Synthon announces successful outcome of the Phase III GATE study with its generic Glatiramer Acetate

Synthon has announced that the company's glatiramer acetate met the main endpoint of a late-stage study in patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). The Phase III Glatiramer Acetate clinical trial To assess Equivalence with Copaxone®* (GATE) is to-date the only Phase III study conducted with a generic version of Copaxone® and has demonstrated an equivalent efficacy and safety profile for Synthon's glatiramer acetate compared to Copaxone®.

Results of world's first cost-effectiveness analysis of flu responses will help governments plan for epidemics

A €1.2 million European project, which concludes on 28th March, will help policymakers develop reliable plans for responding to flu epidemics, including pandemics. The world's first extensive cost-effectiveness analysis of epidemic responses has created models which will help governments avoid costly and ineffectual policies. Annual epidemics are estimated to cause 3-5 million cases of severe illness and 250-500,000 deaths worldwide (WHO, fact sheet 211; March 2014). When an epidemic hits, the main factor limiting our response is cost.

A drug that strengthens the analgesic effect of opioids without increasing constipation has been tested successfully on animals

Scientists from the University of Granada have taken part, alongside the Esteve laboratory, in the development of a new drug that multiplies the analgesic effect of opioids (drugs for treating intense pain), without increasing constipation, one of the most common side-effects of these drugs, among which is morphine.This important scientific breakthrough has been published in The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, and has been chosen as its outstanding article in the month of January.

International study on genome expression

Genes are the "code" for building the biological elements that form an organism. The DNA that makes up genes contains the instructions to synthesise proteins, but it's wrong to think that, for a given gene, these instructions are always the same for all parts of the organisms. In actual fact, the gene varies depending on the tissue where it is located (cerebral cortex, cerebellum, olfactory epithelium, etc.); in particular, what varies is the point in the "string" of code at which protein synthesis starts.

The antidepressant effect of Seroxat enhanced by acupuncture

Acupuncture is more effective than oral antidepressants in improving depressive symptoms, and produces fewer side effects than tricyclic antidepressants. Despite the continued development of antidepressants and alternative/synergistic therapies, major depressive disorder has not been comprehensively recognized and treatment outcome is often insufficient. An epidemiological study addressing depression showed that poor recognition and treatment are largely linked to the lack of an accurate assessment tool and to patients' economic situation. Prof.

Chinese herbal treatment for vascular depression

The Chinese compound Kaixin Jieyu Fang can be used to treat vascular depression; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study established a rat model of chronic cerebral ischemia-caused white matter damage by ligation of the bilateral common carotid arteries. Rats received daily intragastric administration of a suspension of Kaixin Jieyu Fang powder.

Professionals are divided over best care for hip fracture patients, latest audit results show

The latest report from the Falls and Fragility Fracture Programme (FFFAP) National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD) shows that just over half of patients are receiving pain relieving anaesthetic (known as a 'nerve block') as part of their care for hip fracture. The National Hip Fracture Database Anaesthesia Sprint Audit of Practice (ASAP) results, published today (31 March 2014), show that 56% of hip fracture patients receive a peri-operative nerve block for pain relief and 44% of patients do not.

Chemotherapy may be assisted by natural plant compounds

Researchers at Plant & Food Research have identified plant compounds present in carrots and parsley that may one day support more effective delivery of chemotherapy treatments.Scientists at Plant & Food Research, working together with researchers at The University of Auckland and the National Cancer Institute of The Netherlands, have discovered specific plant compounds able to inhibit transport mechanisms in the body that select what compounds are absorbed into the body,and eventually into cells. These same transport mechanisms are known to interfere with cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Cells measure surface area to know when to divide

One of the scientists who revealed how plants "do maths" can now reveal how cells take measurements of size. Size is important to cells as it determines when they divide.In a paper published in eLife, Professor Martin Howard from the John Innes Centre and colleagues from the US, Germany and Singapore discovered that cells measure their surface area using a particular protein, cdr2p. The finding challenges a previous model suggesting that another protein called pom1p senses a cell's length.

Closure of coal plant in China led to improvements in children's health

Decreased exposure to air pollution in utero is linked with improved childhood developmental scores and higher levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a key protein for brain development, according to a study looking at the closure of a coal-burning power plant in China led by researchers at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health.

Unnecessary lung surgeries halved by preoperative PET

New quantitative data suggests that 30 percent of the surgeries performed for non-small cell lung cancer patients in a community-wide clinical study were deemed unnecessary. Additionally, positron emission tomography (PET) was found to reduce unnecessary surgeries by 50 percent, according to research published in the March issue of the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.PET imaging prior to surgery helps stage a patient's disease by providing functional images of tumors throughout the body, especially areas where cancer has spread, otherwise known as metastasis.

Study reveals less invasive technique for vulvar cancer

A team of researchers from Women & Infants Hospital of Rhode Island's Program in Women's Oncology and Division of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine commanded a national stage to present the results of a study evaluating the use of sentinel lymph node dissection in women with vulvar malignancies, and then follow the patients for complications and recurrence.The team - Drs. Richard G. Moore, Dario Roque, Carolyn McCourt, Ashley Stuckey, Paul A.

Levels of potentially harmful substances in grilled meats could be reduced by beer marinade

The smells of summer - the sweet fragrance of newly opened flowers, the scent of freshly cut grass and the aroma of meats cooking on the backyard grill - will soon be upon us. Now, researchers are reporting that the very same beer that many people enjoy at backyard barbeques could, when used as a marinade, help reduce the formation of potentially harmful substances in grilled meats. The study appears in ACS' Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.I.M.P.L.V.O.

New research explores the impact of stress reduction on migraine attacks

Migraine sufferers who experienced reduced stress from one day to the next are at significantly increased risk of migraine onset on the subsequent day, according to a new study conducted by researchers at the Montefiore Headache Center and Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University. Stress has long been believed to be a common headache trigger. In this study, researchers found that relaxation following heightened stress was an even more significant trigger for migraine attacks. Findings may aid in recommending preventive treatments and behavioral interventions.

Is it safe to pee in the pool?

Sanitary-minded pool-goers who preach "no peeing in the pool," despite ordinary and Olympic swimmers admitting to the practice, now have scientific evidence to back up their concern. Researchers are reporting that when mixed, urine and chlorine can form substances that can cause potential health problems. Their study appears in ACS' journal Environmental Science & Technology.Jing Li, Ernest Blatchley, III, and colleagues note that adding chlorine to pool water is the most common way to kill disease-causing microbes and prevent swimmers from getting sick.

CDC: autism rates soar 30% in 2 years

The number of US children with autism spectrum disorder has soared approximately 30% in the past 2 years, according to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In the surveillance summary report, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), researchers estimate that 1 in 68 children (14.7 per 1,000) now has autism spectrum disorder (ASD), compared with 1 in 88 children (11.3 per 1,000) in 2012.

To reach their findings, CDC investigators analyzed data from the Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network - a US surveillance system that estimates ASD prevalence among 8-year-old children whose parents or guardians reside in 11 ADDM sites. The system collects its data from community sources that diagnose, educate, treat and/or provide services for children with developmental disabilities.

The CDC note that the way the data has been collected for this report does not differ from previous reports.

The new estimates vary across ADDM sites, with ASD prevalence standing at 1 in 45 children in New Jersey, while 1 in 175 children in Alabama have the condition.

The data reveals that ASD is almost five times more common among boys than girls, with 1 in 42 boys estimated to have the disorder, compared with 1 in 189 girls. It is also more common among white children than black or Hispanic children.

'Mini heart' may help people with blood flow problems

A researcher at George Washington University in Washington, DC, has made a startling innovation that could improve treatment for people who have impaired blood flow.

Narine Sarvazyan, PhD, has created a tiny heart that can be implanted to encourage blood flow in veins that lack working valves. This "mini heart" is a rhythmically contracting "cuff" of heart muscle cells that surrounds the problem vein and pumps blood through the vein as it palpitates.

Dr. Sarvazyan says that if the cuff is made of the patient's own stem cells, then this will also eliminate the possibility of this miniature organ being rejected.

She says:

"We are suggesting, for the first time, to use stem cells to create, rather than just repair damaged organs. We can make a new heart outside of one's own heart, and by placing it in the lower extremities, significantly improve venous blood flow."

Experts think Dr. Sarvazyan's mini heart could have useful applications in treating chronic venous insufficiency.

What is chronic venous insufficiency?

Chronic venous insufficiency is a long-term condition where the veins have difficulty sending blood from the legs back to the heart. When the condition is chronic, it is because a vein is either partly blocked or because blood is leaking around the valves of the veins.

People with chronic venous insufficiency may have varicose veins and ulcers on their legs and ankles, and the skin around these areas may be become hard and red. Treatments include having surgery to remove varicose veins - if the condition is causing skin sores and leg pain - and using compression stockings to decrease swelling.

This is one of the most widespread diseases in developed countries, where it can affect 20-30% of people over 50 years of age. In the US, chronic venous insufficiency consumes about 2% of health care costs.

Other conditions could also benefit from the mini heart innovation. "Sluggish" blood flow can be an issue for people with diabetes or people who are paralyzed or recovering from surgery.

In the Journal of Cardiovascular Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Dr. Sarvazyan outlines her success in demonstrating the mini heart in a laboratory setting and her plans to test the heart in a living organism.

The video below shows the mini heart in action:

Last month, similar research published in the journal Biomaterials investigated using adult stem cells to create human heart valves. These heart valves could potentially be used in children born with congenital heart defects. Once these valves are implanted, they would grow as the child grows. Currently, only artificial plastic valves are available, which requires the patient to endure multiple surgeries to have these replaced as they grow up.

In 2011, Medical News Today also reported on a study in PLOS One that found similarities between chronic cerebrospinal venous insufficiency and multiple sclerosis. In this variant of chronic venous insufficiency, the blood flow from the central nervous system is decreased, which can interrupt the flow of blood from the brain, causing injury to brain tissue.

Written by David McNamee



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Heart benefits linked to marathon training, researchers say

It may seem obvious at first: training for a marathon improves risk factors related to cardiovascular disease. But recent years have seen middle-aged male runners dying from cardiac arrest while running a marathon, suggesting older men are at higher risk while running the 26.2-mile race.

Now, research presented at the American College of Cardiology's 63rd Annual Scientific Session suggests training for the big race may be an effective strategy for reducing heart disease risks.

Because little is known about how heart health is affected by the marathon training process - which involves intense long-distance weekly running - researchers decided to study 45 recreational male runners between the ages of 35 and 65.

They were all planning to run the 2013 Boston Marathon as part of the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge fundraising team.

"We chose charity runners because we wanted to focus on the non-elite type of runner, just the average average Joe who decides to get out there and train for a marathon," says Dr. Jody L. Zilinski, lead investigator from Massachusetts General Hospital.

Around half of the runners had previously run three or more marathons, and all participants were invited to participate in the training program, which lasted 18 weeks.

This involved group runs, endurance training, a detailed training guide, access to cross-training facilities in Boston, nutrition tips, pacing advice, and regular coaching contact. Depending on the training phase, the participants were instructed to run between 12 and 36 miles each week.

The researchers tracked the runners' adherence to the program through running logs the participants kept.

"They turned out to be a healthier population than we expected," says Dr. Zilinski, "with a lot of them already exercising on a pretty regular basis, but they were still nowhere near the levels of elite runners."

Further studies needed to see if reduced risks apply to women

MRI tracking of genes to offer insights into memory and learning

Doctors normally use MRI to look inside the body to examine organs and tissue, for instance to find tumors and other abnormalities. Now, biological engineers in the US want to adapt the scanning technology to work on a much smaller scale.

They want to use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a "molecular imaging" tool to see genes at work in living brains and find out what effect they have on cognitive processes like memory and learning.

The team working on this is at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Their leader, Alan Jasanoff, an associate professor of biological engineering, says:

"The dream of molecular imaging is to provide information about the biology of intact organisms, at the molecule level. The goal is to not have to chop up the brain, but instead to actually see things that are happening inside."

MRI uses magnetic fields and radio waves to interact with protons in the body. This interaction produces detailed images of the insides of the body.

Functional MRI allows neuroscientists to see which parts of the brain are active during various tasks by "seeing" where the blood flows. When scanning other organs, doctors sometimes use magnetic "contrast agents" so the tissue they are investigating stands out more clearly.

What the MIT team has done is develop an artificial "reporter gene" that switches on and off to signal certain events in the body - rather like the indicator light that flashes on the dashboard of a car.

New MRI to track reporter gene at the molecular level

The idea is to image the reporter gene with MRI technology at the molecular level.

In a study reported in the journal Chemical Biology, the researchers describe how the reporter gene encodes an enzyme that interacts with a magnetic contrast agent injected into the brain. So when the gene is switched on, it produces the enzyme, which interacts with the contrast agent in such a way that MRI can see it, and thus the researchers can track where and when the gene is switched on in the brain.

In the case of this particular study, the team used a contrast agent called manganese porphyrin. And the reporter gene they developed codes for a genetically engineered enzyme called SEAP that changes the electric charge on the contrast agent.

The MIT team devised the contrast agent so it could be soluble in water and readily eliminated from the body. On its own, it is difficult to track with MRI, but when it encounters SEAP, the enzyme slices phosphate molecules from the manganese porphyrin, which causes it to become insoluble. The agent gradually builds up in brain tissue and becomes visible with MRI.

Researchers plan to investigate 'early immediate genes' in brain plasticity

The purpose of this study was to show that the SEAP gene could be successfully incorporated into brain cells.

In future studies, the team hopes to engineer the SEAP gene so it is only active - and thus making the enzyme - when a particular gene that the researchers want to study is switched on.

The first genes they want to investigate with this method will be what the team calls "early immediate genes," which are important for brain plasticity - the strengthening and weakening of links between neurons, which forms the basis of learning and memory.

Prof. Jasanoff, who is also an associate member of MIT's McGovern Institute for Brain Research, says:

"As people who are interested in brain function, the top questions we want to address are about how brain function changes patterns of gene expression in the brain."

Assaf Gilad, an assistant professor of radiology at Johns Hopkins University who was not involved in the study, says:

"These kinds of genetically engineered reporters have the potential to revolutionize our understanding of many biological processes."

The Raymond and Beverly Sackler Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and an MIT-Germany Seed Fund grant helped finance the study.

Medical News Today recently learned about new research that suggests a special type of high-resolution MRI may help diagnose Parkinson's earlier. The ultra-high field MRI scans show detailed views of the part of the brain affected by the disease. Parkinson's is hard to distinguish from other brain disorders because there are currently no reliable radiologic techniques.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD



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Expert warns of lung disease 'time bomb' in UK

The UK is sitting on a lung disease 'time bomb' says a leading respiratory expert. Referring to the dramatic rise in cases of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, Luca Richeldi, professor and consultant in respiratory medicine at Southampton General Hospital in the UK, says there is an urgent need to develop a quick and easy way to diagnose the rare lung disease.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) causes 5,000 deaths a year in the UK, and new cases are rising at a rate of 5,000 a year, he warns.

IPF is a rare and poorly understood interstitial lung disease that causes inflammation and scarring of the lungs. Of unknown cause, IPF gets worse over time and is often fatal. There is no known cure, and life expectancy for patients with IPF is between 3 and 5 years.

The disease mostly strikes people between the age of 50 and 70, mainly men and former smokers. In the UK, IPF affects around 15,000 people over 60. In the US, IPF affects about 128,000 people, with about 48,000 new cases diagnosed annually and 40,000 deaths.

IPF often not diagnosed until symptoms appear

IPF is often not diagnosed until symptoms appear, such as shortness of breath and coughing. Consequently, the most that the only available treatment - the anti-fibrotic drug Esbriet - can do, is slow progression of the disease.

Speaking about the UK, Prof. Richeldi, says:

"Nationally, the number of people suffering from IPF and other interstitial lung disease is increasing by thousands every year, but the cause is often unknown. As a result, the majority of patients are diagnosed late when their life expectancy has been cut extremely short."

Of patients currently receiving treatment at Southampton General Hospital's respiratory centre, over a quarter (28%) have some form of interstitial lung disease, and four to six new patients with the condition are arriving every week.

Prof. Richeldi says these numbers show there is an "urgent need" to develop a quick and simple way of diagnosing IPF.

Electronic stethoscopes can detect "ripping Velcro" sounds in patients with IPF

Eye movement when reading could be an early indicator of Alzheimer's disease

Researchers have suggested that alterations in eye movements when reading could be linked to impairments in working memory and an early indication of Alzheimer's disease according to a new study published in the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology.The study focussed on a group of 18 patients with a diagnosis of probable Alzheimer's disease. Eye movements were recorded at the Universidad Nacional del Sur (UNS), Bahía Blanca, Argentina. The visual stimulus were sentences in Spanish designed to represent a large variety of grammatical structures.

Kif15: The acrobatic motor protein that could pave the way for new cancer therapies

Researchers at Warwick Medical School have shown for the first time how a protein motor, Kif15, uses acrobatic flexibility to navigate within the mitotic spindle. Understanding how it works could prove vital for the development of targeted cancer therapies.The new study, published in eLife, describes the behaviour of Kif15 for the first time and provides a breakthrough step towards understanding the role it plays in cell division.

Mass participation experiment reveals how to create the perfect dream

Psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman from the University of Hertfordshire announces the results of a two-year study into dream control. The experiment shows that it is now possible for people to create their perfect dream, and so wake up feeling especially happy and refreshed.In 2010, Professor Wiseman teamed-up with app developers YUZA to create 'Dream:ON' - an iPhone app that monitors a person during sleep and plays a carefully crafted 'soundscape' when they dream.

Neighboring cells alerted to protect themselves by dying cells in fruit fly

Cells usually self-destruct when irreparable glitches occur in their DNA. Programmed cell death, or apoptosis, helps insure that cells with damaged DNA do not grow and replicate to produce more mutated cells. Apoptosis thereby helps protect and insure the survival of the organism.At the GSA Drosophila Research Conference, TinTin Su, Ph.D., will report that a dying Drosophila melanogaster larvae cell alerts neighboring cells that they are in danger of suffering a similar fate.Dr.

New approach to spine surgery dramatically improves safety

A new team approach has improved safety - reducing rates of major complications by two thirds - for complex spinal reconstructive surgery for spinal deformity in adult Group Health patients at Virginia Mason Hospital & Seattle Medical Center.

The brain's mechanism knows when to stop drinking water

Our brains are hardwired to stop us drinking more water than is healthy, according to a new brain imaging study led by The University Of Melbourne and the Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health.The study found a 'stop mechanism' that determined brain signals telling the individual to stop drinking water when no longer thirsty, and the brain effects of drinking more water than required.

Too-restricted hours may work for some residents, but not for surgical residents

Strictly limiting the number of hours surgical residents can work has not improved patient outcomes but may have increased complications for some patients and led to higher failure rates on certification exams, a research paper concludes.Traditionally, doctors in the residency phase of their training spent very long hours in a hospital - often around-the-clock - so they could see a wide variety and high volume of patients. In the last 10 years, health authorities started limiting those hours in the hopes of improving patient safety and the education and well-being of doctors.

HIV and hepatitis C vaccines move a step closer with new technique

Plans for a new type of DNA vaccine to protect against the deadly HIV and Hepatitis C viruses have taken an important step forward, with University of Adelaide researchers applying for a patent based on groundbreaking new research.Professor Eric Gowans from the University's Discipline of Surgery, based at the Basil Hetzel Institute at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, has submitted a patent application for what he describes as a relatively simple but effective technique to stimulate the body's immune system response, thereby helping to deliver the vaccine.

Intestinal T cell homeostasis disrupted by epigenetic alterations

A precise balance between mature T cell subsets is important for intestinal homeostasis. Disruption of T cell populations underlies autoimmune colitis, including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Specific transcriptional programs are activated to determine the differentiation fate of naïve T cells; however, the role of epigenetic regulation in T cell maturation in the intestine is unclear.

Genetic variation linked to heart disease risk through RNA machinery

Researchers have pinpointed a new mechanism of how natural variation in our DNA alters an individual's risk for developing heart disease by interfering with the ability of a developmental gene to interact with a specialized type of RNA. This work expands on previous work identifying the "hidden" causes of complex disease risk, with the goal of unlocking new pathways and potential drug targets for cardiovascular disease.

Stroke patients should receive customized palliative care

People recovering from a stroke should have a well-coordinated medical team to personalize care, optimize quality of life and minimize suffering, according to a scientific statement published in the American Heart Association journal Stroke.The statement is the first in the United States to outline fundamental palliative care for stroke survivors. Palliative care is patient- and family-centered care that improves life by anticipating, preventing and treating suffering."The majority of stroke patients need access to some form of palliative medicine," said Robert Holloway, M.D., M.P.H.

Autism begins in the womb, according to a new study

A new study claims to show for the first time that autism begins in the womb, while another examines possible environmental influences on autism development.

The origins of autism have been passionately debated by many scientists and commentators. What is known about autism is that it is a physical condition, which is linked to abnormal biology and brain chemistry.

Genes seem to play an important part in the development of autism - identical twins, for instance, are much more likely to both have autism than non-identical siblings. But there has not been any clear consensus in medical opinion about what other contributing causes there may be.

Some things that have been suspected as being linked to autism - but which have not been proven - include diet, changes in the digestive tract, mercury poisoning, problems with the body processing vitamins and minerals, and vaccines.

A recent, large study in the journal PLoS Computational Biology suggests that environmental pollution could be a contributing factor to autism risk, but the study was unable to name any specific toxins that might be responsible.

That study assessed 100 million US health insurance claims to look at rates of autism on a county-by-county basis. It also used genital malformations in boys - micropenis, undescended testicles and cases where the urethral opening is on the underside of the penis - as indicators of environmental pollution.

The researchers found that for every 1% increase in genital birth defects in a county, the rate of autism there increased by nearly 300%.

"Both genes and environment are important," emphasizes the lead researcher, Andrey Rzhetsky, a professor of genetic medicine at the University of Chicago in Illinois.

Study finding an in-utero basis for autism is the first to do so

The other new study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, analyzed the brain tissue of children with autism.

The researchers - from the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle, WA - examined 25 genes in the postmortem brain tissue of children with and without autism. These genes included biomarkers for brain cells in different layers of the cortex, genes that have been linked to autism and several control genes.

Analyzing the brain tissue of deceased children who had autism breaks ground with previous research, which instead has used the brain tissue of adults with autism and attempted to extrapolate back to what might have occurred developmentally.

The team found that key genetic markers across multiple layers of brain cells were missing in the brains of autistic children.

The video below illustrates how the researchers came to their findings:

Genetic defects occurred in 'focal patches' of brain tissue

"Building a baby's brain during pregnancy involves creating a cortex that contains six layers," says researcher Eric Courchesne, PhD. He continues:

"We discovered focal patches of disrupted development of these cortical layers in the majority of children with autism. This defect indicates that the crucial early developmental step of creating six distinct layers with specific types of brain cells - something that begins in prenatal life - had been disrupted."

But equally as important as the evidence of developmental disruption in children with autism, the team believes, is that these defects appeared in "focal patches," particularly around the frontal and temporal cortex. This suggests that this defect does not apply equally to all areas of the brain and may explain why different functional systems are affected in people who have autism.

Alzheimer's puzzle piece found using giant X-ray facilities

Protein fragments that comprise Alzheimer's lesions have been implicated as a hallmark of the disease, but until now, why they accumulate or cause brain cells to die has not been understood.

Now, researchers have used giant X-ray centers - called synchrotrons - to investigate and have found that biological material may contribute to the build-up of toxic iron in the brain.

The researchers, who publish their results in the journal ACS Inorganic Chemistry, say they used the Diamond Light Source synchrotron in the UK, as well as other synchrotrons in Switzerland and the US to arrive at their findings.

The facility in the UK employed beams of light 10 billion times brighter than the sun to study the chemical and magnetic makeup of iron after it had interacted with beta-amyloid peptides, the fragments implicated in Alzheimer's lesions.

Iron is naturally occurring in the human body and brain, and as a part of normal functioning, it converts between two chemical forms.

But when one of these forms - ferrous iron - is overproduced or builds up in tissues, the researchers say it can be highly toxic.

Prosthetic limbs: should they be more advanced by now?

"The psychological challenges for amputees is daunting. More can be done, but in my mind, the key to success resides in enabling the amputee to seamlessly engage in activities of daily living," says David Hankin.

Hankin is CEO of the Alfred Mann Foundation - a medical research foundation based in California that works to create advanced medical technologies for people with debilitating medical conditions with the aim of improving their health and overall quality of life.

One area the foundation focuses on is limb loss - a condition that approximately 1.7 million Americans are living with.

According to the Amputee Coalition, around 185,000 amputations occur in the US every year - of which 97% are lower limb.

The main causes of limb loss are vascular disease - including diabetes and peripheral arterial disease - and trauma. A very small number of amputations are caused by cancer.

Physical and psychological difficulties

Individuals living with limb loss can experience difficulties physically and mentally.

Not only is limb loss a debilitating condition in itself, it can cause other conditions that impact a person's general health. For example, individuals with lower limb loss often have to use much more energy in order to be able to move around on different floor surfaces and terrain, and to travel distances that those with intact limbs would not find an issue.

"The additional energy and the wear and tear on other parts of the body create a host of medical problems for the amputee," says Hankin.

In a psychological sense, Hankin says that many amputees can experience feelings of inadequacy when it comes to engaging in day-to-day tasks. For example, something as simple as taking money out of a wallet may take much longer, which can cause embarrassment when the individual is standing in a grocery line.

When it comes to rehabilitation for amputees, prosthetic limbs are the first port of call. But Hankin says that rejection of artificial limbs - particularly upper limbs - is high. This is because most upper limb prosthetic devices do not have advanced functions that allow the amputee to effectively carry out daily activities.

"As a result, many end up in a closet or a drawer rather than affixed to the amputee," says Hankin, adding:

"There is a feeling among some amputees that not nearly enough has been or is being done to improve the technologies available to them and that there is no hope."

Prosthetic limbs: the road so far

It is believed the world's first prosthetic dates back to more than 3,000 years ago, after a fake toe made of leather and wood was discovered on an Egyptian mummy found near the ancient city of Thebes in 2000.

But of course, prosthetics have changed greatly since then - mainly in function rather than the way they look. In 1912, David Dorrance invented the body-powered arm. This was a device consisting of leather straps and a split hook. Using the power of their remaining arm, the wearer was able to open and close the hooks and pick up items.

Significant polio milestone: 11 countries officially polio-free

The Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI) today congratulates the countries in the South-East Asia Region of the World Health Organization (WHO) on being certified polio-free, a historic milestone in the worldwide effort to end polio and realize the broad benefits eradication will bring. The 11 countries in the region - Bangladesh, Bhutan, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Timor-Leste - are home to 1.8 billion people and represent the fourth of six WHO regions of the globe to be officially certified polio-free.

Being overweight may benefit older people

A new study from Australia finds that people aged 65 and over with a body mass index in the overweight range live longer and suggests perhaps the World Health Organization guidelines on BMI may not be suitable for older people.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines overweight as having a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 25, and a BMI of 30 or over as obese. BMI is equal to a person's weight in kilos divided by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2).

Caryl Nowson, professor of nutrition and aging at Deakin University in Melbourne, and colleagues looked at links BMI and risk of death in people aged 65 and over, and found those with the lowest risk of death had a BMI of around 27.5.

They also found those with a BMI between 22 and 23 - considered to be the normal weight range - had a significantly higher risk of death.

They say their findings, which they report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, question whether the WHO guidelines are suitable for older adults. Prof. Nowson suggests it is time to reassess them, and adds:

"Our results showed that those over the age of 65 with a BMI of between 23 and 33 lived longer, indicating that the ideal body weight for older people is significantly higher than the recommended 18.5-25 'normal' healthy weight range."

For their study, the team pooled and re-analyzed results from studies published between 1990 and 2013 that had examined links between BMI and risk of death in people aged 65 and over.

Altogether, the analysis covered over 200,000 older people followed for an average of 12 years, and revealed, with reference to BMI in the range 23.0 to 23.9, that there was no increased risk of death for people in the overweight range, but:

• Risk of death increased by 12% when BMI was between 21 and 22 (near the middle of the healthy weight range)


• Risk of death increased by 19% when BMI was between 20 and 20.9 (still within the healthy weight range)


• Risk of death increased by 8% when BMI was between 33 and 33.9 (in the obese range).

Prof. Nowson says for people aged 65 and over, by the WHO standards, being overweight is not associated with an increased risk of death, and that "it is those sitting at the lower end of the normal range that need to be monitored, as older people with BMIs less than 23 are at increased risk of dying."

Advice on body weight for older people needs to look at more than just BMI

MRI helps diagnose prostate cancer more accurately

In a world first, an Australian clinical trial has shown that biopsy guided by MRI can significantly improve the diagnosis of life-threatening prostate cancer and reduce the over-diagnosis of non-life-threatening cases, thus avoiding the side effects of unnecessary treatment.

At present, to find out if he has prostate cancer - following a test that shows he has raised prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels - a man has to undergo a painful procedure called transrectal ultrasound guided biopsy (TRUSGB) that involves taking up to 30 random needle biopsies of his prostate through the rectum.

With the new MRI-guided system, doctors first do an MRI scan and get a better idea of where a tumor might be located in the prostate.

Then, if the scan indicates a need for it, they just take two needle samples of that area, sparing the need for multiple biopsies.

The new system uses a method called multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI).

mpMRI will reduce over-treatment of non-life-threatening prostate cancer

Urologist Dr. Les Thompson, who led the 2-year clinical trial at Brisbane's Wesley Hospital, says:

"This is a significant improvement in terms of accuracy and in reducing discomfort for patients and spares many men the burden of multiple prostate biopsies."

"This latest mpMRI imaging technique will reduce over-treatment of men with non-life-threatening prostate cancer, avoiding the possible side-effects of treatment," he adds.

He and his colleagues report, in the journal European Urology, how the trial showed that use of mpMRI:

• Halved (reduced by 51%) the number of men needing prostate biopsies


• Showed a 92% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening disease (compared with the current leading method TRUSGB, which has only a 70% sensitivity in diagnosing life-threatening prostate cancer)


• Cut the problem of over-diagnosis of non-life-threatening prostate cancer by around 90%.

The trial enrolled 223 patients with raised PSA levels. All of the patients underwent both diagnostic procedures: the standard TRUSGB, and the new method where an mpMRI scan is done first, and then only those patients whose MRI image points to high-risk prostate cancer undergo MRI-guided biopsy.

mpMRI uses three parameters to image the prostate

Co-investigator Dr. Rob Parkinson, a specialist radiologist at the hospital, says that mpMRI uses three parameters when scanning the prostate, and that:

"Diffusion-weighted imaging, one of these three parameters, assesses movement of water molecules within tissues. An imaging map is mathematically generated from this information, and prostate cancer is evident as a dark area."

In TRUSGB, which uses ultrasound to guide biopsy sampling, the core samples are random and taken from all areas of the prostate, but, when biopsies are done following a prostate mpMRI, "you know where the tumour is located and thus where to direct the biopsy needle," he explains.

One of the issues that is bound to be raised in deciding how to proceed with the new system as a diagnostic tool is the higher costs associated with MRI.

According to a report in The Australian news channel, Dr. Thompson says he is campaigning to get it listed as a medicare item like mammograms for breast screening.

Campaigners say the cost is small compared with the social and emotional costs of misdiagnoses that occur with the current method.

According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer occurs mainly in older men - around 6 in 10 cases are diagnosed in men aged 65 and over. About 1 man in 7 will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men, behind only lung cancer. However, although it is a serious disease, most men diagnosed with prostate cancer do not die from it. There are currently 2.5 million men in the US living with prostate cancer.

The study was sponsored by the Wesley Research Institute and the Thorsen Foundation.

Medical News Today recently learned about a study where researchers in the UK found a possible biomarker that could help improve early diagnosis of prostate cancer. They believe their findings, published in the journal Prostate, could lead the way to better tools for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD



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Where do you start when developing a new medicine? Novel scientific collaboration to use genomics and big data to drive drug discovery

A pioneering public-private research initiative between GSK, the European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI) and the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute is to harness the power of 'big data' and genome sequencing to improve the success rate for discovering new medicines. The new Centre for Therapeutic Target Validation (CTTV) will aim to address a wide range of human diseases and will share its data openly in the interests of accelerating drug discovery.

Diabetes: Good self-management helps to reduce mortality

People with type 2 diabetes who report good self-management behavior have a reduced mortality risk. This was the result of a population-based study conducted by scientists at Helmholtz Zentrum München emphasizing the great importance of patient behavior in the diabetes treatment process. These findings were published in the journal Diabetes Care.

NICE rejects life-extending bowel cancer drug two weeks after Scottish approval

NICE announced on 25 March 2014 that it is not recommending ZALTRAP® (aflibercept) to the NHS in England and Wales for the treatment of advanced, metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).1 Based on the same basic evidence, aflibercept was approved for use in Scotland on 10 March.2 Dr Rob Glynne-Jones, Consultant Clinical Oncologist, Macmillan Lead Clinician in Gastro-Intestinal Cancer, Northwood commented:"This is another example of NICE failing cancer patients who are in dire need of innovative medicines.

Stem cell-derived pancreatic cells under the skin replace insulin

Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute (Sanford-Burnham) and UC San Diego School of Medicine scientists have shown that by encapsulating immature pancreatic cells derived from human embryonic stem cells (hESC), and implanting them under the skin in animal models of diabetes, sufficient insulin is produced to maintain glucose levels without unwanted potential trade-offs of the technology. The research suggests that encapsulated hESC-derived insulin-producing cells hold great promise as an effective and safe cell-replacement therapy for insulin-dependent diabetes.

Inducing biological tissue damage with plasma tool may destroy cancer cells

Plasma medicine is a new and rapidly developing area of medical technology. Specifically, understanding the interaction of so-called atmospheric pressure plasma jets with biological tissues could help to use them in medical practice. Under the supervision of Sylwia Ptasinska from the University of Notre Dame, in Indiana, USA, Xu Han and colleagues conducted a quantitative and qualitative study of the different types of DNA damage induced by atmospheric pressure plasma exposure, the paper is published in EPJ D as part of a special issue on nanoscale insights into Ion Beam Cancer Therapy.

New design could reduce threat of infection from millions of urinary catheters

For the millions of people forced to rely on a plastic tube to eliminate their urine, developing an infection is nearly a 100 percent guarantee after just four weeks. But with the help of a little bubble-blowing, biomedical engineers hope to bring relief to urethras everywhere.About half of the time, the interior of long-term urinary catheters become plagued by biofilms - structures formed by colonies of bacteria that are extremely difficult to kill.

Faster genetic testing method will likely transform care for many patients with breast cancer

Faster and cheaper DNA sequencing techniques will likely improve care for patients with breast cancer but also create challenges for clinicians as they counsel patients on their treatment options. Those are among the conclusions of a study published recently in the BJS (British Journal of Surgery). The findings provide insights into how genetic advances will soon be affecting patient care.When a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, it's important to know as much about her tumour as possible to determine the best treatment.

Economic growth has little impact on reducing undernutrition in children

A large study of child growth patterns in 36 developing countries published in The Lancet Global Health journal has found that, contrary to widely held beliefs, economic growth is at best associated with very small, and in some cases no declines in levels of stunting, underweight, and wasting. This suggests that investment in interventions that directly impact health and nutrition are needed to tackle child undernutrition.Worldwide, malnutrition contributes to 2.6 million child deaths each year, or more than one in three of all child deaths.

Hope for more effective rehabilitation of patients with vestibular or cerebellar dysfunction

Neurologists at LMU have studied the role of the vestibular system, which controls balance, in optimizing how we direct our gaze. The results could lead to more effective rehabilitation of patients with vestibular or cerebellar dysfunction.When we shift the direction of our gaze, head and eye movements are normally highly coordinated with each other. Indeed, from the many possible combinations of speed and duration for such movements, the brain chooses the one that minimizes the error in reaching the intended line of sight. Dr.

More effort needed to fight hospital infections, say CDC

At any given time, approximately 1 in 25 patients in the US has at least one infection acquired during their hospital stay, say the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, who have released two new reports highlighting the need to improve patient safety by eliminating this threat to patients.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have updated their previous estimates of health care-associated infections (HAI) through the two reports, one of which is published in the New England Journal of Medicine, NEJM and details 2011 hospital infection estimates from a survey of hospitals in 10 states.

The other is a 2012 annual report on national and state-specific progress toward the HAI prevention goals of the US Health and Human Services.

Combined, the CDC say these reports show that, while some progress has been made, more work is needed to eliminate the threat of hospital infections for patients.

Speaking of this need, CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden says:

"Although there has been some progress, today and every day, more than 200 Americans with health care-associated infections will die during their hospital stay. The most advanced medical care won't work if clinicians don't prevent infections through basic things such as regular hand hygiene."

He adds that health care workers should follow standard infection control practices all the time to ensure patient safety.

Most common germs from a family of drug-resistant bacteria

Evidence supports it, so why are parents still reluctant to vaccinate their children?

Nearly 16 years after his controversial study was first published, the work of the discredited British doctor Andrew Wakefield - the researcher who linked the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine with autism - is back in the news.

Since 2010, Wakefield has been barred from practicing medicine in the UK. He now lives and works in the US where he retains a cult following.

Twitter comments involving one of Wakefield's most ardent supporters - the TV celebrity Jenny McCarthy, who wrote a foreword to his book Callous Disregard: Autism and Vaccines: The Truth Behind a Tragedy - have reignited the passionate debate over perceived links between vaccines and autism.

In addition, three new studies have found intriguing results on the support among the general public for the theory that vaccines cause adverse effects, particularly autism.

Fear of vaccines is not new and dates back to the invention of this medical procedure in the 17th century. As far back as 1802, vaccine inventor Dr. Edward Jenner was lampooned in the popular media of the time.

"The Cow Pock - or - the Wonderful Effects of the New Innoculation," a satirical painting by James Gillray that displayed commoners sprouting cows from their bodies having received a dose of Jenner's cowpox-derived smallpox vaccine, was emblematic of public fears over the nature of this new medical technology.

In recent times, major outbreaks of diseases previously thought to be under control in the US and UK due to vaccination - measles, mumps, and whooping cough - were assumed to be caused by a renewed fear of vaccination, possibly as a result of the combination measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine controversy.

Some people are also worried about potentially fatal outbreaks of other vaccine-preventable diseases, such as diphtheria and invasive Haemophilus influenzae, as immunization rates for these diseases have also fallen below federal guidelines.

MMR vaccine - the background

First stem cell model for bipolar disorder could lead to new treatments

It is unclear what causes bipolar disorder - a condition characterized by dramatic changes in mood. But researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School have created the first stem cell model for bipolar disorder, which they say could uncover the origins of the condition and open the door to new treatments.

The research team recently published their study in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

To reach their findings, the investigators obtained skin samples from people with bipolar disorder, alongside skin samples from individuals without the condition.

By exposing small samples of skin cells to carefully controlled conditions, the researchers turned them into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). These are stem cells that have the potential to be turned into any other type of cell. The team then turned the iPSCs into neurons.

They measured gene expression of the iPSCs and then re-evaluated gene expression once the stem cells became neurons.

From this, the team found significant differences between the stem cells taken from bipolar patients and those taken from individuals without the condition.

Bipolar patients 'express more genes for calcium signaling'

Exercise in youth makes for stronger, bigger bones through life

Our bone is living tissue that responds to the forces that act on it - it gets stronger when we exercise. Now a new study suggests exercising when young helps bones grow big and strong for life, and that this effect persists during aging.

To arrive at this finding, researchers compared the differences between the throwing and non-throwing arms of major league baseball players measured at different points in their careers to differences measured in non-baseball players.

They found that half of the bone size and one-third of the bone strength benefit of exercise performed during youth persisted throughout life.

Lead author Stuart Warden, an associate professor at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis, says:

"This is an impressive level of maintenance, particularly considering that the baseball players had not thrown, or in other words, exercised, in over 50 years and were aged in their mid-80s."

The researchers were not, however, surprised to find that the amount or mass of new bone added as a result of exercising during youth was gradually lost as the players aged.

Prof. Warden says it is "not energy efficient for the skeleton to maintain its mass in excess of its needs."

As we age we lose bone from the inside

But Prof. Warden and his colleagues were still intrigued by the question - how can exercise during youth have a lifelong benefit on bone strength but not bone mass?

You can strengthen any load-bearing structure by adding more mass, especially where it is needed most. And bone is no different, as Prof. Warden explains:

"Exercise during youth adds extra layers to the outer surface of a bone to essentially make the bone bigger. This gives you more 'bang for the buck,' as the addition of a small amount of new material to the outside of a bone results in a disproportionate increase in bone strength relative to the gain in mass."

But as we age, we lose bone mostly from the inside, not the outside. Prof. Warden says this means the bigger and stronger bone that amasses as a result of exercising in younger years endures for a lifetime.

Exercising later in life also benefits bone health

New generation of antibiotics may lie with small peptides

As drug-resistant bacteria - or "superbugs" - get stronger and we run out of current antibiotics to kill them, the pressure to find new types of effective drugs increases. Now, a team in Germany suggests small peptides - which can attack bacteria in several different ways - have the potential to form a new generation of antibiotics.

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, PNAS, and led by researchers from Ruhr University Bochum (RUB), shows how peptides - short chains of amino acids that are smaller than proteins - may be developed to attack bacteria cells without harming human cells, while also making it difficult for the pathogens to develop resistance to them.

Previous studies have already shown that many antimicrobial peptides interact with the cell membrane of bacteria, killing them via this route.

But to authorize new drugs, federal authorities need detailed information about the underlying biology and assurances that the way the new drug attacks pathogen cells does not harm human cells.

The team at RUB has been studying a peptide called MP196, which represents a group of very small, positively charged peptides - cationic peptides - made of between four and 10 amino acids.

They already knew from previous research that MP196 could fight various bacteria, including some that are multi-drug resistant - but it was not clear how it did it.

With their new study, the team showed that MP196 interferes with proteins in the cell membrane of bacteria, and in doing so, disrupts two important cell processes: the biosynthesis of the cell wall and cell respiration.

Peptide disrupts bacterial cell respiration and physical integrity

By disrupting the biosynthesis of the cell wall, the peptide undermines the physical integrity of the bacterial cell, and by interfering with cell respiration, it disrupts production of ATP, the molecule that stores energy used by the cell. Less ATP means the bacterial cell is less able to make the big molecules it needs to grow and flourish.

Because of the nature of these disruptions, the team suggests it will also be difficult for the bacteria to develop resistance to peptides like MP196.

As part of the study, the researchers also discovered ways the bacterial cell responds to attack from the peptide. They write:

"We describe a bacterial survival strategy in which mechanosensitive channels in the bacterial membrane establish osmoprotection against membrane-targeting bacteriolytic peptides."

Peptide does not affect human cells

They are confident that MP196 offers a starting point for developing new drugs that attack certain classes of bacteria without damaging human cells, and their findings go a long way to help such development.

They explain that to attack the membrane of the bacterial cell, MP196 needs the presence of certain fatty acids that only occur in that class of bacteria - they are not present in human cells.

The study forms part of the Innovative Antibiotics from NRW (InA) project that is co-funded by the State of North Rhine-Westphalia and the "Investing in your Future" European Union's European Regional Development Fund.

Meanwhile, Medical News Today recently reported a study where researchers in Belgium discovered antibiotic resistance genes in viruses in 700-year-old human feces. As the feces predate the advent of antibiotics by several centuries, the researchers suggest this shows that the human gut has remained largely unchanged in that time.

Written by Catharine Paddock PhD



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Recreational drug users who switch from ecstasy to mephedrone don't understand the dangers

Contrary to popular belief among recreational drug users, mephedrone has several important differences when compared with MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy. These differences mean that mephedrone could leave a user with acute withdrawal symptoms and indicate that it may have a higher potential for developing dependence than MDMA according to a study published in British Journal of Pharmacology.

Certain genetic variants may put bladder cancer patients at increased risk of cancer recurrence

In the Western world, bladder cancer is the fourth most common cancer in men and the eighth most common in women, with many patients experiencing recurrence after treatment. A new study published in BJU International indicates that inheriting certain DNA sequences can affect a patient's prognosis. The findings may help physicians identify sub-groups of bladder cancer patients who should receive intensive treatment and monitoring.Nearly half of patients diagnosed with bladder cancer experience tumor recurrences, but it is difficult to predict which patients are at risk.

Elsevier's Maturitas publishes position statement on the management of postmenopausal women with vertebral osteoporotic fracture

Elsevier, a world-leading provider of scientific, technical and medical information products and services, has announced the publication of a position statement by the European Menopause and Andropause Society (EMAS) in the journal Maturitas on the topic of the management of postmenopausal women with vertebral osteoporotic fracture.Vertebral osteoporotic fracture is an underestimated condition as only about a third of people with the disease seek medical attention. While it may cause acute back pain, the presentation may be insidious with gradual loss of height.

Invading cancer cells cut off by p53

The tumor suppressor p53 does all it can to prevent oncogenes from transforming normal cells into tumor cells by killing defective cells or causing them to become inactive. Sometimes oncogenes manage to initiate tumor development in the presence of p53, but, even then, the tumor suppressor doesn't give up and focuses its efforts instead on limiting the tumor's ability to invade and metastasize. A study in The Journal of Cell Biology uncovers one way that p53 acts to prevent cancer cell invasion.

Insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for cognitive decline. Changes to FDA approval process needed to improve safety

1. USPSTF finds insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for cognitive declineThe United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for cognitive decline in older adults in the primary care setting. Dementia affects up to 5.5 million Americans and its prevalence increases with age. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a decline in cognitive function that is not severe enough to interfere with independence in daily life.

The role played by alcohol in traffic deaths is vastly under-reported

It's no secret that drinking and driving can be a deadly mix. But the role of alcohol in U.S. traffic deaths may be substantially underreported on death certificates, according to a study in the March issue of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs.Between 1999 and 2009, more than 450,000 Americans were killed in a traffic crashes. But in cases where alcohol was involved, death certificates frequently failed to list alcohol as a cause of death.Why does that matter?

Scientific breakthrough could lead to new ovarian cancer treatments

The cause of a rare type of ovarian cancer that most often strikes girls and young women has been uncovered by an international research team led by the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), according to a study published online by the renowned scientific journal, Nature Genetics.By applying its groundbreaking work in genomics, TGen led a study that included Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins University, St.

Warmer summers in Southeast England likely to lead to an increase in deaths

Warmer summers brought on by climate change will cause more deaths in London and southeast England than the rest of the country, scientists predict.Researchers at Imperial College London looked at temperature records and mortality figures for 2001 to 2010 to find out which districts in England and Wales experience the biggest effects from warm temperatures.In the most vulnerable districts, in London and the southeast, the odds of dying from cardiovascular or respiratory causes increased by over 10 per cent for every 1C rise in temperature.

Disappointing test results as drugs fail to reawaken dormant HIV infection

Scientists at Johns Hopkins report that compounds they hoped would "wake up" dormant reservoirs of HIV inside immune system T cells - a strategy designed to reverse latency and make the cells vulnerable to destruction - have failed to do so in laboratory tests of such white blood cells taken directly from patients infected with HIV."Despite our high hopes, none of the compounds we tested in HIV-infected cells taken directly from patients activated the latent virus," says Robert F. Siliciano, M.D., Ph.D.

Scientists find genetic cause of a rare, aggressive ovarian cancer

An international team of scientists has achieved a breakthrough by finding the genetic cause of a very rare and aggressive type of ovarian cancer that most often strikes girls and young women.

The study, led by Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen) a non-profit organization based in Phoenix, AZ, is published in the journal Nature Genetics.

The researchers say their finding, discovered by groundbreaking work in genomics, reveals many strong links between a mutation in a gene called SMARCA4 and an overwhelming majority of patients with a rare and aggressive form of ovarian cancer known as small cell carcinoma of the ovary, hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT).

The researchers write:

"We identified germline and somatic inactivating mutations in the SWI/SNF chromatin-remodeling gene SMARCA4 in 75% (9/12) of SCCOHT cases in addition to SMARCA4 protein loss in 82% (14/17) of SCCOHT tumors but in only 0.4% (2/485) of other primary ovarian tumors. These data implicate SMARCA4 in SCCOHT oncogenesis."

Dr. Jeffrey Trent, president and research director of TGen and senior author of the study, explains why their findings are so remarkable:

"Many genetic anomalies can be like a one-lane road to cancer; difficult to negotiate. But these findings indicate a genetic superhighway that leads right to this highly aggressive disease. The correlation between mutations in SMARCA4 and the development of SCCOHT is simply unmistakable."

Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer death among American women. Like many other ovarian cancer types, SCCOHT is often not diagnosed until it is already in an advanced stage. Chemotherapy evokes no response and nearly two thirds of patients do not survive more than 2 years after diagnosis.

The average age at which SCCOHT strikes is 24 years, ranging from baby girls as young as 14 months to women aged 58. The youngest patient in this study was 9 years old.

'Landmark study' in field of cancer genomics with wide implications for many cancers

WHO: air pollution responsible for 1 in 8 global deaths

According to a World Health Organization report released today, around 1 in 8 of total global deaths - 7 million deaths annually - are as a result of exposure to air pollution.

The new data challenges previous information on air pollution. The figure of 7 million more than doubles the previous estimate of annual air pollution-caused deaths, making air pollution now the world's largest single environmental health risk.

"The risks from air pollution are now far greater than previously thought or understood, particularly for heart disease and strokes," says Dr. Maria Neira, director of the World Heath Organization's (WHO) Department for Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health.

"Few risks have a greater impact on global health today than air pollution; the evidence signals the need for concerted action to clean up the air we all breathe," she adds.

Air pollution's contribution to the development of respiratory diseases is well known, but WHO's findings also emphasize a more robust connection than has previously been reported between air pollution and cardiovascular disease and cancer.

New data 'more accurate' than previous estimates

WHO claim that the new figures are more accurate than previous estimates, because not only is more now known about the diseases influenced by air pollution, but also improved technology allows for better measurements of human exposure to air pollution.

This new approach combined satellite data, ground-level monitoring measurements, data on pollution emissions and modeling of how pollution drifts in the air.

Marijuana pills and sprays ease MS symptoms

Multiple sclerosis is characterized by disrupted communication between the brain and the body, resulting in symptoms ranging from blurred vision to muscle weakness and pain. There is no cure for the condition, and therapies have proven difficult, as many have serious side effects. But now, relief may come in the form of a medical marijuana pill.

This is according to a new guideline released from the American Academy of Neurology and published in its journal Neurology.

The guideline investigated complementary or alternative medicine therapies (CAM) for multiple sclerosis (MS). These are unconventional therapies used alongside or instead of doctor-recommended therapies.

Medical News Today recently wrote a spotlight feature focusing on symptoms and treatments for the condition to coincide with National Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Month in March.

In that feature, Arney Rosenblat, associate vice president of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, told us that though there are currently 10 disease-modifying therapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for MS, "there is deep unmet need for additional therapies, especially to treat progressive forms of disease for which there are few treatment options."

Marijuana treatment eases spasticity and pain

Researchers from the current study, led by Dr. Vijayshree Yadav of Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, focused on what impacts certain CAM therapies have on MS, including oral cannabis, medical marijuana pills, oral medical marijuana spray, ginkgo biloba, magnetic therapy, bee sting therapy, omega-3 fatty acids and reflexology.

Much of bone comprises shock-absorbing 'goo' that stops it shattering

A team of chemists from the UK has made a remarkable discovery about the structure of bone and shown that much of the mineral from which it is made comprises a viscous 'goo-like' fluid that is trapped between the crystals that form bone. They say their findings reveal new insights into bone diseases like osteoporosis.

The goo-like fluid allows movement or slipperiness between the calcium phosphate nano-crystals so they do not shatter under pressure. This newly discovered property is what gives bone its flexibility, say the researchers who write about their findings in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Lead investigator Dr. Melinda Duer of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Cambridge says "it's this layered structure that's been missing from our knowledge, and we can now see that without it you're stuffed."

The study shows that the goo-like viscous fluid is made of the chemical citrate - which is a natural by-product of cell metabolism - mixed with water.

New discovery will shift current thinking about bone diseases

The researchers suggest their discovery may explain how osteoporosis arises and will shift current thinking about the causes of this and other bone diseases.

If the citrate goo leaks out, it fuses with the calcium phosphate crystals, creating big clumps that stick together, causing bone to lose its flexibility and become more brittle.

To arrive at their findings the team used nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and the latest imaging techniques and high-level molecular modeling to reveal the citrate layers in bone.

Dr. Duer explains what they found:

"Bone mineral was thought to be closely related to this substance called hydroxyapatite. But what we've shown is that a large part of bone mineral - possibly as much as half of it in fact - is made up of this goo, where citrate is binding like a gel between mineral crystals."

The researchers found that the layering of citrate fluid and mineral crystals - which is visible only to the fine instruments they used - means the crystals stay in flat, plate-like shapes that can slip and slide around each other.

Without citrate goo, all crystals in bone mineral would fuse together and shatter

Thousands of young people at risk of 'slipping through the net' due to adults' lack of mental health awareness, UK

More than half of adults lack the confidence to approach a child, or a parent of a child that they suspect to have a mental health problem, in case they are mistaken, a new survey launched today reveals. The survey comes as a new website - MindEd - funded by the Department of Health launches. It will provide adults with the knowledge and skills to help address this lack of mental health awareness.

What keeps tumor cells in place

Researchers at the University of Freiburg have found switches that colorectal cancer cells use to migrate away from the primary tumor site and to invade neighboring tissue. This migration is the first step in metastasis, the process by which the cancer forms secondary tumors in other organs. Prof. Dr. Andreas Hecht and his research group at the Institute of Molecular Medicine of the University of Freiburg published their findings in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Non-invasive gene expression profile test shown to identify sentinel lymph node negative melanoma patients at high risk of metastasis

Castle Biosciences Inc. has announced study results showing its gene expression profile (GEP) test (DecisionDx-Melanoma) can identify primary cutaneous (skin) melanoma tumors that are likely to metastasize in patients who had a negative sentinel lymph node biopsy. The data are being presented at the Latest in Dermatology Research Symposium session of the 72nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Dermatology. The DecisionDx-Melanoma test completed validation in 2013 and is widely used to determine metastatic risk in Stage I and II melanoma patients.

Stem cells from the body's fatty folds may preserve and improve kidney function

A fatty fold of tissue within the abdomen that is a rich source of stem cells can help heal diseased kidneys when fused to the organs, according to a study conducted in rats. The findings, which appear in an upcoming issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) suggest that stem cells from within a chronic kidney disease patient's own abdomen could be used to preserve and possibly improve kidney function.Although adult stem cells have shown promise in treating experimental acute kidney diseases, it's unknown whether they might also alleviate chronic kidney diseases.

The safety, efficacy and value of water fluoridation in oral health care

During the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, a symposium titled "Water Fluoridation: Safety Efficacy and Value in Oral Health Care" took place. This symposium was chaired by Stephen H. Abrams, Cliffcrest Dental Office, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Community water fluoridation (CWF) and other fluoride modalities historically have been and remains the cornerstone for the prevention and control of dental caries.

Rat astrocytes reprogrammed into neurons

To date, it remains poorly understood whether astrocytes can be easily reprogrammed into neurons. Mash1 and Brn2 have been previously shown to cooperate to reprogram fibroblasts into neurons. Dr. Yongjun Wang and team from Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in China found that Brn2 was expressed in astrocytes from 2-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats, but Mash1 was not detectable. Thus, the researchers hypothesized that Mash1 alone could be used to reprogram astrocytes into neurons.

Research shows fat mass in cells expands with disuse

Over 35 percent of American adults and 17 percent of American children are considered obese, according to the latest survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Associated with diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and even certain types of cancer, obesity places a major burden on the health care system and economy. It's usually treated through a combination of diet, nutrition, exercise, and other techniques.To understand how obesity develops, Prof. Amit Gefen, Dr. Natan Shaked and Ms.

Two-year results of resin infiltration effects in a caries-active environment

During the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research, held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, Mathilde C. Peters, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA, presented research titled "Resin Infiltration Effects in a Caries-Active Environment - 2 Year Results."The objective of this study was to compare carious lesion changes after resin infiltration of approximal non-cavitated lesions in a high caries risk population after two years.

Tooth loss linked to depression and anxiety

At the 43rd Annual Meeting & Exhibition of the American Association for Dental Research (AADR), held in conjunction with the 38th Annual Meeting of the Canadian Association for Dental Research, R. Constance Wiener, from West Virginia University, Morgantown, presented a research study titled "Association of Tooth Loss and Depression and Anxiety."Tooth loss from caries and periodontal disease is an outcome from complex, chronic conditions. Several biopsychosocial factors are involved, including accessing care.

USPSTF finds insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for cognitive decline

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) found insufficient evidence to recommend routine screening for cognitive decline in older adults in the primary care setting. Dementia affects up to 5.5 million Americans and its prevalence increases with age. Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is a decline in cognitive function that is not severe enough to interfere with independence in daily life. Early detection of MCI may help patients and their caregivers make both short- and long-term diagnostic and treatment decisions.

Changes to FDA approval process needed to improve safety of high-risk medical devices

Premarket approval, or PMA, is the process by which the FDA assesses the safety and effectiveness of new devices. When modifications to existing devices are made, a less rigorous process known as a PMA supplement is employed. This process does not require clinical data and researchers are concerned that clinicians and patients may be subjected to unknown risks, especially when devices have multiple PMAs.

Small wireless pacemaker is safe, effective in early testing

A battery-sized, wireless pacemaker was safe and effective in early testing. The smaller leadless device may reduce the risk of complications that occur with traditional pacemakers.A new small, wireless self-contained pacemaker appears safe and feasible for use in patients, according to a small study in the American Heart Association journal Circulation.Although traditional pacemakers pose minimal risk, patients are still vulnerable to some short- or long-term complications, said Vivek Y. Reddy, M.D.

Violent video games associated with increased aggression in children

Habitually playing violent video games appears to increase aggression in children, regardless of parental involvement and other factors. More than 90 percent of American youths play video games, and many of these games depict violence, which is often portrayed as fun, justified and without negative consequences.

Natalizumab treatment in patients with multiple sclerosis associated with JC virus infection

Treatment with natalizumab in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) appears linked with JC virus (JCV) infection, which can lead to a rare and often fatal demyelinating disease of the central nervous system called progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) that destroys the myelin that protects nerve cells. The movement of cells with JC virus into the blood stream may provide researchers with a possible reason why patients with MS develop PML.Since natalizumab was reintroduced as a biologic therapy for MS in 2006, more than 440 cases of PML have been reported.

Nurses are effective at treating a common arm injury in young children, although not as successful as physicians

A clinical trial to determine if nurses in the emergency department could reduce "pulled elbows" in children at a rate similar to that of physicians found that althiough nurses were able to treat this common injury 85% of the time, physicians were more effective, with a 97% success rate. The trial is published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).Pulled elbow, or radial-head subluxation, is a common arm injury in young children, often resulting in a visit to the emergency department.

Doctors should be part of societal war against cyberbullying

Medical professionals can play an important role in the war against cyberbullying, writes Dr. Matthew Stanbrook in an editorial in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).Canada's federal government has proposed a new law to combat cyberbullying that will prohibit the transmission of "intimate images" of a person without his or her consent and allow courts to seize devices used as tools in cyberbullying. Government legislation, combined with the efforts of parents, doctors and schools, can have impact on curbing the problem.

The increasing inefficiency of private health insurance in Canada

The gap between private health insurance premiums and payouts in Canada has widened markedly over the past 20 years, with a gap of $6.8 billion in 2011. In an analysis in CMAJ, Michael Law and coauthors examine why this has happened and how the private insurance industry might be better regulated for the benefit of those insured.

Difficulty getting pregnant could be due to stress

Doctors already know stress is tied to increased risk of heart disease and conditions like depression, but now, new research suggests stress may be a reason women trying to conceive experience difficulty getting pregnant.

The researchers, led by Dr. Courtney Denning-Johnson Lynch, director of reproductive epidemiology at Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus, report their findings in the journal Human Reproduction.

The new study builds on the team's earlier work - that found a link between high levels of stress and reduced likelihood of pregnancy - by finding it is also tied to increased risk of infertility.

For the new findings, the team examined data on 501 couples trying to conceive who were enrolled in the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study between 2005 and 2009 at two research centers in the US, one in Michigan and the other in Texas.

The couples were followed for up to 12 months as they tried to conceive.

As part of the data collection, the female participants, aged between 18 and 40, and free from fertility problems, gave saliva samples the morning after they were enrolled and also the morning after their first period after enrollment. From these samples, the researchers could measure levels of cortisol and alpha-amylase, known biomarkers of stress.

Highest levels of salivary stress marker linked to double the chance of infertility

How can we combat drug-resistant TB?

Coinciding with World TB Day, new consensus statements have been drafted to address the growing problem of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.

These statements - published in the European Respiratory Journal - are significant, because this is the first time that doctors treating patients with these new strains of tuberculosis (TB) have reached a consensus on patient management.

The major obstacle to developing guidelines for treatment of these forms of TB has been a lack of clinical evidence. These forms of the disease are so recent, it could be many years before sufficient evidence is available to form the basis of successful treatment.

Although in many parts of the world - the Americas, Europe, western Pacific and southeast Asia - incidence of TB is decreasing, multi-drug resistant TB (MDR-TB) - where the disease is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampicin - is on the rise.

The first cases of MDR-TB were reported in "resource poor, high burden" areas in the 1980s. The World Health Organization (WHO) now estimate that about 450,000 new cases of MDR-TB occur each year, mostly within Europe.

Lead author Prof. Christoph Lange, head of the Respiratory Infections Assembly at the European Respiratory Society, says:

"These consensus statements provide very valuable support for physicians treating patients with these deadly conditions in all parts of Europe. The current management of patients with multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB is complex, very costly for health care systems and burdensome for those who are affected."

He adds:

"We have harmonised individual expert opinions on the management of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB in adults and children to ensure that consensus is available where clinical evidence is still lacking. As clinicians we hope to improve the treatment of multidrug- and extensively drug-resistant TB and the life of our patients who suffer from these difficult-to-treat conditions."

'Totally-drug-resistant tuberculosis'

Uterine cancer risks decrease by 81% with bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery, or weight-loss surgery, is normally used as a last resort when all other efforts have failed for obese patients who need to lose weight for their health. And now, researchers have found that the weight loss following such surgery significantly reduces the risk of endometrial (uterine) cancer in women.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), uterine cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women. Though all women are at risk for this cancer, the risk increases with age, and most cases are found in women who have gone through menopause.

Researchers from the study, which is published in the April issue of the journal Gynecologic Oncology, note that obesity is a significant public health problem in the US.

The team, comprised of researchers from the University of California-San Diego (UCSD) and Moores Cancer Center, says around two thirds of adults in the US are overweight or obese. Though obesity is linked to a range of health risks, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer, it is also linked to cancer of the uterus in women.

To investigate these links in detail, the researchers analyzed a retrospective cohort study of over 7 million patients in the University HealthSystem Consortium database, which provides information from academic medical centers and affiliated hospitals in the US.

From this database, the researchers identified 103,797 patients with a history of bariatric surgery, and 44,345 had a diagnosis of uterine malignancy.

Dr. Kristy Ward, first author and senior gynecologic oncology fellow in the Department of Reproductive Medicine at UCSD School of Medicine, explains what they found:

"Estimating from various studies that looked at increasing body mass index (BMI) and endometrial cancer risk, a woman with a BMI of 40 would have approximately eight times greater risk of endometrial cancer than someone with a BMI of 25."

And she says that this risk will likely rise as BMI increases.

'Obesity may be a modifiable risk factor for uterine cancer'