulfur compound obtained from cruciferous vegetables
²⁾ Duxin Sun, Ph.D – study author – is an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the U-M College of Pharmacy and a researcher with the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center
³⁾ Max S. Wicha, M.D. – study author – is a Distinguished Professor of Oncology and director of the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center.

source:
healthy feeds.com

Eating Nuts Daily Lowers Cholesterol

Daily Helping of Nuts May Help Fight Heart Disease, New Study Finds
By Bill Hendrick
WebMD Health News
Reviewed By Laura J. Martin, MD
May 10, 2010 -- Eating nuts on a daily basis improves blood cholesterol levels and reduces the risk of coronary heart disease, a new study says.
Joan Sabaté, MD, DrPH, and colleagues from Loma Linda University in California, pooled data from 25 studies on nut consumption in seven countries, looking at 583 men and women with various cholesterol levels. None was on cholesterol-lowering medications. Nuts evaluated included almonds, hazelnuts, pecans, pistachios, walnuts, macadamia nuts, and peanuts.
Patients in the trials ate an average of 67 grams, or about 2.4 ounces, of nuts daily.
This dietary practice resulted in an average 5.1% reduction in total cholesterol concentration, a 7.4% reduction in LDL or bad cholesterol, and an 8.3% reduction in the ratio of LDL to HDL ("good" cholesterol) levels.
In addition, triglyceride measurements declined by 10.2%, but only among people with initially elevated triglyceride readings. The cholesterol effects of nut consumption were similar in men and women, and were dose related.

Nuts Improve Cholesterol, Heart Health

Different types of nuts had similar effects on blood cholesterol levels, according to the authors. However, "effects of nut consumption were significantly modified by LDL, body mass index, and diet type: the lipid-lowering effects of nut consumption were greatest among subjects with high baseline LDL and with low body mass index and among those consuming Western diets."
The findings support the inclusion of nuts in therapeutic dietary interventions for improving cholesterol levels, the authors say.
"Increasing consumption of nuts as part of an otherwise prudent diet can be expected to favorably affect blood lipid levels (at least in the short term), and have the potential to lower coronary heart disease risk," the authors write.
Nevertheless, moderation is key. Although eating nuts on a regular basis appears to have significant health benefits, nut consumption should be limited to no more than 3 ounces per day because of their high calorie density.
Sabaté and fellow author Emilio Ros, MD, PhD, disclose receiving research funding from the California Walnut Commission, the Almond Board of California, the National Peanut Board, and the International Tree Nut Council. Sabaté has also received an honorarium as a member of the Pistachio Scientific Advisory Board.
The study is published in the May 10 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.

SOURCES: News release, Archives of Internal Medicine.

Sabate, J. Archives of Internal Medicine, May 10, 2010; vol 170(9).

News release, Loma Linda University, California.

©2010 WebMD, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

source:

medicine net.com

Researchers Discover Genetic Link Between Both Types of ALS

Researchers from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered a link between sporadic and familial forms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a neurodegenerative disease also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.

Researchers found that a protein called FUS forms characteristic skein- like cytoplasmic inclusions in spinal motor neurons in most cases of ALS. Mutations in this gene have been previously linked to a small subset of familial ALS cases. Researchers thus linked a rare genetic cause to most cases of ALS, clearing the way for rational therapy based on a known molecular target. The study was recently published online in the Annals of Neurology.

ALS is a disease in which muscle-controlling nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord (motor neurons) die, resulting in rapidly progressive paralysis and death usually within three to five years of the onset of symptoms. Most cases of ALS are of unknown etiology and appear as sporadic ALS. About 5 to 10 percent of ALS cases are familial. Some forms of familial ALS are caused by genetic mutations in specific genes. Mutations in the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase gene (SOD1) account for approximately 20 percent of familial ALS cases. Mutations in the TAR DNA-binding protein gene (TDP43) and FUS gene occur in about 4 to 5 percent of the familial ALS cases. Altogether, mutations in specific genes have been identified in about 30 percent of familial ALS cases. 

In contrast to familial ALS, the etiology and the pathogenic mechanisms underlying sporadic ALS -- 90 percent of all ALS -- has remained largely unknown. Understanding the causes and pathogenic mechanisms of sporadic ALS is the major challenge in this disease.

For this study, researchers examined the post-mortem spinal cords and brains of 100 cases, 78 with ALS and 22 in a control group. They found FUS pathology in the spinal cords of all the ALS cases, except for a few cases with SOD1 mutations. But FUS pathology was not present in control cases without ALS.

“This is a game changer because it establishes a connection in the development of sporadic ALS with a known cause of familial ALS,” said senior author Teepu Siddique, MD, the Les Turner ALS Foundation/ Herbert C. Wenske Professor of the Ken and Ruth Davee Department of Neurology at Feinberg and a neurologist at Northwestern Memorial Hospital.

“Our finding opens up a new field of investigation for rational therapy for all of ALS,” Siddique added. “This is the holy grail of researchers in this field.”

"There hasn’t been a therapy for most of ALS, because the cause was unknown," Siddique said. “Three genes have been identified in ALS, but the problem has been connecting inherited ALS to sporadic ALS.”

“We identified the FUS pathology in sporadic ALS and most familial ALS cases,” said Han-Xiang Deng, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology at Feinberg and lead author of the paper. “The patients with the FUS pathology may account for about 90 percent of all ALS cases. Our findings suggest that pathological interaction of FUS with other proteins is a common theme in motor neuron degeneration in the vast majority of the ALS cases. We believe that this is a major step forward in formulating a common pathogenic pathway for motor neuron degeneration. Importantly, it may offer a novel avenue for developing therapies through targeting these FUS-containing inclusions.”

The one exception to the new finding is when familial ALS is associated with a mutation on the SOD1 gene. In those patients and in the mutant SOD1 transgenic mouse models, researchers did not find evidence of FUS pathology.

“This tells us that it follows a different pathway of pathogenesis, so treatment for this form of the disease would have to be different,” Deng said.

The study is supported by the National Institutes of Health, the Les Turner ALS Foundation, the Vena E. Schaff ALS Research Fund, the Harold Post Research Professorship, the Herbert and Florence C. Wenske Foundation, the David C. Asselin MD Memorial Fund and the Les Turner ALS Foundation/Herbert and Florence C. Wenske Professorship.

source:

http://www.feinberg.northwestern.edu

New drug kills non-Hodgkin lymphoma tumor cells

A new type of drug designed to kill non-Hodgkin lymphoma tumor cells has been developed by researchers from the Samuel Waxman Cancer Research Foundation. The new drug targets an oncogene known as BLC6 which functions as a master regulatory protein and also causes the most common form of non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
“It’s a protein that controls the production of thousands of other genes. Because of that, it has a very profound impact on cells and is required for lymphoma cells to survive and multiply,” said Dr. Melnick¹⁾.
Dr. Melnick  and his colleagues were able to identify a “hot spot” on BLC6 that they predicted would play a critical role in protein interactions. They showed that their BCL6 inhibitor drug was specific to BCL6, and did not block other master regulatory proteins. The drug had powerful lymphoma killing activity and yet was non-toxic to normal tissues. “This is the first time a drug of this nature has been designed and it shows that it’s not actually impossible to target factors like BCL6,” he said.

¹⁾ Ari Melnick, M.D. – associate professor of medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College in New York City

Biologists discover how biological clock controls cell division in bacteria

Circadian clock protein KaiC, at the center of the clock, controls the timing of cell division in bacterial colonies around the clock’s periphery. Credit: Guogang Dong, Haitao Guo, John Buchner and Susan Golden








A team of biologists has unraveled the biochemistry of how bacteria so precisely time cell division, a key element in understanding how all organisms from bacteria to humans use their biological clocks to control basic cellular functions.

The discovery, detailed in the February 19 issue of the journal Cell, provides important clues to how the biological clocks of bacteria and other "prokaryotic" cells—which lack cell nuclei—evolved differently from that of "eukaryotic" cells with nuclei that comprise most other forms of life, from fungi to plants and animals.
"A major question in biology is how the circadian clock machinery is different in bacteria than it is in plants, animals and fungi," said Susan Golden, a professor of biology at UC Sana Diego, who headed the study. "We looked at how the biological clock controls when bacterial cells divide—in bacteria, there's a period of four hours where the cells are not allowed to divide—and we identified the structural changes in a key protein that controls this action."
Golden and her colleagues from UCSD, MIT, Michigan State University and Texas A&M University probed cell division in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. That organism had been studied extensively by the Golden lab and other researchers, who found that the timing of cell division, patterns of gene expression and compaction of the chromosome are controlled by the circadian clock. What was unknown was precisely how the circadian clock in bacteria controlled cell division.
Using time-lapse microscopy, Golden and her colleagues discovered that the clock proteins KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC in bacteria control the action of a key protein called FtsZ, preventing it from going to the middle of the cell and forming a ring necessary for cell division. After four hours has elapsed, the clock proteins allow FtsZ to move toward the center of the cell and change structurally to form this ring.
"This complex of proteins is at the heart of the bacterial clock controlling cell division," said Golden. "There are two cycles, the cell cycle and the circadian cycle, that need to mesh for organisms to function. What we learned from this study is how these two cycles with different timing periods interact, and that the mechanisms that control the timing of cell division in bacteria are different than they are in eukaryotic cells."
Golden added that knowledge of the mechanisms of how organisms from bacteria to humans control the timing of their cell division and other processes has application to many human problems resulting from disorders in the circadian clock.
"Understanding the basic mechanisms of the biological clock is vital to our daily lives as many people suffer from some problem in their daily sleep cycle," said Golden. "The biological clock in humans plays a central role in whether we gain or lose weight, when we fall asleep and wake up, how likely we are to have accidents and how we respond to disease."

Provided by University of California - San Diego (news : web)
 

Researchers examine link between bacteria in the digestive system and obesity

Obesity is more than a cosmetic concern because it increases a person’s risk for developing high blood pressure, diabetes and many other serious health problems. It’s well understood that consuming more calories than you expend through exercise and daily activities causes weight gain. But with about one in every three American adults now considered obese, researchers are attempting to identify additional factors that affect a person’s tendency to gain and retain excess weight.
In the April issue of Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers from Mayo Clinic Arizona and Arizona State University examine the role that bacteria in the human gastrointestinal tract play in regulating weight and the development of obesity.
Known as gut microbiota, the trillions of bacteria that populate the human gastrointestinal tract perform a variety of chores. These “friendly” microbes help extract calories from what we eat, help store these calories for later use, and provide energy and nutrients for the production of new bacteria to continue this work.
According to John DiBaise, M.D., a Mayo Clinic Arizona gastroenterologist and lead author of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings article, several animal studies suggest that gut microbiota are involved in regulating weight and that modifying these bacteria could one day be a treatment option for obesity.
One study cited by the authors observed that young, conventionally-reared mice have a significantly higher body fat content than a laboratory-bred, germ-free strain of mice that lack these bacteria, even though they consumed less food than their germ-free counterparts. When the same research group transplanted gut microbiota from normal mice into germ-free mice, the germ-free mice experienced a 60 percent increase in body fat within two weeks, without any increase in food consumption or obvious differences in energy expenditure.
Another animal study reviewed by the authors focused on the gene content of the gut microbiota in mice. Finding more end products of fermentation and fewer calories in the feces of obese mice led researchers to speculate that the gut microbiota in the obese mice help extract additional calories from ingested food.
“These results suggest that differences exist in the gut microbiota of obese versus lean mice, raising the possibility that the manipulation of gut microbiota could be a useful strategy for regulating energy balance in obese people,” says Dr. DiBaise.
Although information on the link between gut microbiota and obesity in human subjects is more limited, the authors present some evidence supporting this connection. One study cited placed 12 obese participants in a weight-loss program for a year, randomly assigning them to either a fat-restricted or carbohydrate-restricted, low-calorie diet. Researchers noted distinct differences between lean and obese participants when they monitored the type and number of bacteria found in participants’ stool samples before and after the diet changes.
Another study cited followed children from birth to age 7 and analyzed stool samples collected at 6 and 12 months. The children who were normal weight at age 7 had distinctly different bacteria in their samples from those collected from overweight-obese children, suggesting that differences in the composition of the gut microbiota precede overweight-obesity.
Dr. DiBaise says that much more research is needed to clarify a number of issues related to the relationship between the gut microbiota and obesity. Future studies need to establish whether the small changes in caloric extraction seen in recent studies can produce measurable weight differences in humans. Second, researchers need to prove or disprove the possible relationship between the gut microbiota and the regulation of weight.
“In particular, it is essential to demonstrate unequivocally whether differences in gut microbiota in obese versus lean people are the cause or the result of obesity,” says Dr. DiBaise.
Finally, the authors note that the next wave of research should explore the safety and feasibility of modifying the gut microbiota in clinical trials involving humans.
“Although clearly no substitute for proper diet and exercise, manipulation of the gut microbiota may represent a novel approach for treating obesity that has few adverse effects,” says Dr. DiBaise.
Source: Mayo Clinic

OSU-CG12 kills cancer cells

OSU-CG12 , a energy-restriction mimetic agent, is an experimental anticancer drug that causes the cancer cells to self destruct by choking off the sugar supply. OSU-CG12  was designed by researchers at the Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

Researchers showed that OSU-CG12 is 10 time more efficient in killing cancer cells then ciglitazone or resveratrol by using breast cancer and prostate cancer cell line. Also the agent suppresses the cell’s ability to metabolize sugar and stops the glucose from entering cancer cells which leads to the cancer cells consuming themselves as well other biochemical events that eventualy lead to the cell’s death.

“Our study proves that this new agent kills cancer cells through energy restriction. This is important because it shows that it is possible to design drugs that target energy restriction, and it is exciting because energy-restricting mimetic agents may also be useful for other diseases, including metabolic syndromes, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and obesity,” said Ching-Shin Chen, principal investigator.

source :
healthy feeds.com

AlloMap blood test works as well as a heart biopsy

AlloMap, a blood test made by XDx Inc 1), works as well as a heart biopsy when it comes to checking for signs of rejection in patients with heart transplants, according to researchers at Stanford University. The AlloMap test is also cheaper than a heart biopsy by almost 1000$. The AlloMap test works by checking the blood to see if specific genes associated with rejection are turned on or expressed. Compared to a heart biopsy in which  a surgical cut is made to the neck or arm and a tube is insert through a vein, the test feels like a walk in the park.

safe to reduce the number of biopsies by using the Allomap test, the researchers compared results from 600 patients who were randomly assigned to have a biopsy or the blood test and an echocardiogram. The results showed that the Allomap test worked as well as routine biopsies, with similar complications  and rates of rejection in both cases.  The Allomap test is available in U.S. and offered at 65 transplant centers.

1) XDx Inc is a molecular diagnostics company focused on the discovery, development and commercialization of non-invasive gene expression testing in the areas of transplant medicine and autoimmunity
2) Dr. Hannah Valentine – Senior Associate Dean, Office of Diversity and Leadership, School of Medicine at Stanford University, Stanford,  CA

source :
healthy feeds.com

Reduce headaches caused by migraine with aspirin plus metoclopramide

You can substantially reduce headache caused by migraines within two hours with a single dose of 900-1000mg aspirin, according to researchers. Also vomiting and nausea symptoms are greatly reduced if 900mg of aspirin is taken together with 10mg of metoclopramide.

Researchers compared the differences in response rates for people taking aspirin alone or aspirin plus metoclopramide with those of people taking placebo or another active agent and found that 25% of people who took a single dose of 9000-1000mg aspirin had their headaches reduced from severe or moderate to no pain, compared to those who took the placebo.  One in two people had the pain reduced to no worse than mild pain.

Aspirin plus metoclopramide was better at reducing symptoms of vomiting, nausea, photophobia and phenophobia than aspirin alone, although it didn’t produce a greater frequency of pain relief.  Aspirin plus metoclopramide had a similar effect to 50mg of sumatriptan, a headache treatment, but a 100mg dose of sumatriptan was slighty better at delivering a pain free response within two hours.

“Aspirin plus metoclopramide will be a reasonable therapy for acute migraine attacks, but for many it will be insufficiently effective,” said the study leader Andrew Moore, who works in Pain Relief and the Department of Anaesthetics at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.

source :

healthy feeds.com

The Secret Behind the Mediterranean Diet: Olive Oil

The heart-healthy Mediterranean diet has been getting a whole lot of press lately due to some pretty significant research into its benefits. It has been shown to lower the incidence of asthma and allergies in children, lower the risk of metabolic syndrome, possiblyeliminate diabetes medication for Type II diabetics, and may lessen the risk of cancer and depression.

Just last month research came out of the Netherlands on the Mediterranean diet and fertility. While the study didn’t actually prove that the diet alone boosts fertility, but found that two common diet patterns emerged: women who adhered to the Mediterranean-style diet had a higher pregnancy rate following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). In fact, the women who were consistent with the tenets of the diet were 40 percent more likely to get pregnant than those women whose diets were farthest from the Mediterranean Diet.

More recent findings, out of Spain and published in the April online issue ofBMC Genomics, show that specific components in olive oil, a major player in the Mediterranean diet, may suppress genes that promote inflammation. "These findings strengthen the relationship between inflammation, obesity and diet and provide evidence at the most basic level of healthy effects derived from virgin olive oil consumption in humans," said study leader Francisco Perez-Jimenez of the University of Cordoba.

In this study, researchers focused on the genes in 20 participants who all had metabolic syndrome, a cluster of risk factors that occur together which can increase your tendency to develop coronary artery disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes, and how they were effected by a diet rich in phenol compounds. The researchers identified almost 100 genes whose inflammatory activity is dampened by consumption of olive oil, in particular extra virgin olive oil. Dr. Perez-Jimenez concludes that “Several of the repressed genes are known to be involved in pro-inflammatory processes, suggesting the diet can switch the activity of immune system cells.”

Extra-virgin olive oil, which is produced by pressing the olives without the use of any chemical or heat treatments, contains phytochemicals that are otherwise lost in the refining process. In 2008, Spanish researchers conducted a study, also published inBMC Cancer, in which they separated the extra-virgin olive oil into fractions and then they tested these against breast cancer cells in the laboratory. The researchers found that all of the fractions that contained major extra-virgin phytochemicals polyphenols (lignans and secoiridoids) effectively inhibited the breast cancer gene called HER2.

source :
healthyfeeds.com