December 3, 2009

Selenium supplementation normalizes oxidative stress in women at high risk of breast cancer
LIFE EXTENSIONS, December 03, 2009
In the November, 2009 issue of the journal Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Polish researchers report the discovery of a protective effect for selenium against oxidative stress in carriers of the BRCA1 mutation. Women who carry this mutation face a significantly increased life-time risk of developing breast and/or ovarian cancer, which has prompted some carriers to undergo prophylactic removal of the breast and ovaries.
“It has long been known that the anticancer properties of selenium may involve inhibition of oxidative stress ,” the authors explain. “Therefore, investigating the chemopreventing effect of this nutritional supplement in high-risk individuals and cancer patients by means of biomarkers that would signal changes in oxidative stress/oxidative DNA damage may be an important approach to understanding the mechanisms of selenium action and cancer prevention.”
The researchers conducted a double-blinded trial involving 136 women with BRCA1 mutations who did not have cancer, 28 BRCA-1 mutation carriers with breast or ovarian cancer, and 91 healthy women without the mutation. The mutation carriers were divided to receive 300 micrograms per day selenium or a placebo for one year.
White blood cell 8-oxodG, a measure of oxidative stress and DNA damage, was found to be higher in BRCA-1 carriers compared to the control group. Selenium supplementation was associated with a significant reduction in 8-oxodG and an increase in urinary 8-oxoGua, a product of DNA repair, in BRCA-1 carriers, however the reduction was only determined to be significant in those without cancer who underwent removal of their ovaries and Fallopian tubes adnexectomy).
“Oxidative DNA damage and the risk to develop breast cancer in BRCA1 mutation carriers may be reduced in selenium supplemented patients who underwent adnexectomy,” the authors conclude.
http://www.lef.org/whatshot/2009_12.htm#Selenium-supplementation-normalizes-oxidative-stress-in-women-at-high-risk-of-breast-cancer

Health bill alone won't stem costs - White House
Last Updated: 2009-12-03 9:00:07 -0400 (Reuters Health)
* Reform bills alone not enough to curb spending - Orszag
* Budget chief says current bills need "further tweaking"
* Orszag: administration focusing on implementation
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Healthcare reforms working their way through the U.S. Congress will help slow rising medical costs but more will have to be done in coming years, a top Obama administration official said on Wednesday.
White House budget director Peter Orszag said proposals by Democratic lawmakers could still use "further tweaking" to strengthen them and further reduce the cost of U.S. healthcare, but he declined to mention specifics.
President Barack Obama's drive for healthcare overhaul, his chief domestic policy goal, has aimed to both increase access to care for Americans and halt the rapid growth in the $2.4 trillion industry.
Healthcare costs now make up 16 percent of the U.S. economy and are forecast to reach 20 percent by 2017.
Orszag said other actions outside of Congress would still be needed to improve how medical care is delivered, including the Senate's proposed independent commission to oversee parts of Medicare, a government "entitlement" program that provides health insurance for the elderly and disabled.
"It would not be practical to get those kinds of provisions into just an entitlement reform bill," he told reporters at the National Press Club.
His comments come as senators launched a contentious debate over Democrats' $849 billion proposal to expand access to medical insurance by saving money elsewhere in the nation's $2.5 trillion healthcare sector.
The House of Representatives has already passed its $1 trillion measure, which must be combined with whatever the Senate passes before Obama can sign it into law.
CRITICS DECRY REFORM COSTS
Orszag noted that the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated the bills will help reduce the government's deficit. The Senate's measure would close the gap by $127 billion in the next decade and another $650 billion 10 years after that, the CBO has said.
Republicans and other critics have said the proposals cost too much and that savings forecast by the CBO either are not realistic or could evaporate over time.
Orszag did not say what additional steps Obama might take in his next budget proposal in February to deal with healthcare. But he did say healthcare reform alone will not bring down the U.S. deficit -- now at $1.4 trillion.
"Fiscally responsible health reform is necessary but not sufficient to address our immediate-term deficit and long-term deficit problem, and there is more that will be necessary," Orszag said. "We'll be talking more about that next year."
Even more crucial to the bill's success is how well any final law is put into place, Orszag said.
"A huge amount will depend on how this is executed and implemented, and a lot of attention will have to be paid in the next few years to getting this done right," he said.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will likely carry out much of the legislation. It is the only U.S. health agency in which Obama has not appointed a director.
Asked whether the agency has the staff and funding to do so, Orszag said the administration is focused on ensuring there are sufficient resources to carry out the task.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/03/eline/links/20091203elin009.html

Thomson Reuters poll: Most in US want public health option
Last Updated: 2009-12-03 9:00:50 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Most Americans would like to see a "public option" in health insurance reform but doubt anything Congress does will lower costs or improve care in the short term, according to a poll released on Thursday.
The survey of 2,999 households by Thomson Reuters Corp shows a public skeptical about the cost, quality and accessibility of medical care.  Just under 60 percent of those surveyed said they would like a public option as part of any final healthcare reform legislation, which Republicans and a few Democrats oppose.
Here are some of the results of the telephone survey of 2,999 households called from November 9-17 as part of the Thomson Reuters PULSE Healthcare Survey:
* Believe in public option: 59.9 percent yes, 40.1 percent no.
* 86 percent of Democrats support the public option versus 57 percent of Independents and 33 percent of Republicans.
* Quality of healthcare will be better 12 months from now: 35 percent strongly disagree. 11.6 percent strongly agree. 29.9 percent put themselves in the middle.
* Believe the amount of money spent on healthcare will be less 12 months from now: 52 percent strongly disagree, 13 percent strongly agree.
* 23 percent believe it will be easier for people to receive the care they need a year from now.
The nationally representative survey has a margin of error of plus or minus 1.8 percent.
The House of Representatives passed a healthcare overhaul bill last month.
The Senate is debating a plan and will vote on Thursday on competing measures to ensure women have access to mammograms and other preventive screenings and amendments on proposed spending cuts in the Medicare government health program for the elderly.
If the Senate passes a bill, the two versions will have to be reconciled and passed again by each chamber before being sent to President Barack Obama for his signature.
The Senate plan is designed to slow the rate of growth in healthcare, expand coverage to about 30 million uninsured Americans and halt industry practices such as denying coverage to those with pre-existing medical conditions.
It would require everyone to have insurance, provide federal subsidies to help them pay for it and establish a new government-run insurance option to compete with private industry.
Thomson Reuters is the parent company of Reuters.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/03/eline/links/20091203elin017.html

Fatty acids in diet affect ulcerative colitis risk
Last Updated: 2009-12-02 15:16:58 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People who eat lots of red meat, cook with certain types of oil, and use some kinds of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-heavy margarines may be increasing their risk of a painful inflammatory bowel disease, a study in more than 200,000 Europeans shows.
These foods are high in linoleic acid and the study have found that people who were the heaviest consumers of this omega-6 PUFA were more than twice as likely to develop ulcerative colitis as those who consumed the least.
Dr. Andrew Hart of the University of East Anglia in Norwich, UK, and his colleagues also found that eating more eicosapentaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish and fish oils, was associated with a lower risk of the disease.
While people need a certain amount of linoleic acid to survive, Hart noted in an interview with Reuters Health, excess amounts are taken up into the lining of the colon, and if they're released, they can promote inflammation. Omega-3 fatty acid, he added, does the opposite. "It basically dampens down inflammation," he explained.
To investigate the role of fatty acids and ulcerative colitis, a life-long disease characterized by inflammation of the lining of the large intestine, Hart and his colleagues looked at data from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) trial, which includes over half a million people from 10 European countries.
Their analysis included 203,193 men and women 30 to 74 years old. During follow-up, which ranged from about 2 to 11 years, 126 people developed ulcerative colitis.
People in the top quartile of linoleic acid intake (they were consuming around 13 to 38 grams a day) were 2.5 times more likely to have developed the disease than people who consumed the least, about 2 to 8 grams daily.
There's currently no proven dietary treatment for ulcerative colitis, Hart noted, but the current findings raise the possibility that eating a diet low in linoleic acid could be helpful.
While a Western-style, red-meat-heavy diet is high in this fatty acid and low in omega-3s, Hart noted, a more Mediterranean style eating pattern -- with plenty of fruits and vegetables, fish, and nut oils -- would be low in linoleic acid and high in omega-3.
He estimated that if omega-3s do help prevent ulcerative colitis, eating a couple of servings of fish a week would probably be protective.
SOURCE: Gut, December 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/02/eline/links/20091202elin005.html

Pine bark extract may boost diabetic eye health

Nutraingredients.com, 03-Dec-2009

Supplements of French maritime pine bark extract may improve the flow of blood in the tiny blood vessels of the retina, and enhance sight in diabetics with early stage eye problems, says a new study.
Visual acuity, or the clearness of vision, was found to improve from 14/20 to 17/20 in people with early stage retina damage associated with diabetes(diabetic retinopathy) following daily supplements of the pine bark extract, Pycnogenol, for two months.
Forty-six diabetics participated in the randomised controlled study with the findings published in the Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and Therapeutics.
“Our study suggests that Pycnogenol taken in the early stages of retinopathy may enhance retinal blood circulation accompanied by a regression of oedema, which favourably improves vision of patients,” said lead researcher Dr Robert Steigerwalt. “Pycnogenol may be particularly beneficial for preventing this complication in diabetic patients, based on the large number of individuals who were diagnosed when the disease had already significantly progressed.”
Feared complications
An estimated 19 million people are affected by diabetes in the EU 25, equal to four per cent of the total population. This figure is projected to increase to 26 million by 2030.
In the US, there are almost 24 million people with diabetes, equal to 8 per cent of the population. The total costs are thought to be as much as $174 billion, with $116 billion being direct costs from medication, according to 2005-2007 American Diabetes Association figures.
According to the National Institute of Health, between 40 and 45 percent of Americans diagnosed with diabetes already have some stage of diabetic retinopathy, a major cause of blindness in people with diabetes and is one of the most feared diabetic complications.
Pine bark potential
Researchers from G D’Annunzio University in Italy and Horphag Research, the company behind the pine bark extract, randomly assigned 24 subjects to receive a daily dose of 150 mg of Pycnogenol and 22 subjects to receive placebo for to months. All subjects had been diabetic for at least four years and showed early signs of retinopathy characterised by capillaries in the eye leaking fluid into the retina causing swellings.
At the end of the study, 75 per cent of participants in the Pycnogenol group subjectively perceived improvements in their visual acuity. Tests showed a significant improvement in visual acuity from 14/20 to 17/20 after two months of Pycnogenol supplementations. No improvements were recorded in the placebo group, said the researchers.
Commenting on the potential mechanism, the researchers noted that the pine bark extract may improve endothelial function by stimulating nitric oxide synthase, which leads to the production of the potent vasodilator nitric oxide. This would improve blood flow by dilating the blood vessels. The researchers also noted that Pycnogenol may inhibit matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that are involved in causing changes to the permeability of blood vessels.
“Retinal oedema has been ascribed to cause blurred vision, therefore, the reduced oedema found in our patients was expected to improve vision,” they added.
Source: Journal of Ocular Pharmacology and “Pycnogenol Improves Microcirculation, Retinal Edema and Visual Acuity in Early Diabetic Retinopathy”Authors: R. Steigerwalt, G. Belcaro, M.R. Cesarone, A. Di Renzo, M.G. Grossi, A. Ricci, M. Dugall, M. Cacchio, F. Schonlau
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Pine-bark-extract-may-boost-diabetic-eye-health

Maternal folic acid may slash heart problems in children

Nutraingredients.com, 03-Dec-2009

Folic acid supplements during pregnancy may not only reduce the risk of birth defects but also protect the children from congenital heart defects, says a new study from the Netherlands.
Children of women who took at least 400 micrograms per day during pregnancy were about 20 per cent less likely to develop congenital heart defects (CHDs), compared to children of women who did not take additional folic acid, according to findings published this week in the European Heart Journal.
“Our results support the hypothesis that additional periconceptional folic acid use reduces CHD risk in infants,” wrote the researchers, led by Ingrid van Beynum from the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre.
“Use of periconceptional folic acid supplements was related to about a 20 per cent reduction in the prevalence of any CHD. Given the relatively high prevalence of CHD worldwide, our findings are important for public health,” they added.
B for baby benefits
An overwhelming body of evidence links folate deficiency in early pregnancy to increased risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) - most commonly spina bifida and anencephaly - in infants.
This connection led to the 1998 introduction of public health measures in the US and Canada, where all grain products are fortified with folic acid - the synthetic, bioavailable form of folate.
Preliminary evidence indicates that the measure is having an effect with a reported 15 to 50 per cent reduction in NTD incidence. A total of 51 countries now have some degree of mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid.
However, similar measures in other countries have been opposed by concerns that the folate/folic acid may mask vitamin B12 deficiency, which leads to a form of neurological problems.
The new study supports the benefits to the children of ensuring adequate folic acid/ folate during pregnancy. The Dutch researchers analysed data from over 3,000 mothers and infants for their case-control study.
Children of women who took additional folic acid, defined as a daily single supplement or as a multivitamin containing a folic acid dose of at least 400 micrograms, were found to have an 18 per cent lower risk of CHDs.
In a subgroup analysis, additional folic acid was associated with a 38 per cent reduction in isolated septal defects, said the researchers.
With such obvious benefits for the child, the researchers said that their findings may have important implications for public health.
Source: European Heart Journal "Protective effect of periconceptional folic acid supplements on the risk of congenital heart defects: a registry-based case-control study in the northern Netherlands" Authors: Ingrid M. van Beynum, L. Kapusta, M.K. Bakker, M. den Heijer, H.J. Blom, H.E.K. de Walle
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Maternal-folic-acid-may-slash-heart-problems-in-children

Why Humans Outlive Apes: Human Genes Have Adapted to Inflammation, but We Are More Susceptible to Diseases of Aging
ScienceDaily (Dec. 3, 2009) — In spite of their genetic similarity to humans, chimpanzees and great apes have maximum lifespans that rarely exceed 50 years. The difference, explains USC Davis School of Gerontology Professor Caleb Finch, is that as humans evolved genes that enabled them to better adjust to levels of infection and inflammation and to the high cholesterol levels of their meat rich diets.
In the December issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (Early Edition), Finch reveals that these evolutionary genetic advantages, caused by slight differences in DNA sequencing and improvements in diet, make humans uniquely susceptible to diseases of aging such as cancer, heart disease and dementia when compared to other primates.
Finch, the ARCO & William F. Kieschnick Professor in the Neurobiology of Aging and a distinguished University Professor, argues that a major contributor to longevity for humans is the genes that adapt to higher exposure to inflammation.
"Over time, ingestion of red meat, particularly raw meat infected with parasites in the era before cooking, stimulates chronic inflammation that leads to some of the common diseases of aging," Finch said.
In addition to differences in diets between species of primates, humans evolved unique variants in a cholesterol transporting gene, apolipoprotein E, which also regulates inflammation and many aspects of aging in the brain and arteries.
ApoE3 is unique to humans and may be what Finch calls "a meat-adaptive gene" that has increased the human lifespan.
However, the minor allele, apoE4, when expressed in humans, can impair neuronal development, as well as shorten human lifespan by about four years and increase the risk of heart disease and Alzheimer disease by several-fold. ApoE4 carriers have higher totals of blood cholesterol, more oxidized blood lipids and early onset of coronary heart disease and Alzheimer's disease.
"The chimpanzee apoE functions more like the "good" apoE3, which contributes to low levels of heart disease and Alzheimer's," Finch said. Correspondingly, chimpanzees in captivity have unusually low levels of heart disease and Alzheimer-like changes during aging.
Finch hypothesizes that the expression of ApoE4 could be the result of the antagonistic pleiotropy theory of aging, in which genes selected to fight diseases in early life have adverse affects in later life.
"ApoeE may be a prototype for other genes that enabled the huge changes in human lifespan, as well as brain size, despite our very unape-like meat-rich diets," Finch said. "Drugs being developed to alter activities of apoE4 may also enhance lifespan of apoE4 carriers."
Support was provided by the National Institute on Aging and the Ellison Medical Foundation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091202153802.htm

Childhood Lead Exposure Causes Permanent Brain Damage
ScienceDaily (Dec. 2, 2009) — A study using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to evaluate brain function revealed that adults who were exposed to lead as children incur permanent brain injury. The results were presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
"What we have found is that no region of the brain is spared from lead exposure," said the study's lead author, Kim Cecil, Ph.D., imaging scientist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center and professor of radiology, pediatrics and neuroscience at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. "Distinct areas of the brain are affected differently."
The study is part of a large research project called the Cincinnati Lead Study, a long-term lead exposure study conducted through the Cincinnati Children's Environmental Health Center, a collaborative research group funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Cincinnati Lead Study followed prenatal and early childhood lead exposure of 376 infants from high-risk areas of Cincinnati between 1979 and 1987. Over the course of the project, the children underwent behavioral testing and 23 blood analyses that yielded a mean blood lead level.
Lead, a common and potent poison found in water, soil and lead-based paint, is especially toxic to children's rapidly developing nervous systems. Homes built before 1950 are most likely to contain lead-based paint, which can chip and be ingested by children.
"Lead exposure has been associated with diminished IQ, poor academic performance, inability to focus and increased risk of criminal behavior," Dr. Cecil said.
Dr. Cecil's study involved 33 adults who were enrolled as infants in the Cincinnati Lead Study. The mean age of the study participants, which included 14 women and 19 men, was 21 years. The participants' mean blood lead levels ranged from 5 to 37 micrograms per deciliter with a mean of 14. Participant histories showed IQ deficiencies, juvenile delinquency and a number of criminal arrests.
Each participant underwent fMRI while performing two tasks to measure the brain's executive functioning, which governs attention, decision making and impulse control. The imaging revealed that in order to complete a task that required inhibition, those with increased blood lead levels required activation from additional regions within the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain.
"This tells us that the area of the brain responsible for inhibition is damaged by lead exposure and that other regions of the brain must compensate in order for an individual to perform," Dr. Cecil said. "However, the compensation is not sufficient."
Imaging performed during a second task designed to test attention revealed an association between higher lead levels and decreased activation in the parietal region and other areas of the brain.
According to Dr. Cecil, the brain's white matter, which organizes and matures at an early age, adapts to lead exposure, while the frontal lobe, which is the last part of the brain to develop, incurs multiple insults from lead exposure as it matures.
"Many people think that once lead blood levels decrease, the effects should be reversible, but, in fact, lead exposure has harmful and lasting effects," she said.
Dr. Cecil believes that these findings lend support to previous reports from the Cincinnati Lead Study showing that the lasting neurological effect of lead exposure, rather than a poor social environment, is a key contributor to the subsequent cognitive and behavior problems in this group.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091201084152.htm

Meditation slashes risk of heart attack, stroke and death in heart disease patients by half

S. L. Baker, NaturalNews.com  December 3, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Transcendental Meditation (TM) first became well-known in the U.S. during the 1960s when the Beatles showed interest in studying the stress-reducing technique. But meditation hasn't gone the way of love beads and flower power since then. In fact, various techniques, including TM, have received serious scientific scrutiny and researchers have documented many health benefits of meditation.

Now a $3.8 million study funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) has reached a first-ever finding: patients with coronaryheart disease who practiced TM had a nearly 50 percent lower rate of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to a matched group that didn't meditate.

The results of the study, which was conducted at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee in collaboration with the Institute for Natural Medicine and Prevention at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa, were presented recently at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association in Orlando, Florida. "Previous research on Transcendental Meditation has shown reductions in blood pressure, psychological stress, and other risk factors for heart disease, irrespective of ethnicity," Robert Schneider, M.D., the study's lead author and director of the Center for Natural Medicine and Prevention, said in a statement to the media. "But this is the first controlled clinical trial to show that long-term practice of this particular stress reduction program reduces the incidence of clinical cardiovascular events, that is heart attacks, strokes and mortality."

The randomized controlled trial followed 201 African American men and women for nine years. The research subjects had an average age of 59 and all were diagnosed with narrowing of arteries in their hearts. The study participants continued taking their regular medications and continued other usual medical care during the study. But half were randomly assigned to a group that practiced stress reducing TM and the other half were placed in a non-meditating group that received health education classes covering standard cardiovascular risk factors.

In addition to a dramatic reduction in the risk of death, heart attacks, and strokes in the TM group, the researchers found a clinically significant reduction in blood pressure. Mediation also reduced psychological stress in a sub-group of patients who were experiencing high levels of anxiety and other signs of stress.

"This study is an example of the contribution of a lifestyle intervention -- stress management -- to the prevention of cardiovascular disease in high-risk patients," Theodore Kotchen, M.D., co-author of the study and associate dean for clinical research at the Medical College, said in the press statement. 
http://www.naturalnews.com/027646_meditation_heart_attack.html

Remember the Dangers of Refined Sugar

Fleur Hupston, NaturalNews.com  December 3, 2009 

(NaturalNews) In Western societies, the consumption of refined sugar is a daily addiction. From pouring syrup or sugar over pancakes and cereals at breakfast, to heaping it into coffee and tea, the habit continues during the day, resulting in obesity and health problems. Sugar content is often hidden from the unwary consumer and this raises questions such as: Is sugar really so bad? What exactly does it do to the human body? Can the definition of poison really be applied to sugar?

Poison is described in the dictionary as `A substance that injures or kills an organism` and is `destructive to health`.

It is widely documented that the amount of sugar the average person in Western societies obtains in his or her daily diet contributes to an immune system that is constantly operating below optimum levels.

Since sugar is stripped of all nutrients, the body must `borrow` missing vitamins and minerals required to metabolize sugar from its own tissues. Sugar damages health over time. Sugar is the chief culprit in many diseases and degenerative conditions; it creates havoc with the immune system and contributes to diseases such as obesity, tooth decay, damage to the pancreas, premature aging, osteoporosis, hyperactivity in children and weakening of eyesight. It contributes to the risk of heart disease and autoimmune diseases such as arthritis, asthma, and multiple sclerosis - this in addition to a plethora of other effects.

As far back as 1957 in his article published in the Michigan Organic News, Dr. William Coda classified sugar as a poison because it is stripped of life forces, vitamins and minerals. "What is left consists of pure, refined carbohydrates. Incomplete carbohydrate metabolism results in the formation of `toxic metabolite` such as pyruvic acid. This interferes with the function of a part of the body and is the beginning of degenerative disease".

Most people know that sugar is bad for teeth and rots them. If sugar is doing that to a person`s teeth,what is it doing to the rest of the body? In his book "Sugar Blues", William Dufty notes, "Dental researchers have proven that the teeth are subject to the same metabolic processes that affect other organs of the body." In other words, the acid that destroys tooth enamel is the same acid destroying the body.

Sugar should be eliminated from the diet in even small quantities. Avoid sugar and food containing hidden sugars - read ALL labels.

There are plenty of healthy alternatives to sugar. Try a little raw honey (unheated and unfiltered - heat can destroy the enzymes, rendering it almost as bad as refined sugar), Stevia or raw molasses. Brown sugar is not better for health than white sugar - brown sugar is simply white granulated sugar with dyes and chemicals added.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027644_refined_sugar_dangers.html

Genetically Engineered Crops have Led to Massive Increases in Pesticide Use
Ethan Huff, NaturalNews.com  December 3, 2009 

(NaturalNews) According to a recent report compiled from U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data, the growing of genetically engineered crops has led to a 383 million pound increase in U.S. pesticide use during the time period spanning from 1996 to 2008. The Organic Center (TOC), the Union for Concerned Scientists (UCS), and the Center for Food Safety (CFS) jointly released the report that illustrates the environmental hazards posed by the farming of GMO crops.

Since their initial unveiling, GMOs have been touted by the agricultural biotechnology industry as the discovery that will end world hunger and improve the environment. Nothing could be further from the truth. Among their many other negative consequences, "herbicide-tolerant" (HT) GMOcrops have resulted in new herbicide-resistant weeds that are sprouting up in farmers' fields. When farmers respond by increasing pesticide use, ever-stronger "superweeds" continue to appear.

GMO seeds are significantly more expensive than natural seeds and have been continuing to climb in price over the years. Big AgriBio defends the higher costs by suggesting the farmer benefit from not having to use as much pesticide on GMO crops. The reality is that farmers are using much more pesticide in order to fight superweeds.

Glyphosate, the active ingredient in Monsanto's RoundUp herbicide, is no longer effective at treating the weeds that result from the planting of "RoundUp-ready" crops. Thus millions of acres of farmland are now plagued by superweeds that are destroying the environment, ruining crops, and ultimately ruining farmers' businesses.

All industry promises of increased yields, decreased pesticide use, and cures for world hunger have proven to be entirely bogus. Not one claim made by the biotechnology industry concerning the benefits of GMOs has proven true. Independent scientific reports continue to show that industry assertions in favor of GMOs are patently false.

Pesticide residue in foods that contain GMO ingredients is also significant. Such pesticides are linked to reproductive abnormalities, neurological disorders, birth defects, and other bodily harm. GMOs themselves are also implicated in a host of bodily disorders including digestive problems and the perpetuation of GMO fragments in the body. No long-term studies have ever verified the safety of GMOs and most independent research proves them to be dangerous in a number of different ways.

Americans must step up and demand mandatory labeling of products that contain GMO ingredients. If more people realized the extent to which GMOs have contaminated the food supply, the demand for GMO-free foods would greatly increase. Growers, producers, and retailers would surely take notice and the market would correct the problem by providing wholesome, organic options that are free of toxic GMO contaminants. Transparency in labeling would do much to curb the use of GMOs.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027642_genetically_engineered_crops_pesticides.html

Boston teen panel: Lady Gaga, Foxx songs unhealthy

RUSSELL CONTRERAS (AP) – December 2, 2009

BOSTON — An initiative to encourage healthy teen relationships says songs by Jamie Foxx and Lady Gaga are the musical equivalent of junk food.
A teen panel working with the Boston Public Health Commission has determined that their songs are among the top 10 with "unhealthy relationship ingredients."
The commission on Tuesday released its list based on a "nutrition label" rating popular songs on healthy relationship themes.
The "Sound Relationships Nutrition Label" was developed by 14 teens after they attended a seven-week commission-sponsored institute on healthy relationship promotion and teen dating violence prevention. During the seven-week program, teens were also taught to evaluate music based on themes of power, control, equality and gender roles.
The teens then developed their list after analyzing songs from Billboard's "Hot 100" chart.
Mario's "Break Up" featuring Gucci Man and Sean Garrett and Jamie Foxx's "Blame It" featuring T-Pain topped the list for the most unhealthy relationship songs of 2009. Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" and Pitbull's "Hotel Room Service" were also listed.
Among the teen panel's top 10 songs with healthy themes: "Miss Independent" by Ne-Yo and "Meet Me Halfway" by the Black Eyed Peas.
Shaquilla Terry, 15, of Boston, a teen panel member, said it was important for listeners to go beyond the songs' beats and listen to the lyrics.
The commission says its program aims to teach teens how to evaluate popular media, and help parents talk to teens about healthy relationships. Commission officials also said the label invites consumers to become song lyric nutritionists by helping them identify positive and negative messages about relationships in songs.
"We aren't telling people what they should or should not be listening to," Barbara Ferrer, the commission's executive director, said in a statement. "We are giving them a tool that will help them make an informed choice about what they put in their bodies."
In addition to the label, the commission also plans to released a lesson plan for teachers.
Jack Perricone, chair of the songwriting department at the Berklee College of Music, said pop songs generally allow listeners to get away from the bad news of the day. But he said pop music, by its very nature, is very repetitive, and sometimes if songs have negative messages, those repetitive messages can get inside teens' heads.
"Some (artists) play up the bad boy image and put out negative images as a way to be commercially successful," said Perricone, who was not affiliated with the commission. "But then they have to deal with the moral implications."

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jrBHZduLn_pKPfr3aKfYD862XdDwD9CAQNVG1

Prince Charles calls for herbal medicine to be formally regulated
Mail Online (UK)   01st December 2009
Prince Charles has clashed with the medical establishment by calling for alternative medicine to be given the official seal of approval.
The Prince, a long-standing supporter of complementary therapies, wants herbalists and acupuncturists to be formally regulated like physiotherapists and osteopaths.
His Foundation for Integrated Health says a system of registration will protect livelihoods under threat from new EU rules on the therapies.
But the Royal College of Physicians says it would confer an air of 'respectability' on a branch of medicine that is not proven to work.
The row centres on an EU directive that will from next year ban herbalists, including practitioners of Chinese medicine, from prescribing many treatments unless the law recognises them as health professionals.
The Foundation, which was set up by the Prince of Wales in 1993, says the solution is a system of registration, that would put herbalists on equal footing to physiotherapists and osteopaths. Acupuncturists would also be registered.
A spokesman for the charity said that without the scheme the therapies could be driven underground, and lives put at risk.
He added: 'The Government is under pressure from a small but vociferous group of scientists who claim that regulation is about recognising professional status rather than protecting the public. 
'That is absolutely wrong. If Government caves in to their demands, public health will be put at risk. 
'Millions of us use herbal medicine - around a quarter of the population have done so at some time in their lives and about one in twelve have consulted a herbalist.   
'The Prince’s Foundation for Integrated Health fears that many will be unwilling to give up the remedies they believe help them, and instead resort to unregulated internet retailers or bogus practitioners. 
'There have been cases where the products they use have been found to be adulterated with unsafe, illegal pharmaceuticals - and to contain lead, mercury or arsenic.'
Dr Michael Dixon, the charity's medical director, said: 'No one deserves to die for no better reason than preferring herbal remedies to conventional medicine.'
A spokesman for the Prince said he had recently met Health Secretary Andy Burnham.
He added that one of the Foundation's main objectives was to 'safeguard the millions of people who regularly use herbal medicine.'
But the Royal College of Physicians is against statutory regulation on the grounds that it would make such treatments appear 'credible'.
In a submission to the Department of Health, which is consulting over the possibility of introducing registration, it said that herbalism, in particular, carries 'significant' risks.  And registration could 'increase the possibility of harm'.
David Colquhoun, a professor of pharmacology at University College London, said: 'Registration is a nonsense.
'You can't make sensible rules for registering something until you know if it works or not. There is quite good evidence that most of it doesn't work.
'This particular form of registration will give what appears to the public to be an endorsement and that is going to endanger patients.
'As for Charles, his behaviour is desperately unconstitutional.  The monarchy doesn't interfere in public affairs but he does it unashamedly.'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1232390/Prince-Charles-calls-alternative-medicine-formally-regulated.html

Green tea chemical combined with another may hold promise for treatment of brain disorders
Boston Biomedical Research Institute, December 3, 2009
Watertown, MA—Scientists at Boston Biomedical Research Institute (BBRI) and the University of Pennsylvania have found that combining two chemicals, one of which is the green tea component EGCG, can prevent and destroy a variety of protein structures known as amyloids. Amyloids are the primary culprits in fatal brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, Huntington's, and Parkinson's diseases. Their study, published in the current issue of Nature Chemical Biology (December 2009), may ultimately contribute to future therapies for these diseases.
"These findings are significant because it is the first time a combination of specific chemicals has successfully destroyed diverse forms of amyloids at the same time," says Dr. Martin Duennwald of BBRI, who co-led the study with Dr. James Shorter of University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine.
For decades a major goal of neurological research has been finding a way to prevent the formation of and to break up and destroy amyloid plaques in the brains and nervous systems of people with Alzheimer's and other degenerative diseases before they wreak havoc.
Amyloid plaques are tightly packed sheets of proteins that infiltrate the brain. These plaques, which are stable and seemingly impenetrable, fill nerve cells or wrap around brain tissues and eventually (as in the case of Alzheimer's) suffocate vital neurons or brain cells, causing loss of memory, language, motor function and eventually premature death.
To date, researchers have had no success in destroying plaques in the human brain and only minimal success in the laboratory. One reason for these difficulties in finding compounds that can dissolve amyloids is their immense stability and their complex composition.  Yet, Duennwald experienced success in previous studies when he exposed amyloids in living yeast cells to EGCG. Furthermore, he and his collaborators also found before that DAPH-12, too, inhibits amyloid production in yeast.
In their new study, the team decided to look in more detail at the impact of these two chemicals on the production of different amyloids produced by the yeast amyloid protein known as PSI+. They chose this yeast amyloid protein because it has been studied extensively in the past, and because it produces varieties of amyloid structures that are prototypes of those found in the damaged human brain. Thus, PSI+ amyloids are excellent experimental paradigms to study basic properties of all amyloid proteins.
The team's first step was to expose two different amyloid structures produced by yeast (e.g., a weak version and a strong version) to EGCG. They found that the EGCG effectively dissolved the amyloids in the weaker version. To their surprise, they found that the stronger amyloids were not dissolved and that some transformed to even stronger versions after exposure to EGCG.
The team then exposed the yeast amyloid structures to a combination of the EGCG and the DAPH-12 and found that all of the amyloid structures broke apart and dissolved.
"Our findings are certainly preliminary and we need further work to fully comprehend the effects of EGCG in combination with other chemicals on amyloids. Yet, we see our study as a very exciting initial step towards combinatorial therapies for the treatment of amyloid-based diseases," says Duennwald.
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2009-12/bbri-gt120209.php

Copenhagen climate change talks must fail, says top scientist
Exclusive: World's leading climate change expert says summit talks so flawed that deal would be a disaster

Guardian, UK   December 2, 2009

The scientist who convinced the world to take notice of the looming danger of global warming says it would be better for the planet and for future generations if next week'sCopenhagen climate change summit ended in collapse.

In an interview with the Guardian, James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate scientist, said any agreement likely to emerge from the negotiations would be so deeply flawed that it would be better to start again from scratch.

"I would rather it not happen if people accept that as being the right track because it's a disaster track," said Hansen, who heads the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York.
"The whole approach is so fundamentally wrong that it is better to reassess the situation. If it is going to be the Kyoto-type thing then [people] will spend years trying to determine exactly what that means." He was speaking as progress towards a deal in Copenhagen received a boost today, with India revealing a target to curb its carbon emissions. All four of the major emitters – the US, China, EU and India – have now tabled offers on emissions, although the equally vexed issue of funding for developing nations to deal with global warming remains deadlocked.

Hansen, in repeated appearances before Congress beginning in 1989, has done more than any other scientist to educate politicians about the causes of global warming and to prod them into action to avoid its most catastrophic consequences. But he is vehemently opposed to the carbon market schemes – in which permits to pollute are bought and sold – which are seen by the EU and other governments as the most efficient way to cut emissions and move to a new clean energy economy.

Hansen is also fiercely critical of Barack Obama – and even Al Gore, who won a Nobel peace prize for his efforts to get the world to act on climate change – saying politicians have failed to meet what he regards as the moral challenge of our age.

In Hansen's view, dealing with climate change allows no room for the compromises that rule the world of elected politics. "This is analagous to the issue of slavery faced by Abraham Lincoln or the issue of Nazism faced by Winston Churchill," he said. "On those kind of issues you cannot compromise. You can't say let's reduce slavery, let's find a compromise and reduce it 50% or reduce it 40%."
He added: "We don't have a leader who is able to grasp it and say what is really needed. Instead we are trying to continue business as usual."
The understated Iowan's journey from climate scientist to activist accelerated in the last years of the Bush administration. Hansen, a reluctant public speaker, says he was forced into the public realm by the increasingly clear looming spectre of droughts, floods, famines and drowned cities indicated by the science.
That enormous body of scientific evidence has been put under a microscope by climate sceptics after last month's release online of hacked emails sent by respected researchers at the climate research unit of the University of East Anglia. Hansen admitted the controversy could shake public's trust, and called for an investigation. "All that stuff they are arguing about the data doesn't really change the analysis at all, but it does leave a very bad impression," he said.
The row reached Congress today, with Republicans accusing the researchers of engaging in "scientific fascism" and pressing the Obama administration's top science adviser, John Holdren, to condemn the email. Holdren, a climate scientist who wrote one of the emails in the UEA trove, said he was prepared to denounce any misuse of data by the scientists – if one is proved.
Hansen has emerged as a leading campaigner against the coal industry, which produces more greenhouse gas emissions than any other fuel source.
He has become a fixture at campus demonstrations and last summer was arrested at a protest against mountaintop mining in West Virginia, where he called the Obama government's policies "half-assed".

He has irked some environmentalists by espousing a direct carbon tax on fuel use. Some see that as a distraction from rallying support in Congress for cap-and-trade legislationthat is on the table.
He is scathing of that approach. "This is analagous to the indulgences that the Catholic church sold in the middle ages. The bishops collected lots of money and the sinners got redemption. Both parties liked that arrangement despite its absurdity. That is exactly what's happening," he said. "We've got the developed countries who want to continue more or less business as usual and then these developing countries who want money and that is what they can get through offsets [sold through the carbon markets]."
For all Hansen's pessimism, he insists there is still hope. "It may be that we have already committed to a future sea level rise of a metre or even more but that doesn't mean that you give up.
"Because if you give up you could be talking about tens of metres. So I find it screwy that people say you passed a tipping point so it's too late. In that case what are you thinking: that we are going to abandon the planet? You want to minimise the damage."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/02/copenhagen-climate-change-james-hansen

Nepal to hold highest Cabinet meeting near Everest
The Associated Press    Dec. 3, 2009
SYANGBOCHE, Nepal - A group of Nepalese ministers reached the Mount Everest region Thursday for a Cabinet meeting being billed as the highest ever , a stunt meant to highlight the threat global warming poses to Himalayan glaciers.
The meeting comes ahead of an international climate change conference beginning next week in Copenhagen, Denmark, and is meant to draw attention to the effects climate change is having on the region surrounding the world's highest peak.
The 23 ministers flew in sunny weather to the airstrip in Lukla, a town at an elevation of 9,180-feet (2,800 meters) that is considered the gateway to the Mount Everest region. They were to stay overnight before flying by helicopter to Kalapathar for Friday's meeting at an altitude of 17,192 feet (5,250 meters).
Scientists say the Himalayas' glaciers are melting at an alarming rate, creating lakes whose walls could burst and flood villages below. Melting ice and snow also make the routes for mountaineers less stable and more difficult to follow.
The high-altitude meeting comes on the heels of the recent underwater Cabinet meeting held in another South Asian nation, the Maldives, also meant to draw attention to global warming. In that October stunt, Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed and 13 government officials donned scuba gear and took their seats at a table on the ocean floor , 20 feet (6 meters) below the surface.
Due to the high altitude and risks involved, Friday's mountainside meeting will be brief, with the ministers soon flown down to the town of Syangboche, at a safer 12,800 feet (3,900 meters).
Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal was scheduled to attend the meeting, but four ministers could not make it due to health concerns or other engagements, said Siddhartha Bajracharya, a government official.
Rescue helicopters and doctors have been positioned at Lukla, Syangboche and at the meeting venue, according to the Himalayan Rescue Association.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/world/20091203_ap_nepaltoholdhighestcabinetmeetingneareverest.html

80 Million Or 1 In 3 Americans Has Heart Disease
Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News  12-01-09
Nov. 30--Cardiovascular Disease is currently the leading cause of death in the United States. At present, 80 million or 1 in 3 Americans have one or more forms of cardiovascular (heart) disease. Statistics from the American Heart Association suggest that heart disease is currently the cause of 1 out of every 2.8 deaths. Estimates for the year 2006 gave the breakdown for that year as follows -- In 2006, among those who had heart disease, approximately 73.6 million suffered from high blood pressure, 16.8 million had coronary artery disease (i.e. had experienced an acute heart attack or had active angina or chest pain), 6.5 million had dealt with a stroke, and 5.7 million had experienced heart failure.
As a research scientist who speaks frequently on chronic disease prevention, I am often asked two recurring questions when I present statistics to my audience(s) on any chronic disease: 1) Why do we need all these numbers -- Isn't this "stuff" just for the academics?, and 2) What does this have to do with me? -- Do these numbers really represent me (or should they matter to me) as an individual? Here are my answers to the above two questions: 1) No, this "stuff" is NEITHER just academic, NOR is it just for the academics, and 2) Yes, these numbers DO represent you, and include you as an individual -- and, they do matter. Here's why.
WHEN ACADEMIA MEETS REAL LIFE
Two weeks ago on the morning of November 13, my dear father passed away unexpectedly and very suddenly as a result of an acute, catastrophic, fatal heart failure. Being a heart patient, he had been on the standard set of drugs that are given to all patients in his situation. Yet, notwithstanding the beneficial effects of these drugs, he still endured a fatal cardiac arrest without any warning or prior symptoms of an impending problem. In fact, quite surprisingly, even a minute or two before his demise, he was talking normally and appeared symptom free. The sudden and unexpected nature of his death has prompted me to write this post for the benefit of those who might find themselves in the midst of a similar crisis. Given the heart disease statistics cited above, chances are not just high, but indeed very high that you may at some point find yourself facing a similar crisis (either as a patient or a caregiver). If you happen to be in the position of a caregiver, carefully read the following protocol, as it may quite possibly save someone's life.
STEPS THAT CAN SAVE A LIFE DURING AN ACUTE CARDIAC CRISIS
1. The very first moment you suspect that there may be a serious cardiac emergency at hand, call 911.
2. If the patient is at all responsive and able to swallow, give him/her a standard Aspirin tablet (325 mg), or if a medication such as Nitroglycerin has been previously prescribed for the patient, give the patient the doctor recommended dose sublingually.
3. If the patient is unresponsive and has collapsed, do not panic. After calling 911, immediately administer CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) -- CPR can be "Hands-only" or involve both chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (Links on learning how to do this below). When an adult has a sudden cardiac arrest, his or her survival depends greatly on immediately getting CPR from someone nearby. Unfortunately, most bystanders -- in either fear or ignorance -- do nothing to help a patient in such a situation due to fear of making the situation worse. In doing nothing, they make the worst decision of all. The data suggests that only 1/3rd of individuals in a cardiac arrest situation at home, work, or in a public place are able to receive immediate and potentially life-saving CPR.
LEARNING HOW TO DO CPR
Most adults have not attended a formal CPR class or course, and many of them feel that they do not have the time to attend such a course. To address that problem, here are two links that provide a brief video demonstration of the correct way to administer CPR. These videos are a "must-see" for all who desire to be equipped with the ability to administer CPR should a cardiac emergency arise:
1. Two Steps to Save a Life -- Learn How to do "Hands-Only" CPR
2. Learn CPR -- Video Demonstration of Standard CPR for Adults
This year an estimated 1.26 million Americans will have a new or recurrent coronary attack. Thousands of others will have sudden heart failure. Statistics suggest that greater than 300,000 people die each year of a heart attack either at home or in the emergency room without being hospitalized. Most of these are sudden deaths caused by cardiac arrest, usually resulting from ventricular fibrillation. A great many of these deaths can be prevented if prompt CPR is performed on the patient, or if both medication and CPR are administered immediately.
There is no doubt that when we read statistics on a particular disease, or even thoughtfully written research-based articles on disease prevention, it can all seem very academic, in fact, even very impersonal. But, to all reading this -- the very purpose of academic work, especially in the field of Medicine is to benefit, serve, and whenever possible, save lives. When academia meets real life, when your loved one is the one in a crisis or when you are -- academic knowledge suddenly seems very important and personally relevant.
Please take the time to view the links and resources in this post -- ahead of the time when you just might need them to save someone's life. And, please also forward the post to others whom it may benefit. "Later on," maybe just too late.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9074&Section=Disease

Diet, exercise and weight loss key to lowering blood-cholesterol

Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) 12-01-09
Cologne, Germany (dpa) - A healthy diet with lots of seasonal vegetables, fruit and high-fibre foods such as whole grain can often bring high blood-cholesterol levels back to normal, noted Richard Raedsch, a member of the Professional Association of German Internists (BDI).
Raedsch said it was also important to eat less sugar and simple carbohydrates found in many supposedly healthy processed foods and heavily sweetened yogurt. Consumption of animal fats -- contained in sausage and dairy products, for example -- should be reduced as well.
Raedsch pointed out, however, that blood cholesterol levels were driven less by diet than previously thought. Most of the cholesterol in the blood is produced by the body itself. Weight loss and exercise, along with healthy eating habits, help to lower blood-fat levels.
Proper lifestyle changes usually lower cholesterol in just a few weeks, allowing many people to do without medication.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=9076&Section=Nutrition

U.S. senator: reform cost for pharma may be higher
Last Updated: 2009-12-01 16:28:19 -0400 (Reuters Health)
* Finance chairman says $80 bln deal not definite
* Industry has said sector's costs still "in same ballpark"
By Susan Heavey
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The price tag for drugmakers to help pay for healthcare reform efforts may be higher than the $80 billion deal the industry originally made with Democratic senators and the White House, the head of the Senate finance panel said on Tuesday.
"That's still in discussion. It's not definite," Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus told reporters. "It could be more, but that has yet to be determined."
Representatives for Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) had no immediate comment on Baucus' comments on Tuesday.
Drugmakers, who back Democrats' reform efforts, in late June said they had worked out an $80 billion deal with Baucus' committee and the Obama administration to help fund lawmakers' bid to expand health insurance access. The industry offered to give the government higher rebates, among other concessions.
Senate staffers earlier said there were no changes to that deal when Majority Leader Harry Reid earlier this month released the full Senate's measure that merged Baucus' bill with another from the health committee.
But some Wall Street analysts have said that the most recent Senate bill released earlier this month would cost pharmaceuticals companies up to $100 billion - a $20 billion increase.
After the bill's release, the industry's lobby group did not point to any significant changes.
"We believe that we are still in the same ballpark with respect to our contributions to health care reform," PhRMA Senior Vice President Ken Johnson had told Reuters shortly after the bill's release.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/01/eline/links/20091201elin021.html

Iraq sees alarming rise in cancers, deformed babies
Last Updated: 2009-12-01 10:05:47 -0400 (Reuters Health)
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - The guns are gradually falling silent in Iraq as a fragile stability takes hold, turning the spotlight on a stealthier killer likely to stalk Iraqis for years to come.
Cases of cancer, deformed babies and other health problems have risen sharply, Iraqi officials say, and many suspect contamination from weapons used in years of war and accompanying unchecked pollution as a cause.
"We have seen new kinds of cancer that were not recorded in Iraq before war in 2003, types of fibrous (soft tissue) cancer and bone cancer. These refer clearly to radiation as a cause," said Jawad al-Ali, an oncologist in Iraq's second city of Basra.
In the city of Falluja in western Iraq, scene of two of the fiercest battles between U.S. troops and insurgents after the 2003 U.S. invasion, a spike in the number of births of stillborn, deformed and paralyzed babies has alarmed doctors.
The use of depleted uranium in U.S. and coalition weaponry in the 1991 war to liberate Kuwait and the 2003 Iraq invasion is well documented, but establishing a link between the radioactive metal and health problems among Iraqis is hard, officials say.
Iraqi medical facilities are limited, and keeping accurate health statistics during years of sectarian slaughter unleashed by the invasion was impossible.
In Basra in particular, pummeled by years of war and swamped with industrial and agricultural pollution, it is difficult for doctors to isolate specific causes for cancer.
Its people have for years lived among mounds of scrap metal that include war debris, the brown rust flaking off into the wind and carried into peoples homes, food, and lungs.
"Our information indicates there are more than 200 square kilometers of land south of Basra containing war debris, some of which is contaminated with depleted uranium," said Bushra Ali, of the Environment Ministry's radiation prevention department.
A 2007 Basra University medical journal report found "no major rise" in cancer death rates, but that the proportion of children dying of cancer in Basra had jumped 65 percent in 1997 and 60 percent in 2005, compared to 1989.
CHILDREN SUFFERING MOST?
Depleted uranium, a dense metal, is used in weaponry to pierce heavy armor such as on tanks. Linking it to ill health is controversial -- the British Ministry of Defense says there is "no reliable scientific or medical" evidence.
Large quantities of depleted uranium were used in the first Gulf War, some of it near Basra.
It is not clear how much, if any, was used in Falluja by U.S. troops fighting mostly house-to-house battles in two assaults on the city in 2004.
The U.S. military did, however, use white phosphorous, which can cause serious burns if it comes in contact with skin, to mark targets or to flush enemy gunmen out of their hideouts.
Five years later, doctors in Falluja are recording an unusual number of babies with congenital heart disease and neural tube defects, the latter involving abnormal spinal cord or brain development, which can cause paralysis and death.
"The marked increase of congenital malformations of newborns in this hospital pushed the hospital's board of directors to form a special committee to investigate and record these cases," said Abdulsatar Kadim, manager of Falluja's main hospital.
Doctors say they have not been able to isolate a specific cause. Several factors can trigger the condition, including a lack of folic acid during pregnancy.
A neural pediatric specialist, who declined to be named, said he was seeing on average three or four newborns with neural tube defects a week in Falluja and its surrounding areas, a region with a population of about 675,000 people.
In Britain, the incidence of the condition is less than 1 birth in every 1,000. Most births in and around Falluja are at its main hospital, where up to 30 are recorded daily, roughly equating to a neural tube defect rate of 14 in every 1,000.
"Some families decide to end the matter from the beginning. They choose to end the life of child, by refusing surgery for them -- 90 percent of the children whom we don't treat die in the first year," said a Falluja doctor who declined to be named.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/01/eline/links/20091201elin011.html

Constipation: an early sign of Parkinson's?
Last Updated: 2009-12-01 14:10:48 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with a history of constipation may be at increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease down the road, research hints.
In a study, Dr. Walter A. Rocca at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues found a history of constipation about two times more frequent in a group of men and women with Parkinson's disease than in an age-matched group of men and women who did not have the disease.
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative brain disease that causes body tremors, rigid muscles, and difficulty walking and talking. The disease alters the body's autonomic nervous system, which controls spontaneous body processes such as heart rate, digestion, salivation, and bowel function.
Chronic constipation is common among people who suffer from Parkinson's and it has been suggested that constipation may precede the appearance of classic movement symptoms of the disease in some people. For example, in the Honolulu-Asia Aging Study, men who reported less frequent bowel movements had a significantly higher risk of Parkinson's disease over 24 years than men who reported more frequent bowel movements.
To investigate further, Rocca's team evaluated about 38 years of medical records of individuals living in Olmsted County, Minnesota. They compared constipation history in 196 men and women who developed Parkinson's at an average age of 71 years, and 196 Parkinson's-free "controls" of similar age and gender.
Roughly 36 percent of the Parkinson's patients had a history of constipation compared with only 20 percent of the controls, a significant difference. After allowing for differences in age, smoking, coffee drinking, the use of constipation-inducing drugs, and constipation during the 19 years prior to the onset of Parkinson's disease, Parkinson's patients remained about two times more likely than controls to have a history of constipation.
The association between constipation and Parkinson's was evident long before the onset of the disease, the researchers note. "Indeed, the association remained significant when restricted to constipation documented more than 20 years before the onset of Parkinson's disease," they note in a report in the journal Neurology.
The findings, say the investigators, suggest that constipation is an early manifestation of the neurodegenerative process underlying Parkinson's disease. This study, Rocca added in comments to Reuters Health, "adds new evidence to accumulating literature" suggesting that Parkinson's disease has a very long preclinical period.
However, because constipation has many causes not specifically related to nervous system function it is not a specific marker for Parkinson's disease, Rocca noted.
Further investigations are needed to confirm and additionally evaluate the potential link between constipation and Parkinson's disease, Rocca said.
In the meantime, he suggests individuals with constipation focus on managing their current symptoms rather than worry about Parkinson's disease risk.
SOURCE: Neurology, November 24, 2009
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/12/01/eline/links/20091201elin004.html

Nutrition victory: Cancer doctors begin prescribing vitamin D as part of cancer therapy

E. Huff, NaturalNews.com  December 2, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Resounding evidence proving the effectiveness of vitamin D in slowing the onset of breast, colon, and other cancers is convincing a growing body of doctors and physicians to utilize the sunshine vitamin in their arsenal of cancer treatment weapons.

In the last several years, numerous epidemiological studies have illustrated the correlation between vitamin D deficiency and serious disease, including cancer. Researchers are now focusing attention on elevated levels of "therapeutic" vitamin D, far above the government's daily recommended amounts, for use in disease treatment and prevention.

Oncologist Tracey O'Connor from the Roswell Park Cancer Institute in Buffalo has stated that she is now having all her patients supplement with vitamin D. Since vitamin D carries no risk unless taken at enormously high amounts above and beyond what any normal person would ingest, it can only benefit those who are already healthy by preventing disease, as well as those who are sick.

Recent studies have also shown that the general public is grossly deficient in vitamin D. Those with debilitating diseases have been found to be the most deficient, indicating a clear correlation between deficiency and the onset of disease. O'Connor pointed out that among women with breastcancer, about 80 percent of them are vitamin D-deficient.

Current research is suggesting that healthy doses of vitamin D require a several-thousand IU daily intake rather than the two- to six-hundred IU dose that has typically been recommended. While these lower levels may prevent rickets, they do little or nothing to prevent the development of many common ailments that have become prevalent in modern society.

Natural sunlight is the best way to obtain vitamin D throughout the warm months of the year. The precursor to vitamin D, ultraviolet light from the sun is absorbed into the skin where it is converted into this life-giving vitamin. The body knows when it has received enough for the day and shuts off production at the proper time, eliminating the risk of generating too much.

Vitamin D3 is the next best option as it is a natural plant form of vitamin D that is readily absorbed by the body. Advocacy groups and physicians recommend anywhere from 1,000 to 50,000 IU a day of vitamin D3 depending upon a person's condition. Healthy individuals typically do well taking between 2,000 and 10,000 IU a day while someone with cancer might be prescribed as much as 50,000 IU a day as part of a cancer treatment plan.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027637_cancer_vitamin_D.html

Eating processed meat boosts diabetes risk by 40 percent

Paul Louis, NaturalNews.com  December 2, 2009 

(NaturalNews) A report based on data from 12 pooled cohort studies on heavy meat diets was led by Dagfinn Aune from the University of Oslo and published in the journal Diabetologia. The study determined that the high intake of processed meat may increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by up to 41 percent. 

This new meta-analysis was conducted jointly from Norway and the US. The general conclusions of the study suggested that: "High intake of total meat increased the risk of diabetes by 17 percent, while red meat and processed meat were associated with 21 and 41 percent increases indiabetes risk." 

One of the primary purposes of this study was to resolve, " . . . inconsistencies from previous studies which found both positive and negative associations between meat consumption and the risk of type 2 diabetes." 

Barry Popkin from the University of North Carolina described the study as "excellent' and he went on to say that it "reiterates the concerns echoed in other major reviews and studies on the adverse effects of excessive meat intake". 

The higher rate of diabetes risk from processed meats can be attributed to the nitrates used as preservatives. Other studies have documented that nitrates cause beta cell toxicity. Beta cells are involved with the production of insulin. Consequently, their ability to produce insulin is blocked by nitrate induced toxicity. 

Animal model studies proved that low doses of nitrosamine streptozotocin induced type 2 diabetes. Nitrosamines are formed by the nitrates interacting with amino acids in the stomach.

Earlier studies have documented negative health consequences with heavy meat eating. The US National Cancer Institute (NCI) has warned that ". . . high intakes of red and processed meats may raise the risk of lung and colorectal cancer by up to 20 percent." And the World Cancer Research Fund has reported a direct link to cancer with alcohol, red and processed meats. They also found that heavy red and processed meat eaters risked earlier death. 
http://www.naturalnews.com/027636_processed_meat_diabetes.html

Flavonoids From Fruits, Veggies Help Halt Dementia and Alzheimer's

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  December 2, 2009 

(NaturalNews) Evidence continues to mount that the family of plant compounds known as flavonoids can help slow or even halt the progression of Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia.

Flavonoids are a family of chemicals that have been widely studied for a variety of health benefits. They are powerful antioxidants and occur in high concentrations in a variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits, berries, grapes, onions, parsley and legumes. Other good sources include tea (especially green and white), red wine, dark chocolate, ginkgo biloba and seabuckthorn.

Researchers warn that much dark chocolate found in stores is actually relatively low in flavonoids, as the compounds tend to impart a bitter flavor and are often removed during processing.

For a long time, scientists believed that the powerful antioxidant properties of flavonoids – allowing them to scour damaging free radicals from the body – were behind their health effects. Alzheimer's-related flavonoid research fell out of favor, however, when studies demonstrated that most flavonoids break down rapidly in the body and cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, and when tests with other antioxidants such as Vitamin E showed no benefit in dementia patients.

New research suggests that flavonoids may operate by a different mechanism entirely to provide benefit to patients with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, however. 

"There have been some intriguing epidemiological studies that the consumption of flavonoid-rich vegetables, fruit juices and red wine delays the onset of the disease," said Robert Williams of Kings College London.

In a presentation to the summer meeting of the British Pharmacological Society in Edinburgh, Williams reported findings that the chemical epicatechin, in the catechin family of flavonoids, can reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease when taken orally.

"We have found that epicatechin protects brain cells from damage but through a mechanism unrelated to its antioxidant activity and shown in laboratory tests that it can also reduce some aspects of Alzheimer's disease pathology," Williams said. "This is interesting because epicatechin and its breakdown products are measurable in the bloodstream of humans for a number of hours after ingestion and it is one of the relatively few flavonoids known to access the brain suggesting it has the potential to be bioactive in humans."

"Our findings support the general concept that dietary intake of flavonoid-rich foods or supplements could impact the development and progression of dementia," Williams said, calling for more research.

"The challenge now is to identify the single flavonoid or combination of flavonoids that exert the most positive effects and to define the mechanisms of action and optimal quantity required before embarking on clinical trials to treat their effectiveness in dementia."

Prior studies have found improved cognition in senior citizens who drink higher quantities of green tea, which is particularly high in flavonoids. Other studies have suggested that the catechins in green tea may reduce the cognitive effects of Alzheimer's disease, including impaired memory and reference ability. Another study found that antioxidants in green tea reduced the oxidative stress in the brain caused by the buildup of beta-amyloid plaques.

Beta-amyloid proteins are strongly correlated with the progression of Alzheimer's disease, although researchers remain divided over whether the proteins actually cause the disease or play some other role altogether.

Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia. It is an incurable, fatal and degenerative disease that leads to progressive loss of cognitive function. Approximately 15 to 20 million people suffer from the disease worldwide.

In addition to helping slow the progression of Alzheimer's, research suggests that flavonoids may also help the body react to allergens, viruses and carcinogens. Catechins have been found in laboratory studies to reduce the risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, and to delay some of the signs of aging.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027634_flavonoids_dementia.html

Physical health leads to mental health

A healthy mind really does come in a healthy body, new research has claimed

Telegraph, UK  01 Dec 2009

A study of more than a million young men found those who were fittest performed best in intelligence tests. The findings confirm the ancient quotation that dates back to Roman times that physical and mental health go hand in hand.

The link was found on many different measures of mental performance with cardiovascular fitness – but not muscular strength. Dr Maria Aberg, a neuroscientist of Gothenburg University, said: "These results support the notion promoting physical exercise could serve as a public health strategy to optimise educational achievement."
The researchers used data collected from all male Swedes born between 1950 and 1976 who enlisted for military service at 18 and found cardiovascular fitness indicated increased intelligence, better performance on cognitive tests and higher educational achievement.
Many earlier studies have linked physical exercise with cognition in animals and humans – but most of the human studies focused on children or older adults.

The few studies of young adulthood — a time when the brain changes rapidly and many cognitive traits are established — have been inconsistent. Dr Aberg said the ability of the brain to adapt to a new situation, environment or consequences of an injury is often referred to as "brain plasticity" and physical exercise strongly affects this process. In rodents exercise has been shown to improve brain functions including memory.

She said: "Our data demonstrate that cardiovascular fitness and cognitive performance at age 18 are positively associated. "Change in physical achievement between ages 15 and 18 predicted cognitive performance at age 18. Moreover, cardiovascular fitness during early adulthood predicted socioeconomic status and educational attainment later in life.

"To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate a clear positive association between cardiovascular fitness and cognitive performance in a large population of young adults. These results have implications for the influence of exercise on plasticity. In animal studies, a number of mechanisms have been shown to play a role in exercise-induced cognition and memory improvements."

The sample included a total of 1,221,727 men and their heart rate was measured using a stationary bicycle called an ergometer.

Dr Aberg said: "During early adulthood, a phase in which the central nervous system displays considerable plasticity and in which important cognitive traits are shaped, the effects of exercise on cognition remain poorly understood. Cardiovascular fitness, as measured by ergometer cycling, positively associated with intelligence. In contrast, muscle strength was not associated with cognitive performance."

Meanwhile scientists have also discovered that long term physical activity has an anti-ageing effect deep down at a cellular level. Researchers from Saarland University in Germany, who published in the journal Circulation, found exercise protected chromosomes from damage and led to a longer life for cells.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/science-news/6692474/Physical-health-leads-to-mental-health.html

HRT

Patients Rejoice: Resveratrol is an Effective Replacement to Traditional HRT, Study Finds

Frank Mangano, NaturalNews.com  December 2, 2009 

(NaturalNews) There`s some great news for women who want to decrease their menopausal symptoms without increasing their risk for long term diseases associated with taking hormone replacements: Resveratrol.

Because of the inherent risks associated with hormone replacement therapy (HRT), women approaching or in their menopausal years have been at somewhat of an impasse over the past seven years. For instance, should they opt for what the Mayo Clinic calls "the most effective treatment" in estrogen therapy for menopausal symptoms, despite the increased risk for long term diseases? Or should women opt for natural treatments that may not have the same effectiveness track record that estrogen has, but then again that don`t have the same side effects track record either?

Well, thanks to the findings of a study that gives women yet another natural option for treatment, the impasse seems to be, well, passing.

Up to now, natural treatment adherents have sought things like soy and red clover. And as studies in respected journals like Fertility and Sterilitycan attest, treatments such as these work and work with little to no side effects.

But if the findings on resveratrol are deemed accurate, and there`s nothing to suggest that they aren`t accurate, the plant chemical resveratrol may be even better.

Writing about their findings in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry, researchers compared the effectiveness of resveratrol to genistein, glystein and daidzein, all derivatives of soy, to see if any one outperformed the other in killing off tumor cells (cell death, otherwise known as apoptosis).

While the researchers found that the soy derivatives were effective in initiating cell death (particularly genistein and glystein), they found that resveratrol was better than all the rest, mimicking the effectiveness of estrogen in its "proapoptotic effects," minus the side effects.

It may be natural for women to lose the ability to produce the same amount of estrogen in their later years, but this knowledge doesn`t make the side effects of low estrogen production any easier. In fact, because the short term side effects can be so irritating (e.g., hot flashes at all times of the day, even when sleeping; vaginal dryness, etc.) and the long term side effects so life altering (e.g., low estrogen production increases the risk for osteoporosis) synthetic hormone replacement therapy remains a common practice. But after the 2002 report from the Women`s Health Initiative that estrogen plus progestin increases the risk for breast cancer, stroke, heart disease and blood clots, natural alternatives to hormone replacementtherapy have become rather commonplace.

Outside of resveratrol supplements, foods and drinks rich in resveratrol include red grapes (the grape skins, specifically), red wine, peanuts (peanuts aren`t as "rich" in resveratrol, but they contain reservatrol nonetheless) and grape juice.
http://www.naturalnews.com/027639_resveratrol_HRT.html

To Keep Muscles Strong, the 'Garbage' Has to Go

ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2009) — In order to maintain muscle strength with age, cells must rid themselves of the garbage that accumulates in them over time, just as it does in any household, according to a new study in the December issue of Cell Metabolism. In the case of cells, that waste material includes spent organelles, toxic clumps of proteins, and pathogens.
The researchers made their discovery by studying mice that were deficient for a gene required for the tightly controlled process of degradation and recycling within cells known as autophagy. Those animals showed profound muscle atrophy and muscle weakening that worsened with age.
"If there is a failure of the system to remove what is damaged, and that persists, the muscle fiber isn't happy," said Marco Sandri of the University of Padova in Italy. Damaged and misfolded proteins pile up along with dysfunctional mitochondria, distended endoplasmic reticulum, free radicals, and other aberrant structures. Eventually, some of those muscle cells die, and "the muscles become weaker and weaker with age."
The muscle wasting observed in the mice seems to bear some resemblance to certain forms of muscle-wasting diseases, Sandri said. He now suspects that this kind of mechanism may offer insight into some of those still-unexplained conditions, as well as the muscle weakening that comes with normal aging (a condition known as sarcopenia).
Researchers knew before that excessive autophagy could also lead to muscle loss and disease. The new findings highlight the importance of maintaining a normal level of autophagy to clear away the debris and keep muscles working properly. Although the discovery seems to make perfect sense in retrospect, it wasn't what Sandri's team had initially anticipated.
"We thought if you reduced autophagy it might protect against atrophy," he said. "Instead, it's the opposite. We realized, OK, of course, if you don't remove the damage, it triggers weakness."
The findings may have clinical implications, he says. There has been interest in developing therapies to block proteins' degradation for treating certain muscle-wasting disorders. But in some cases, at least, "it may be better to activate autophagy and remove the garbage in the cells," Sandri said. The researchers think similar treatments might combat aging sarcopenia as well, noting that another study has shown a decline in the efficiency of autophagy during aging.
The researchers include Eva Masiero, Dulbecco Telethon Institute, Padova, Italy, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Lisa Agatea, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy; Cristina Mammucari, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Bert Blaauw, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Emanuele Loro, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy; Masaaki Komatsu, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo, Japan; Daniel Metzger, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, INSERM, Illkirch-Cedex, France; Carlo Reggiani, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; Stefano Schiaffino, University of Padova, Padova, Italy; and Marco Sandri, Dulbecco Telethon Institute, Padova, Italy, Venetian Institute of Molecular Medicine, Padova, Italy, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/12/091201131738.htm

Western Diets Turn on Fat Genes: Energy-Dense Foods May Activate Genes That Ultimately Make Us Obese
ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2009) — Those extra helpings of gravy and dessert at the holiday table are even less of a help to your waistline than previously thought. According to a new research report recently appearing online in The FASEB Journal, a diet that is high in fat and in sugar actually switches on genes that ultimately cause our bodies to store too much fat.
This means these foods hit you with a double-whammy as the already difficult task of converting high-fat and high-sugar foods to energy is made even harder because these foods also turn our bodies into "supersized fat-storing" machines.
In the research report, scientists show that foods high in fat and sugar stimulate a known opioid receptor, called the kappa opioid receptor, which plays a role in fat metabolism. When this receptor is stimulated, it causes our bodies to hold on to far more fat than our bodies would do otherwise.
According to Traci Ann Czyzyk-Morgan, one of the researchers involved in the work, "the data presented here support the hypothesis that overactivation of kappa opioid receptors contribute to the development of obesity specifically during prolonged consumption of high-fat, calorically dense diets."
To make this discovery, Czyzyk-Morgan and her colleagues conducted tests in two groups of mice. One group had the kappa opioid receptor genetically deactivated ("knocked out") and the other group was normal. Both groups were given a high fat, high sucrose, energy dense diet for 16 weeks. While the control group of mice gained significant weight and fat mass on this diet, the mice with the deactivated receptor remained lean. In addition to having reduced fat stores, the mice with the deactivated receptor also showed a reduced ability to store incoming nutrients.
Although more work is necessary to examine what the exact effects would be in humans, this research may help address the growing obesity problem worldwide in both the short-term and long-term. Most immediately, this research provides more proof that high-fat and high-sugar diets should be avoided. In the long-term, however, this research is even more significant, as it provides a new drug target for developing therapies for preventing obesity and helping obese people slim down.
"In times when food was scarce and starvation an ever-present threat, an adaptation that allows our bodies to store as much energy as possible during plentiful times was probably a lifesaver," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of The FASEB Journal. "By taking that opioid receptor off the table, researchers may have found a way to keep us from eating ourselves to death."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091130121433.htm

Believers' Inferences About God's Beliefs Are Uniquely Egocentric

ScienceDaily (Dec. 1, 2009) — Religious people tend to use their own beliefs as a guide in thinking about what God believes, but are less constrained when reasoning about other people's beliefs, according to new study published in the Nov. 30 early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
Nicholas Epley, professor of behavioral science at the University of Chicago's Booth School of Business, led the research, which included a series of survey and neuroimaging studies to examine the extent to which people's own beliefs guide their predictions about God's beliefs. The findings of Epley and his co-authors at Australia's Monash University and UChicago extend existing work in psychology showing that people are often egocentric when they infer other people's beliefs.
The PNAS paper reports the results of seven separate studies. The first four include surveys of Boston rail commuters, UChicago undergraduate students and a nationally representative database of online respondents in the United States. In these surveys, participants reported their own belief about an issue, their estimated God's belief, along with a variety of others, including Microsoft founder Bill Gates, Major League Baseball's Barry Bonds, President George W. Bush, and an average American.
Two other studies directly manipulated people's own beliefs and found that inferences about God's beliefs tracked their own beliefs. Study participants were asked, for example, to write and deliver a speech that supported or opposed the death penalty in front of a video camera. Their beliefs were surveyed both before and after the speech.
The final study involved functional magnetic resonance imaging to measure the neural activity of test subjects as they reasoned about their own beliefs versus those of God or another person. The data demonstrated that reasoning about God's beliefs activated many of the same regions that become active when people reasoned about their own beliefs.
The researchers noted that people often set their moral compasses according to what they presume to be God's standards. "The central feature of a compass, however, is that it points north no matter what direction a person is facing," they conclude. "This research suggests that, unlike an actual compass, inferences about God's beliefs may instead point people further in whatever direction they are already facing."
But the research in no way denies the possibility that God's presumed beliefs also may provide guidance in situations where people are uncertain of their own beliefs, the co-authors noted.
Funding was provided by the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, the Templeton Foundation, and the National Science Foundation.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/11/091130151321.htm

Women 'happier with life than men'

Times of India   2 December 2009
Women get more pleasure out of life than men  but only by 15 minutes a day, says a new study. 

Social Policy Research Centre fellow Dr Roger Patulny, from the University of New South Wales: "If you add up all the times together - the good times and the bad times - men have about 10 minutes less time that they enjoy than women in a day and six minutes more time that they dislike." 

"Women tend to enjoy the things that they do with their time more than men do," Patulny said. 

In the study, the expert found that the biggest negative for women was housework: 90 minutes of it every day, reports The Daily Telegraph . 

As for males, they did about 50 minutes of unenjoyable chores. 

They also endured more "bad" time in paid work and commuting, the research added. "Women seem happier," Patulny said. "They are happier if you ask them how satisfied they are with life but they also have more happy time." 

He believes that the difference may be that males tend to be more socially disconnected because they spend less time with families and friends and are more likely to see themselves as lonely.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/relationships/man-woman/Women-happier-with-life-than-men/articleshow/5288113.cms

Thought of sweets make you take up more blood sugar

Times of India  2 December 2009
Even the anticipation of bingeing on donuts, ice cream and chocolate truffle can cause your muscles to start taking up more blood sugar, scientists have said.

According to researchers, who reported the study in the December issue of Cell Metabolism , aCell Press publication , the message is delivered via neurons in the brain’s hypothalamus containing the chemical known as orexin and the sympathetic nervous system. 

Orexin neurons are known to switch on when we are motivated to eat or seek other rewards. They also play a role in active wakefulness. 

"Our results show that good taste, a pleasant meal, and its expectation stimulate muscle glucose utilization and thereby decrease blood glucose level during feeding," said Yasuhiko Minokoshi of the National Institute for Physiological Sciences in Japan. 

"Thus, blood glucose level after feeding is controlled by hedonic as well as homeostatic regulatory systems, the expert added. 

Minokoshi’s team earlier showed that the fat hormone leptin activates glucose uptake and fat burning in muscle. Those effects depend on signals from the hypothalamus, a brain region that is critical for maintaining energy balance. 

"However, an important role of the brain is to control the internal environment in our body by responding to and by anticipating external stimuli," Minokoshi said. That led him to suspect that the brain might control glucose metabolism in muscle based on expectations, and orexin seemed a prime candidate to mediate such an effect. 

Indeed, Minokoshi and colleague Tetsuya Shiuchi now show that injection of orexin-A into the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) of mice or rats increased glucose uptake and storage in skeletal muscle. These effects of orexin were blunted in mice lacking receptors of the sympathetic nervous system. 

When mice were conditioned to expect the sweet taste of saccharin, it activated their orexin-MH-sympathetic nervous system to promote insulin-induced glucose uptake, they found. Mice that were allowed to taste and lick a glucose solution for a few consecutive days and were then treated with an orexin-receptor blocker showed higher blood sugar levels than those injected with saline. 

"The most important finding is that hedonic feeding affects muscle glucose utilization and that orexin is involved in the regulation," Minokoshi said. 

Orexin has been shown to stimulate feeding, he added, and in fact, they confirmed that mice lacking the orexin gene were less interested than normal mice in sweets. He concludes that orexin may be responsible for controlling and coordinating both feeding behavior and muscle glucose metabolism.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Thought-of-sweets-make-you-take-up-more-blood-sugar/articleshow/5291629.cms

Exposure to insect repellent linked to penis defects

Times of India  1 December 2009
Mums-to-be who are exposed to insect repellent in the earliest phase of pregnancy are likely to give birth to boys with hypospadias in penises, say researchers.

This is where the opening of the penis is in the wrong place - usually back from the tip and on the underside - and it often requires corrective surgery. 

According to University of NSW Professor of Toxicology and Occupational Health Chris Winder, the number of kids with birth defects has been increasing. 

"This particular defect of the male urethra is quite common ... and has been linked to environmental sources as well as genetic problems," the Daily Telegraph quoted Winder as saying. 

"... Here is more evidence that pregnant mothers, or mothers planning pregnancy, should limit their exposure to chemicals such as insect repellents," he added. 

During the study, researchers quizzed mothers of 471 babies with hypospadias, and another 490 randomly selected babies, about their lifestyles and chemical exposures during pregnancy.

They found that use of insect repellents during the first three months of pregnancy was associated with an 81 per cent increased risk of hypospadias. 

The mums did not state what type of repellent they used but their most common active ingredient is N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide - otherwise known as DEET. 

However, authors have cautioned more research was needed before firm conclusions could be drawn.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Exposure-to-insect-repellent-linked-to-penis-defects/articleshow/5288270.cms

Depression really does change the way you see world

Times of India 1 December 2009
The world looks different if you’re depressed, concludes a new study. 

According to the research, depressed people find it easy to interpret large images or scenes, but when it comes to "spot the difference" in fine detail, they struggle, reports New Scientist. 

It has been found that people with the condition have a shortage of a neurotransmitter called GABA. GABA has also been linked to a visual skill called spatial suppression, which helps humans suppress details surrounding the object their eyes are focused on. 

Now, Yale University researchers are trying to link this ability with major depressive disorder (MDD). 

To reach the conclusion, Julie Golomb asked 32 people to watch a brief computer animation of white bars drifting over a grey and black background, and say which way they were moving. 

Fifty percent of the group had good mental health, while the rest had recently recovered from depression. 

During the analyses, when the image was large, the recovered volunteers found the task easier, which means they would do better in the forest scenario. But they performed less well than the other group when looking at a small image. 

"Their ability to discriminate fine details was impaired, which is the sort of perception that we tend to use on a daily basis," said Golomb. 

The study has been published in the Journal of Neuroscience . 

"Depression is often thought of as just a mood disorder," she says, "but it can impact upon eating and sleeping habits, and now we know it can even affect the way a person sees the world." 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Depression-really-does-change-the-way-you-see-world/articleshow/5287657.cms

Promiscuity not behind HIV epidemic

Times of India  1 December 2009
While it is widely believed that promiscuity or overlapping multiple sexual partners are driving the HIV epidemic, Brown University researchers have found that there is not much scientific evidence to support the idea . 

Thus, they have said that more research is needed to prove that the sexual practice of concurrency has accelerated the spread of HIV in Africa. 

"People have just accepted at face value that this is the main thing that’s driving the epidemic. But the evidence that concurrency is a major factor is very weak," said epidemiologist Mark Lurie, assistant professor community health and medicine. 

In their argument, Lurie and co-author Samantha Rosenthal have said that there is no conclusive evidence that overlapping multiple sexual partners increases the size of an HIV epidemic, accelerates the speed at which the virus is transmitted or makes HIV more persistent in a given population. 

They drew their conclusion by looking at previous studies that examined concurrency in any way. And this, they say, is because HIV epidemics can’t be explained by a single variable-a number of factors are more likely, with some factors more important in some geographic areas than others. 

"The studies you need to prove causality don’t exist. None of those studies have been done," said Lurie. While the researchers don’t dispute the notion that concurrent sexual relationships could "theoretically" play a major role driving HIV transmission through networks of people, but to prove this true, a number of research initiative are needed, they said. 

And thus they have proposed improved methods for measuring both sexual behaviour and the duration or overlapping of sexual partnerships. Other than that, a common definition of concurrency is also needed. 

There is a need for longitudinal studies that measure both concurrency and incidence of HIV infection. Without the added data, Lurie said, there is a risk that public policy-makers, development agencies, and aid organizations are spending too much money on campaigns against taking on overlapping multiple sexual partners when other causes may matter more. 

"We are also worried about the unintended consequences of concurrency interventions. If you are giving a message that says “Don’t have concurrent partnerships, then people can easily take away from that the message to have lots of partnerships as long as they don’t overlap," said Lurie. 

The study has been published in an upcoming issue of the journal AIDS and Behaviour .
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life/health-fitness/health/Promiscuity-not-behind-HIV-epidemic/articleshow/5152594.cms