Dr. House
Dr. House
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Metabolically Healthy Obese Women May Still Have A Higher Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease,
reports, “Obese women who have been healthy for decades may still be on the path to heart problems,” research indicated. After examining data on some “90,000 US women who took part in the Nurses’ Health Study and didn’t have heart disease,” then following the women “from 1980 to 2010,” investigators found that “metabolically healthy obese women still had a 39 percent higher risk of cardiovascular disease.” The findings were published online in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. https://consumer.healthday.com/vitamins-and-nutrition-information-27/obesity-health-news-505/there-s-no-healthy-obesity-for-women-study-finds-734366.html
Exercising Several Hours Each Week Improves Cognition in Older Adults, Study
reports a study by researchers at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine analyzing data on over 11,000 older people “found that people who exercised about 52 hours over a period of about six months showed the biggest improvements in various thinking and speed tests,” but less so in memory. Data indicate that “on average, people exercised for about an hour, three times a week” and that “the effect applied to both people without cognitive decline as well as those with mild cognitive impairment or dementia.” Notably, researchers only observed a “strong correlation between exercise and brain function...when they looked at the overall time people spent being physically active,” meaning “they did not find associations between improvements in thinking and the frequency, intensity or length of time people exercised.” The findings were published in Neurology. http://time.com/5294493/exercise-healthy-brain-aging/
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Neuropeptide That Causes Anxiety Found
Neuroscientists at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory (CSHL) have identified a neural circuit in the amygdala, the brain’s seat of emotion processing, that gives rise to anxiety. Their insight has revealed the critical role of a molecule called dynorphin, which could serve as a target for treatment of anxiety-related disorders including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/neuropeptide-of-stress-dynorphin-drives-anxiety-304500?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63344552&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__TnWBEsITp_ZAKPAA5zLHgje6Nz4ZUrHwzAFSNwefEWuVmUMhI8xYO8G4CqZshl9UkEgdftxulUqJQPvuMgFMOxrsaA&_hsmi=63344552
First 3D Printed Human Corneas
The first human corneas have been 3D printed by scientists at Newcastle University. It means the technique could be used in the future to ensure an unlimited supply of corneas.
As the outermost layer of the human eye, the cornea has an important role in focusing vision.
Yet there is a significant shortage of corneas available to transplant, with 10 million people worldwide requiring surgery to prevent corneal blindness as a result of diseases such as trachoma, an infectious eye disorder.
In addition, almost 5 million people suffer total blindness due to corneal scarring caused by burns, lacerations, abrasion or disease. https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/first-3d-printed-human-corneas-304467?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63344552&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-__TnWBEsITp_ZAKPAA5zLHgje6Nz4ZUrHwzAFSNwefEWuVmUMhI8xYO8G4CqZshl9UkEgdftxulUqJQPvuMgFMOxrsaA&_hsmi=63344552
Popular Vitamins, Supplements May Offer No Cardiovascular Benefits,
reports that investigators “found that common supplements such as multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin C provide no protection against heart disease, heart attack, stroke or premature death.” Meanwhile, “folic acid and B-vitamins were associated with a reduced risk of heart disease and stroke.” However, “niacin and antioxidants were linked to a very small risk of all-cause mortality.” Also covering the story are U.S. News & World Report (5/29, Salem), http://www.newsweek.com/do-vitamin-mineral-pills-have-any-health-benefits-no-say-scientists-946491
Single Lot Of Contraceptive Sample Packs Recalled
reports that “with the knowledge” of the Food and Drug Administration, “Allergan has issued a voluntary recall in the” US “for a single lot of its norethindrone acetate and ethinyl estradiol capsules and ferrous fumarate capsules (Taytulla) physician sample packs, due to the incorrect placement of placebo pills in the pack.” Allergan identified “the lot in question...as Lot #5620706 (Expiry May 2019). The packs were of the 1 mg/20 mcg 6x28 quantity.” http://www.mdmag.com/medical-news/allergan-issues-voluntary-recall-of-taytulla-contraceptive
Higher Ratios Of Testosterone To Estradiol Levels Linked To Higher Risk For CV Events In Postmenopausal Women
reports that researchers found that “a higher ratio of testosterone to estradiol was associated with the development of cardiovascular disease, coronary heart disease, and heart failure in postmenopausal women.” Meanwhile, “total testosterone levels were associated with increased cardiovascular disease and coronary heart disease, while estradiol is associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease and heart failure with reduced ejection fraction.” https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/menopause/73152
Tuesday, May 29, 2018
No Help or Harm From Popular Supplements
The most commonly consumed vitamin and mineral supplements provide no consistent health benefit or harm, suggests a new study led by researchers at St. Michael's Hospital and the University of Toronto.
Published today in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the systematic review of existing data and single randomized control trials published in English from January 2012 to October 2017 found that multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium and vitamin C - the most common supplements - showed no advantage or added risk in the prevention of cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke or premature death. Generally, vitamin and mineral supplements are taken to add to nutrients that are found in food.
"We were surprised to find so few positive effects of the most common supplements that people consume," said Dr. David Jenkins*, the study's lead author. "Our review found that if you want to use multivitamins, vitamin D, calcium or vitamin C, it does no harm - but there is no apparent advantage either."
The study found folic acid alone and B-vitamins with folic acid may reduce cardiovascular disease and stroke. Meanwhile, niacin and antioxidants showed a very small effect that might signify an increased risk of death from any cause.
"These findings suggest that people should be conscious of the supplements they're taking and ensure they're applicable to the specific vitamin or mineral deficiencies they have been advised of by their healthcare provider," Dr. Jenkins said.
His team reviewed supplement data that included A, B1, B2, B3 (niacin), B6, B9 (folic acid), C, D and E; and β-carotene; calcium; iron; zinc; magnesium; and selenium. The term 'multivitamin' in this review was used to describe supplements that include most vitamins and minerals, rather than a select few.
"In the absence of significant positive data - apart from folic acid's potential reduction in the risk of stroke and heart disease - it's most beneficial to rely on a healthy diet to get your fill of vitamins and minerals," Dr. Jenkins said. "So far, no research on supplements has shown us anything better than healthy servings of less processed plant foods including vegetables, fruits and nuts." https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/no-help-or-harm-from-popular-supplements-304431?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63307092&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9RAxsbHUU-o0b4uftFt3oppK3RO_7ymLrr5_orQQTXM__LNRS4lBEFWYWH7qAUoj0PVnDmN3p3AfIDJ2SQXEeWLDQKFg&_hsmi=63307092
Lung-on-a-Chip Simulates Pulmonary Fibrosis
Developing new medicines to treat pulmonary fibrosis, one of the most common and serious forms of lung disease, is not easy.
One reason: it’s difficult to mimic how the disease damages and scars lung tissue over time, often forcing scientists to employ a hodgepodge of time-consuming and costly techniques to assess the effectiveness of potential treatments.
Now, new biotechnology reported in the journal Nature Communications could streamline the drug-testing process.
The innovation relies on the same technology used to print electronic chips, photolithography. Only instead of semiconducting materials, researchers placed upon the chip arrays of thin, pliable lab-grown lung tissues — in other words, its lung-on-a-chip technology.
“Obviously it’s not an entire lung, but the technology can mimic the damaging effects of lung fibrosis. Ultimately, it could change how we test new drugs, making the process quicker and less expensive,” says lead author Ruogang Zhao, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University at Buffalo.
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/lung-on-a-chip-simulates-pulmonary-fibrosis-304417?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63307092&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9RAxsbHUU-o0b4uftFt3oppK3RO_7ymLrr5_orQQTXM__LNRS4lBEFWYWH7qAUoj0PVnDmN3p3AfIDJ2SQXEeWLDQKFg&_hsmi=63307092
Seafood Intake May Impact Time To Pregnancy For Couples Trying To Conceive,
reported that “couples in which both partners consume at least two servings of seafood per week are more likely to report pregnancy within 12 months and a greater frequency of sexual intercourse vs. couples consuming seafood less than once per menstrual cycle.” The research was published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/reproduction-androgen-disorders/news/in-the-journals/%7B53f32dae-a68c-49a6-b3e5-86fe76aff50c%7D/seafood-intake-may-influence-time-to-pregnancy-among-couples-trying-to-conceive
Food Insecurity May Be Associated With Higher Risk Of Type 2 Diabetes,
reported that research suggests “Canadians who cannot afford to eat regularly or to eat a healthy diet have more than double the average risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” The findings were published in PLOS ONE. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes-food-insecurity/food-insecurity-linked-to-type-2-diabetes-risk-idUSKCN1IQ2KC
Friday, May 25, 2018
Obese Patients More Likely To Recover From Pneumonia, Sepsis,
reports obese patients hospitalized for infectious diseases, pneumonia, and sepsis “have a better chance of surviving than those who are of normal weight, according to new research” presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Vienna. The “obesity paradox” was illustrated in three separate presentations. One study of more than 18,000 patients hospitalized in Denmark “found those who were overweight were 40% less likely to die, and those who were obese 50% less likely to die, than those of normal weight,” while a second study using data from 1.7 million US hospital admissions for pneumonia “that overweight patients were 23% more likely to survive and obese patients 29% more likely to survive than those of normal weight.” A third study of US patients with sepsis found “overweight patients were 23% less likely to die and obese patients 22% less likely to die than those of normal weight.” https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/may/24/obese-patients-more-likely-to-survive-infection-in-hospital
Warning Labels On Junk Food Can Influence Consumers’ Food Choices.
reports that a new study suggests “graphic health warnings on food packets – similar to those used for cigarettes – could prompt people to abandon ‘hedonistic impulses’ and choose healthier foods.” Researchers at the University of Melbourne in Australia “monitored the brain activity of 95 people as they were shown packages of 50 foods such as chips, chocolate bars, biscuits, nuts, fruits and vegetables,” finding that warning labels “prompted people to exercise more self-control rather than act on impulse.” https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/05/24/calls-junk-food-have-graphic-cigarette-style-warnings-packaging/
Genes, Rather Than Just Adiposity, May Be Underlying Factor In Differences In Appetite, Satiety That Have Been Observed In Obesity
“Evidence from a twin study points to genes, rather than just adiposity, as the underlying factor in differences in appetite and satiety that have been observed in obesity,” according to research presented at a medical conference. In an embedded video, Jennifer Rosenbaum, MD, was shown saying, “We thought it was fat mass…but when we controlled for everything that monozygotic pairs have in common, that relationship went away, implicating something that the monozygotic twins have in common, i.e., genetics.” https://www.mdedge.com/clinicalendocrinologynews/article/166564/obesity/genes-not-adiposity-may-be-driving-appetite
Thursday, May 24, 2018
Learning and Memory Brake Found
Confirming calcium signaling as a critical component of quiescent plasticity in CA2, Evans next investigated calcium influx in small neuronal compartments called dendritic spines during LTP in CA2 neurons from mice containing and lacking RGS14. Calcium transients in spines from mice containing RGS14 were significantly smaller than those in mice lacking RGS14, indicating that RGS14 plays an important role in adjusting calcium levels in CA2 neurons. Furthermore, the acute overexpression of RGS14 in CA2 neurons lacking the protein once again abolished plasticity and significantly reduced plasticity when expressed in the CA1 region. Increasing extracellular calcium levels reversed the abolition of plasticity, reinforcing the notion that RGS14 exerts its plasticity restricting properties through the regulation of calcium.
“RGS14 seems to be special, acting as a molecular factor that puts the brakes on plasticity when it’s present, enabling specialized types of memory encoding. Establishing a greater understanding of the molecular makeup conferring subtle differences between brain regions, like those seen in CA1 and CA2, will allow us to better understand the mechanisms that underlie learning and memory,” notes Dr. Evans. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/protein-acts-as-brake-on-learning-and-memory-304309?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63190212&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8R5PFV48QYwvfrM4zYMQsaRNLYZDJWafEhZIYFQbU1x_YH6tkEMWph4GlRX83i1_sxR4SxY7QvhqA-cH5yw-Fxl-hbvQ&_hsmi=63190212
Closing Coal And Oil Plants Boosts Fertility, Babies’ Health,
reports a new study published this month in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that closing coal- and oil-fired power plants cuts air pollution in nearby communities, and boosts fertility rates and reduces the number of preterm births. For the study, researchers examined fertility rates and the prevalence of preterm births before and after eight power plants closed from 2001 to 2011 in California, and found “that the preterm births, defined as those that occur before 37 weeks of pregnancy, accounted for 7 percent of all births before plants closed. The rate dropped to 5.1 percent in the year afterward among populations in neighboring areas.” https://www.cbsnews.com/news/studies-shuttering-coal-and-oil-power-plants-boosts-fertility-babies-health/
Antidepressant Use May Be Associated With Weight Gain Over Time,
, research published online May 23 in the BMJ suggests that “antidepressant use may be associated with weight gain over time.” Investigators arrived at that conclusion after examining data from the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink involving some “295,000 people of all different weights.” The study revealed that people “prescribed antidepressants during the first year of the study were 21% more likely to have gained at least 5% of their starting body weight over the 10 years of follow-up, compared to people not taking the” medications. http://time.com/5288456/antidepressants-weight-gain/
Eating More Fish May Benefit Couples Hoping To Conceive,
reports that “men who had two or more four-ounce servings of fish a week had a 47 percent shorter time to pregnancy, and women a 60 percent shorter time, than those who ate one or fewer servings a week,” researchers concluded after interviewing “501 couples who were trying to get pregnant without medical assistance.” At the one-year mark, “92 percent of couples who ate fish twice a week or more were pregnant, compared with 79 percent among those who ate less,” the study revealed. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/23/well/eat/fish-fertility-babies-food-eat-love-sex.html
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
Link Between Increases in Local Temperature and Antibiotic Resistance
Not surprisingly, when looking at antibiotic prescription rates across geographic areas, the team found that increased prescribing was associated with increased antibiotic resistance across all the pathogens that they investigated.
But then, after adjusting for prescriptions rates and other factors, when the team mapped out the latitude coordinates and mean and median local temperatures of their data points, they found that higher local average minimum temperatures correlated strongly with antibiotic resistance. Local average minimum temperature increases of 10 degrees Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) were associated with 4.2, 2.2 and 3.6 percent increases in antibiotic resistant strains of E. coli, K. pneumoniae, and S. aureus, respectively. More unsettling still were some newly-discovered associations with population density. The team found that an increase of 10,000 people per square mile was associated with three and six percent respective increases in antibiotic resistance in Gram-negative E. coli and K. pneumoniae. In contrast, population density did not appear to significantly affect the antibiotic resistance of Gram- positive S. aureus.
“Population growth and increases in temperature and antibiotic resistance are three phenomena that we know are currently happening on our planet,” says the study’s co-senior author Mauricio Santillana, PhD, who is a faculty member in the Computational Health Informatics Program at Boston Children’s and an assistant professor at HMS. “But until now, hypotheses about how these phenomena relate to each other have been sparse. We need to continue bringing multidisciplinary teams together to study antibiotic resistance in comparison to the backdrop of population and environmental changes.”
MacFadden says transmission factors are of particular interest for further scientific research.
“As transmission of antibiotic resistant organisms increases from one host to another, so does the opportunity for ongoing evolutionary selection of resistance due to antibiotic use,” MacFadden says. “We hypothesize that temperature and population density could act to facilitate transmission and thus increases in antibiotic resistance.”
https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/link-between-increases-in-local-temperature-and-antibiotic-resistance-303200?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63149617&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--oGfqwh54ZpdTylLMUcxcXOEzj0Q4terpUYIZsY07vtuV9CcHRizVyl-eKE6VkRbSDmSWLKVaWq7hutnas0OBGyrUT1Q&_hsmi=63149617
Researchers Speculate On What Is Causing The Low US Fertility Rate.
says the National Center for Health Statistics reported that US fertility had fallen to a record low for the second consecutive year. The Post speculates on what is causing this change in America, particularly after the US emerged from the Great Recession and did not experience an increase in births. One “dourly amusing possibility blames screens: Researchers such as University of Virginia sociologist Brad Wilcox have hypothesized that those of baby-making age are having ‘too much Netflix, not enough chill.’” Another possible explanation, the Post writes, “is a new set of scruples around financial stability and pace of life. Yes, the economy has improved. But the recession and its aftermath have changed the outlook of the most fertile generation in meaningful ways.” https://www.washingtonpost.com/
Brains Of Transgender Teenagers More Closely Resemble “Desired Gender Than Their Biological Sex
reports researchers found “the structure and activity in transgender teens’ brains more closely resemble their desired gender than their biological sex.” The findings were presented at the European Society of Endocrinology’s annual symposium. http://www.radiologybusiness.com/topics/care-delivery/mri-could-help-transgender-teens-struggling-identity
Exposure To Air Pollution May Affect BMI In Childhood And Early Adolescence, Study Suggests.
reports a study by researchers at University of Hong Kong School of Public Health suggests “exposure to air pollution in utero, in infancy and in childhood affects BMI in childhood and early adolescence, with a stronger association demonstrated for boys than girls.” The findings were published in the International Journal of Obesity. https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/obesity/news/in-the-journals/%7B2e38bf4c-9467-4dbe-aafb-93ce0524c445%7D/air-pollution-may-function-as-endocrine-disruptor-in-boys
Tuesday, May 22, 2018
What an All-Nighter Does to Your Blood
Pulling an all-nighter just once can disrupt levels and time of day patterns of more than 100 proteins in the blood, including those that influence blood sugar, energy metabolism, and immune function, according to new University of Colorado Boulder research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) this week.
“This tells us that when we experience things like jet lag or a couple of nights of shift work, we very rapidly alter our normal physiology in a way that if sustained can be detrimental to our health,” said senior author Kenneth Wright, director of the Sleep and Chronobiology Laboratory and professor in the Department of Integrative Physiology.
The study is the first to examine how protein levels in human blood, also known as the plasma proteome, vary over a 24-hour period and how altered sleep and meal timing affects them.
It also pinpointed 30 distinct proteins that, regardless of sleep and meal timing, vary depending upon what time it is.
The findings could open the door for developing new treatments for night shift workers, who make up about 20 percent of the global workforce and are at higher risk for diabetes and cancer. It could also enable doctors to precisely time administration of drugs, vaccines and diagnostic tests around the circadian clock.
Even without the glow of electronics at night, changes in protein patterns were rapid and widespread.
“This shows that the problem is not just light at night,” Wright said. “When people eat at the wrong time or are awake at the wrong time that can have consequences too.”
https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/what-an-all-nighter-does-to-your-blood-303159?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63111297&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9j9e7I6vHiBGn0IFSO5C-RsMsRwCKvYaHD0k75JyVPHRt_1WAaGw53k-1hWXlakNNfM8VFMx1iELh8PRcDDRWboXuutQ&_hsmi=63111297
Nicotine Proteins Can Help Burn Beige Fat
The same proteins that moderate nicotine dependence in the brain may be involved in regulating metabolism by acting directly on certain types of fat cells, new research from the University of Michigan Life Sciences Institute shows.
Previous research by LSI research assistant professor Jun Wu and others identified a new type of fat cell in mice and humans, in addition to the white fat cells that store energy as lipids. These thermogenic, or “beige,” fat cells can be activated to burn energy through a process called thermogenesis.
To better understand what makes beige fat unique, Wu and her colleagues analyzed activated beige fat and uncovered a molecule directly linked to thermogenesis in these cells: CHRNA2 (for cholinergic receptor nicotinic alpha 2), a type of receptor that is best known for regulating nicotine dependence in brain cells.
Their findings, scheduled to be published May 21 in Nature Medicine, reveal that CHRNA2 functions in mouse and human beige fat cells, but not in energy-storing white fat cells—indicating that this protein plays a role in energy metabolism.
This doesn’t mean that smoking is good for you, cautioned Wu, but the findings may help further explain some of the weight gain that is associated with smoking cessation.
Research has shown that nicotine can suppress appetite. But by identifying how nicotine affects metabolism directly, this new study may open the door to more novel approaches to combating the weight gain that often occurs when individuals stop smoking.
In research conducted in human and mouse cells and in genetically modified mice, Wu and her colleagues determined that CHRNA2 receptor proteins can be activated both by nicotine and by acetylcholine molecules produced by nearby immune cells. When the CHRNA2 protein receives the acetylcholine or nicotine, it stimulates the beige fat cells to start burning energy.
“It is really cool to discover a selective pathway for beige fat, a new cell type—and even more exciting that this is conserved in humans,” said Wu, the study’s senior author and assistant professor of molecular and integrative physiology at the U-M Medical School.
To further test the role of CHRNA2 in metabolism, the researchers analyzed mice that lacked the gene needed to make this protein.
“And the mice definitely are metabolically worse off, compared to the control group,” Wu said.
Mice without the CHRNA2 gene showed no differences from the control group when they were fed a regular diet. But when they were switched to a high-fat diet, the mice lacking the gene exhibited greater weight gain, higher body fat content and higher levels of blood glucose and insulin—indicators of diabetes.
“Beige fat is very important in regulating whole-body metabolic health,” Wu said. “Our results in mice show that if you lose even one aspect of this regulation—not the whole cell function, but just one part of its function—you will have a compromised response to metabolic challenges.”
https://www.technologynetworks.com/proteomics/news/nicotine-proteins-can-help-burn-beige-fat-303160?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63111297&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9j9e7I6vHiBGn0IFSO5C-RsMsRwCKvYaHD0k75JyVPHRt_1WAaGw53k-1hWXlakNNfM8VFMx1iELh8PRcDDRWboXuutQ&_hsmi=63111297
New Study to Tackle Tiredness in the Brain
Cognitive flexibility reduced by sleep loss
The research study deals with a function of the brain known as cognitive flexibility, the ability to change our thinking based on new information. Previous studies by members of the WSU research team have found that cognitive flexibility is particularly affected by sleep deprivation, much more so than most other cognitive processes involved in decision-making.
They also identified a gene that predicts how well sleep-deprived people perform on tasks that require cognitive flexibility. This gene is involved in the regulation of dopamine, a chemical messenger in the brain linked to the brain’s control of attention. It is found in a brain area known as the striatum, where its effects are intertwined with another gene, which regulates adenosine, a brain chemical that makes us feel sleepy.
“Scientists have known that the striatum is involved in the regulation of sleep deprivation, but they haven’t previously recognized why it is so important for cognitive performance,” said the study’s lead investigator Hans Van Dongen, director of the Sleep and Performance Research Center and a professor in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. “Based on our earlier findings, we suspect that the striatum — where the systems that regulate dopamine and adenosine interact — causes these cognitive flexibility issues in people who are sleep deprived.”
Experiments to Pinpoint Brain Processes
To test this idea, the research team will conduct human and animal experiments. First, they will develop a task to measure cognitive flexibility in rodents. Subsequently, they will employ the task in a sleep-deprivation experiment in rats. The researchers also will use optogenetics, a technique that allows them to selectively activate neurons with laser light. They will do this to control the activity of neurons in the striatum, which will enable them to see where and how changes in the effects of sleep deprivation on the rats’ cognitive flexibility occur.
During the human study, 90 healthy adult volunteers will each spend three days in the sleep laboratory on the WSU Health Sciences Spokane campus. After a night of normal sleep, the participants will be kept awake the next night, followed by a night of recovery sleep. They will complete a cognitive flexibility task after the first night’s sleep and again 24 hours later while they are sleep deprived. Prior to their second cognitive test, they will take an existing drug that works inside the striatum to fight the effects of sleep loss in general — such as caffeine — or a placebo.
“Based on their genes, we think people will respond differently to the sleep deprivation challenge and to the drug they’re given, which will provide important information about the brain processes involved.” Van Dongen said. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/can-we-one-day-remove-the-effects-of-tiredness-on-the-brain-303152?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63111297&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9j9e7I6vHiBGn0IFSO5C-RsMsRwCKvYaHD0k75JyVPHRt_1WAaGw53k-1hWXlakNNfM8VFMx1iELh8PRcDDRWboXuutQ&_hsmi=63111297
Monday, May 21, 2018
Nanoparticles Derived from Tea Leaves Destroy Lung Cancer Cells
Nanoparticles derived from tea leaves inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells, destroying up to 80% of them, new research by a joint Swansea University and Indian team has shown.
The team made the discovery while they were testing out a new method of producing a type of nanoparticle called quantum dots. These are tiny particles which measure less than 10 nanometres. A human hair is 40,000 nanometres thick.
Although nanoparticles are already used in healthcare, quantum dots have only recently attracted researchers' attention. Already they are showing promise for use in different applications, from computers and solar cells to tumour imaging and treating cancer.
Quantum dots can be made chemically, but this is complicated and expensive and has toxic side effects. The Swansea-led research team were therefore exploring a non-toxic plant-based alternative method of producing the dots, using tea leaf extract.
Tea leaves contain a wide variety of compounds, including polyphenols, amino acids, vitamins and antioxidants. The researchers mixed tea leaf extract with cadmium sulphate (CdSO4) and sodium sulphide (Na2S) and allowed the solution to incubate, a process which causes quantum dots to form. They then applied the dots to lung cancer cells.
They found:
Tea leaves are a simpler, cheaper and less toxic method of producing quantum dots, compared with using chemicals, confirming the results of other research in the field.
Quantum dots produced from tea leaves inhibit the growth of lung cancer cells. They penetrated into the nanopores of the cancer cells and destroyed up to 80% of them. This was a brand new finding, and came as a surprise to the team. https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/nanoparticles-derived-from-tea-leaves-destroy-lung-cancer-cells-303112?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63075130&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hvPoxRwNF46k_UvWzBPFVEcKrI6WJDRoOFbwTOgc6HDbaLO42AA1ewEYIEL3ktFaJu4ACJ6hEeAwrTgUe7R5PYEyQKQ&_hsmi=63075130
Brain Stimulation: The New Diet Pill?
Stimulating the brain to alter its intrinsic reward system shows promise in the treatment of obesity, according to results presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. The technique has yielded positive results after just a single treatment session, revealing its potential to become a safer alternative to treat obesity, avoiding invasive surgery and drug side effects.
Obesity is a global epidemic, with approximately 650 million adults and 340 million children and adolescents currently considered obese, and the disease contributing to an estimated 2.8 million deaths per year worldwide. It has been reported that, in some obesity cases, the reward system in the brain may be altered, causing a greater reward response to food than in normal weight individuals. This can make patients more vulnerable to craving, and can lead to weight gain. This dysfunction in the reward system can also be seen in cases of addiction to substances, e.g. drugs or alcohol, or behaviours, e.g. gambling. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/brain-stimulation-with-dtms-reduces-food-cravings-303102?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63075130&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hvPoxRwNF46k_UvWzBPFVEcKrI6WJDRoOFbwTOgc6HDbaLO42AA1ewEYIEL3ktFaJu4ACJ6hEeAwrTgUe7R5PYEyQKQ&_hsmi=63075130
Could Intermittent Fasting Diets Do Us Harm?
Fasting every other day to lose weight impairs the action of sugar-regulating hormone, insulin, which may increase diabetes risk, according to data presented in Barcelona at the European Society of Endocrinology annual meeting, ECE 2018. These findings suggest that fasting-based diets may be associated with long-term health risks and careful consideration should be made before starting such weight loss programmes.
Type-2 diabetes is a growing global epidemic that is often attributed to poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle, so is closely linked to obesity. Blood sugar is partially regulated by the hormone insulin, which is produced by the pancreas, if insulin levels are too low, or the body becomes resistant to its effects, type-2 diabetes results and high blood sugar levels can cause serious health issues, including heart, kidney and eye damage. In addition to medical strategies used to treat type-2 diabetes, patients are also advised to make lifestyle and dietary changes to lose weight. Recently, intermittent fasting diets have gained general popularity for weight loss, however, evidence on their success has been contradictory and there is a lack of knowledge and some debate on their potentially harmful long-term health effects. Previous research has also shown that short-term fasting can produce molecules called free radicals, which are highly reactive chemicals that can cause damage to the body at a cellular and may be associated with impaired organ function, cancer risk and accelerated aging. n order to investigate whether an intermittent fasting diet could also generate damaging free radicals, Ana Bonassa and colleagues, from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil, examined the effects of fasting every other day on the body weight, free radical levels and insulin function of normal, adult rats, over a 3-month period. Although the rats' body weight and food intake decreased as expected over the study period, the amount of fat tissue in their abdomen actually increased. Furthermore, the cells of the pancreas that release insulin showed damage, with the presence of increased levels of free radicals and markers of insulin resistance were also detected.
Ana Bonassa comments, "This is the first study to show that, despite weight loss, intermittent fasting diets may actually damage the pancreas and affect insulin function in normal healthy individuals, which could lead to diabetes and serious health issues."
The researchers now plan to investigate how this diet impairs pancreas and insulin function. There are many conflicting reports on the benefits and disadvantages, and many different types of intermittent fasting diets. Although these data were obtained in normal weight rats with positive effects on weight gain and food intake, the results suggest that in the long-term harm may be caused and that more investigation is needed to assess how people may be affected, particularly those with existing metabolic issues.
Ana cautions, "We should consider that overweight or obese people who opt for intermittent fasting diets may already have insulin resistance, so although this diet may lead to early, rapid weight loss, in the long-term there could be potentially serious damaging effects to their health, such as the development of type-2 diabetes." https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/could-intermittent-fasting-diets-do-us-harm-303123?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63075130&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hvPoxRwNF46k_UvWzBPFVEcKrI6WJDRoOFbwTOgc6HDbaLO42AA1ewEYIEL3ktFaJu4ACJ6hEeAwrTgUe7R5PYEyQKQ&_hsmi=63075130
The Smarter You Are The Less Dendrites You Have
The more intelligent a person, the fewer connections there are between the neurons in his cerebral cortex. This is the result of a study conducted by neuroscientists working with Dr Erhan Genç and Christoph Fraenz at Ruhr-Universität Bochum; the study was performed using a specific neuroimaging technique that provides insights into the wiring of the brain on a microstructural level.
Together with colleagues from the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, Humboldt University of Berlin and the Lovelace Biomedical and Environmental Research Institute in Albuquerque, the team from the biopsychology research unit in Bochum published their report in the journal Nature Communications on May 15, 2018.
Intelligence is determined by the number of dendrites
The researchers analysed the brains of 259 men and women using neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging. This method enabled them to measure the amount of dendrites in the cerebral cortex, i.e. extensions of nerve cells that are used by the cells to communicate with each other. In addition, all participants completed an IQ test. Subsequently, the researchers associated the gathered data with each other and found out: the more intelligent a person, the fewer dendrites there are in their cerebral cortex.
Using an independent, publicly accessible database, which had been compiled for the Human Connectome Project, the team confirmed these results in a second sample of around 500 individuals.
Previously conflicting results are thus explained
The new findings provide an explanation of conflicting results gathered in intelligence research to date. For one, it had been previously ascertained that intelligent people tend to have larger brains. “The assumption has been that larger brains contain more neurons and, consequently, possess more computational power,” says Erhan Genç. However, other studies had shown that – despite their comparatively high number of neurons – the brains of intelligent people demonstrated less neuronal activity during an IQ test than the brains of less intelligent individuals.
“Intelligent brains possess lean, yet efficient neuronal connections,” concludes Erhan Genç. “Thus, they boast high mental performance at low neuronal activity.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/smaller-numbers-of-dendrites-correlate-with-greater-intelligence-303132?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63075130&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_hvPoxRwNF46k_UvWzBPFVEcKrI6WJDRoOFbwTOgc6HDbaLO42AA1ewEYIEL3ktFaJu4ACJ6hEeAwrTgUe7R5PYEyQKQ&_hsmi=63075130
Conception May Be Harder For Couples When Male Partner Is Depressed
reported a new study published in the journal Fertility and Sterility suggests depression among men “may reduce the chances that a couple struggling with infertility will ultimately conceive.” However, researchers found, “Depression among women was not linked to lower conception rates.” Study author Dr. Esther Eisenberg of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, which funded the research, said, “Our study provides infertility patients and their physicians with new information to consider when making treatment decisions.” https://consumer.healthday.com/mental-health-information-25/depression-news-176/conception-tougher-for-couples-when-male-partner-is-depressed-733983.html
Friday, May 18, 2018
Robots Grow Mini-Organs From Human Stem Cells
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/robots-grow-mini-organs-from-human-stem-cells-303089?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63033094&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_MBG_NZuTLvgsDpzgRIuNBfpDl2ZvCOGA2lcwyCHN6xJVDxRd_MG7K7GzRyfY2ybTT7XMXNZTaNgIUPi1vGDZ2AmabuQ&_hsmi=63033094
Inflammatory Bowel Disease Linked with Common Bacterial Gut Toxin
The researchers at the John Innes Centre Norwich, UK, working alongside a team of scientists from Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston, USA), have helped establish a connection between microcin B17, a well-known toxin produced by E. coli bacteria, and IBD.
IBD includes long-term conditions such Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis which together affect more than 300,000 people in the UK.
The research, published today in the peer-reviewed journal Cell, raises prospects of future therapy for IBD sufferers.
The John Innes Centre scientists, led by Professor Tony Maxwell, have been working with microcin B17 for several years in their search for new antibiotics. It is produced by E. coli (Escherichia coli) as a weapon against other bacteria in the gut.
Prof Maxwell says: ‘This is largely a chance finding. We have been studying this toxin for its antibacterial properties and we were contacted by Professor Richard Blumberg who leads the Boston group for quite different reasons - they thought there might be a connection between the toxin and IBD.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/inflammatory-bowel-disease-linked-with-common-bacterial-gut-toxin-303070?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=63033094&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_MBG_NZuTLvgsDpzgRIuNBfpDl2ZvCOGA2lcwyCHN6xJVDxRd_MG7K7GzRyfY2ybTT7XMXNZTaNgIUPi1vGDZ2AmabuQ&_hsmi=63033094
IBD: Exercise May Reduce Risk and Improve Symptoms
In managing their symptoms, many inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients feel the need to go beyond diet and medications. In fact, half of IBD patients turn to complementary or alternative remedies to alleviate their disease -- among these, exercise regimens that will alleviate their disease. Although exercise is emerging as having a range of benefits from primary prevention to the reduction of symptoms and relapse risk, it is not at the top of gastroenterologists' list of recommendations to patients.
"I don't think most gastroenterologists routinely emphasize exercise to patients, but often patients are looking for something they can do other than medication to take control," Raymond K. Cross, MD, director of the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Program at the University of Maryland Medical School in Baltimore, told MedPage Today. https://www.medpagetoday.com/reading-room/aga/lower-gi/72932?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-05-18&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-05-18&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Genetic Predisposition To Obesity Linked To Smoking Habits,
reports researchers have found that there may be a “genetic predisposition for obesity and smoking,” according to a Mendelian randomization study published in BMJ. The study “found a 1-standard deviation increase in genetic score for higher BMI resulted in increased odds of ever being a smoker (OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.13-1.23, P<0.001).” https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/obesity/72911
US Fertility Rate Falls To Record Low For Second Straight Year,
reports data from the National Center for Health Statistics show “the fertility rate in the United States fell to a record low for a second straight year...extending a deep decline that began in 2008.” The piece suggests that social forces are partly responsible, given that “women are postponing marriage, becoming more educated, and are more likely to be the primary breadwinners for their households.” https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/17/us/fertility-rate-decline-united-states.html
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
Only One-Third Of Patients With Poorly Controlled Blood Sugar On Oral Drugs Adjust Treatment,
reports a study by researchers at the Cleveland Clinic suggests “that only about one-third of patients with poorly controlled blood sugar on oral drugs were switched to higher doses, different drugs or insulin within six months.” As such, researchers said, “Patients should empower themselves by checking their blood sugars daily, knowing what their target blood sugar levels should be, and having regular appointments with their doctor.” The findings were published in Diabetes Care. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-diabetes/doctors-slow-to-switch-diabetes-treatment-when-drugs-dont-work-idUSKCN1IG364
Some Calories More Harmful Than Others
What’s new is that this is an impressive group of scientists with vast experience in nutrition and metabolism agreeing with the conclusion that sugar-sweetened beverages increase cardiometabolic risk factors compared to equal amounts of starch,” said lead author Kimber Stanhope, a research nutritional biologist with the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of California, Davis.
Sugar substitute won’t make you fat
Another interesting point of consensus among researchers is the role of the sugar substitute aspartame. The authors agreed that aspartame does not promote weight gain in adults. Stanhope said this might come as a surprise to most people.
“If you go on the internet and look up aspartame, the layperson would be convinced that aspartame is going to make them fat, but it’s not,” said Stanhope. “The long and short of it is that no human studies on noncaloric sweeteners show weight gain.”
The authors also agreed that consumption of polyunsaturated (n-6) fats, such as those found in some vegetable oils, seeds and nuts, lowers disease risk when compared with equal amounts of saturated fats. However, that conclusion comes with a caveat. Dairy foods such as cheese and yogurts, which can be high in saturated fats, have been associated with reduced cardiometabolic risk. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/some-calories-more-harmful-than-others-302938?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62951663&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9nwDXhIDDP63z6Jg0imjcX6tBpAmGZVdOgGSEbj4R9wMl4ssvKfQz58ef5pOFcOFluJoQA2G_6CayRf2uA1JNSmfGwCw&_hsmi=62951663
Tuesday, May 15, 2018
'Universal Antibodies' Disarm Various Pathogens
an estimated 400,000 to 600,000 people each year contract infections while hospitalized; about 10,000 to 15,000 people die from these infections. A proportion of the hospital-acquired infections is caused by germs that are resistant to antibiotics, frequently by Klebsiella pneumoniae. Therapeutic antibodies produced in the lab might help patients combat the infection. In high-risk groups such as patients with weakened immune systems, the antibodies might also be used preventively. Their ability to recognize and eliminate a variety of pathogens is pivotal for their effectiveness. "A patient with acute septicemia - blood poisoning caused by bacteria - must be treated quickly", said Wardemann.
First examinations have already shown the effectiveness of Klebsiella antibodies: "In mice, the antibodies were capable of neutralizing various subgroups of Klebsiella, thus protecting the animals," Wardemann reports. "In a next step, we will have to do further tests with the antibodies to show their clinical value in humans." https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/universal-antibodies-disarm-various-pathogens-302862?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62916616&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-81r0sJa3QPTHEz9kVW_QN_bKjLMkD-rcpCHHZL_sEjvqPkJF8KVMoPK_PATNiJfYDv2FaRKBdll69OhyHLYnwhDkD7uA&_hsmi=62916616
Potential Human Threat From New Pig Virus
Before it was found in pigs – including in the Ohio outbreak – it had only been found in various birds,” said study senior author Linda Saif, an investigator in Ohio State’s Food Animal Health Research Program at the Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (OARDC), in Wooster.
“We’re very concerned about emerging coronaviruses and worry about the harm they can do to animals and their potential to jump to humans,” said Saif, a distinguished university professor of veterinary preventive medicine.
Emergence of the new virus is especially worrisome to veterinary and public-health experts because of its similarity to the life-threating viruses responsible for SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) and MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) outbreaks. https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/potential-human-threat-from-new-pig-virus-302870?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62916616&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-81r0sJa3QPTHEz9kVW_QN_bKjLMkD-rcpCHHZL_sEjvqPkJF8KVMoPK_PATNiJfYDv2FaRKBdll69OhyHLYnwhDkD7uA&_hsmi=62916616
Dermatologist Says Risk Of Skin Cancer Is Greater Than Risk Of Low Vitamin D.
reports a controversial study published in the Journal of the American Osteopathic Association “asserted that sunscreen use is partially to blame for widespread vitamin D deficiency worldwide.” But, Dr. Victoria Werth, a professor of dermatology and medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, said, “I think we are too worried about vitamin D. The risk of skin cancer is so much greater than low vitamin D.” Werth added, “It’s really important to put everything that’s said about the sun in perspective to the fact that we are seeing a lot of skin cancers that are really terrible.” http://time.com/5273230/sunscreen-vitamin-d-deficiency/
Monday, May 14, 2018
Growing Body Of Research Challenges Prevailing Views About Role Of Fats In Diet.
reports that in recent years, studies have cast doubt on the findings, methods, and prestige of University of Minnesota academic Ancel Keys, who in 1957 “embarked on an ambitious, global mission to reverse the heart attack epidemic through studying diet,” producing research that “helped define national nutrition guidelines today,” but may have “played a role in creating the American obesity and diabetes epidemics.” The article says Ohio State University researcher Jeff Volek said that challenging the prevalent orthodoxy of Keys’ work in the 1990s “could mean trouble with peer review boards or even losing consideration from funding sources like the National Institutes of Health.” https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2018/may/14/umn-nutritionist-presents-a-fat-problem-for-modern/
Fight or Freeze
Dr. Huberman and his colleagues showed that the vMT was activated when mice were confronted with a threat, specifically a black circle that grew larger on top of their cage, mimicking the experience of something looming over them. When faced with the looming threat, the mice spent most of the time freezing or hiding and very little time rattling their tails, which is typically an aggressive response.
To further investigate the role of vMT, Dr. Huberman’s team used state-of-the-art tools, including designer drugs that allowed specific circuits to be turned on and off. Although inactivating the vMT had no effect on freezing and hiding, it eliminated the tail rattling response. Turning on the vMT increased the number of tail shaking responses and caused the mice to move around more and spend less time hiding or freezing.
Dr. Huberman’s group also discovered that the vMT sends information primarily to two brain areas: the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). These circuits turned out to be critical in determining how the mice reacted to a visual threat. Turning on the circuit that projected to the BLA caused more freezing responses, while activating the mPFC circuit increased tail shaking responses.
“Dr. Huberman’s work is opening a new area of vision research with the looming threat model, helping us understand how circuitry in the brain works from sensation to behavior,” said Thomas Greenwell, Ph.D., program director at the NIH’s National Eye Institute, which co-funded the study.
Dr. Huberman and his team showed that activation of the vMT increased arousal, a state of heightened alertness. Mice preferred spending more time in a room where they received vMT activation, suggesting that turning on that brain circuit made them feel good. Although there may have been a difference in response to the visual threat, either tail shaking or freezing, the underlying positive feeling was the same for both types of reactions.
“This study may help explain why acts of courage, such as standing up for yourself or for a cause, or a physical challenge can feel empowering. Experiencing that good feeling can also make it more likely to respond to future threats in a similar way,” said Dr. Huberman. “Although our study was done in mice, learning more about the vMT may provide some insight into conditions such as generalized anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder and we are now pursuing study of the human vMT for that reason.”
Future research is needed to increase understanding of ways in which the vMT circuit affects behavior and how to develop treatments that can target specific parts of this system.
This article has been republished from materials provided by The NIH. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Salay et al. A midline thalamic circuit determines reaction to visual threats. Nature. May 2, 2018. DOI #: 10.1038/s41586-018-0078-2
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Comments | 1
Sorice Madina | May 14, 2018
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Common Comorbidities Occur Close to IBS Diagnosis Related problems are heterogeneous and should be addressed at start of treatment
"We found that IBS constipation-predominant patients have an increase in symptoms and infections in the urinary tract and genitals, while IBS diarrhea-predominant patients have an increase in psychological conditions such as anxiety disorders," said Egbert Clevers, PhD, from the Translational Research Centre for Gastrointestinal Disorders at the University of Leuven in Belgium, who led the study reported in Alimentary Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
Furthermore, the comorbid symptoms were incident in the years around IBS diagnosis, with incidence highest in the same year, and did not structurally precede or follow the IBS diagnosis. https://www.medpagetoday.com/gastroenterology/irritablebowelsyndrome/72848?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-05-14&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-05-14&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Friday, May 11, 2018
Thursday, May 10, 2018
Wednesday, May 9, 2018
Peptide Therapy Ends Insatiable Hunger in Genetically Obese Patients
A mutation in the gene encoding the leptin receptor (LEPR) can cause extreme hunger starting with the first months of life. As a result, affected individuals develop extreme obesity during childhood. Increased exercise and reduced caloric intake are usually insufficient to stabilize body-weight. In many cases, obesity surgery fails to deliver any benefits, meaning that a drug-based treatment approach becomes increasingly important.
Two years ago, Dr. Peter Kühnen and the working group successfully demonstrated that treatment with a peptide, which activates the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) could play a central role in the body’s energy metabolism and body weight regulation. Leptin, which is also known as the satiety (or starvation) hormone, normally binds to the LEPR, triggering a series of steps that leads to the production of melanocyte-stimulating hormone (MSH). The act of MSH by binding to its receptor, the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) which transduce the satiety signal to the body. However, if the LEPR is defective, the signaling cascade is interrupted. The patient’s hunger remains unabated, placing them at greater risk of becoming obese. As part of this current study, researchers used a peptide that binds to the MC4R in the brain, and this activation trigger the normal satiety signal. Working in cooperation with the Clinical Research Unit at the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH), the researchers were able to record significant weight loss in patients with genetic defects affecting the LEPR.
“We also wanted to determine why the used peptide was so effective and why, in contrast to other preparations with a similar mode of action, it did not produce any severe side effects,” explains Dr. Kühnen. “We were able to demonstrate that this treatment leads to the activation of a specific and important signaling pathway, whose significance had previously been underestimated.” Dr. Kühnen’s team is planning to conduct further research to determine whether other patients might benefit from this drug: “It is possible that other groups of patients with dysfunctions affecting the same signaling pathway might be suitable candidates for this treatment.”
This article has been republished from materials provided by the Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.
Reference: Clément, K., Biebermann, H., Farooqi, I. S., Ploeg, L., Wolters, B., Poitou, C., … Kühnen, P. (2018). MC4R agonism promotes durable weight loss in patients with leptin receptor deficiency. Nature Medicine, 1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41591-018-0015-9
US Facing Shortage Of EpiPens, Say Patients And Pharmacists.
reports there is an ongoing shortage of EpiPens (epinephrine) in the US, “according to patients and pharmacists.” As of Tuesday morning, the Food and Drug Administration had not added EpiPen to its shortage list. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-05-08/patients-can-t-find-epipen-at-the-pharmacy-as-supply-runs-short
Advertisement Eating 12 Eggs In One Week May Not Be Linked To Increase In Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Individuals With T2D, Research Suggests.
reports that researchers found that “eating 12 eggs in 1 week was apparently not tied to an increase in cardiometabolic risk factors among people with type 2 diabetes (T2D).” The investigators found, “in the Diabetes and Egg...study, participants who went on a high-egg diet (defined as eating more than 12 eggs a week) or a low-egg diet (no more than one egg a week) during a 3-month weight-loss period lost the same 3.1 kg (6.8 lbs) of weight over a subsequent 6-month follow-up period.” Meanwhile, the findings “showed no difference in glycemia, traditional serum lipids, markers of inflammation, oxidative stress, or adiponectin between the groups during this time.” The research was published online in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/diabetes/72766
Tuesday, May 8, 2018
Bariatric Surgery Not Covered Under Many States’ Plans.
reports that bariatric surgery “cuts obese peoples’ risk of death in half,” yet, “many states don’t cover the procedure in their state employee, Obamacare, or Medicaid plans.” The Atlantic adds that without insurance coverage the procedure can cost around $35,000. Those that do cover the procedure may require patients to stop smoking or lose weight in order to qualify, while others require that candidates fail at weight loss. The result, says the Atlantic, is that just “1 or 2 percent—of people who qualify for bariatric surgery actually get the operation.” https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/05/the-obesity-cure-is-out-of-reach-in-the-heaviest-states/559700/
Breast Cancer Survivors Who Were Treated With Hormone Therapy Have Higher Risk Of Diabetes,
reports that research indicated “breast cancer survivors who were treated with either tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor (AI) for hormone receptor-positive breast cancer were significantly more likely to develop diabetes during a median follow-up of 5.9 years compared with women who did not have hormonal therapy.” In the “study of 2,246 female breast cancer patients with no history of diabetes before their diagnosis or in the first year thereafter,” researchers “found that hormone therapy increased the risk of diabetes by almost 2.5 times on multivariable-adjusted analysis compared with those who did not have hormone therapy.” The findings were published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology. https://www.medpagetoday.com/hematologyoncology/breastcancer/72737
Monday, May 7, 2018
Daily Aspirin Linked to Double Melanoma Risk – in Men
Given the widespread use of aspirin and the potential clinical impact of the link to melanoma, patients and health care providers need to be aware of the possibility of increased risk for men,” said senior study author Dr. Beatrice Nardone, research assistant professor of dermatology at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
She suggested increasing patient education about sun exposure, avoiding tanning beds and getting skin checks by a dermatologist, particularly for individuals who are already at high risk for skin cancers.
“This does not mean men should stop aspirin therapy to lower the risk of heart attack,” she stressed.
Almost half of people age 65 and over reported taking aspirin daily or every other day, according to a 2005 study. In 2015, about half of a nationwide survey of U.S. adults reported regular aspirin use.
The study was published April 27 in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/daily-aspirin-linked-to-double-melanoma-risk-in-men-300496?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62683806&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9En50DJxvzl4DAGMVu50XY2NsxGYyiPfWAoKi7v63tKfkJtr4rWe0lwt_WhrU6ZUh1iUqzg2ujZKM3cK3gG94uQVciZQ&_hsmi=62683806
Hair Care Products Commonly Used By Black Women, Children Contain Chemicals Associated With Endocrine Disruption, Asthma,
reported that research indicates “hair care products commonly used by black women and children in the United States to relax or straighten hair contain chemicals associated with endocrine disruption and asthma.” In particular, “18 tested hair care products each contained 6 to 30 endocrine-disrupting or asthma-associated chemicals.” These findings “may help explain why black women have higher levels of certain hormone-disturbing chemicals in their bodies, as well as hormone-related biological differences such as earlier puberty, and higher rates of asthma, say” the researchers. The study was published online in Environment Research.
Friday, May 4, 2018
Many Sunless Tanning Products Contain Chemical That May Not Be Safe If Absorbed Into The Bloodstream.
reports many sunless tanning sprays and lotions contain dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which may not be safe “if it is absorbed into the bloodstream.” The article quotes Dr. Anita Cela, a dermatologist in New York City, who said that people should not be concerned about products with DHA as long as they do not have open wounds and do not inhale the products. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/self-tanner-dha-safety_us_5ae9c064e4b022f71a03e6db
Fasting Boosts Stem Cells’ Regenerative Capacity
https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/fasting-boosts-stem-cells-regenerative-capacity-300462?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62676901&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_oKevs-x8VvIHT0Vb2Dl-eXpfYjmTgSudr3WYNR9ZOl38f1BUpAC_t3CQjUnPbtz2_dLEjkDGEhH1ZFo1OoHMQgSOFtw&_hsmi=62676901
This study provided evidence that fasting induces a metabolic switch in the intestinal stem cells, from utilizing carbohydrates to burning fat,” Sabatini says. “Interestingly, switching these cells to fatty acid oxidation enhanced their function significantly. Pharmacological targeting of this pathway may provide a therapeutic opportunity to improve tissue homeostasis in age-associated pathologies.”
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Targeting Gut Bacteria to Reduce Disease
merging evidence suggests that microbes in the digestive system have a big influence on human health and may play a role in the onset of disease throughout the body. Now, in a study appearing in ACS Chemical Biology, scientists report that they have potentially found a way to use chemical compounds to target and inhibit the growth of specific microbes in the gut associated with diseases without causing harm to other beneficial organisms.
The digestive system is crammed with trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that help process food. Recent studies suggest that the changes in these gut flora, or microbiome, may play a role in the onset of a host of diseases and conditions including obesity, diabetes, cancer, allergies, asthma, autism and multiple sclerosis. Antibiotics can help regulate the microbiome, but bacterial resistance is on the rise. In addition, antibiotics can wipe out some of the organisms that contribute to a healthy microbiome, and the microbes that take their place can sometimes cause more harm than good. Researchers have also investigated using probiotics and fecal transplants to resolve some of these problems. But to date, few have really looked at using non-microbicidal small molecules to alter the microbiome in a targeted way to improve health. To help fill this gap, Daniel Whitehead, Kristi Whitehead and colleagues sought to use a chemical compound to precisely target and disrupt the metabolic processes of members of the Bacteroides genus, a group of bacteria commonly found in the gut that appear to be associated with the onset of type I diabetes in genetically susceptible individuals.https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/targeting-gut-bacteria-to-reduce-disease-300423?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62644895&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_0O1pU78ryox1kASHkQX6lSuayE6FwF3I5WZ2HMWNwlKnvSfOxjIFL26HiZDsUyvRxhd7mRHh8fElvCmML9UI1WuC4gw&_hsmi=62644895
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Significant Link Between Common Allergic Diseases and Psychiatric Disorders
Patients with asthma and hay fever have an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders, finds a new study published in Frontiers in Psychiatry. Almost 11% of patients with common allergic diseases developed a psychiatric disorder within a 15-year period, compared to only 6.7% of those without — a 1.66-fold increased risk. While previous studies have linked allergies with certain psychiatric or emotional disorders, this is the first to find a connection between common allergies and the overall risk of developing psychiatric disorders. The findings could have implications for how doctors care for and monitor patients with allergic diseases.
Asthma, allergic rhinitis (hay fever) and atopic dermatitis (eczema), are among some of the most common allergic diseases and are nicknamed the three “A”s. Dr. Nian-Sheng Tzeng, from Tri-Service General Hospital in Taiwan and lead author of the study, noticed something unexpected about these patients.
“As a clinician, I observed that some patients with the three ‘A’s appeared to suffer emotionally,” says Tzeng. “Therefore, I wanted to clarify whether these allergic diseases are associated with psychiatric disorders.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/significant-link-between-common-allergic-diseases-and-psychiatric-disorders-300347?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=62610503&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_QOziJoj_bxaESltsgywJBessmmMyklgw_KMvw8dMjGDJnn9wJK2BWp186IyEIUR5AUznkpVBcltmPAsZPqOJayEZWLw&_hsmi=62610503
Number Of Uninsured Americans Rose By Four Million In The Last Two Years, Analysis Indicates.
reports that some “4 million Americans lost health insurance in the last two years,” according to an analysis conducted by the Commonwealth Fund, “which attributed the decline to actions taken by the Trump administration.” Data show the uninsured rate rose “significantly compared with 2016 among adults with an individual income of about $30,000 and a family income of about $61,000.”
U.S. News & World Report (5/1, Williams) says the analysis concluded that “the erosion in coverage is likely due to Congress’ deciding not to shore up weaknesses in the” Affordable Care Act, “and to White House moves such as cutting advertising geared toward getting people to sign up for government-sponsored insurance plans.” The study also warned that this downward trend “is likely to continue in the foreseeable future,” partly because the tax reform bill repealed the ACA’s individual mandate. http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/health-insurance/385680-poll-uninsured-rate-is-climbing
Giving Patients With T2D Access To Healthy Food At No Charge May Result In Improvements In Their Disease, Overall Quality Of Life.
“Giving patients with type 2 diabetes [T2D] access to healthy food at no charge can result in large improvements in their disease and overall quality of life,” researchers from the Geisinger Health System concluded. The findings were presented at the World Health Care Congress. https://www.medpagetoday.com/endocrinology/diabetes/72640
CDC: Dramatic Jump in Vector-Borne Disease from 2004-2016 Tick-borne illnesses more than doubled, mainly due to increases in Lyme disease
Cases of tick-borne disease more than doubled, and accounted for more than three-quarters of all vector-borne disease, reported Ronald Rosenberg, ScD, of the CDC in Atlanta, and colleagues.
Also, Lyme disease accounted for 82% of tick-borne diseases during this time period, they wrote in "Vital Signs," in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
Tick-borne diseases in particular are not reported or recognized, so it is difficult to estimate their cost and burden, noted Lyle Petersen, MD, director, vector-borne diseases at the CDC, on a media call https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/72643?xid=NL_breakingnews_2018-05-02&eun=g721819d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_050218&utm_term=Morning%20Break%20-%20Active%20Users%20-%20180%20days
Troponin Predicts Mortality in Inflammatory Arthritis High levels associated with all-cause and cardiovascular death
Inflammatory arthritis is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, and standard risk-prediction models underperform in these patients. "There's a recognition that we need to develop better ways of identifying inflammatory patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease," Skeoch said in presenting the results at the annual meeting of the British Society for Rheumatology.
Cardiac troponin is released from damaged myocardium, and is detectable in the circulation within hours of myocardial injury, she explained, calling the enzyme the cornerstone of diagnosis in acute coronary syndrome. Elevated levels of high-sensitivity troponin I (hs-TnI) were associated with excess mortality among patients with inflammatory arthritis, researchers reported here. https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/bsr/72632?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-05-02&eun=g721819d0r&pos=0&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-05-02&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Tuesday, May 1, 2018
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