- - European weblog on food, health and environment
News - week 12 - 2008
RAPEX Weekly Report: Week 11, 2008
RAPEX is the EU rapid alert system for all
dangerous consumer products, with the exception of food, pharmaceutical and medical
devices. It allows for the rapid exchange of information between Member States and the
Commission of measures taken to prevent or restrict the marketing or use of products
posing a serious risk to the health and safety of consumers. Both measures ordered by
national authorities and measures taken voluntarily by producers and distributors are
covered by RAPEX. The list below is an overview of the reported products last week.
Aerobic exercise significantly decreased the chemical imbalances that can lead to heart
disease and stroke in postmenopausal women according to a study in the spring issue of the
Journal of Women and Aging.
Researchers develop method to
rapidly ID optimal drug cocktails
UCLA researchers have developed a feedback control scheme that can search for the most
optimal and effective drug combinations to treat various diseases, including cancers and
infections, a discovery that could significantly facilitate clinical drug cocktail trials.
Work with power grids leads to cell
biology discovery
Gene therapy is a promising experimental technique for the prevention and treatment of
disease. Now a Northwestern University research team reports that a counterintuitive
approach also holds promise. The targeted removal of genes can restore cellular function
in cells with genetic defects, such as mutations. The results have ramifications for
medical research as well as for optimizing certain metabolic processes used in the
production of biofuels, such as ethanol.
New insight into the genetics of
brain tumor formation
In a G&D paper published online ahead of its April 1 print publication date, Dr.
William Kaelin (Dana Farber Cancer Institute) and colleagues identify a potential new
neuronal tumor suppressor.
Botox, is best known as one of the most commonly used molecules to reduce wrinkles. It is
also known as one of the most poisonous naturally occurring substances. Now, thanks to Dr.
Sam Daniel it has become an effective method to save newborns suffering from CHARGE
Syndrome from devastating tracheotomies.
Researchers discover how stealthy
HIV protein gets into cells
Scientists have known for more than a decade that a protein associated with the HIV virus
is good at crossing cell membranes, but they didn’t know how it worked. A
multidisciplinary team from the University of Illinois has solved the mystery, and their
findings could improve the design of therapeutic agents that cross a variety of membrane
types.
Neighborhoods play key role in how
much people exercise, study says
The neighborhoods people live in can help inspire -- or discourage -- their residents to
exercise and keep physically active, new research suggests. Residents of neighborhoods
with higher levels of poverty, lower education, and more female-headed families are less
likely than others to exercise, according to the study.
Scientists at the University of Bonn have discovered a new rare type of hemoglobin.
Hemoglobin transports oxygen in the red blood corpuscles. When bound to oxygen it changes
color. The new hemoglobin type appears optically to be transporting little oxygen.
Measurements of the blood oxygen level therefore present a similar picture to patients
suffering from an inherited cardiac defect.
Does touch affect flavor? Study
finds that how a container feels can affect taste
Does coffee in a flimsy cup taste worse than coffee in a more substantial cup? Firms such
as McDonalds and Starbucks spend millions of dollars every year on disposable packaging,
but a new study from the April issue of the Journal of Consumer Research suggests that
trying to skimp in this area might not be worth it -- and may negatively impact consumers'
perceptions of taste and quality.
Video - Genetically Modified
Organisms - unnatural selection
Foodborne outbreaks from leafy
greens on rise
Over the past 35 years the proportion of foodborne outbreaks linked to the consumption of
leafy green vegetables has substantially increased and that increase can not be completely
attributed to Americans eating more salads according to research presented today at the
2008 International Conference on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Rheumatoid arthritis patients who eat a gluten-free vegan diet could be better protected
against heart attacks and stroke. RA is a major risk factor for these cardiovascular
diseases, but a gluten-free vegan diet was shown to lower cholesterol, low-density
lipoprotein and oxidizedLDL, as well as raising the levels of natural antibodies against
the damaging compounds in the body that cause symptoms of the chronic inflammatory disease
rheumatoid arthritis, such as phosphorylcholine.
Body mass index higher among
bariatric surgery patients with 2 genetic variations
The combination of two obesity-related genetic variations may be associated with an
increased body mass index among severely obese patients undergoing bariatric weight loss
surgery, according to a report in the March issue of Archives of Surgery, one of the
JAMA/Archives journals.
Problems getting around in old age?
Blame your brain
New research shows how well people get around and keep their balance in old age is linked
to the severity of changes happening in their brains. The study is published in the March
18, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.
White matter changes, also called leukoaraiosis, are frequently seen in older people and
differ in severity.
People with Job's syndrome lack
specific immune cells
Scientists have made another major breakthrough -- the second in the past year -- in
understanding a rare immune disorder called Job's syndrome. Job's syndrome is
characterized by recurrent and often severe bacterial and fungal infections leading to
outbreaks of abscesses and boils. Now, NIH scientists have shown that Job's sufferers lack
a specific type of infection-fighting white blood cell called Th17 cell, making them
vulnerable to attacks by bacteria and fungi.
Cancer detected earlier, faster,
with new medical imaging, Stanford study finds
Doctors may one day be able to detect early stages of colon cancer without a biopsy, using
a new technique developed by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine.
Scientists shine new light on
inflammatory diseases
Investigators at Hospital for Special Surgery have identified a new mechanism involved in
the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. The mechanism may
also shed some light on why gene therapy experiments that use adenoviruses to deliver
genes to humans have run into problems.
Blood vessel protein reverses
macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy in mice
Two major eye diseases and leading causes of blindness -- age-related macular degeneration
and diabetic retinopathy -- can be reversed or even prevented by drugs that activate a
protein found in blood vessel cells, researchers at the University of Utah School of
Medicine and several other institutions have announced in a new study.
Only 2 percent of child drug trials
have independent safety checks
Only two percent of pediatric drug trials reported using independent safety monitoring
committees that can help lead to the early detection of adverse drug reactions, according
to a major review published in the journal Acta Paediatrica.
Researchers find 1 in 6 women, 1 in
10 men at risk for Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime
Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine have estimated that one in six women
are at risk for developing Alzheimer's disease in their lifetime, while the risk for men
is one in ten. These findings were released today by the Alzheimer's Association in their
publication 2008 Alzheimer’s Disease: Facts and Figures.
New U of T research holds promise for developing innovative therapies against cystic
fibrosis and may also serve as a model for future therapies against the HIV virus.
Scientists at Schepens Eye Research Institute have discovered what chemical in the eye
triggers the dormant capacity of certain non-neuronal cells to transform into progenitor
cells, a stem-like cell that can generate new retinal cells. The discovery, published in
the March issue of Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, offers new hope to
victims of diseases that harm the retina, such as macular degeneration and retinitis
pigmentosa.
Lithium chloride slows onset of
skeletal muscle disorder
A new UC-Irvine study finds that lithium chloride, a drug used to treat bipolar disorder,
can slow the development of inclusion body myositis, a skeletal muscle disease that
affects the elderly.
NC State Gene 'Knockout' Floors
Tobacco Carcinogen
In large-scale field trials, scientists from North Carolina State University have shown
that silencing a specific gene in burley tobacco plants significantly reduces harmful
carcinogens in cured tobacco leaves. The finding could lead to tobacco products –
especially smokeless products – with reduced amounts of cancer-causing agents.
Uric acid may provide early clues
to diabetic kidney disease
For patients with type 1 diabetes, increased levels of uric acid in the blood may be an
early sign of diabetic kidney disease -- appearing before any significant change in urine
albumin level, the standard screening test, reports a study in the May 2008 issue of the
Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology.
Grape skin compound fights the
complications of diabetes
Research carried out by scientists at the Peninsula Medical School in the South West of
England has found that resveratrol, a compound present naturally in grape skin, can
protect against the cellular damage to blood vessels caused by high production of glucose
in diabetes, according to a paper published in the science journal "Diabetes, Obesity
and Metabolism" this week.
Increased hepcidin expression - A
novel oncogenic signalling mechanism
A team led by Dr. Chris Tselepis at the University of Birmingham has investigated for the
first time the relationship between hepcidin; a known regulator of iron metabolism and
colorectal cancer. Results of the study suggest that circulating hepcidin levels are
indicative of stage of colorectal cancer and also that a subset of colorectal tumours
express this protein. This adds weight to the growing body of evidence pointing to the
importance of iron metabolism in cancer.
How does P wave dispersion change
in patients with Wilson's disease?
A multidisciplinary team including researchers from cardiology and gastroenterology
clinics of Ankara Y¨¹ksek Ihtisas Hospital and Department of Gastroenterology of Faculty
of Medicine University of Ankara have analyzed a new methodology called "wave
dispersion" for intra cardiac conduction abnormalities in Wilson's disease patients.
They compared their results with a healthy control group and observed a clear increase in
PWD within the patient population, who may at risk of arrhythmias.
A team led by Dr. Alper Akcan from the University of Erciyes has investigated the
beneficial effects of exogenous melatonin on bacterial translocation and apoptosis in an
experimental colitis model. These results imply a reduction in mucosal damage due to
anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic effects of melatonin.
Gene variants associated with
increased risk of bone fractures, low bone mineral density
Results from a large study indicate that variants of the gene LRP5 are associated with a
significant increase in the risk of fractures, by up to 20 percent, and lower levels of
bone mineral density in the spine and hip, according to a study in the March 19 issue of
JAMA, a theme issue on Genetics and Genomics.
Research on consequences -
Hyperactive girls face problems as adults
Young girls who are hyperactive are more likely to get hooked on smoking, underperform in
school or jobs and gravitate towards mentally abusive relationships as adults, according
to a joint study by researchers from the Université de Montréal and the University
College London that is published in the latest issue of the Archives of General
Psychiatry.
Molecular biology of sleep apnea
could lead to new treatments
Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have provided, for the
first time, a detailed look at the molecular pathways underlying sleep apnea. The team
found that in an animal model of sleep apnea poorly folded proteins accumulate in one
compartment of a muscle nerve cell, which, under certain conditions, tells a cell to heal
itself or destroy itself.
This double issue of Cell Transplantation highlights the efforts of Japanese researchers
who are working toward using stem cell transplantation to benefit those who suffer from
diabetes, cancer, and other debilitating diseases. The scientists are working toward three
important goals: overcoming the shortage of human pancreatic islet tissue, building a
bioartifical pancreas, and determining whether cancer stem cells in tumors can be targeted
and destroyed in order to provide new, more effective cancer therapies.
Data study suggests cortisol could
alleviate for chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia
Chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia are two serious and debilitating diseases with
no confirmed cause and limited treatment options. However, results of a new comprehensive
literature study propose a simplified treatment process that could help alleviate symptoms
for patients suffering from these diseases.
Neuronal regulators offer potential
targets for cancer
In a previous study, researchers showed that a protein called REST -- which keeps neural
programs silent in most parts of the body -- serves as a tumor suppressor. Now they've
identified a protein that promotes tumor growth by tagging REST for destruction, thereby
activating neural programs.
Study verifies that
cholesterol-associated gene variants can predict cardiovascular events
A study in this week's New England Journal of Medicine confirms that a combination of gene
variants previously associated with cholesterol levels does reflect patients' cholesterol
levels and can signify increased risk of heart attack, stroke or sudden cardiac death.
A new study from investigators at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) paints a radically
different picture of how the brain's blood supply develops. Their report in the journal
Nature Neuroscience, which has received early online release, describes how blood vessels
in the brain grow according to their own agenda beginning early in fetal life and finds
that the vasculature of embryonic brain may actually guide later development of brain
cells and their connections.
Drinking Water Engineering and Science aims to be the leading scientific open access
journal for the publication of original research in drinking water treatment. The focus is
on fundamental and applied research in water sources, substances, drinking water treatment
processes, distribution systems and residual management.
EU patients taking genetic tests
can now check out testing laboratory's credentials on-line
In a major advance patients and their families across Europe can now check out on-line the
credentials of laboratories offering genetic tests. Over the last two years, EuroGentest,
an EU-funded project, has collated in-dept data on the majority of the 1500 + laboratories
involved in Member and associated EU States. This data is now freely searcheable as part
of the new version of Orpha.net, the leading public portal for rare disease information
launched today.
The Increasing Use Of
Antidepressants: Some Reasons For Concern
Two articles in the March issue of the European Journal Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
raise serious concern about the increasing use of antidepressant medications. In the first
article, David Healy and collaborators (University of Cardiff) formulate a critique of
many studies which try to support the use of antidepressants on the basis of variations in
suicide rates. The Authors compare suicide rates in the Nordic countries with autopsy and
ill-defined death rates, and antidepressant sales, during the period 1961 through to 2003,
finding a close correlation between suicide rates and both autopsy and ill-defined death
rates.The Authors conclude that the role of autopsies and other factors in the
registration of a death as a suicide appear to need further clarification.
Scientists at the University of Bonn have discovered a new rare type of haemo-globin.
Haemoglobin transports oxygen in the red blood corpuscles. When bound to oxygen it changes
colour. The new haemoglobin type appears optically to be transporting little oxygen.
Measurements of the blood oxygen level therefore present a similar picture to patients
suffering from an inherited cardiac defect. After examining two patients, the scientists
now understand that the new type of haemoglobin distorts the level of oxygen measured. The
scientists have named the type 'Haemoglobin Bonn'. They have published their discovery in
the current issue of the scientific journal 'Clinical Chemistry'.
Omega-6 fatty acids found to be
dietary cause of depression, heart disease
Researchers found a correlation between a higher omega-6-to-omega-3 blood ratio and the
occurrence of depression, as well as the occurrence of inflammation-promoting compounds in
the blood...
Bentonite Clay - Protect Yourself
From Pharmaceuticals in Your Water
Bentonite clay carries a uniquely strong negative ionic charge which causes it to
'magnetically' attract any substance with a positive ionic charge (i.e., bacteria, toxins,
metals, etc.). These substances are both adsorbed (sticking to the outside like Velcro)
and absorbed (drawn inside) by the clay molecules. Your body doesn't digest clay, so the
clay passes through your system, collecting the toxins, and removing them as the clay is
eliminated.
New Studies Continue to Reveal the
Health Benefits of Colostrum
Colostrum is the thin yellowish fluid produced during the first few milkings of a mammal
after she has given birth. It is the carrier of the immunities that are transferred from
mother to infant, and one of the reasons breast feeding is so important to the health of
children. Colostrum contains an abundance of nutrients, including growth factors, lipidic
and glucidic factors, oligosaccharides, antimicrobials, cytokines and nucleoside. It is
rich in immunoglobulins which are certain types of protein involved in promoting the
immune system and fighting germs.
Estrogen Mimicry of Bisphenol-A
Threatens Human and Animal Health
Bisphenol-A could be making us fatter. Diet and too little exercise are the main culprits
of what has been called the obesity epidemic, but the hormone mimicker bisphenol-A might
be tipping the scales, so to speak.
The World Congress on Controversies
in Cardiovascular Diseases:
Diagnosis, Treatment and Interventions [C-Care]
July 3-6, 2008 InterContinental Hotel,
Berlin, Germany
Debates - Advanced program
Coronary Artery Disease / Ischemia
Debate: Primary PCI for ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) - the Holy
Grail?
Pros: P. Clemmensen, Denmark / Cons: F. Van de Werf, Belgium
Debate: Acute intervention in non -STEMI: Isn’t it better to wait?
Pros: W. Wijns, Belgium / Cons: F.J. Neumann, Germany
Debate: Who has the COURAGE to defend PCI?
Pros: TBA / Cons: W. Boden, USA
Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology
Debate: An automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator does not prohibit
participation in competitive athletic activities
Pros: K.H. Kuck, Germany / Cons: A. Katz, Israel
Debate: Should every patient with pre-excitation undergo electrophysiologic study (EPS)?
Pros: C. Pappone, Italy / Cons: J-J. Blanc, France
Debate: Left ventricular ejection fraction alone is sufficient to warrant implantation of
implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD)
Pros: TBA / Cons: J. Camm, UK
Heart Failure
Debate: Is natriuretic peptide useful to adapt therapy in HF patients?
Debate: Should Nesiritide be used in heart failure patients?
Pros: TBA / Cons: M. Marco, Italy
Debate: Is levosimendan of help for managing acute heart failure?
Pros: P. Ponikowski, Poland / Cons: M. Boehm, Germany
Debate: Cell therapy in heart failure: Does it work?
Pros: H. Drexler, Germany / Cons: J. Leor, Israel
Coronary Interventions
Debate: Left main stenosis: No longer an exclusive surgical problem?
Pros: G. Schuler, Germany / Cons: D. Taggart, UK
Debate: Drug eluting stents for all
Pros: A. Kastrati, Germany / Cons: M.T. Rothman, UK
Debate: Should we dilate the non-infarct related artery stenosis in patients with
multivessel disease?
Pros: S. Windecker, Switzerland / Cons: C. Bode, Germany
Atrial Fibrillation/ Antiarrhythmic Therapy
Debate: Patients with atrial fibrillation and left ventricular dysfunction should undergo
curative RF ablation as the first line therapy
Pros: C. Pappone, Italy / Cons: S. Levy, France
Debate: Rhythm control is preferable to rate control in patients less than 65 years old
Pros: J-Y. Le Heuzey, France / Cons: H.J. Crijns, Netherlands
Debate: Should all anti-arrhythmic drugs be initiated in hospital?
Pros: M. Borggrefe, Germany / Cons: A. Capucci, Italy
Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Risk Factor Modification
Debate: LDL cholesterol reduction: how low you bring it or how you bring it low?
Pros: M. Farnier, France / Cons: Y. Henkin, Israel
Debate: Angiotensin receptor blockers: 1st or 2nd choice drug?
Pros: P. Sleight, UK / Cons: A. Hall, UK
Debate: Blood pressure: how low you bring it or how you bring it low?
Pros: R. Zimlichman, Israel / Cons: J. Ruilope, Spain
Anti-Thrombotic and Anti-Coagulant Therapy
Debate: Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors: Can they be replaced?
Pros: S.D. Kristensen, Denmark / Cons: F. Verheugt, Netherlands
Debate: Bivalirudin and fondaparinux: Are they really better than the others?
Pros: C. Hamm, Germany / Cons: D. Hasdai, Israel
Debate: Clopidogrel for acute coronary syndrome: One year for everybody?
Pros: F.J. Neumann, Germany / Cons: A. Betriu, Spain
Heart Disease in Women
Debate: Low or no benefit of revascularisation in women: Gender effect or male chauvinism?
Debate: Should a young woman receive a biological prosthetic valve?
Pros: A. Vahanian, France / Cons: A. Caspi, Israel
Debate: Hormone replacement therapy to prevent cardiovascular disease: is it still an
issue?
Pros: A. Rosengren, Sweden / Cons: Z. Ben Rafael, Israel
Device Therapy
Debate: Cardiac resynchronization therapy-defibrillators (CRT-D) are preferable to
CRT-pacemakers (P) in all patients with congestive heart failure requiring biventricular
pacing
Debate: Ablation of ventricular tachycardia in patients with LV dysfunction eliminates the
need for ICD implantation
Pros: TBA / Cons: R.N.W. Hauer, Netherlands
Debate: CRT-P is the preferred pacing mode in all patients with complete A-V block
Pros: A. Oto, Turkey / Cons: J.C. Daubert
Non-Coronary Interventions
Debate: Incidental finding of renal artery stenosis during coronary angiography: Should we
treat it?
Pros: A. Cremonesi, Italy / Cons: B. de Bruyne, Belgium
Debate: Patent foramen ovale in cryptogenic stroke: To close or not to close?
Pros: B. Meier, Switzerland / Cons: C. Lotan, Israel
Debate: Carotid artery stenosis: Carotid stenting rather than endarterectomy?
Challenging Issues in Mitral Valve Surgery
Debate: Should we operate on all asymptomatic patients with severe mitral regurgitation?
Pros: M. Sarano, USA / Cons: TBA
Debate: Coronary artery bypass with moderate mitral regurgitation: CABG alone, or valve
repair too?
Pros: J. Lavee, Israel / Cons: A. Zapolanski, USA
Debate: Should we operate mitral regurgitation in the context of dilated cardiomyopathy?
When, how and to whom?
Pros: M.J. Antunes, Portugal / Cons: A. Vahanian, France
Cardiac Imaging
Debate: Routine coronary CT angiography for the detection of coronary artery stenosis: The
beginning or the end of the controversy?
Pros: T. Dill, Germany / Cons: TBA
Debate: Myocardial viability studies: Do we need them?
Pros: A. Elsaesser, Germany / Cons: L. Vanoverschelde, Belgium
Debate: Should we seek to identify the vulnerable plaque?
Pros: R. Erbel, Germany / Cons: B. Meier, Switzerland
A Program that Promises
Clinically-Valuable Answers
Selected Keynote Lectures
Revascularisation in multivessel disease: Myths and realities
F. Mohr, Germany
New definition of myocardial infarction: Controversial aspects of the new label
J.S. Alpert, USA
Today, tomorrow, biomarkers
C. Hamm, Germany
Intensive platelet P2Y12 inhibition: Additional results from TRITON-TIMI 38
E. Braunwald, USA
Diabetes and cardiovascular disease
V. Fuster, USA
Burden of cardiovascular disease in developing countries
S. Yusuf, Canada
St. Jude finds signaling system
that halts the growth of a childhood brain cancer
A discovery by St. Jude Children's Research Hospital scientists suggests a safer way to
treat medulloblastoma, a rare but often fatal childhood brain tumor.
Bile acid derivatives can turn on the vitamin D receptor (VDR) without causing excess
calcium buildup, researchers report, a finding that could lead to vitamin D therapies for
conditions beyond just bone and skin disorders.While calcium balance may be the most
well-known role of vitamin D, this molecule –through VDR binding– regulates many
functions including immunity and cell growth and thus has diverse therapeutic potential.
However, while vitamin D-based drugs are effective against some cancers and microbial
infections, the risk of excess blood calcium has limited their clinical use.Bile acids,
compounds secreted from the liver that aid in digestion, can also bind to the VDR, though
not as strongly. However, Makoto Makishima and colleagues found that derivates of the bile
acid LCA (lithocolic acid) are very potent VDR activators. Interestingly, though, these
acids did not induce the expression of calcium channels in various cell types.
Mayo researchers say ECG standards
should be revised for elderly
Researchers at Mayo Clinic suggest that the established "normal" ranges for
evaluating electrocardiograms for persons over 80 years old should be
"revisited." The recommendation comes in a study published today in the American
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology.
Mayo Clinic Study Shows Parkinson's
Disease Drug Might Work in Cancer Patients
A study published in the March 13 online issue of The Journal of Clinical Investigation
(http://www.jci.org/) shows that dopamine, a drug currently used to treat Parkinson's
disease and other illnesses, also might work in cancer patients. The study, which was done
in mouse and laboratory models, shows that dopamine could possibly prevent new blood
vessels from growing and as a result, slow cancer progression.
An international research consortium under the leadership of scientists of the German
Cancer Research Center has shown that a common gene variant increases the risk of
developing breast cancer.
Depression - the symptoms in
children are not like in adults
Depression is not always manifested in children as dejection and anhedonia. Depending on
the age of the child, the dominant features may be weeping, irritability or defiance, as
explained by Professor Claudia Mehler-Wex and Dr. Michael Kölch of Ulm University in the
new edition of Deutsches Ärzteblatt International.
Genes that protect against
atherosclerosis identified
One way of combating atherosclerosis is to reduce levels of "bad cholesterol" in
the blood. Scientists at the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet have now
identified the genes that bring about this beneficial effect.
Adolescent girls with ADHD are at
increased risk for eating disorders, study shows
Girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder stand a substantially greater risk of
developing eating disorders in adolescence than girls without ADHD, a new study has found.
"Adolescent girls with ADHD frequently develop body-image dissatisfaction and may go
through repeating cycles of binge eating and purging behaviors that are common in bulimia
nervosa," said University of Virginia psychologist Amori Yee Mikami, who led the
study. The findings appear in the current issue of the Journal of Abnormal Psychology.
A compound found in soybeans almost completely prevented the spread of human prostate
cancer in mice, according to a study published in the March 15 issue of Cancer Research, a
journal of the American Association for Cancer Research.
Women with breast cancer have more aggressive disease and lower survival rates if they are
overweight or obese, according to findings published in the March 15 issue of Clinical
Cancer Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. "The more
obese a patient is, the more aggressive the disease," said Massimo Cristofanilli, MD,
associate professor of medicine in the Department of Breast Medical Oncology at The
University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. "We are learning that the fat tissue
may increase inflammation that leads to more aggressive disease."
Body Mass Index may serve as
prognostic tool for advanced, aggressive breast cancers
Body Mass Index, the measure of a person's fat based on their height and weight, may be an
effective prognostic tool for specific types of breast cancer, according to research from
The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.
Legal exposure to asbestos-like
material linked to lung damage 25 years later
Men and women who worked in a plant that processed vermiculite tainted with asbestos-like
fibers that originated from a mine in Libby, Montana, show high prevalence of scarring and
thickening of the membrane that lines the chest wall some 25 years after the plant stopped
using the material -- even those who were exposed at or below current legal levels.
In the March 15th issue of G&D, Dr. Kenneth Poss and colleagues reveal that microRNA
depletion is a necessary step in tissue regeneration -- a discovery with interesting
implications for their use in regenerative medicine.
Pain receptor in brain may be
linked to learning and memory
For the first time, a Brown University research team has linked pain receptors found
throughout the nervous system to learning and memory in the brain. The findings, published
in Neuron, point up new drug targets for memory loss or epileptic seizures.
Study in Circulation Research
details how diabetes drives atherosclerosis
Researchers have discovered how diabetes, by driving inflammation and slowing blood flow,
dramatically accelerates atherosclerosis, according to research to be published in the
March 14 edition of the journal Circulation Research.
Study provides clues to prevent
spread of ovarian cancer
A drug that blocks production of an enzyme that enables ovarian cancer to gain a foothold
in a new site can slow the spread of the disease and prolong survival in mice, but only if
the drug is given early in the disease process.
Researchers confirm link between
common cold and ear infection
A new five-year study at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston confirms the
suspected close link between the two most common diseases of young children: colds and ear
infections.
What lurks beneath these
waters?Vigilance is key to avoiding recreational water illnesses
“These water-borne bacteria, parasites and viral pathogens lurk nearby in swimming
pools, hot tubs and the salty warm waves of the Texas Gulf Coast where recreational water
infections are most often transmitted,” said Dr. Janak A. Patel, director of
pediatric infectious diseases and immunology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at
Galveston.
Rodent study finds artificial
butter chemical harmful to lungs
A new study shows that exposure to a chemical called diacetyl, a component of artificial
butter flavoring, can be harmful to the nose and airways of mice. Scientists at the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), part of the National
Institutes of Health, conducted the study because diacetyl has been implicated in causing
obliterative bronchiolitis (OB) in humans. OB is a debilitating but rare lung disease,
which has been detected recently in workers who inhale significant concentrations of the
flavoring in microwave popcorn packaging plants.
Alcohol consumption and
polymorphisms of cytochromes P4502E1 are high risks for ESCC
A team led by Dr. Yan-Mei Guo from the Department of Clinical Medicine£¬Gansu College of
Traditional Chinese Medicine has confirmed that alcohol consumption and polymorphisms of
CYP2E1, ADH1B and ALDH2 are important risk factors for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma,
and that there is synergetic interaction between polymorphisms of CYP2E1, ALDH2 genotype
and heavy alcohol drinking for Chinese males living in Gansu province, China.
Ibuprofen destroys aspirin's
positive effect on stroke risk
Stroke patients who use ibuprofen for arthritis pain or other conditions while taking
aspirin to reduce the risk of a second stroke undermine aspirin's ability to act as an
anti-platelet agent, researchers at the University at Buffalo have shown.
Novel discovery by Einstein
scientists could lead to much-needed kidney failure treatment
The unwanted activation of an important cell-signaling pathway may play a role in two
kidney problems that are major causes of end-stage renal disease, scientists at the Albert
Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University have found. Their research, which opens
up a novel approach for treating kidney failure, is described in the March issue of Nature
Medicine. The study was led by Dr. Katalin Susztak, an assistant professor of medicine at
Einstein.
Medications plus dental materials
may equal infection for diabetic patients
What many diabetic patients may not know is that the medications that help control healthy
insulin levels may lead to unexpected events at the dentist's office. According to a study
in the November/December 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the AGD's clinical,
peer-reviewed journal, diabetic patients especially need to communicate special needs to
their dentists. This is due to harmful interactions that could occur because of the
materials and medications used at dental appointments.
The price paid for higher energy is
highly dangerous to teeth
For more than 10 years, energy drinks in the United States have been on the rise,
promising consumers more “oomph” in their day. In fact, it is estimated that the
energy drink market will hit $10 billion by 2010. While that may be great news for energy
drink companies, it could mean a different story for the oral health of consumers who
sometimes daily rely on these drinks for that extra boost. Previous scientific research
findings have helped to warn consumers that the pH (potential of hydrogen) levels in
beverages such as soda could lead to tooth erosion, the breakdown of tooth structure
caused by the effect of acid on the teeth that leads to decay. The studies revealed that,
whether diet or regular, ice tea or root beer, the acidity level in popular beverages that
consumers drink every day contributes to the erosion of enamel. However, in a recent study
that appears in the November/December 2007 issue of General Dentistry, the Academy of
General Dentistry’s (AGD) clinical, peer reviewed journal, the pH level of soft
drinks isn’t the only factor that causes dental erosion. A beverage’s
“buffering capacity,” or the ability to neutralize acid, plays a significant
role in the cause of dental erosion. The study examined the acidity levels of five popular
beverages on the market. The results proved that popular “high energy” and
sports drinks had the highest mean buffering capacity, resulting in the strongest
potential for erosion of enamel. According to the study, the popularity of energy drinks
is on the rise, especially among adolescents and young adults. Their permanent teeth are
more susceptible to attack from the acids found in soft drinks, due to the porous quality
of their immature tooth enamel. As a result, there is high potential for erosion among
this age demographic to increase.
A wheat disease that could destroy most of the world's main wheat crops could strike south
Asia's vast wheat fields two years earlier than expected, leaving millions to starve. The
fungus, called Ug99, has spread from Africa to Iran, and may already be in Pakistan. If
so, this is extremely bad news, as Pakistan is not only critically reliant on its wheat
crop, it is also the gateway to the Asian breadbasket.
The machinery responsible for energy production in fat cells is working poorly as a result
of obesity. This may aggravate and work to maintain the obese state in humans, suggests
the recent Finnish study. Studying rare cases of young identical twins with large
differences in bodyweight a Finnish research group has shown that already in the very
early stages of obesity, clear changes in the function of the cellular mitochondria can be
observed.
Extra vitamin D in early childhood
cuts adult diabetes risk
Vitamin D supplements in early childhood may ward off the development of type 1 diabetes
in later life, reveals a research review published ahead of print in the Archives of
Disease in Childhood.
Quitting smoking in pregnancy
boosts chances of easygoing child
Giving up smoking during pregnancy may boost the chances of giving birth to an easy going
child, indicates research in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health.
Individual genes do not cause depression, but they increase the probability of having a
depression in the face of other accumulating risk factors, such as other genes and
environmental stressors. This study is the first to shows that two genes related to the
development of serotonin systems in the brain linked to the experience of negative
emotions and to the treatment of depression exaggerate each other's effects on this brain
system crucial for depression.
Study helps explain fundamental
process of tumor growth
Nearly 80 years ago, scientist Otto Warburg observed that cancer cells perform energy
metabolism in a way that is different from normal adult cells, but it has not been known
exactly how tumor cells perform this alternate metabolic feat, nor was it known if this
process was essential for tumor growth. Now, two papers appearing in the March 13 issue of
the journal Nature help answer these questions.
MUHC researcher finds new defense
mechanism against intestinal inflammation
The body's first line of defense against pathogenic bacteria that we ingest may not be the
immune system but rather the cells that line the intestine. This surprising conclusion is
just one facet of a study by Dr. Maya Saleh, a researcher at the Research institute of the
McGill University Health Centre that will be published in the journal Cell Host &
Microbe on March 12.
Increased level of magnetic iron
oxides found in Alzheimer's disease
A team of scientists, led by Professor Jon Dobson, of Keele University in Staffordshire,
UK, have found, for the first time, raised levels of magnetic iron oxides in the part of
the brain affected by Alzheimer's Disease. The results of their research have been
published in the Journal of Alzheimer's Disease
Paradoxical Alzheimer's Finding May
Shed New Light on Memory Loss
Do you remember the seventh song that played on your radio on the way to work yesterday?
Most of us don’t, thanks to a normal forgetting process that is constantly
“cleaning house” – culling inconsequential information from our brains.
Researchers at the Buck Institute now believe that this normal memory loss is
hyper-activated in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and that this effect is key to the
profound memory loss associated with the incurable neurodegenerative disorder.
Two eggs provide just under half your daily requirements of folate and Vitamins B5 and
B12, around 60 per cent of daily selenium requirements, around a quarter of your protein,
phosphorous, iodine and vitamins A and E requirements and around a fifth of what is
considered an adequate amount of daily omega3 fatty acids.
Nate Tseglin, a 17-year-old autistic boy, was removed from his home and placed in a
state-run mental institution because Child Protective Services disagreed with his
parents’ treatment choices.
There are subtle signs to zinc deficiency. Acne can be just one of them. Other signs can
be white spots on the fingernails, dry, brittle hair, slow wound healing and a decreased
sense of taste and smell. I had all of these. Zinc plays an important role in our overall
immune function and is important for our general health. In addition to adding zinc-rich
foods to my diet, I've also added purifying green tea (both the drink and a green tea
mask), vitamin A rich carrot juice (mixed with orange to make it taste better), lots of
delicious berries, foods rich in omega-3 and other great-for-the-skin goodies.
High-fructose corn syrup, high fat
diet cause severe liver damage
A diet high in fat and in high fructose corn syrup may cause severe liver problems in
people with a sedentary lifestyle, according to a study conducted by researchers from
Saint Louis University and presented this year at the Digestive Diseases Week meeting in
Washington, D.C.
Allergy disorders linked with
irritable bowel syndrome
There may be a link between allergies and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults, says a
study by researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.
Zinc supplements reduce both the severity and duration of acute or persistent diarrhea in
children, according to researchers from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.
Some major brands of shampoo, shower gel and dish soap marketed as "natural" or
"organic" contain small amounts of a potentially dangerous chemical, according
to a report released yesterday by the Organic Consumers Association.
Obesity experts are throwing their weight behind new international standards to control
the marketing of 'junk food' to children launched today (Saturday). They are calling on
food and soft drink manufacturers to adopt a global gold standard on marketing to help
address the urgent need for measures to combat the growing epidemic of childhood
overweight and obesity worldwide. Prof Arne Astrup, President of the International
Association for the Study of Obesity (IASO), said the Association, representing 10,000
obesity specialists in 55 countries, backed the proposals for tough new measures to
curtail the promotion of products that are high in fats, sugar and salt (HFSS) as well as
sugar-laden soft drinks.
Natural Consumer Products Found
Contaminated with Cancer-Causing 1,4-Dioxane in Groundbreaking Analysis Released by OCA
A cancer-causing compound called 1,4-dioxane has been found in some of the most commonly
used petroleum-based cosmetics by a study commissioned by the Organic Consumers
Association, including products from Kiss My Face, Nutribiotic, Jason, Ecover, Citrus
Magic, 365, Alba, Lifetree, Giovanni, Seventh Generation, Method, Earth Friendly Products,
Sea-Chi Organics and many other brands . 1,4-dioxane (often just called dioxane) is a
clear, colorless, organic compound that's a liquid at room temperature and is a known
human carcinogen.
Dairy products linked to
Parkinson's disease in men
Consuming dairy products significantly boosts the risk of Parkinson's disease in men,
concludes a study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology. A study surveying the
dietary habits of 57,689 men found that those who consumed the most dairy products showed
a 60 percent increase in the risk of Parkinson's disease, a degenerative nervous system
disorder that affects motor skills and speech.
The latest indicator that there is more to breast milk than providing food for a baby's
physical needs came recently when Dr. Mark Cregan, a molecular biologist with The
University of Western Australia, discovered stem cells in breast milk. Not only is this a
very exciting revelation, but Dr. Cregan is very hopeful that this is the first of many
discoveries in the potency of breast milk.
