Dr. House
Dr. House
Friday, August 31, 2018
Amazonian Fruit Could Help Battle Obesity
The researchers also found that camu-camu improves glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in mice. In addition, it reduces the concentration of endotoxin in the blood and the systemic inflammatory response. "All these changes are accompanied by a reconfiguration of the gut microbiota, including a proliferation of A. muciniphila and a sharp reduction of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus", Emphasizes Professor Marette. Gut microbiota transplantation from camu-camu mice to mice without intestinal microbiota temporarily produced the same metabolic effects as camu-camu extracts. "It would be through the intestinal microbiota that camu-camu would produce its positive effects on metabolism," summarizes the researcher.
André Marette now wants to check if camu-camu produces the same metabolic effects in humans. The toxicity of this fruit should not be a problem since camu-camu extracts are already marketed to combat fatigue and stress and to stimulate the immune system. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/amazonian-fruit-could-help-battle-obesity-308353?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65598385&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9mXINb6JRnBmF1VD-9CPsOnj7opWv13GeScgSXSX4Ld6xdldGzibNVuCJnmIcb-53VsZeLzz0IK92wABKVKISEpZyt2A&_hsmi=65598385
Thursday, August 30, 2018
Rainforest Life Helps Diversify Kids' Gut Microbes
Can immersing yourself in a South American jungle and the high-fiber, unprocessed diet of its villagers make your gut microbes more diverse? And could it have benefits for people with obesity, type 1 diabetes and other disorders?
A study led by Rutgers University–New Brunswick researchers followed seven city-dwelling adults and children who lived in a remote Venezuelan jungle village without electricity, soap or other amenities for 16 days.
For the children, their microbiome – the beneficial germs in their intestines, skin, mouths and noses – became more diverse, with higher proportions of helpful bacteria. A similar change did not occur in the adults who visited the rainforest.
The study appears in the journal mSphere.
“The findings suggest dietary interventions to encourage a more diverse microbiome may best succeed in children, while the microbiome of adults may be more resistant to change,” said senior researcher Maria Gloria Dominguez-Bello, a professor in Rutgers–New Brunswick’s Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology and Department of Anthropology.
Dominguez-Bello found in previous studies that the human microbiome in urbanized, more modernized societies contains a far less diverse array of species than that of people living more traditional, pre-modern lifestyles in the Amazon jungle of Venezuela and Peru. https://www.technologynetworks.com/genomics/news/rainforest-life-helps-diversify-kids-microbiomes-308281?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65566662&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9DjtIIuUc2_eLILoh86doCojj3i3X2ZKprbrPhXHMVy4LwRpeD-DTWz73dvoKWckuKKyHhgq01QCCm-_wWkJCu-P_jxQ&_hsmi=65566662
FDA Warns SGLT2 Inhibitors Can Cause Flesh-Eating Genital Infection.
reports the FDA is warning physicians and patients that SGLT2 inhibitors, the “widely used diabetes drugs, may, in some rare cases, cause a flesh-eating bacterial infection of the genitals,” called Fournier’s gangrene. Twelve patients developed the condition between March 2013 and May 2018, all of whom were hospitalized and had surgery. One person died from the condition.
Reuters (8/29, Mathias) reports the FDA has “called for including this risk in the drugs’ labeling.” Medscape (8/29, Tucker, Subscription Publication) also covers the story. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-08-29/flesh-eating-genital-infection-tied-to-rare-diabetes-drug-effect
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
Bionic Eyes are Not Just Science Fiction
A team of researchers at the University of Minnesota have, for the first time, fully 3D printed an array of light receptors on a hemispherical surface. This discovery marks a significant step toward creating a “bionic eye” that could someday help blind people see or sighted people see better.
The research is published today in Advanced Materials, a peer-reviewed scientific journal covering materials science. The author also holds the patent for 3D-printed semiconducting devices.
“Bionic eyes are usually thought of as science fiction, but now we are closer than ever using a multimaterial 3D printer,” said Michael McAlpine, a co-author of the study and University of Minnesota Benjamin Mayhugh Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering.
Researchers started with a hemispherical glass dome to show how they could overcome the challenge of printing electronics on a curved surface. Using their custom-built 3D printer, they started with a base ink of silver particles. The dispensed ink stayed in place and dried uniformly instead of running down the curved surface. The researchers then used semiconducting polymer materials to print photodiodes, which convert light into electricity. The entire process takes about an hour. https://www.technologynetworks.com/cell-science/news/researchers-3d-print-prototype-for-bionic-eye-308232?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65531810&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8k-Dz7Jk9R4rPriP8nVEdXmAzEJSfXEljyZfOw9UncMIFTrPUph4-4FxRpfPSFTFVqKvzmGTfWk1Cg2m3z9yZJk2Lj4Q&_hsmi=65531810
Tuesday, August 28, 2018
Estrogen and Lupus: Exploring the Link Unique relationship identified between SLE, estrogen, and toll-like receptors
They proposed that estrogen increases activation of the immune system through upregulation of various genes and cytokines, including to toll-like receptor (TLR) 8, which is X-linked, involved in innate immunity, and has a known association with SLE.
In experiments using peripheral blood mononuclear cells from lupus patients and healthy volunteers, his group found that TLR8 expression was significantly upregulated in cells from both males and females when stimulated with a synthetic TLR8 agonist, but that the effect was stronger in females and further enhanced with exposure to 17β-estradiol.
They also observed that estrogen exposure led to an upregulation of other members of the endosomal subset of TLRs, including TLR3, 7, and 9. https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/oar/74787?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-08-28&eun=g721819d0r&pos=1&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-08-28&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Monday, August 27, 2018
Study Finds One Sleepless Night Shifts Body Towards Storing Fat, Depleting Muscle
reported on research published in Science Advances finding that “one sleepless night might tip the body’s metabolism toward storing fat while depleting muscle.” The study included “15 young, healthy men,” and in them, “one night of sleep loss triggered changes that favored fat storage and muscle breakdown.” The researchers concluded that those who “work at night and must sleep irregular hours,” should “try to be particularly vigilant about other lifestyle habits – like eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise.” https://consumer.healthday.com/sleep-disorder-information-33/misc-sleep-problems-news-626/here-s-how-sleepless-nights-can-trigger-weight-gain-737046.html
Weight-Loss Drug Clears Major CV Hurdle Trial also shows modest reduction in new cases of diabetes
https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/esc/74760?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-08-27&eun=g721819d0r&pos=&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-08-27&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Lorcaserin is a selective 5-HT2C receptor agonist,[12] and in vitro testing of the drug showed reasonable selectivity for 5-HT2C over other related targets.[13][14][15] 5-HT2C receptors are located almost exclusively in the brain, and can be found in the choroid plexus, cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum, amygdala, thalamus, and hypothalamus. The activation of 5-HT2C receptors in the hypothalamus is supposed to activate proopiomelanocortin (POMC) production and consequently promote weight loss through satiety.[16] This hypothesis is supported by clinical trials and other studies. While it is generally thought that 5-HT2C receptors help to regulate appetite as well as mood, and endocrine secretion,[17] the exact mechanism of appetite regulation is not yet known. Lorcaserin has shown 100x selectivity for 5-HT2C versus the closely related 5-HT2B receptor, and 17x selectivity over the 5-HT2A receptor.[18][19]
Friday, August 24, 2018
How Sleep Loss May Contribute to Adverse Weight Gain
Epidemiological studies have shown that the risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes is elevated in those who suffer from chronic sleep loss or who carry out shift work. Other studies have shown an association between disrupted sleep and adverse weight gain, in which fat accumulation is increased at the same time as the muscle mass is reduced – a combination that in and of itself has been associated with numerous adverse health consequences. Researchers from Uppsala and other groups have in earlier studies shown that metabolic functions that are regulated by e.g. skeletal muscle and adipose tissue are adversely affected by disrupted sleep and circadian rhythms. However, until now it has remained unknown whether sleep loss per se can cause molecular changes at the tissue level that can confer an increased risk of adverse weight gain. “In the present study we observed molecular signatures of increased inflammation across tissues in response to sleep loss. However, we also saw specific molecular signatures that indicate that the adipose tissue is attempting to increase its capacity to store fat following sleep loss, whereas we instead observed signs indicating concomitant breakdown of skeletal muscle proteins in the skeletal muscle, in what’s also known as catabolism. We also noted changes in skeletal muscle levels of proteins involved handling blood glucose, and this could help explain why the participants’ glucose sensitivity was impaired following sleep loss. Taken together, these observations may provide at least partial mechanistic insight as to why chronic sleep loss and shift work can increase the risk of adverse weight gain as well as the risk of type 2 diabetes,” says Jonathan Cedernaes. https://www.technologynetworks.com/proteomics/news/how-sleep-loss-may-contribute-to-adverse-weight-gain-308058?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65428939&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WyhRtqicw4bmD0I8BnMG6h5ZQSWiwNRAUv2VKEUSfHgTRXLu_s2F7cEoGIm0UxJrTEGPZrU55CmgCRH91nJtc0DNaFA&_hsmi=65428940
Women Who Undergo Menopausal Hormone Therapy Appear To Have A Higher Risk For Developing Microscopic Colitis,
“Women who undergo menopausal hormone therapy appear to have a higher risk for developing microscopic colitis,” researchers concluded after analyzing “data from 227,766 women...without a baseline history of microscopic colitis.” The findings were published online in Gastroenterology. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016508518348947?via%3Dihub
Insulin Prices Continue To Climb.
reports that the costs of insulin have “skyrocketed by as much as 197 percent to more than 300 percent” over the past 12 years, making diabetes the country’s “most expensive chronic disease, according to a report in May from the American Diabetes Association.” Critics have accused Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk and Sanofi-Aventis of “shadow pricing,” meaning that “when one company raises its price, the others follow suit.” Some patients have resorted to skipping doses, while others are “rationing them by taking less, or using insulin prescribed to other family members.” https://www.newsday.com/news/health/insulin-price-shortage-diabetes-diabetic-1.20639311
Order Of Food Consumption During A Meal May Affect Blood Glucose, Insulin Excursions In People With Prediabetes,
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/dom.13503
The order in which food is consumed during a meal subsequently affects blood glucose and insulin excursions in those with prediabetes,” researchers concluded. The findings of the 15-participant study were published online in Diabetes, Obesity, and Metabolism.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
FDA-Approved Vaginal Ring To Be Available In Fall 2019.
reports the FDA approved a new vaginal ring that can “be used for a year” on August 10. The combined hormonal ring is “expected to offer a convenient option when it’s made available, possibly by fall 2019.” http://www.post-gazette.com/news/health/2018/08/21/birth-control-hormonal-vaginal-ring-Annovera-lasts-a-year-UPMC-AHN-FDA/stories/201808170174
Gut Bacteria Hold the Key to Creating Universal Blood
In January, raging storms caused medical emergencies along the U.S. East Coast, prompting the Red Cross to issue an urgent call for blood donations. The nation’s blood supply was especially in need of O-type blood that can be universally administered in an emergency. Now, scientists say they have identified enzymes — from the human gut — that can turn type A and B blood into O, as much as 30 times more efficiently than previously studied enzymes.
The researchers will present their results today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the world’s largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 10,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.
A brand-new video on the research is available at http://bit.ly/acsblood.
“We have been particularly interested in enzymes that allow us to remove the A or B antigens from red blood cells,” Stephen Withers, Ph.D., says. “If you can remove those antigens, which are just simple sugars, then you can convert A or B to O blood.” He says scientists have pursued the idea of adjusting donated blood to a common type for a while, but they have yet to find efficient, selective enzymes that are also safe and economical. https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/gut-bacteria-hold-the-key-to-creating-universal-blood-307955?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65368459&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8tKih2hgp6Wg25ZPEugkzT3uJuZIG7pSeZIIXe85-YUAiht2q6fSG4_T-_8EgOtnnmuuTTht0UDEqpM41w-IA_6dj8qw&_hsmi=65368460
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
Antibiotic Candidates Discovered
The human body produces many antimicrobial peptides that help the immune system fend off infection. Scientists hoping to harness these peptides as potential antibiotics have now discovered that other peptides in the human body can also have potent antimicrobial effects, expanding the pool of new antibiotic candidates.
In the new study, researchers from MIT and the University of Naples Federico II found that fragments of the protein pepsinogen, an enzyme used to digest food in the stomach, can kill bacteria such as Salmonella and E. coli.
The researchers believe that by modifying these peptides to enhance their antimicrobial activity, they may be able to develop synthetic peptides that could be used as antibiotics against drug-resistant bacteria. https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/antibiotic-candidates-discovered-307850?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65336997&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---7S--OWx8QZqjQbvWWIcPV5cUeiyfmip2zN-vU4kmWJtl_DJUpzyC_Gq9exFJPicFV6Aw_ximqt8rPHIJKthUsrIinQ&_hsmi=65336998
Sweet Tooth? Your Saliva May Hold the Key
Saliva is crucial for tasting and digesting food, but scientists have now found that it may have another, more subtle role. Salivary proteins could be part of a feedback loop that influences how food tastes to people — and by extension, what foods they’re willing to eat. The researchers hope that, one day, their findings could help consumers stick to a healthier diet.
They will present their results today at the 256th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS). ACS, the world’s largest scientific society, is holding the meeting here through Thursday. It features more than 10,000 presentations on a wide range of science topics.
Many healthy foods — like broccoli and dark chocolate — taste bitter, Cordelia A. Running, Ph.D., says. She set out to see if eating bitter foods would help people overcome an aversion to bitter compounds. Thus, they could eat more of these healthy foods without cringing. “By changing your diet, you might be able to change your flavor experience of foods that at one point tasted nasty to you,” she says.
While saliva consists almost entirely of water, it also contains thousands of proteins released by salivary glands. Some of these proteins are thought to bind to flavor compounds in food and also to taste receptor cells in the mouth. Certain proteins may be responsible for the astringent sensations, such as dryness and roughness, that develop when eating some chocolates, red wine and other foods. “If we can change the expression of these proteins, maybe we can make the ‘bad’ flavors like bitterness and astringency weaker,” says Running, who is based at Purdue University and is the principal investigator of the study. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/sweet-tooth-your-saliva-may-hold-the-key-307855?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65336997&_hsenc=p2ANqtz---7S--OWx8QZqjQbvWWIcPV5cUeiyfmip2zN-vU4kmWJtl_DJUpzyC_Gq9exFJPicFV6Aw_ximqt8rPHIJKthUsrIinQ&_hsmi=65336998
Monday, August 20, 2018
Postprandial Glucose Responses To Specific Foods Vary From Person To Person Depending On Gut Microbiome Makeup
“Postprandial glucose responses to specific foods vary from person to person depending on the makeup of his or her gut microbiome, underscoring a need for personalized nutrition to help better manage diabetes,” research indicated. The findings were presented at the annual meeting of the American Association of Diabetes Educators.
https://www.healio.com/endocrinology/diabetes-education/news/online/%7B1c321eba-27df-4be5-8058-53c7494da4b5%7D/microbiome-holds-clues-to-success-with-personalized-nutrition-in-diabetes
Humans carry within them thousands of different species of bacteria, mostly located inside the large intestine, with each species holding thousands of different genes, Eran Segal, PhD, professor in the department of computer science and applied mathematics at the Weizmann Institute of Science, said during a presentation at the American Association of Diabetes Educators annual meeting. Segal said, are only beginning to understand the influence of those millions of bacterial genes on the human body, affecting everything from obesity, asthma and cardiovascular disease to glucose excursions after consuming a meal. Additionally, research conducted by Segal and colleagues has suggested that the foods humans consume can induce metabolic changes by directly altering the gut microbiota, whereas microbiota, much like humans, exhibit diurnal rhythmicity that can further effect host epigenetics.
“In our human genome, we have only about 25,000 genes,” Segal said. “That means that by focusing only on human genetics, we have been studying only 1% of the genetic material that we carry among us.”
Friday, August 17, 2018
Breakfast could "Prime" the Body to Burn Carbs in Exercise
https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/breakfast-could-prime-the-body-to-burn-carbs-in-exercise-307732?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65269204&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8kw-6crVKZzfxDcdBm7i7k94nyzkAnbV_551fdLwLtqBqlyLraIr7wuJW5KiDC07ODpm_HTIDW5RCXJKUshqO12B0jLw&_hsmi=65269206
The volunteers ate a breakfast of porridge made with milk two hours before exercise.
Post exercise or rest, the researchers tested the blood glucose levels and muscle glycogen levels of the 12 healthy male volunteers who took part. They discovered that eating breakfast increased the rate at which the body burned carbohydrates during exercise, as well as increasing the rate the body digested and metabolised food eaten after exercise too.
Dr Javier Gonzalez, senior lecturer in the Department of Health who co-led the study, said: “This is the first study to examine the ways in which breakfast before exercise influences our responses to meals after exercise. We found that, compared to skipping breakfast, eating breakfast before exercise increases the speed at which we digest, absorb and metabolise carbohydrate that we may eat after exercise.”
Rob Edinburgh, PhD student also in the Department who co-led the study, said: “We also found that breakfast before exercise increases carbohydrate burning during exercise, and that this carbohydrate wasn't just coming from the breakfast that was just eaten, but also from carbohydrate stored in our muscles as glycogen. This increase in the use of muscle glycogen may explain why there was more rapid clearance of blood sugar after ‘lunch’ when breakfast had been consumed before exercise.
“This study suggests that, at least after a single bout of exercise, eating breakfast before exercise may ‘prime’ our body, ready for rapid storage of nutrition when we eat meals after exercise.”
Men, Women Who Are On Very Low-Calorie Diet May Lose Weight Differently
reports that research indicated “overweight men and women with prediabetes on a strict 8-week, 800 calorie/day meal replacement plan lost more than 10% of their initial weight.” But, “men lost somewhat more weight than women; women tended to shed pounds around their hips whereas men lost more ‘heart harmful’ weight around their middle.” Still, “after the 8-week, rapid weight-loss diet, 35% of participants of both genders (and 40% of those who lost ≥ 8% of their starting weight) had normal glucose levels.” The findings were published online in Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/dom.13466
Higher Mortality Risk Seen with Low Carb Diet But not when carbs were replaced with plant-based proteins
Our findings suggest a U-shaped relationship between life expectancy and overall carbohydrate intake, in which lifespan is greatest among people with 50%-55% carbohydrate intake, a level that might be considered moderate in North America and Europe but low in other regions, such as Asia," the study authors wrote.
In a smaller pooled analysis of three cohort studies that included more than 150,000 participants, the researchers found that when individuals exchanged carbohydrates for animal-derived sources of protein, such as beef, pork, or chicken, their mortality risk increased (HR 1.18; 95% CI 1.08-1.29). However, when carbs were exchanged for plant-based proteins, from sources including vegetables, nuts, and whole-grain breads, mortality risk decreased (HR 0.82; 95% 0.78-0.87).
"Low carbohydrate diets that exchange carbohydrates for a greater intake of protein or fat have gained substantial popularity because of their ability to induce short-term weight loss, despite incomplete and conflicting data regarding their long-term effects on health outcomes," the study authors wrote.
"These data provide further evidence that animal-based low carbohydrate diets, which are more prevalent in North American and European populations, should be discouraged," they said. "Alternatively, if restricting carbohydrate intake is a chosen approach for weight loss or cardiometabolic risk reduction, replacement of carbohydrates with predominantly plant-based fats and proteins could be considered as a long-term approach to promote healthy aging." https://www.medpagetoday.com/primarycare/dietnutrition/74608?xid=nl_mpt_morningbreak%202018-08-17&eun=g721819d0r&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=MorningBreak_081718&utm_term=Morning%20Break%20-%20Active%20Users%20-%20180%20days
Thursday, August 16, 2018
Hypothyroidism Medication Recalled Because Of Quality Concerns.
reports Westminster Pharmaceuticals, LLC is voluntarily recalling a medication used to treat hypothyroidism due to quality concerns. The company “instructed wholesalers to stop distributing specific products labeled ‘Levothyroxine and Liothyronine (Thyroid Tablets, USP)” and confirmed that there have been no adverse events. The recall comes after a June 22 warning letter from the FDA “to a Chinese pharmaceutical company which manufactured active ingredients in the recalled drug.” https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2018/08/15/thyroid-medication-containing-levothyroxine-and-liothyronine-recalled/1003968002/
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
Childhood Obesity May Increase Risk Of Severe Dental Infections,
Childhood obesity increases the risk of severe dental infections,” researchers concluded. The study revealed that “among children admitted to Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, for infected cavities, obese children were almost four times more likely than others to require surgery, and five times more likely to have a tooth pulled.” The findings were presented at the Pediatric Hospital Medicine annual meeting. https://www.mdedge.com/clinicalendocrinologynews/article/172629/infectious-diseases/childhood-obesity-linked-severe-dental
Tuesday, August 14, 2018
Nurses Can Lead the Way in Research
- Nursing-led research can help change outcomes for patients, communities, and the healthcare system, as was shown by several posters presented at recent research meetings, reported Linda Grinnell-Merrick, NP, of the University of Rochester Medical Center in Rochester, New York.
"Research is an important part of what we do," said Grinnell-Merrick during the Rheumatology Nurses Society annual meeting (RNS).
"An example of this was several years ago on the dialysis unit -- we had been using Betadine for catheter cleansing, and you had to wait for it to dry, until a nurse from the ICU said she didn't think that was very efficient. So they did a study using rubbing alcohol, where you only have to wait 10 seconds, and it changed everything we did, not only for the unit but for the whole hospital," said Grinnell-Merrick, who is president of the RNS.
To provide examples of other nurse-led research, she reviewed posters that were presented at the most recent meetings of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). https://www.medpagetoday.com/meetingcoverage/rns/74536?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2018-08-14&eun=g721819d0r&pos=111111&utm_source=Sailthru&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Daily%20Headlines%202018-08-14&utm_term=Daily%20Headlines%20-%20Active%20User%20-%20180%20days
Thyroid Tablets Recalled Due To Potential Adulteration.
reports that “Westminster Pharmaceuticals has recalled all unexpired lots of levothyroxine and liothyronine (thyroid tablets, USP) 15 mg, 30 mg, 60 mg, 90 mg, and 120 mg to the wholesale level, according to a company notice posted on the US Food and Drug Administration...website.” This “recall is a precautionary measure because the products were manufactured using active pharmaceutical ingredients that were sourced prior to the FDA’s import alert regarding Sichuan Friendly Pharmaceutical company in China.” https://www.mdmag.com/medical-news/thyroid-tablets-voluntarily-recalled-due-to-possible-adulteration
Researchers Create Tool To Calculate A Person’s Inherited Risks For Five Diseases.
reports that researchers “have created a powerful new tool to calculate a person’s inherited risks for heart disease, breast cancer,” type 2 diabetes, chronic inflammatory bowel disease, and atrial fibrillation. The researchers, “by surveying changes in DNA at 6.6 million places in the human genome...were able to identify many more people at risk than do the usual genetic tests, which take into account very few genes.” The research was published in Nature Genetics. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/13/health/genetic-test-heart-disease.html
Monday, August 13, 2018
Friday, August 10, 2018
Key Role for Rare Lymphocyte in Inflammatory Arthritis
Rheumatoid arthritis is the most common form of inflammatory joint conditions. In contrast to osteoarthritis, where patients’ joints degenerate, the symptoms of arthritis such as overheating, swelling and redness, occur in flare-ups and are frequently caused by disturbances in the immune system. The disease mainly affects the fingers and toes, but also knees, shoulders and hip joints. Around one percent of the population suffer from the condition and women are three times more likely to suffer from it than men. Treatment usually focuses on easing pain and slowing down the progression of the disease as there is no cure for rheumatoid arthritis.
Rare immune cell regulates arthritis
Immunologists at FAU have now proven that ILC2, a rare form of lymphocyte, plays a key role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis. Although ILCs, so-called ‘innate lymphoid cells’, do not have the T cell and B cell receptors nor cell type markers that are otherwise typical for lymphocytes, they are pivotal in defending the human body from pathogens. They are often the ‘first aiders’ who alarm the immune system before the actual immunisation begins. ‘From earlier research, we know that ILC2 can initiate the suppression of chronic inflammation by producing the cell signal molecule IL-9’, says project manager Dr. Mario Zaiss from the Department of Medicine 3 – Rheumatology and Immunology at Universitätsklinikum Erlangen. ‘In our current study, we specifically examined the role of ILC2s in the early stage of rheumatoid arthritis’. https://www.technologynetworks.com/immunology/news/key-role-for-rare-lymphocyte-in-inflammatory-arthritis-307445?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65110707&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8TZ_u_guQ1HQaJ__6wSBffVQW2acc5jrih6FVKyg_KbTUbkPExkScVfrt5Sq-rag1ubFsrdLFLVeKgCutrDjC9CpM1_w&_hsmi=65110709
Thursday, August 9, 2018
Men Who Wear Boxers May Have Higher Sperm Counts, Better Quality Sperm Than Those Who Wear Tighter Underwear
reports that researchers found that “among the male partners of couples seeking infertility treatment, researchers determined that tight-fitting underwear was linked to lower sperm counts and sperm concentration and higher levels of a hormone that can indicate trouble in the testicles.” Also covering the story are TIME (8/8, Ducharme), Newsweek (8/8, Gander), the NBC News (8/8, Scher) website, the NPR (8/8, Chisholm) “Shots” blog, and CNN (8/8, Scutti). https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-fertility-underwear/sperm-may-like-boxers-better-than-briefs-idUSKBN1KT2PK
Trick that Allows Vomiting Virus to Spread So Effectively
Researchers have found that a group of viruses that cause severe stomach illness — including the one famous for widespread outbreaks on cruise ships — get transmitted to humans through membrane-cloaked “virus clusters” that exacerbate the spread and severity of disease. Previously, it was believed that these viruses only spread through individual virus particles. The discovery of these clusters, the scientists say, marks a turning point in the understanding of how these viruses spread and why they are so infectious. This preliminary work could lead to the development of more effective antiviral agents than existing treatments that mainly target individual particles.
The researchers studied norovirus and rotavirus –hard-to-treat viruses that are the most common cause of stomach illness, or gastroenteritis, and that afflicts millions of people each year. The viruses cause symptoms ranging from diarrhea to abdominal pain and can sometimes result in death, particularly among young children and the elderly. Their highly contagious nature has led to serious outbreaks in crowded spaces throughout many communities; most notably in cruise ships, daycare centers, classrooms, and nursing homes. Fortunately, vaccines against rotavirus are now available and are routinely given to babies in the United States.
“This is a really exciting finding in the field of virology because it reveals a mode of virus spread that has not been observed among humans and animals,” said study leader Nihal Altan-Bonnet, Ph.D., senior investigator and head of the Laboratory of Host-Pathogen Dynamics at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI). “We hope that it will provide new clues to fighting a wide range of diseases involving many types of viruses, including those that cause gastrointestinal illnesses, heart inflammation, certain respiratory illnesses, and even the common cold.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/tn/news/trick-that-allows-vomiting-virus-to-spread-so-effectively-307387?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65081886&_hsenc=p2ANqtz--KSS5h9xGrG98qi99JucewD5_vAWAzo0OnjgWiGE26Dvvq50HBF9YVjxW8IH9ul6nHt2p_-iQdj0AA87Zb1D1hy86iTw&_hsmi=65081887
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
Chemical Contamination Found In Michigan School’s Water.
reports that EightCAP Orleans Head Start center in Ionia County’s Orleans Township in Michigan announced Monday that man-made chemicals called perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances were found at a well that provides drinking water for a preschool. The school is on summer recess. Bottled water will be provided at the facility. https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/michigan/articles/2018-08-07/tests-find-chemical-contamination-in-michigan-schools-water
Eye Can See Clearly Now: Structure of Lipid That Keeps Our Tears Clear Discovered
As anyone who has experienced an annoying alternation between dry and watery eyes can confirm, tears alone aren't enough to keep the eye from drying out. A microscopically thin film of oils known as the tear film lipid layer is key to preventing the tear film from evaporating. In this month's issue of the Journal of Lipid Research, a group of Australian researchers report the structure of a key long-chain lipid in the tear film lipid layer. Their finding may be used to improve treatments for dry eye. https://www.technologynetworks.com/drug-discovery/news/eye-can-see-clearly-now-structure-lipid-that-keeps-our-tears-clear-discovered-307318?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65050137&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9HgrGkxeKJayBaMqj2FD7-lFe9vS8UJ7kUPe66wGRfnqLl2_VbWOEZO_q0eoxejF2fGU49iH0Gz4NRiLZ3ir_WRCbZuw&_hsmi=65050137
Tuesday, August 7, 2018
Overcome Jetlag With Light
By demonstrating in mice that suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) neurons expressing the neuropeptide vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) exhibit a regular cycle in their activity levels that is disrupted under conditions of constant light, Erik Herzog and colleagues resolve long-standing questions about how the SCN synchronizes the body’s daily rhythms to environmental light. Blocking the activity of these neurons reduced the severity of shifts in daily rhythms. These findings suggest a potential mechanism by which the modern advent of light at night may have led to an increased prevalence of sleep disorders. https://www.technologynetworks.com/neuroscience/news/light-resets-our-clock-via-our-vip-neurons-307273?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=65019290&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-8JXUXdIVMYeUFmXWURbA9WcdJhuFoGu4aVzO9iRXtXSjkEF7NSPYbSXbqfame-yqKSHTYcuzBAceU25ElsDY7Qed9KmA&_hsmi=65019290
Mix Of Microbes In Gut May Impact Weight-Loss Efforts
The Salt” blog reports that “research suggests the mix of microbes in our guts can either help – or hinder – weight-loss efforts.” Investigators found that “successful dieters had an increased abundance of a bacteria called Phascolarctobacterium, whereas another bacteria, Dialister, was associated with a failure to lose the weight.” The findings were published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings. https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/08/06/635362706/diet-hit-a-snag-your-gut-bacteria-may-be-partly-to-blame
Estrogen Therapy In Transgender Women May Put Them At Higher Risk For Cardiac Events
reports that a review suggests “the use of estrogen therapy in transgender women appears to put them at increased risk for cardiac events.” This “analysis found a ‘definite’ increase in venous thromboembolism (VTE) and ‘probable’ increases in both the risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke among transgender women (those born biologically male but identifying as female), according to” the researchers. Meanwhile, “among transgender men (those born as female but identifying as male), there appeared to be no increase in stroke or VTE, while the risk of MI is still unknown.” The findings were published in Reviews in Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders. https://www.medpagetoday.com/cardiology/venousthrombosis/74425
Monday, August 6, 2018
Blocking Digestive Hormone May Help Prevent Spread of Pancreatic Tumors
A high-fat diet may promote the growth of pancreatic cancer independent of obesity because of the interaction between dietary fat and cholecystokinin (CCK), a digestive hormone. In addition, blocking CCK may help prevent the spread of pancreatic tumors to other areas of the body (metastases). The new findings are published ahead of print in the American Journal of Physiology--Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology. The research was chosen as an APSselect article for August.
CCK is released by the small intestine and is associated with obesity. Dietary fat triggers the secretion of CCK; those who follow a diet high in saturated fats often have high levels of CCK. Previous research has shown that obesity and high-fat diets both together and independently increase the risk of pancreatic cancer. CCK also regulates regeneration that takes place after partial surgical removal of the pancreas. Pancreatic growth and regeneration occurs through interaction of CCK with CCK receptors, proteins that bind to CCK to produce a physiological reaction. https://www.technologynetworks.com/cancer-research/news/blocking-digestive-hormone-may-help-prevent-spread-of-pancreatic-tumors-307195?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=64987330&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WPNWlv545Tmq4y9nCCSuKj_6ncWOhxCX8TRJKVLQX8akzCJezLdXxfiBk9iUB8--4pZMG2WiQMR5zruzAolWrK4iMww&_hsmi=64987330
Quiet Viruses Alter Body's Response to Vaccines
UC Davis researchers have shown that low levels of cytomegalovirus (CMV) have a significant impact on microbe and immune cell populations and how the immune system responds to the influenza vaccine. The study was published in the Journal of Virology.
“Subclinical CMV infection alters the immune system and the gut microbiota in the host and that impacts how we respond to vaccines, environmental stimuli and pathogens,” said Satya Dandekar, who chairs the Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology at UC Davis and was senior author on the paper. She is also a core scientist in the infectious diseases unit at the California National Primate Research Center at UC Davis.
“This study highlights the role of these silent, latent viral infections that are totally asymptomatic," she said.
A member of the herpes family, CMV is a common virus that infects as many as 90 percent of adults in Africa and 70 percent in the U.S. and Europe. However, though CMV is ubiquitous, it is generally not dangerous. The exception is people whose immune systems are compromised, for example by HIV.
While the vast majority of CMV infections are subclinical, that does not mean the virus is inert. Researchers in the Dandekar lab, including first authors Clarissa Santos Rocha and Lauren Hirao, wanted to understand how CMV might be affecting its hosts.
In the study, animals infected with CMV had higher levels of Firmicutes and other butyrate-producing bacteria. Butyrates are short-chain fatty acids that reduce inflammation but may also boost genes that help CMV persist in the body. CMV infection generally increased immune activity but also diminished antibodies responding to influenza vaccination.
“There’s a high degree of variation at the population level of how people respond to vaccines,” said Dandekar, “and all the factors that contribute to these variations are not fully understood. Our paper shows the subclinical CMV infections may be one of the issues that contributes to that immune variation. This opens a new opportunity to come up with novel approaches to optimize and position the immune system to have higher quality responses to vaccines.” https://www.technologynetworks.com/biopharma/news/quiet-viruses-alter-bodys-response-to-vaccines-307192?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=64987330&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9WPNWlv545Tmq4y9nCCSuKj_6ncWOhxCX8TRJKVLQX8akzCJezLdXxfiBk9iUB8--4pZMG2WiQMR5zruzAolWrK4iMww&_hsmi=64987330
Most Pregnant Women Told Little Or Nothing About Reducing Their Exposure To Chemicals
reported that most pregnant women “are told little or nothing about reducing their exposure to chemicals despite evidence suggesting that ingredients in plastics, vehicle exhaust and cosmetics additives can have profound impacts on” the health of infants. https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/environmental-toxins-are-seen-as-posing-risks-during-pregnancy/2018/08/03/770fab98-7643-11e8-9780-b1dd6a09b549_story.html?utm_term=.6edaf54b3ef4
Friday, August 3, 2018
Obesity May Increase Length Of Time A Person Is Contagious With Flu
reports obese adults with the flu “are contagious for much longer than their slim peers,” according to a study in the Journal of Infectious Diseases. Researchers analyzed data “from about 1,800 people in 320 households in Nicaragua during three flu seasons between 2015 and 2017,” finding “that obese adults with the flu shed influenza A virus 42 percent longer than non-obese adults with the flu.” https://consumer.healthday.com/infectious-disease-information-21/flu-news-314/steer-clear-of-obese-friends-with-the-flu-736391.html
Thursday, August 2, 2018
Gut Bacteria Could Influence Weight Loss,
reports a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings found that “no matter how strictly some of us stick to weight loss regimes, we still struggle to drop the pounds – and our gut bacteria could be to blame.” According to the article, “Tests on gut bacteria taken from the stool samples revealed that those who failed to lose at least 5 percent of their weight had different types of bacteria than those who found it easier. Specifically, a bacterium called phascolarctobacterium was associated with weight loss, while dialister was found in the guts of those who didn’t see the pounds fall away.” The results seemed to suggest that the gut bacteria that make it easier to metabolize carbohydrates play a role in lower weight loss, researchers said. https://www.newsweek.com/cant-lose-weight-your-gut-bacteria-could-be-blame-1050228
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Pharmaceuticals Found in Drinking Water
At least one compound was detected at all sites. Ofloxacin and sulfamethoxazole — antibiotics prescribed for the treatment of a number of bacterial infections — were the most frequently detected compounds. Caffeine was detected in approximately half of the samples, while naproxen — an anti-inflammatory drug used for the management of pain, fever and inflammation — was not detected in any samples.
"It is now widely known that over-the-counter and prescription medications are routinely present at detectable levels in surface and groundwater bodies," said Heather Gall, assistant professor of agricultural and biological engineering, whose research group in the Penn State's College of Agricultural Sciences conducted the study. "The presence of these emerging contaminants has raised both environmental and public health concerns, particularly when these water supplies are used as drinking water sources."
The good news, Gall pointed out, is that the concentrations of the pharmaceuticals in groundwater sampled were extremely low — at parts per billion levels. However, given that sampling with the Master Well Owner Network only occurred once, the frequency of occurrence, range of concentrations and potential health risks are not yet well understood, especially for these private groundwater supplies. https://www.technologynetworks.com/applied-sciences/news/pharmaceuticals-found-in-drinking-water-307028?utm_campaign=Newsletter_TN_BreakingScienceNews&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=64885171&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9CwPgfgD9JUWnjC72af77OBPdgPSlGP8IkIzQ5-Q6XG1oo6KLHvRMLc5tYifFajvmXkNXMRehxnC2EdPjmnbH26MLFvA&_hsmi=64885171
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