Why we love the foods we love- 5 influences

We are all born with a love of sweet foods and a dislike of bitter flavors, but beyond that, the foods we love and the foods we hate can vary wildly. A recent article in the Washington Post laid out the five influences on how people taste food.


1. Genetics: People experience bitter flavors differently, as the combination of bitter receptor genes varies for each person. And almost everyone lacks the ability to detect at least one scent, meaning that the chemical that gives truffles their distinctive odor might strike you as either offensive or earthy. Or you might be among the 25% who can't smell it at all.

2. Experience: Did you know babies are predisposed to liking the foods their mothers ate while they were pregnant and later while breastfeeding? Exposing children to a wide range of foods can start even before they're born.
3. Culture: Not many people like extremely bitter or spicy foods the first time tasting them, but they can come to tolerate and even crave them with repeated exposure and by being around people who enjoy these foods.

4. Gender: Women are more likely to crave sweets and men are more likely to crave salty foods. This should come as no surprise if you've ever seen an advertisement for chocolate.
5. Texture: Although science cannot yet fully explain why, some people simply hate gritty, slimy or creamy foods, no matter their flavor. Case in point: natto, the slippery fermented soybeans pictured above.

Status 'determines brain's reactions to others

Our brains react differently to others depending on how we view their social status, researchers say.
The Current Biology study found those who see themselves as being of a high status display more brain activity with those they think are equally elevated.The researchers said behaviour was determined by how people saw those around them. A British expert said first evaluations were crucial in determining how individuals related to each other.

It was already known from other studies that monkeys behave this way; changing behaviour dependent on how they perceived the other animal's position in the troop.The 23 participants, who had varying levels of social status, were shown information about someone of higher status and information about someone of lower status.
The team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure activity in the ventral striatum, part of the brain's reward system. People who viewed themselves as having a higher subjective socioeconomic status displayed greater brain activity in response to other high-ranked individuals, while those with lower status have a greater response to other low-status individuals.

First evaluations

Dr Caroline Zink, of the US National Institute of Mental Health, who led the study, said: "The way we interact with and behave around other people is often determined by their social status relative to our own, and therefore information regarding social status is very valuable to us."Interestingly, the value we assign to information about someone's particular status seems to depend on our own.She added that socioeconomic status is not based solely on money, but can also include factors such as accomplishments and habits.

Dr Jane McCartney, a London-based chartered psychologist and a member of the British Psychological Society, said: "First evaluations are terribly important to everyone, whether it's to do with status, looks or money. "It's about deciding if this person is of the same status, and what one needs to do ensure they know you are of an equal status and evaluating what role they may play in your life."

Morning heart attacks the worst

People who have a heart attack in the morning tend to fare worse than those who have one at other times of the day and night, experts have discovered. Heart attacks occurring between 0600 and noon are more likely to create a larger area of damaged heart tissue.The findings in Heart journal come from a study of over 800 patients in Spain. Experts say the body's natural sleep-awake cycle could explain the differences seen, but advise more research to confirm the findings.

It is well established that a person's 24-hour body clock can influence heart attack risk. For example, doctors know that people are more likely to have a heart attack around the time when they are waking up from sleep than at other times, but what is less known is the extent of damage that this leads to. "Regardless of the time of day, the quicker someone having a heart attack is treated, the less the damage they will have”
Judy O'Sullivan

British Heart Foundation

To investigate, Dr Borja Ibanez and colleagues analysed data on 811 patients at their hospital who had suffered a type of heart attack known as an ST elevation myocardial infarction, which occurs when there is a prolonged period of blocked blood supply to the heart muscle. The researchers split the patients into four groups based on what time segment of the 24-hour clock the heart attack occurred. They found that one group in particular - the 0600 to midday or "morning" heart attack group - had the most severe heart attacks.
This morning group had much higher levels of an enzyme in their blood that is a marker of dying heart tissue than patients whose heart attack had occurred in the evening (between 6pm and midnight).

Judging by the blood enzyme levels, the researchers estimate that the area of the heart damaged in the morning group was, on average, a fifth larger in comparison.Judy O'Sullivan, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: "This study provides some interesting observations on the association between the time of day a heart attack occurs and the degree of subsequent damage to the heart muscle. "However further research is needed before we can draw firm conclusions.
"Regardless of the time of day, the quicker someone having a heart attack is treated, the less the damage they will have, which is why it is essential that anyone who experiences heart attack symptoms should call 911 immediately."

The true state of the Oceans

Chernobyl anniversary: Medvedev seeks nuclear rules

Mr Medvedev was making an unprecedented visit to Chernobyl, alongside Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, to mark the 25th anniversary of the world's worst nuclear accident. The two men attended a commemoration ceremony at the plant where a reactor exploded in 1986. The explosion sent a plume of radiation across Ukraine, Belarus, western Russia and other parts of Europe in 1986.Thirty people were killed directly by the disaster and more than 100 received radiation injuries, while thousands of cases of child thyroid cancer in the region may be linked to Chernobyl. The anniversary comes amid renewed global protest over nuclear power. Thousands of people took part in protests in France and Germany on Monday, with demonstrations of hundreds reported in Lithuania and Romania on Tuesday.

The debate has been reinvigorated by the threat of radiation from Japan's crippled Fukushima plant in the aftermath of a devastating earthquake and tsunami.

Pledge of honesty

"Today, I sent proposals to [world] leaders... aimed at guaranteeing the necessary development of nuclear energy in the world while preventing at the same time catastrophic global consequences [of accidents]," Mr Medvedev said in remarks as he stood in spring sunshine in front of the hulk of the disused plant, according to Reuters.The crisis at Japan's Fukushima plant has triggered renewed protests over the safety of nuclear power He did not specify what the proposals were. Soviet officials held off reporting the accident for several days, and Mr Medvedev said the disaster had taught nations of the importance of telling the truth to their people. "The duty of a state is to tell the truth to its people. It must be acknowledged that the [Soviet] state did not always behave correctly," he said. "In order for such tragedies never to be repeated we must all be honest, we must provide absolutely exact information about what is going on."

The call for honesty was welcomed by some 3,000 Chernobyl victims who joined a memorial service at a monument in Kiev.They complain that benefits packages for workers made ill by participating in the clean-up have been cut in recent years.Mr Yanukovych also stressed the need for global co-operation in nuclear safety, saying: "Chernobyl was a challenge of planetary dimensions. The answer to this challenge can be provided only by the world community."

Soviet engineers encased the damaged reactor in a temporary concrete casing to limit the radiation but a new shield is now needed.

A donor conference in Kiev, Ukraine, last week raised 550m euros (£486m; $798m) of the 740m euros needed to build a new shelter and a storage facility for spent fuel.The two men took part in a religious memorial service led by Orthodox Patriarch Kirill near the plant, placed the first stone of a monument to clean-up workers and laid flowers at another monument. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko did not take part in events at Chernobyl.His office was earlier reported as saying he would be taking part in services within Belarus but when questioned by reporters, he rounded on the Ukrainian president with fury, describing Ukraine's leadership as "rather lousy".
According to a UN report this year, considered the most comprehensive to date on the disaster's health impact, more than 6,000 cases of thyroid cancer were reported in children and adolescents who were exposed at the time of the accident in Ukraine and Russia. Many of these cancers were "most likely caused by radiation exposures shortly after the accident". "Apart from this increase, there is no evidence of a major public health impact attributable to radiation exposure two decades after the accident," the report adds.

Growing up about growing old By Dr Julian Hughes

Dr. Julian Hughes is a Consultant in old age psychiatry, Northumbria Healthcare NHS Trust and Newcastle University

The increasing number of elderly people in society tends to be seen as a problem. But in this week's Scrubbing Up column, old age psychiatrist Dr Julian Hughes argues we should actually see the over-60s as a bonus.The prospect of getting old has never seemed alluring. And even if this is changing with the important advocacy of people like Dame Joan Bakewell, the ageing population is still seen as a problem.

The problem of ageing for the individual appears as anything from wrinkles to memory problems; whilst the problem for ageing societies is seen as economic. Increasingly, however, evidence is emerging that ageing is less of a problem than people, often younger, think it might be. For a start, even if age does bring aches, it also seems - according to studies all over the world - to bring happiness. A large study by Newcastle University, for instance, has shown that 85-year-olds, despite having significant levels of disease and impairment, are very positive about their health and are able to function well.
Even at the level of the economy, pointing the finger at older people turns out to be unfair.

The rest of society has to spend money on its older people, for sure, but the traffic is two-way, especially if (what are called) intergenerational transfers are measured broadly. Putting it bluntly, older people are giving more to their offspring by and large than the other way around.

The big (older) society
If we look at volunteering, we discover that the big society is already here, and has been for years. But it is largely dominated by older people. From the Women's Royal Voluntary Service, working in our hospitals and communities, to the volunteers working at National Trust properties or the voluntary work of faith-based charities, volunteers are more likely to be naturally silver.

This is active citizenship, but also active ageing. "Who wishes to live a life that is brutal and short? ”
Dr Julian Hughes

Remaining active, of course, is good for you, both mentally and physically. But, some will say, albeit we can paint an optimistic picture, isn't it the case that the diseases of old age will catch up with us eventually? Well, they might. It is certainly true that living longer brings with it an increasing risk of age-associated conditions, from arthritis to stroke disease. However, we have to remember that longevity is a success. Who wishes to live a life that is brutal and short? And if most people at 85 are enjoying their lives, why would we wish not to enjoy this possibility too?After all, one aspiration of gerontology, the science of ageing, is that the morbidity curve can be squared off. In other words, rather than the ends of our lives involving an inevitably slow decline, instead, after a relatively healthy old age, we'll die quickly.

Indeed, given the link between so many diseases and ageing, it makes sense to argue (somewhat radically) that if we could understand ageing itself (as we are increasingly doing), we might then have a better chance with cancer, heart disease, dementia, and so on.The real challenge, however, is to do with making sense of our lives. If we're going to live longer, which we are, what's it for? Biomedical science and technology will help us to age. The purpose of ageing, however, what gives life meaning, is a matter for the arts, social sciences and humanities.

When do blood clots become a problem?

The simple answer is, when they form in the blood stream not in response to a wound. Then it's called thrombosis.Deep-vein thrombosis (DVT) usually occurs in the leg. DVT clots can block the flow of blood through the veins. It's a problem that occurs most often in the legs because it is harder to maintain blood flow in the lower parts of the body.

When a clot breaks away and travels through the body, it causes a pulmonary embolism (PE) if it blocks an artery.Venous thrombosis (VTE) is simply the umbrella term for DVT and PE.When a clot forms in the arteries supplying the heart, and blood flow is blocked, it may result in a heart attack. If a clot forms in the arteries supplying the brain, blocking blood flow, it may cause a stroke.

What are the risk factors?

Some people have a genetic pre-disposition to blood clots, just as other people are at risk of their blood not clotting properly when necessary (hemophiliacs, for example).Immobility, especially during flights of six hours or more, is a risk factor for venous thrombosis.

There is also a long list of things that increase the probability of VTEs:

Hospitalization: the risk of VTE is 10 times higher when hospitalized, a result of the combination of risk factors listed below. One in five VTEs occurs in hospital, according to the National Blood Clot Alliance (NBCA) in the U.S. In England, VTEs in hospital result in more than 25,000 deaths per year.

Age: risk increases as individuals get older.

Obesity or being overweight: doubles the risk.

Infections and disease: these raise the levels of clotting factors in the blood.

Immobility: especially after air flights of six hours or longer.

Injury and/or trauma.

Surgery, intravenous catheters or any treatment that damages blood vessels. (Hip replacement patients have a 60 per cent chance of DVT.)

Pregnancy.

Varicose veins.

How would taking a drug lead to a VTE?

Some drugs may add to the risk of unwanted blood clots. "A cascade of factors leads to a lower threshold" for blood clots, according to Dr. Karl Kabasele, a public health physician and medical specialist for CBC News. For example, oral contraceptives (and other hormone-based treatments) increase the risk of blood clots, some brands significantly more than others.

What happens when you get a blood clot?

If it's DVT, the symptoms can include:

Pain, tenderness and swelling of the leg (usually the calf, but if the clot occurs in the thigh, the swelling may affect the whole leg).

Discoloration, with the leg appearing a pale, blue or reddish purple colour.

Leg feels warm when touched.

People with DVT can also be asymptomatic.

If it is PE, symptoms can include:

Shortness of breath, either severe and sudden or gradual onset.

Sharp, stabbing chest pain, which may be worse when breathing deeply.

Sudden collapse.

Rapid heart rate.

Unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody mucus.

DVT symptoms
PE is a medical emergency.

How is thrombosis treated?

The most common treatment is blood thinners (anticoagulants). These drugs block the action by the clotting factors rather than literally thinning blood. The most extensively used blood thinner, warfarin, was first used as a rat poison. It was introduced in 1948, but after a 1955 suicide attempt using warfarin, researchers began looking at other possible uses. U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower was one of the first people to be treated with warfarin.

Age and poor fitness increase the risk of blood clots, but even young athletes are vulnerable. Tennis star Serena Williams, pictured at Wimbledon on July 3, 2010, received emergency treatment for a blood clot in her lungs in February. Alastair Grant/Associated Press  In the U.S. today, warfarin is No. 20 on the list of most-prescribed drugs, with about 20 million prescriptions per year.

Newer blood thinners include low-molecular-weight heparin, made from animal sources and injected once or twice a day, and fondaparinux (arixtra), a synthetic drug that is also injected but lasts longer than heparin.


How can VTEs be prevented?

When travelling by plane, train or bus, get up and move around at least every hour, especially on trips over four hours. If you cannot move around, exercise and stretch your legs and feet.

Stop every two hours when driving to get out and move around.

Drink lots of water and wear loose-fitting clothing when travelling.

Lose weight if overweight, stay active, exercise and avoid long periods of immobility. Discuss the risks of blood clots with your doctor if taking hormones, going into hospital or planning a long trip. For people at higher risk, doctors may recommend wearing elastic compression stockings or taking a single dose of a blood thinner.

Kabasele recommends against taking aspirin to prevent blood clots unless recommended by a doctor.
Hospitals especially need to take preventative measures with their patients.

The key to happiness and top performance- Dilbert

Elephants Grieving

Elephants Grieving

Can high fat diet reverse kidney disease in diabetics?

Diet 'can reverse kidney failure' in mice with diabetes


The ketogenic diet is 87% fat. A controlled diet high in fat and low in carbohydrate can repair kidney damage in diabetic mice, according to US scientists. The study, published in journal PLoS ONE, showed a "ketogenic diet" could reverse damage caused to tubes in the kidneys by too much sugar in the blood.
In the UK around a third of the 2.8m people with either type 1 or 2 diabetes go on to develop kidney damage. Diabetes UK said it was "questionable" whether humans could sustain the diet.

Damage reversed

The researchers at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York used mice with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.Once kidney damage had developed, half the mice were put onto the ketogenic diet for eight weeks. "It is also questionable whether the diet used in this model would be sustainable for humans, even in the short term.” Dr Iain Frame

The highly controlled diet, which is 87% fat, mimics the effect of starvation and should not be used without medical advice. After eight weeks the researchers noted that kidney damage was reversed.
Professor Charles Mobbs, who led the research at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, said: "Our study is the first to show that a dietary intervention alone is enough to reverse this serious complication of diabetes."I certainly think it has promise, but I can't recommend it until we have done clinical trials."

The researchers also need to figure out the exact process that leads to repair.Dr Iain Frame, director of research at Diabetes UK, said: "This research was carried out in mice so it is difficult to see how these results would translate into any real benefits for people with diabetes at this stage.

"It is too simple to say that kidney failure could be prevented by diet alone and it is also questionable whether the diet used in this model would be sustainable for humans, even in the short term." Helen Nickerson, from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, which part funded the research, said: "Dr Mobbs' novel observation could lead to new molecular insights in diabetic kidney disease."

Three 'types' of human gut bacteria found

The human digestive track, host to an ecosystem teaming with trillions of living bacteria, comes in three variations as distinct as blood groups, according to a new study. These so-called 'enterotypes' are found in populations worldwide and exist independent of race, country of origin, diet, age or state of health, the study's author report.The findings have major implications for detecting and predicting the risk of diseases ranging from intestinal cancers to diabetes to Crohn's disease, a painful inflammation of the bowels, they write.

They also show that certain strains of bacteria - varying in concentration across the three intestinal types - boost the likelihood of obesity, a discovery that could help explain why some people struggle more than others to shed excess weight."The more efficiently the bacteria extract energy from food, the greater the chance that the person has a high BMI," or body-mass index, says co-author Professor Stanislav Dusko Ehrlich, of France's National Agronomy Research Institute."Looking at the genes of the microbiota tells us with much greater precision than looking at the genes of the individual if someone is obese or not," he says. BMI measures deviation from optimal levels of body fat.

Basis for personalised medicine

The study, published in Nature, could also help scientists tailor treatments for certain diseases to the intestinal profile of the patient." The three gut types explain why the uptake of medicines and nutrients vary from person to person," says Jeroen Raes, a researcher at VIB-Vrije Universiteit Brussel, and a co-author of the study."This knowledge could form the basis of personalised medicine with treatments and doses determined on the basis of gut type," he says.Some 100 trillion bacteria - up to 1000 different species - live inside our intestines, where they play a crucial role in converting food into energy and protected us from pathogens.

In exchange, our digestive track provides these single-celled guests with food and shelter.This symbiosis is a crucial element of human health, but when disrupted can lead to disorders with consequences ranging from poor digestion to death."Certain species of bacteria can become overly abundant, while others can disappear. It can happen at any point in one's life," says Ehrlich.

Researchers can now aim to design treatments that seek to stimulate "good" bacteria, or inhibit the growth of those that do us harm, in order to re-establish a balance, he says. "We can even imagine one day 'transplanting' the microbiota of a healthy individual into that of a patient suffering from a serious disease," he says.

Forests, tundra or tropical jungles

The three types - called bacteroides, prevotella and ruminococcus - are named for the bacteria that dominate the intestines in each case."Ecosystems have a tendency to evolve toward a stable equilibrium, with certain species becoming dominant while others occupy niches."This also appears to apply to our intestines," says Raes, comparing the microbiota in the human gut to forests, tundra or tropical jungles.
It is still unclear whether a person can switch from one group to another over the course of a lifetime, the researchers say.

The study found that vitamin production also varied sharply among the three gut types.
People in the bacteroides group were better able to generate vitamin C, B2 and B5, while those in the prevotella group showed higher levels of B1 and folic acid.The researchers cautioned that the results, while robust, were based on samples from several hundred people, and that further research is needed to determine if there are additional types of bacterial ecosystems in the gut.

Lower IQ in children linked to banned insecticide

A common household insecticide still having consequences 10 years later

CBC News

Exposure in the womb to a common household insecticide is linked to deficits in IQ and working memory when the child reaches seven years old, a U.S. study has found. Until banned for indoor residential use in the U.S. in 2001, chlorpyrifos was one of the most widely used insecticides for home use. Canada phased it out at around the same time for households but continues to allow it to fight mosquitoes in controlled environments.Researchers from the Columbia Centre for Children's Environmental Health in New York report evidence of a link between prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos and lower scores on two different scales of the Wechsler Intelligence Scales for Children at age seven. Virginia Rach, deputy director of the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health, says the banned insecticide could still have implications for school performance. Courtsey of Columbia University.

On average, children who had exposures in the upper 25 per cent of the exposure distribution will score, on average, 5.3 points lower on the test of working memory, and 2.7 points lower on full-scale IQ, as compared to children in the lowest levels of exposure. "Working memory problems may interfere with reading comprehension, learning and academic achievement, even if general intelligence remains in the normal range," said Virginia Rauh, lead author of the study.

The evidence suggests there is no threshold below which exposures are completely safe. Since the ban, exposure to chlorpyrifos has measurably declined.The Columbia researchers had previously reported that, prior to the ban, chlorpyrifos was detected in 100 per cent of personal and indoor air samples, and 70 per cent of umbilical cord blood collected from babies. They also reported that the amount of chlorpyrifos in babies' blood was associated with neurodevelopmental problems at age three.
This is the first study to evaluate the neurotoxicity of prenatal chlorpyrifos at seven years of age.

The study was published online in Environmental Health Perspectives. Two other studies have also found early cognitive and behavioural effects associated with prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos.

'Wikileaks' soldier Bradley Manning moved to new prison

The US soldier accused of leaking a trove of secret government documents later published by the Wikileaks website is to be moved to a military prison in Kansas, officials have said. Pte First Class Bradley Manning has been held pending court martial at a Marine Corps base in Virginia.
His transfer comes amid international concern over his treatment. His supporters say he has been confined to a cell for 23 hours a day and forced regularly to undress.

Last week, UN special rapporteur on torture Juan Mendez said US officials had blocked his requests for unmonitored visits to Pte Manning, in part aimed at determining whether he had been mistreated. Ray McGovern, a member of the Bradley Manning Support Network's Advisory Board, said this was "unprecedented". "What it is, pure and simple, is an intimidation technique, lest any of Bradley Manning's colleagues, any of the other people in the armed forces, be tempted to do what Bradley Manning did, and that was to expose war crimes," he told the BBC World Service.

'Best interest'

At a press conference at the Pentagon on Tuesday, defence department general counsel Jeh Johnson said Pte Manning would be moved imminently to a pre-trial jail at Fort Leavenworth, in the Mid-western US state of Kansas. Mr Johnson and other military officials said the Fort Leavenworth jail - which was opened in January - was better equipped to handle long-term pre-trial stays than the Marine Corps base at Quantico, Virginia. Among other things, the Fort Leavenworth jail has better mental health support and, should officials permit it, better exercise facilities and more opportunities for interaction with other detainees, officials said. "We have assessed this is in Pte Manning's best interest to move him at this juncture in the case," Mr Johnson said. "All things considered, we concluded that going forward this is the best facility for him."

Mr Johnson said the transfer should not be interpreted as a criticism of Pte Manning's treatment at Quantico, though he acknowledged senior defence officials had been involved in the process.
Resignation
Pte Manning's civilian lawyer David Coombs has said the soldier has been under 24-hour surveillance and has been forced to relinquish his clothing before bedding down for the night, then forced to stand naked at roll call. Defence department general counsel Jeh Johnson: "Fort Leavenworth is the most appropriate facility for Private Manning" Officials have repeatedly denied Pte Manning has been mistreated, although last month a top US state department official, spokesman PJ Crowley, resigned after saying the military's treatment of the Wikileaks suspect was "ridiculous and counterproductive". Pte Manning, an intelligence analyst who joined the US Army in 2007, is suspected of leaking 720,000 diplomatic and military documents, including a database of military records from the Iraq war, Afghan war records, classified diplomatic cables and other materials.

In the past year, Wikileaks has published troves of documents it titled the Iraq War Logs and the Afghan War Diary, and reams of secret US state department cables spanning five decades.Pte Manning has been charged with using unauthorised software on government computers to download classified information and to make intelligence available to "the enemy", and other counts related to leaking intelligence and theft of public records.

He is currently undergoing a mental health evaluation aimed at determining his competence to stand trial, officials have said.

New heart attack jab even more effective than statins

A simple injection given to patients up to 12 hours after a heart attack or stroke could reduce their devastating effects by more than half, a new study claims. Around 200,000 people in Britain die from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, every year
British-based scientists have produced an antibody that reduces by more than 60 per cent the physical scarring of the heart and brain after an attack.
The "milestone achievement" could also be used to stop the body attacking organ transplants.

Professor Wilhelm Schwaeble, who carried out the work at Leicester University, said that it could potentially be the "biggest breakthrough ever" in the treatment of two of the biggest killers in Britain.
Heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood flow being blocked by a clot or a bleed, starving parts of the body further down stream of oxygen. But most of the permanent damage is caused later – when circulation is eventually restored – and a "default of nature" which means the body's own defences attack the oxygen starved cells.

This effect, which kicks in around nine to 12 hours after the attack or stroke, causes massive inflammation and more than 80 per cent of the permanent damage. It is this that often leads to death and massive reduction in the quality of life of stroke and heart attack survivors. Now the researchers at the University of Leicester have come up with an injection which they claim effectively stops the body attacking the oxygen starved cells.

This allows them to start to oxygenate normally and the permanent damage is reduced significantly.
The research has been tested on mice and more advanced mammals and has also been shown to work on human blood in the laboratory.

Human trials are expected to begin within two years. "This is potentially the biggest breakthrough in the treatment of heart attacks and strokes ever," said Prof Wilhelm, an immunologist. "We could not believe what we saw and nor could the cardiologists. What is amazing is that the drug can be given so long after the attack. "Even the slowest ambulance journey in the world is going to get you to hospital within nine hours."

Prof Schwaeble said that the treatment could have even more of an effect than statins, the cholesterol lowering drugs taken by more than two million Britons. Around 200,000 people in Britain die from cardiovascular disease, including heart disease and stroke, every year. The team first uncovered a key molecule in the process responsible for the immune attack.
After identifying the enzyme – called Mannan Binding Lectin-Associated Serine Protease-2 (MASP-2) – they then developed a antibody to knock it out. The protein – code-named OMS646 – is so effective only two injections in the first week are needed to completely neutralise MASP-2 while the heart heals itself. The research was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
It is anticipated that the first clinical trial will be conducted in the Leicester Biomedical Research Unit, at Glenfield Hospital, Leicester.
Most deaths from heart disease are caused by a heart attack. Around 62,000 men and 39,000 women in England suffer a heart attack each year. Stroke causes more than 49,000 deaths in the UK each year. Around 57,000 men and 68,000 women in England suffer a stroke every year. It is estimated nearly 1.2 million people living in the UK have had a stroke - roughly evenly split between men and women

Gene linked to premature births

A gene linked to premature births has been discovered, scientists in the US and Finland have said.
The researchers hope their study, published in PLoS Genetics, could eventually lead to a test for women at risk of a pre-term birth. In the UK, one in 10 babies is born before the 37th week of pregnancy, with potential problems for their health.The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists said it would help to identify a percentage of those at risk.The international team of researchers looked to human evolution in their hunt for genes linked to premature births.In comparison to other primates and mammals, humans have relatively large heads and narrow birth canals.

Acceleration
The researchers, at Vanderbilt University, Washington University and the University of Helsinki, believed there must have been an evolutionary pressure to "adapt and shift the time of birth" to produce a smaller baby.

Risks for premature babies

Respiratory distress syndrome
Hypothermia
Low blood glucose
Jaundice
Infection
Retinopathy of prematurity
Necritising enterocolitis
Death

They looked for DNA which showed evidence of "accelerated evolution" - genes which have mutated more in humans than in other primates. They identified 150 genes. The next step was to look for an association with premature births, so the researchers compared those 150 genes in 328 Finnish mothers, some of whom had premature births.A strong association to pre-term births was found in variants of the FSHR - or follicle stimulating hormone receptor - gene.

Follicle stimulating hormone acts on receptors in the ovaries to encourage follicle (a sphere of cells containing an egg) development and production of the hormone oestrogen.
'Greatest risk'
Professor Louis Muglia, from the department of paediatrics at Vanderbilt University, said: "Ideally we'd like to predict which women are at greatest risk for having pre-term birth and be able to prevent it. That would really have an impact on infant mortality and the long-term complications of being born prematurely." Professor Ronald Lamont, spokesperson for the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "I think it's fantastic, it's a good group of well respected people doing this research."

He said the risk of premature birth was likely to be a mix of genetic and environmental factors."In the future we will be able to identify a percentage of people at risk. It won't be the be all and end all, but it will contribute to our knowledge."
In a separate study, a team at Washington State University believe they have identified why eggs are produced which result in miscarriage and birth defects.The research published in Current Biology examines the relationship between eggs and the correct number of chromosomes.

Symptoms of Diabetes

Development of diabetes symptoms


In type 1 diabetes, symptoms tend to develop rapidly over a couple of weeks, and are more severe. In type 2 diabetes, symptoms develop slowly and are usually milder.
Common symptoms of both types of diabetes are:
•Increased thirst

•Passing water frequently, especially at night

•Tiredness and fatigue

•Loss of weight

•Genital itching or recurrent thrush

In type 1 diabetes, less common symptoms are:
•Cramps

•Constipation

•Blurred vision

•Recurrent skin infections

In type 2 diabetes, symptoms may go unnoticed for years - only when complications of diabetes, such as foot ulceration or blurred vision, occur is diabetes diagnosed. Remember, all the symptoms may not be present. Whenever any of these symptoms arise, it's important to be tested for diabetes.
Diagnosing diabetes

Diabetes may be detected in a routine urine test where excess glucose is present.
A blood test that measures the level of glucose in the blood will confirm whether or not the underlying cause is diabetes.

Over the counter teeth whitening

Vaccine trial for people with Pancreatic cancer in UK

Doctors say that more than a 1000 patients at 53 hospitals around the UK are taking part in a vaccine trial against pancreatic cancer. The Royal Liverpool University Hospital is coordinating a trial of a therapeutic cancer vaccine.

Unlike most vaccines which aim to prevent disease, the jab is aimed at treating those already diagnosed with the condition.

Survival rates for pancreatic cancer have barely improved in the past 40 years with patients typically having six months to live after diagnosis.

The aim is to prime the immune system to attack cancer cells. It will be more than a year before the results of the trial are known. Prof John Neoptolemos, Head of School of Cancer Studies at the University of Liverpool.

Manuka honey 'could help fight superbugs'

By Michelle Roberts-Health reporter, BBC News

A combination of topical honey applied to the skin plus antibiotics may beat superbugs
Manuka honey could be used to combat some of the most hard-to-treat infections that are resistant to powerful antibiotics, scientists say.Lab experiments show it can clear bacteria found in festering wounds and contaminated hospital surfaces.
It works by breaking down the defences bacteria use against antibiotics, making it useful in treating superbug infections such as MRSA.The results were presented at a Society for General Microbiology meeting.Professor Rose Cooper from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff found a variety of honey from bees foraging on manuka trees in New Zealand proved effective.
Fighting resistance

A specially filtered version of this honey, with impurities removed, is already used in modern licensed wound-care products around the world.“We have been using medical grade honey, not the stuff you buy in shops” Lead researcher Professor Rose Cooper

Indeed, people have known for centuries about honey's antiseptic powers.

The researchers wanted to gain a better understanding of this honey's bacteria-fighting properties and to see if it might help tackle some of the most stubborn infections encountered in our hospitals.
Professor Cooper's work with two common types of bacteria - streptococci and pseudomonads - revealed that manuka honey can deter the attachment of bacteria to tissue, which is an essential step in the initiation of acute infections. Stopping attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections.
Medical grade honey
The latest lab work showed that the honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin - effectively reversing antibiotic resistance. Professor Cooper said: "This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey."What we need to do now is look at more combinations with antibiotics and do some clinical work in patients.

"It could be applied topically to wounds and used in combination with antibiotics to treat resistant infections."
But she warned people not to try the same at home with honey bought from the supermarket. "Not only is it messy, it wouldn't be advisable. We have been using medical grade honey, not the stuff you buy in shops."

Big History- A TED talk

Vaccines and genital warts

The NHS vaccine does not guard against the genital wart virus

The NHS vaccinates teenage girls against cervical cancer with the Cervarix vaccine. It offers good protection, but does not also protect against genital warts.In this week's Scrubbing Up, two sexual health experts argue that if the vaccine used was changed to Gardasil, teenagers would also get protection from genital warts.

Genital warts are just a cosmetic nuisance, right?
You try telling that to somebody who has just discovered a load of unpleasant 'mini-cauliflowers' in the genital area. In our long careers as sexual health consultants we can safely say that the patients who discover genital warts are some of the most distressed and upset patients we have ever met. At 135,000 new and recurrent cases per year, it is the commonest sexually transmitted infection dealt with in our clinics.

Imagine our delight then when in 2007 it was announced that there was a vaccine available for the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) - the virus responsible for genital warts and the government was considering a national vaccination programme. "It is sad that a golden opportunity to eradicate the commonest sexually transmitted infection in the UK, has been ignored.”

By Dr Colm O'Mahony and Dr Steve Taylor
Sexual Health Experts

Saving money?

Unfortunately, there were two vaccines, one which did not cover the genital warts virus at all - Cervarix - and a second vaccine - Gardasil - which covered the viruses that cause cervical cancer, HPV 16 and 18, but also types six and 11 which cause almost 100% of all genital warts in the UK. We naively thought at the time this was no contest, genital warts cost millions of pounds, as not only do types six and 11 cause warts but they also cause thousands of cervical smears to be classified as abnormal resulting in thousands of visits to GPs, gynaecology departments and sexual health clinics for wart treatments.

The Joint Vaccination Committee recommended HPV vaccination and said that if the vaccines were the same price, Gardasil should be chosen but if Cervarix was considerably cheaper then it might be the option.

The reduction in cervical cancers wouldn't be seen until 2025 whereas in a year of the vaccine programme with Gardasil we would have started to see a reduction in genital warts and started saving millions of pounds not to mention reduction in workload and distressed patients. "In private we have all purchased Gardasil for our own children and advised colleagues to do the same.”
Dr Colm O'Mahony and Dr Steve Taylor

It's extraordinary that we are the only developed country in the world, apart from Holland, to have chosen Cervarix for the national programme. The Republic of Ireland did the maths and chose Gardasil.
Australia, which was first country out of the blocks, had a vaccination programme for young women between the ages of 12-26 and within the year of their Gardasil vaccine programme finishing, were already seeing a 47% reduction in genital wart presentation in young women with a corresponding 17% reduction in young men from herd immunity.

A recent Australian study calculated that the only 'danger to Australia in the future would be unvaccinated backpackers' - Brits.We, as consultants in sexual health, have been told to say nothing publicly that would damage the current vaccine programme as the Cervarix vaccine has already been purchased. We have had to be circumspect in public but in private we have all purchased Gardasil for our own children and advised colleagues to do the same.

'Horse has bolted'

It is sad that a golden opportunity to eradicate the commonest sexually transmitted infection in the UK, has been ignored. This decision will be regretted for many years to come. A small chink of light is the fact that the contract is up for renewal this year. However, this will only now involve 13-year-olds as the horse has already bolted, with all 13 to 18-year-old girls already vaccinated with Cervarix.

Common sense and economics dictate that the decision to change and use Gardasil needs to be made sooner rather than later.There are those that say 'So what, genital warts are a punishment for promiscuous behaviour' - that is callous and unfair - even skin contact is enough to transmit HPV; condoms do not prevent transmission or acquisition of HPV so even young women who try to be careful are at risk from this virus.
In our clinics we can only apologise to any young women we see who has had her full three doses of Cervarix and yet presents in great distress with genital warts. This was a bad decision, let's hope the new government will make a re-assessment, taking all the economic and social factors into consideration and reverse this decision.

Neither author has any financial interest in either Cervarix or Gardasil

WHO warns drugs misuse weakens fight against diseases

MANILA — The World Health Organization (WHO) said the misuse and irrational use of antibiotics has undermined the global fight against tuberculosis and malaria, warning of a possible return to the days before the drugs were developed. An estimated 440,000 new cases of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were reported last year in nearly 60 countries across the globe, Shin Young-soo, WHO regional director for Western Pacific area, said in a statement.

"At the same time, other age-old diseases are on the rise with the possibility of no cure," Shin said, calling on WHO's 193 member-states to commit resources and adopt policies to fight the growing problem of drug resistance."Antimicrobial resistance is a global concern not only because it kills, but because it increases health costs and threatens patient care."

The WHO used World Heath Day on Thursday to launch its "Combat Drug Resistance! No action today, no cure tomorrow" policy. Apart from tuberculosis, which it said should have been contained decades ago, the WHO said the fight against malaria was being hampered by the emergence of a strain resistant to the frontline drug, artemisinin. Similarly, treatment for gonorrhea was threatened by growing resistance to the last-line treatment, and the WHO said hospital-acquired superbugs, resistant to major antibiotics, were becoming increasing frequent.In 2001, the WHO developed a global strategy to check antimicrobial resistance, but it said the measures had not been widely implemented.
"While action is needed, commitment, implementation and accountability have lagged behind," the WHO said.

Gene clue to how cancer spreads

By Helen Briggs Health reporter, BBC News
A genetic change that makes lung cancer more likely to spread around the body has been pinpointed by US scientists.The research, published in the journal Nature, could ultimately lead to new medicines to fight secondary tumours.The discovery was made in mice but has been confirmed in human tumour samples.

The researchers found the genetic change while studying mice that are genetically programmed to develop lung tumours.They found reduced activity of the gene - NKX2-1 - in samples from human lung tumours, and found this was associated with higher death rates.Lead author of the paper, Monte Winslow, of the David H Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT, said understanding the role of the gene may help scientists develop new drugs.

"The sad reality is that if you could tell a patient whether their cancer has turned down this gene, you would know they will have a worse outcome, but it wouldn't change their treatment," he said. The gene codes for a protein that switches other genes on and off. Cancerous cells which have the gene switched off tend to be more aggressive and more likely to break off from the lungs and spread around the body.Nell Barrie, senior science information officer at Cancer Research UK said: "Lung cancer is a huge problem worldwide, and understanding why some lung cancers are more likely to spread is vital for developing better, more personalised treatments.

"Research like this is helping to unravel the genetic 'signatures' of different cancers, and will spark ideas for new ways to tackle the disease."

Lung cancer

Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the world

In the UK, it is the second most-frequently occurring cancer, accounting for one in seven new cases.

Nine out of 10 cases are caused by the effects of tobacco smoking

Treatment may include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy

Source: BBC Health

Melting in Arctic could Change Weather in Europe

New research suggests changes in the Arctic Ocean could affect the climate of coastal Europe."Large regional changes could be in store if the ocean circulation changes," said Laura de Stern of the Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research.De Stern is the lead author of a major international study on the northern seas released Tuesday.

One of the report's findings is that the Arctic Ocean holds a vast pool of relatively fresh water. Much of it comes from rivers such as Canada's Mackenzie and Russia's Lena.That pool — now larger than 7,500 cubic kilometres — is contained in the Canada Basin off the coast of the Northwest Territories and Yukon by a pattern of wind circulation called the Beaufort Gyre.

Natural phenomenon

But the gyre changes in strength. When it weakens, the fresher water it has kept concentrated in the Arctic is released to filter into the North Atlantic."This is a natural phenomenon," said contributor Mike Steele of the University of Washington."[The gyre] tends to collect it in some years and in other years the gyre will shrink and then it'll sort of release the fresh water."
Recent data suggests that climate change may be increasing the amount of fresh water pouring into the Arctic Ocean.A study by Germany's Alfred Wegener Institute released in March found the upper layers of the northern ocean may already be 20 per cent less salty than they were in the 1990s.

The data points to increasingly larger and fresher releases of water from the Arctic Ocean into the North Atlantic."These Arctic outflow surges can significantly change the densities of marine surface waters in the extreme North Atlantic," said de Stern. "What happens next is hard to predict."
Ocean currents could be affected

Ocean currents, which are driven by differences in temperature and salinity between different pools of sea water, could be affected.Ultimately, one of those currents, a giant undersea conveyor belt that moves warm water from the southern Atlantic north to Greenland and the coasts of Scandinavia and Great Britain, could be weakened.
The report suggests the climate of those countries could cool substantially as a result.Steele warns that those concerns have yet to be backed up by data."It may have influence on the global ocean conveyor belt," he said. "Right now there's kind of a controversy about the importance of this fresh water coming out of the Arctic Ocean."
Scientists hope to get some of the answers later this year when they observe the latest fresh water release.
The question of whether climate change could have an impact on ocean currents has been asked before. Research has so far suggested those currents remain stable.But most climate models predict the currents will weaken by 20 per cent by the end of the century.

Chemical found which 'makes bone marrow repair skin'

The chemical which summons stem cells from bone marrow to the site of a wound has been discovered by scientists in the UK and Japan.The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, identified the distress signal - HMGB1.

The authors believe it can be used to put "a megaphone in the system" to improve the treatment of injuries such as burns and leg ulcers.Bone marrow was thought to play a role in repairing damaged skin, but the exact process was unknown.Scientists at Osaka University and King's College London gave mice bone marrow cells that glow green - which can be tracked while moving round the body.They then wounded the mice and some were given skin grafts.
Megaphone medicine
In mice without grafts, very few stem cells travelled to the wound. Those with grafts had many stem cells travelling to the wound.Professor John McGrath, from King's College London, says grafted skin tissue has no blood vessels and therefore no oxygen. He says this environment leads to the release of HMGB1 - or what he called a 'Save Our Skin signal' - which results in stem cells moving to the wound.

He said: "It could have a very big impact on regenerative medicine for treating people with rare genetic illnesses and more common problems such as burns and ulcers."It could potentially revolutionise the management of wound healing."
He envisaged treatments in which a drug similar to HMGB1 would be injected near to a wound.
He said: "It would be like putting a megaphone in the system" bringing stem cells to the injury.
Researchers in Osaka are developing a drug to mimic HMGB1. They hope to begin animal testing by the end of the year and human clinical trials shortly afterwards.

Phil Stephens, professor of Cell Biology at Cardiff University, said: "I think it has potentially big clinical implications, but the key is potential if you can control it. You can't just chuck it on, you need the right amounts at the right time."
"Identifying the mechanism is a really important first step."

The health benefits of saffron

Cancer suppressor

Crocin, Safranal and Picrocrocin from saffron may be involved in anti-cancer activity by inhibiting the growth of human cancer cells.

Anti-Depressant
Saffron tea has been used to treat depression. Ingesting large amounts of the tea and spice has been reported to cause feelings of happiness and joy.

Heart health

Saffron has traditionally been used to improve blood circulation and cure bruises in Chinese medicine. The active ingredient Crocetin may also lower blood cholesterol and triglycerides in the body and help in the treatment of atherosclerosis and arthritis.

Antioxidant Action
Safranal, a constituent of saffron, is a good antioxidant and free radical scavenger.

Eye care

Studies show that saffron improves vision and is an effectual weapon to prevent age-related macular degeneration (AMD), which is the commonest cause of blindness in the elderly.

20 year study indicates that screening for Prostate Cancer ineffective

Prostate cancer screening does not save lives, according to a 20-year study, published in the British Medical Journal.One in four newly diagnosed cancers in UK men is prostate cancer.
Last year, the body which regulates screening in the UK advised against routine screening.
The UK National Screening Committee said this study provided further evidence that the harms outweigh the benefits.

Prostate cancer kills 10,000 people in the UK every year.While there is no screening programme, men over 50 may still request a test.

Screening

This latest study was carried out in Norrkoping in Sweden. It followed 9,026 men who were in their 50s or 60s in 1987. "The potential harms significantly outweigh the benefits of screening” Dr Anne Mackie

UK National Screening Committee

Nearly 1,500 men were randomly chosen to be screened every three years between 1987 and 1996. The first two tests were performed by digital rectal examination and then by prostate specific antigen testing.
The report concludes: "After 20 years of follow-up, the rate of death from prostate cancer did not differ significantly between men in the screening group and those in the control group." The favoured method of screening is the prostate specific antigen (PSA) test.
However, around 15% of men with normal PSA levels will have prostate cancer and two-thirds of men with high levels of PSA do not in fact have prostate cancer. One study has suggested that to prevent one death from prostate cancer you would have to screen 1,410 men and treat 48 of them.

Dr Anne Mackie, programmes director of the UK National Screening Committee, said: "This evidence provides further support for the recommendation the Committee made in November not to screen for prostate cancer at this time. "At the moment the potential harms significantly outweigh the benefits of screening. We will re-assess the evidence for prostate cancer screening against our criteria again in three years, or earlier if new evidence warrants it."

Dr Sarah Cant, head of policy and campaigns for The Prostate Cancer Charity, said: "Whilst this research suggests that screening men for prostate cancer doesn't reduce the number of men dying from the disease, this was a relatively small study and not all the screening rounds used the PSA test, which is the most effective test we have at the moment to indicate prostate problems that might be cancer.

"We know from another larger study that screening using the PSA test can reduce mortality rates.
"However, this previous trial showed that screening can lead to many men undergoing unnecessary treatment for a harmless prostate cancer. The Prostate Cancer Charity therefore doesn't believe there is enough evidence yet to support a screening programme."