Healthy Mitochondria for Healthy Life

The New Straits Times 03-02-09
THE human body is made up of trillions of cells. How you feel and function depends on how all these cells feel and function. To stay healthy, each cell must produce its own energy. Cells cannot borrow energy from each other.
This energy is created by microscopic structures called mitochondria. "Mitochondria are the power plants of our cells," says Simon Melov, director of the genomics core at the Buck Institute for Age Research in Novato, California. "They convert food into energy in the form of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), which the body uses to live."
For this to happen, cells require a vitamin - like substance called Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).
Most cells contain between 500 and 2,000 mitochondria which account for as much as 60 per cent of the volume of muscle cells and 45 per cent of the volume of heart cells. Mitochondria are unusual because they have their own genes and their own DNA. (All other DNA is found inside the cell's nucleus.) Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is more likely to get damaged in the course of everyday living.
This damage has been implicated as a major contributor to the ageing process. Some researchers believe that damage to the mitochondria may be the ultimate cause of ageing.
"Mitochondria have been called the Achilles' heel of the cell in ageing," says lifespan researcher Tory Hagen of the Linus Pauling Institute in Corvallis, Oregon. Damaged mitochondria can also lead to disease. In fact, more than 200 inherited diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, cancer, heart disease and stroke, have been associated with impaired mitochondrial function.
Every time mitochondria make energy, they produce harmful free radicals which, if not neutralised, can cause damage to the mitochondria.
The mitochondria membranes are the key to energy production. If the membranes are damaged, less energy is produced and toxins build up. To prevent free radical damage, cells recruit a set of antioxidants like a combination of Alpha Lipoic Acid, Acetyl L- Carnitine and CoQ10.
"It's possible that weakened mitochondria leave people more susceptible to Parkinson's Disease or accelerates the progression of Alzheimer's," says Mark Mattson, chief of the cellular and molecular neurosciences section of the National Institute on Aging.
1. CoQ10 is a vital ingredient in energy production. As we grow older, our body produces less CoQ10 and that's when our energy- producing system starts to slow down. Our brains are no longer sharp, our hearts do not beat as efficiently and we tire easily.
Low levels of CoQ10 affect every aspect of life. It also affects health, which brings on diseases and speed up ageing. It is not surprising that scientists have regarded the body's energy- producing system as the most basic system. It is also the master energy system that runs all our body's functions - circulatory system, immune system, endocrine system and everything else that keeps us alive. Yet this most important system has largely been ignored, and the result has wrought havoc on the lives of almost everyone that has past the age of 30. What causes deficiency?
CoQ10 is produced by the body in a 17-step process that requires at least eight vitamins, trace minerals and the amino acid tyrosine. A lack of one can hinder the production of CoQ10. Also, after age 20, CoQ10 level starts to decline and the accelerated drop is seen after 40.
2. Acetyl-L-Carnitine or Alcar is a natural constituent of the inner mitochondrial membrane, especially in heart, brain, and muscle. Since the levels decline with age, supplementation of Alcar is vital as it also helps restore mitochondrial function.
Alcar also helps burn fatty acids (fats) for energy and is involved in the transportation of long chain fatty acids into the mitochondria for conversion of energy. Heart function is affected because the heart becomes starved of its major fuel source, fats.
3. Alpha Lipoic Acid is a potent antioxidant. Studies found that using LA will dramatically lower oxidative stress, decreasing damage to the mitochondria.
The combination of LA and Alcar can help improve memory and cognitive (thinking) performance in older adults. Again it involves the mitochondria. There is evidence that the mitochondria in the brain are very important in memory and cognitive functions.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7958&Section=Nutrition

Cervical cancer study to examine green tea

The Arizona Daily Star, Tucson 03-02-09
Mar. 2--Arizona Cancer Center researchers will study women with cervical infections to look for evidence that green tea plays a role in cancer prevention.
The clinical study, sponsored by the National Cancer Institute's Division of Cancer Prevention, will examine the effects of green tea extract on women with various persistent cervical infections, including human papillomavirus -- HPV, which can cause cervical cancer.
Researchers are in the midst of recruiting 160 women in Arizona, California and North Carolina and expect to have some results in about a year.
Ideally, the study would help in the development of a drug for such women to clear the disease and prevent them from developing cervical cancer, said Dr. Francisco Garcia, an associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arizona's College of Medicine and one of the study's principal investigators.
"Because HPV is such a common infection and because a significant number of reproductive-age women develop precancerous infection, we hope we can come up with a drug to prevent us from taking off a piece of their cervix to cure them," Garcia said.
"The HPV vaccine is really a positive thing. However, if you are already sexually active and been exposed, it's not going to do anything for you. We want to do something for that group of women that is already sexually active and not young enough to receive the vaccine."
Researchers say green tea could have the effect of making HPV-infected cells self-destruct.
"Our basic science work, at least in the laboratory, is very interesting and compelling," Garcia said. "Green tea has been tried for other advanced cancers to help keep it at bay, so all the information together makes this very intriguing."
Green tea is often touted as a way of reducing and preventing cancer in humans, but researchers say more scientific studies are needed to determine whether that's true.
The Arizona Cancer Center study will investigate the effects of the decaffeinated, catechin-enriched green tea extract Polyphenon E. Catechins are plant chemicals that are considered powerful anti-oxidants, and researchers say they have multiple beneficial biological effects that could lead to cancer prevention.
The study will recruit women who have had a diagnosis of persistent cervical infection for at least six to 12 months. Eligible participants will take either 800 mg capsules of Polyphenon E (green tea extract) -- the equivalent of about 16 cups of green tea -- or a matched placebo for four months.
Monthly clinic visits will include review of compliance and any side effects, and blood tests for liver function. The final evaluation will include a tissue sample from the cervix.
Approximately 20 million Americans are currently infected with HPV, and another 6.2 million become newly infected each year.
The American Cancer Society estimates that about 11,070 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer in the United States in 2008. Women over the age of 18 who have a cervical infection are invited to call 626-8539 to enroll in the study.
Green Tea Facts
Made from the steamed and dried leaves of the camellia sinesis plant, which is a shrub native to Asia. Black tea is also made from this plant, but unlike green tea it is made from leaves that have been fermented. Fermentation may reduce the levels of some compounds, such as anti-oxidants.
History: The Chinese have been drinking green tea for at least 3,000 years. In recent years, scientists have begun to study its health effects in lab animals and in observational human studies.
Possible health effects: Some reports indicate green tea may have the ability to help prevent cancers of the skin, esophagus, stomach, colon, pancreas, lung, bladder, prostate and breast.
Evidence: Many lab studies in cell cultures and animals have shown green tea has activity against cancer cells. Studies in humans, however, have been mixed. At this time, the consensus of available scientific evidence does not support claims that green tea can help prevent or treat any specific type of cancer in humans. Controlled, randomized clinical trials are needed to determine its effectiveness.
Source: The American Cancer Society
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=7960&Section=Disease

Seaweed supplement may aid knee arthritis
Last Updated: 2009-03-03 8:51:52 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A mineral supplement derived from seaweed may help people with knee arthritis cut down on painkillers, a preliminary study suggests.
Researchers found that among 22 adults with moderate to severe knee arthritis, those who took the supplement for 12 weeks were able to reduce their use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- commonly known as NSAIDs -- but still show improvements in walking ability and range of motion in the knee joint.
More studies are needed, the researchers report in the online publication Nutrition Journal, but these early results suggest that the seaweed supplement -- sold as Aquamin -- could reduce some patients' need for painkillers.
Dr. Joy L. Frestedt, of Frestedt Inc., in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, led the study. Frestedt Inc. is a consulting firm that runs clinical trials. Ireland-based Marigot Ltd., which markets Aquamin, funded the study.
The study included 22 older adults with knee osteoarthritis, the wear-and-tear form of arthritis in which the cartilage cushioning the joints gradually breaks down. The patients were randomly assigned to take either Aquamin or inactive "placebo" capsules for 12 weeks.
After the first two weeks of treatment, all patients were asked to cut their NSAID use in half for the next two weeks, then stop the drugs completely for the rest of the study.
In general, Frestedt's team found, Aquamin patients performed better on tests of walking distance and knee joint range of motion after one month of treatment, despite their NSAID use being halved.
The benefits did not continue, however, once the patients stopped taking NSAIDs altogether, the study found. Six patients dropped out of the trial because of worsening pain -- though five of them were in the placebo group, the researchers note.
The findings, they write, indicate that Aquamin "cannot entirely replace" NSAIDs as a treatment for knee arthritis.
It's not fully clear why the seaweed supplement might aid arthritis symptoms. It contains a mix of trace minerals, with the main ingredients being calcium and magnesium.
Some of those minerals, Frestedt and her colleagues say, have been shown to have anti-inflammatory effects in lab animals. For its part, calcium is known to boost bone mineral density, and there is some evidence that it may ease arthritis symptoms as well.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/03/eline/links/20090303elin001.html

US hospital profits fall to zero - Thomson Reuters
Last Updated: 2009-03-02 14:03:54 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Plunging revenue has forced median profit margins for U.S. hospitals to zero, according to a Thomson Reuters analysis of hospital finances published on Monday.
And half of the more than 400 hospitals studied are losing money, the analysis found.
"Hospitals are facing unprecedented economic stress and many of the indicators we're seeing suggest that things will get worse before they get better," Gary Pickens, chief research officer for the Healthcare business of Thomson Reuters, who led the study, said in a statement.
"While operating margins are generally holding steady, non-operating margins have all but disappeared from hospital balance sheets. That makes it difficult for hospitals to secure financing for new equipment and to fund expansion efforts."
Thomson Reuters Healthcare, a division of Thomson Reuters Corp, tracked more than 20 financial indicators at 439 small, medium and large U.S. hospitals for the study.
These included revenue and profit, or total margin for non-profit hospitals, employment levels, closures, inpatient volume, reimbursement rates, and frequency of elective medical treatments. It found:
-- The median total margin among the 439 hospitals in the study was zero percent in the third quarter of 2008, the lowest ever seen.
-- 50 percent of hospitals were unprofitable in the third quarter of 2008.
-- Payments hospitals received from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers were declining at a fast rate through the end of 2008.
-- Median cash-on-hand reached an historic low in the third quarter of 2008, demonstrating the impact of the credit crisis on liquidity. There was great variability in the median value of 110 days-cash-on-hand seen at that time - from 57 days for the lowest quartile of hospitals to 203 days for hospitals in the highest quartile.
The report said the data did not include bed closures, mass layoffs, declining patient volumes, or a decline in elective procedures.
President Barack Obama is trying to kickstart a plan to reform the healthcare industry in the United States and plans a "summit" of experts, legislators and lobbysists at the White House on Thursday.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/02/eline/links/20090302elin015.html

FDA must boost vitamin, supplement review--report
Last Updated: 2009-03-02 16:39:46 -0400 (Reuters Health)
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration needs to improve its oversight of vitamins and other dietary supplements as reports of consumers experiencing side effects continue to rise, a government report concluded.
The FDA must be given additional power to require more information from supplement manufacturers each year, including an updated list of all products sold, the Government Accountability Office said in its findings released on Monday.
Agency officials also should better educate consumers as well as offer the industry advice about using new ingredients and marketing their products, the GAO said.
Although the FDA has tried to address some safety concerns, it is hampered by insufficient funding and staff, a lack of power to recall products and limited information about existing supplement companies, its report found.
"The FDA clearly needs to have more resources to give consumers real protection," said U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman, who released the report along with other lawmakers.
Dietary supplements such as vitamins, herbs, minerals and other products are sold on their own, but are increasingly being used as ingredients in beverages and other foods. Common ones include ginseng, ginkgo biloba, vitamin E and echinacea, among many others.
Reported side effects from supplement products have jumped threefold since December 2007 when companies were forced to start telling the FDA about consumer side effects.
The FDA saw 948 reported problems from January 2008 to October 2008 compared with 298 during those months the year before, said the GAO, the investigational arm of Congress.
Complications may still be underreported, it added.
Some consumer advocacy groups, which have long pointed to a lack of supplement oversight, said the report simply highlights a long and growing list of products the FDA cannot regulate sufficiently.
Agency officials have been stretched in recent years amid a steady stream of problems with drug safety issues, tainted pet food and contaminated human food, such as the current peanut recall.
"When it comes to dietary supplements, it's like the Wild West and the bad guys know they don't have to take the sheriff seriously," said Bruce Silverglade, legal affairs director for the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
In 1994, a new law allowed dietary supplements to forgo safety tests before being sold, unlike other food ingredients. They also cannot be marketed as therapies to treat disease.
Representatives for the industry could not be immediately reached for comment.
The FDA, in comments to the GAO, said it was working on ways to better sort data for potential safety problems, although it was concerned about its ability to manage all the information if it were to begin to see more reported problems.
"An unintended outcome of receiving such reports might be that the huge increase in minor adverse event reports might make it more difficult to filter out signals of potential toxicity" and delay the agency's ability to identify real problems, the agency wrote.
It also said it recognized the need to provide guidance to the industry and educating consumers, but said such work must compete with other agency tasks given its limited resource
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/02/eline/links/20090302elin019.html

Wine may cut risk of esophagus pre-cancer
Last Updated: 2009-03-02 9:50:22 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Having a glass of wine a day may lower the risk of developing a disorder called Barrett's esophagus, a condition of the lining of the passage running from the mouth to the stomach that can become cancerous, investigators report.
Exactly how wine might achieve this beneficial effect is unclear, Dr. Al Kubo, from Kaiser Permanente, Oakland, California, and colleagues note in their report in the medical journal Gastroenterology.
Wine contains certain compounds that could reduce damage to the esophagus. Alternatively, drinking wine could represent a proxy for some other lifestyle factor that has a beneficial impact.
The findings come from a study comparing 320 patients with Barrett's esophagus to a similar number of people with other conditions as well as healthy individuals. Dietary information was collected with validated questionnaires given during in-person interviews.
The researchers found that overall alcohol use was not significantly associated with Barrett's esophagus. However, wine specifically did have a protective effect.
Compared to people who did not drink, those who drank seven or more glasses of wine per week were 66 percent less likely to develop Barrett's esophagus.
Higher education was also linked to a lower risk, Kubo and colleagues found. They say future studies should look into the effects of vitamin supplements and alcohol types, and how socioeconomic status may affect the risk of developing Barrett's esophagus.
SOURCE: Gastroenterology, March 2009.
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/03/02/eline/links/20090302elin022.html

Broccoli sprouts may reduce asthma: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 03-Mar-2009

A naturally occurring compound in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may help protect against asthma and other conditions due to respiratory inflammation, says a new study.
Consumption of broccoli sprouts led to a two- to three-fold increase in levels of antioxidant enzymes linked to the protection of human airways against oxidative tissue damage, which leads to inflammation and respiratory conditions like asthma, according to findings published in Clinical Immunology.
"This is one of the first studies showing that broccoli sprouts - a readily available food source - offered potent biologic effects in stimulating an antioxidant response in humans," said lead researcher Marc Riedl from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA.
The tissue of cruciferous vegetables, like broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage and Brussels sprouts, contain high levels of the active plant chemicals glucosinolates. These are metabolised by the body into isothiocyanates, which are known to be powerful anti-carcinogens. The main isothiocyanate from broccoli is sulphoraphane.
"We found a two- to three-fold increase in antioxidant enzymes in the nasal airway cells of study participants who had eaten a preparation of broccoli sprouts," said Riedl. "This strategy may offer protection against inflammatory processes and could lead to potential treatments for a variety of respiratory conditions."
The study extends out understanding of the potential health benefits of broccoli, with previous studies reporting that the isothiocyanates exert powerful anti-carcinogenic activity.
Listen to your mother! Eat your broccoli!
Riedl and his co-workers recruited 65 people and assigned them to receive varying oral doses of sulforaphane-containing broccoli sprouts or non-sulforaphane-containing alfalfa sprouts for three days. Rinses of nasal passages were collected at before and after the study and used to quantify gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, including glutathione-s-transferase M1 (GSTM1), glutathione-s-transferase P1 (GSTP1), NADPH quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), and hemoxygenase-1 (HO-1), in cells of the upper airways.
No adverse effects were reported by the subjects, while the nasal rinses showed significant and dose-dependent induction of the antioxidant enzymes at broccoli sprout doses of 100 grams and higher, compared with the alfalfa placebo group.
Indeed, at a broccoli sprout dose of 200 grams (the maximum tested) a 101-per cent increase of GSTP1 and a 199-per cent increase of NQO1 were reported.
"A major advantage of sulforaphane is that it appears to increase a broad array of antioxidant enzymes, which may help the compound's effectiveness in blocking the harmful effects of air pollution," said Riedl.
The results of the study provide “vital information for planning additional clinical trials”, said the researchers. In particular, they noted that future human studies are necessary to “thoroughly investigate the potential beneficial effects of Phase II enzyme induction on environmentally-induced oxidative stress and associated allergic airway inflammation”.
According to the European Federation of Allergy and Airway Diseases Patients Association (EFA), over 30m Europeans suffer from asthma, costing Europe €17.7bn every year. The cost due to lost productivity is estimated to be around €9.8bn.
Source: Clinical Immunology
March 2009, Volume 130, Issue 3, Pages 244-251
“Oral sulforaphane increases Phase II antioxidant enzymes in the human upper airway”
Authors: M.A. Riedl, A. Saxon, D. Diaz-Sanchez
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Broccoli-sprouts-may-reduce-asthma-Study

Lutein may protect eyes against long-term computer use: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 02-Mar-2009

Supplements of lutein, long-reported to have benefits for eye health, may also protect against the detrimental effects of long-term computer display light exposure, says a new study from China.
Improvements in the sensitivity to contrast on a computer screen were observed following 12 weeks of supplementation with lutein, according to findings of a study with 37 healthy subjects published in the British Journal of Nutrition.
“Visual function in healthy subjects who received the lutein supplement improved, especially in contrast sensitivity, suggesting that a higher intake of lutein may have beneficial effects on the visual performance,” wrote the researchers from Peking University.
Lutein, a nutrient found in various foods including green leafy vegetables and egg yolk, has a ten-year history in the dietary supplement market as a nutrient to reduce the risk of age related macular degeneration (ADM).
The global lutein market is set to hit $124.5 million (€93 million) in 2013, according to a 2007 report from Frost & Sullivan, with skin health offering a major new avenue for the carotenoid.
According to the report, manufacturers need to address this growing maturity in dietary supplements by identifying new and potentially lucrative application segments that offer opportunities for the continued growth of the lutein market.
Study details
The Beijing-based researchers recruited 37 healthy subjects aged between 22 and 30 with long-term computer display light exposure. The participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups for 12 weeks: the control group (placebo – maltodextrin), or one of two lutein groups, (6 of 12 milligrams of lutein per day)
At the end of the test period, the researchers noted an increase in blood levels of lutein in both lutein groups, from 0.36 to 0.61 micromoles per litre, and from 0.33 to 0.73 micromoles per litre in the low- and high-dose groups, respectively.
While no differences were observed in terms of uncorrected visual acuity and best-spectacle corrected visual acuity, the researchers do report that there was a trend towards improved visual acuity in people in the high-dose lutein group.
Both lutein groups did experience improvements in measures of contrast sensitivity, said the researchers, with the improvements reaching statistical significance was in the high-dose group.
Source: British Journal of Nutrition
Published online ahead or print, First View article, doi:10.1017/S0007114508163000
“A 12-week lutein supplementation improves visual function in Chinese people with long-term computer display light exposure”
Authors: L. Ma, X.-M. Lin, Z.-Y. Zou, X.-R. Xu, Y. Li, R. Xu
Lutein-may-protect-eyes-against-long-term-computer-use-Study

Too much red meat may increase age-related blindness: Study

Nutraingredients.com, 02-Mar-2009

Eating about two portions of red meat a day may increase the risk of age-related macular degeneration by about 50 per cent, says a new study from Australia.
According to findings published in the American Journal of Epidemiology, consumption of white meat, however, may offer some protection against AMD, the leading cause of blindness in people over 50.
Despite the fact that approximately 25 to 30 million people worldwide are affected by AMD, awareness of the condition is low, according to AMD Alliance International. And as the generation of Baby Boomers gets older, the Alliance expects incidence to be on the rise and triple by 2025.
AMD is a degenerative retinal disease that causes central vision loss and leaves only peripheral vision. Early detection is cited as a means of prevention so that treatment or rehabilitation can be undertaken early enough. However, links to diet have also been underscored.
Bad press for meat products
The study is yet more bad news to the meat industry, following previous reports that consumption of red meat may increase the risk of certain cancers. Such reports are negatively impacting on the industry, according to a recent survey commissioned by the World Cancer Research Fund that found that over 10 per cent of people have tried to cut down on processed meat intake.
The survey was commissioned one year after the fund published a report that claimed that eating 150g of processed meat a day increased the risk of bowel cancer by 63 per cent.
New data
The researchers, led by Elaine Chong from the Centre for Eye Research Australia at the University of Melbourne, used food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) to assess dietary intakes of meat and meat products among 6,734 people aged between 58 and 69.
Over the course of the study, the researchers documented 1,757 cases of AMD, 1,680 of which were early AMD, and 77 were late AMD.
According to their analysis, Chong and her co-workers report that people who consumed red meat at least ten times per week were 47 per cent more likely to suffer from early-stage AMD, compared to people who ate red meat less than five times per week.
They note that similar trends were also observed for early AMD with higher intakes of fresh and processed red meat.
Chicken offers hope
On the other hand, chicken consumption may offer some protection against AMD, added Chong and her co-workers, with people consuming chicken at least 3.5 times a week found to have a 57 per cent lower risk of late-stage AMD than people consuming chicken less than 1.5 times per week.
“These results suggest that different meats may differently affect AMD risk and may be a target for lifestyle modification,” concluded the researchers.
Source: American Journal of Epidemiology
Published online ahead of print, doi:10.1093/aje/kwn393
"Red Meat and Chicken Consumption and Its Association With Age-related Macular Degeneration"
Authors: E.W.-T. Chong, J.A. Simpson, L.D. Robman, A.M. Hodge, K.Z. Aung, D.R. English, G.G. Giles, R.H. Guymer
Too-much-red-meat-may-increase-age-related-blindness-Study

Natural Compounds in Vegetables plus Selenium Fight Melanoma

by Sherry Baker, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) According to the National Cancer Institute about 67,720 people in the US were diagnosed last year with melanoma, the most serious form of skin cancer, and around 8,420 Americans died from this malignancy. Melanoma can become deadly if it spreads to other parts of the body -- because that makes it particularly difficult to treat. But now research just published in the March edition of the journal Clinical Cancer Research concludes a compound derived from vegetables, especially when combined with the micronutrient selenium, may deliver a knock-out punch to this potentially lethal kind of cancer.

There are currently no drugs that can shut down the Akt3 protein which triggers the development of melanoma. However, Penn State College of Medicine scientists have discovered that a class of naturally occurring chemicals called isothiocyanates found in cruciferous vegetables (which include broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, kale and Brussels spouts) appears to target this protein. And the Penn State researchers found they could make the isothiocyanates even more potent at lower doses by "rewiring" them with trace mineral selenium.

"Selenium deficiency is common in cancer patients, including those diagnosed with metastatic melanoma," explained lead researcher Gavin Robertson, associate professor of pharmacology, pathology and dermatology at Penn State, in a statement to the media. "Besides, selenium is known to destabilize Akt proteins in prostate cancer cells."

To study the effectiveness of the isothiocyanates-plus-selenium compound (dubbed isoselenocyanate) the scientists injected laboratory mice with 10 million cancer cells. After six days, the rodents developed large tumors. Then half were treated with the vegetable compounds and the others were treated with the same naturally occurring chemicals supplemented with selenium. When combined with selenium, the compounds resulted in a 60 percent reduction in the rate of growth of the cancerous tumors, compared to the vegetable-only compounds. The researchers also tested three different human melanoma cell lines with the two versions of the compounds and determined the selenium-enriched version was 30 to 70 percent effective in inhibiting the human cancer cells.

"We found that the selenium-enhanced compounds significantly reduced the production of Akt3 protein and shut down its signaling network," Robertson, who is associate director of translational research and leader of the experimental therapeutics program at Penn State Hershey Cancer Institute, said in the press statement. "We have harnessed something found in nature to target melanoma. And since we only need tiny amounts to kill the cancer cells, it means even less toxic side-effects for the patient."

The cancer fighting properties of cruciferous vegetables have been documented in many studies. In additional new research recently published in the journal Nutrition and Cancer, University of Milan scientists reported that eating broccoli appears to help protect smokers from lung cancer.

http://www.naturalnews.com/z025758.html

Morgellons: Terrifying New Disease Reaching Pandemic Status

by Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) It sounds like something from a bad sci-fi movie. People report the sensation of creatures crawling under their skin, mysterious moving fibers appear, and finally bugs and worms pop out. Unfortunately, these terrifying symptoms are all too true. The people having them are experiencing Morgellons, the latest and scariest in the series of bizarre diseases appearing in the last few years, seemingly from nowhere. Morgellons is now reaching epidemic proportions in the U.S. and abroad.

Morgellons is a multi-dimensional disease

Morgellons starts with relentless itching, stinging or biting sensations. Cotton-like balls may appear on the body with no reasonable explanation. Soon skin rash develops along with lesions that will not heal. Many sufferers report string-like fibers of varying color popping out through the skin lesions. These fibers can be black, white, red or even iridescent blue. Others report black specks falling from their bodies that litter their sheets and bathrooms. Eventually a variety of bugs and worms begin to find their way out of the body through the lesions. Other accompanying symptoms include hair loss, debilitating and chronic fatigue, hard nodules beneath the skin, and joint pain.

Morgellons also has a cognitive aspect. People with the disease experience neurological damage that manifests as difficulty concentrating, inability to process and use language effectively, and generalized brain fog. The presence of reduced cognitive ability has made it easier for doctors to dismiss Morgellons and send patients away with a diagnosis of delusional parasitosis, meaning they are imagining they are infected by parasites. After the typical eight minute visit, traditional doctors pull out their prescription pads and write these people prescriptions for antidepressants or antipsychotic medications.

As a result, Morgellons also has a psychological component. Once people become aware that symptoms such as theirs are treated as delusions they are reluctant to seek further medical attention and tend to withdraw from society with their only contact with others being through the internet. They begin living the lifestyle of the leper. Many have to give up their jobs and become dependent on public assistance. This adds to the psychological debilitation of the disease. Not being taken seriously when you know you have a terrifying and devastating disease causes permanent psychological damage.

Morgellon's victims feel the resentment other patients do when they are told it is all in their heads. As Morgellon's progresses and the neurological symptoms become more manifest, patients can become difficult to care for and deal with. Isolated with only the internet, they become less able to effectively care for themselves. Some Morgellons patients have committed suicide.

It is a sad situation that the traditional doctor's visit must often end in a diagnosis, but the doctor is unwilling or unable to take the time to make sure it is a correct diagnosis. The traditional medical set up is frequently unable to deal with patients who present with a variety of diverse symptoms affecting several body systems at one time.

Oakland A's player Billy Koch and his family all have Morgellons. They have been open about their disease and have made some attempt to educate others. Billy had to retire from his baseball career as a result of the disease. Singer Joni Mitchell also has Morgellons, and the disease has negatively impacted her career as well.

Many morgellons victims end up trying to treat themselves

Anyone with Morgellons's symptoms will probably spend a lot of time going from doctor to doctor. While the unhelpful ones simply tell them they are delusional, the helpful ones prescribe a variety of creams used for scabies, ring worm and other parasitic diseases, but nothing works for more than a few days. With no help from the medical community, people with Morgellons turn to the internet where they learn the name for their disease and the names for the parasites that are coming through their skin. As a result of desperation and the lack of information about the disease except from chat boards, many victims end up trying a variety of toxic treatments at home.

Authorities on the disease are emerging

One of the few people to take the disease seriously was Randy Wymore, a neuroscientist at Oklahoma State University Center for Health Science. He received samples from a range of people who claimed the fibers had come through their skin. Although the samples all resembled one another, to him they looked like no other synthetic or natural fiber with which he compared them. He finally asked the Tulsa police department's forensics team to examine them.

The team identified the chemical structures of the fibers and compared them to their database of 800 fibers. They found no match, so they used gas chromatography to compare the fibers to their data on 90,000 organic compounds. The fibers did not match up with any of them. They concluded that the fibers were unknown, and not contaminants from clothing sticking to scabs on the lesions as had been thought by those so ready to dismiss what their patients were saying. Wymore and the forensic team concluded that the disease producing these fibers was very real and very frightening.

Wymore then asked the chief of the pediatrics department at Oklahoma State University Hospital, Rhonda Casey, to take a look at some of the patients. At first she was tempted to dismiss them too, but she began to realize how ill the people were. They had neurological symptoms that included confusion, loss of control of their feet that resulted in difficulty walking, and their mouths sagged when they spoke. Many had been diagnosed with neurological diseases.

Dr. Casey examined the patients, took biopsies of their lesions as well as from their healthy skin. Using a dermatoscope, she was able to observe fibers under completely unbroken skin. She found them embedded in the healthy tissue of the patients as well as the diseased tissue, and admitted seeing the full range of fiber colors. She reported seeing a lesion on a young girl's thigh with black fibers just barely protruding from it, and concluded that she could not have done this to herself.

Another person taking the disease seriously is Trisha Springstead, a registered nurse in Florida who has become a beacon of light for Morgellon's patients in the area. She has seen the fibers come through their skin, and has spent hours with patients extracting parasites embedded so deeply that a needle is required to extract them. According to her, a dermatoscope does not penetrate deeply enough to reveal the full extent of parasite involvement.

CDC begins epidemiologic investigation into Morgellons

In April, 2006, the CDC recommended an epidemiological investigation of what they were then referring to as a public health concern. In January, 2008 they announced a grant to health care giant Kaiser Permanente to test and interview 150 to 500 patients suffering from Morgellons. The study is being done in the Bay Area of northern California, where many Morgellons patients live. Kaiser Permanente doctors have been among the most ready to classify Morgellons as delusional parasitosis.

The National Center for Zoonotic, Vector-Borne, and Enteric Diseases (ZVED) provided statements posted on the CDC website regarding what the CDC now calls "Unexplained Dermopathy (aka Morgellons"). This organization was created in 2007 under CDC's Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases. ZVED promotes itself as proving leadership, expertise, and service in laboratory and epidemiological science, bioterrorism preparedness, applied research, disease surveillance, and outbreak response for infectious diseases.

The term zoonotic refers to any disease that is able to jump the divide from animals to people. Microbes created for bioterrorism are zoonotic. There are many known zoonotic diseases, such as Lyme disease and malaria. Vectors are the transmitters of disease-causing organisms that carry the pathogens from one host to another. By common usage, vectors are considered to be invertebrate animals, usually arthropods. Technically, vertebrates can also act as vectors, including foxes, raccoons, and skunks, which can all transmit disease to humans through a bite. Mosquitoes and ticks are the most notable disease vectors, although mites and gnats may also carry disease. Enteric diseases are bacterial and viral infections of the gastrointestinal tract that account for an under appreciated burden of morbidity and mortality domestically and abroad.

The involvement of ZVED in creating the CDC webpage for Mogellons clearly implies acceptance by the CDC that Morgellons is a disease involving not just fibers but parasites.

ZVED's vision statement describes three goals: accelerating prevention, control, and preparedness of ecologically mediated microbial threats; global vision, global presence, global reach, and health impact; and working at the intersection of human, animal, and ecological health to achieve healthier people, places, and a healthier world.

The Morgellons, GMO link persists

About the time that Dr. Wymore's forensic investigation of fibers was completed, a specialist in infectious disease detection, Ahmed Kilani, claimed to have broken down two fiber samples and extracted their DNA. He found that they belonged to a fungus.

Meanwhile, Vitaly Citovsky, Professor of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stony Brook University in New York, discovered the fibers contained the substance Agrobacterium Tumafaciens, the bacteria causing crown gall disease in plants (formation of tumors in more than 140 species of dicot plants). It is a genus of gram-negative bacteria capable of genetically transforming not only plants, but also other eukaryotic species, including humans.

Anonymous samples were provided to Professor Citovsky by the Morgellon's Research Foundation to use in investigating the potential presence of Agrobacterium Tumafaciens in biopsies from Morgellon's patients. Control reactions included samples provided by healthy donors. Only Morgellons, not healthy subjects, tested positive for the bacterium in these studies.

Professor Citovsky issued a statement saying his observation does not imply that Agrobacterium Tumafaciens causes Morgellons, or that Morgellons is indeed an infectious disease. However, he has called for further study to determine (1) statistical significance of data, (2) whether the bacterium is not only present extracellularly, but also causes genetic transformation of the infected tissues, and (3) whether infection of laboratory animals with the bacterium can recreate symptoms of Morgellons.

Agrobacteerium Tumafaciens is a soil bacterium. Symptoms of grown gall disease are caused by the insertion of a small segment of DNA into the plant cell, which is incorporated at a semi-random location into the plant genome. They are parasitic and detrimental to the plant.

DNA transmission capabilities of Agrobacterium have been extensively exploited by biotechnologists as a means for inserting foreign genes into plants. They discovered the gene transfer mechanism between Agrobacterium and plants, and developed methods to alter Agrobacterium into an efficient delivery system for gene engineering in plants. This is done by cloning the desired gene sequence into the transfer DNA (T-DNA) that will be inserted into the host DNA. Under laboratory conditions the T-DNA has also been transferred to human cells, demonstrating the diversity of insertion application. The mechanism through which Agrobacterium inserts materials into the host cell is very similar to mechanisms used by pathogens to insert materials (usually proteins) into human cells.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025757.html

Vigorous Exercise Protects Against Cataracts and Age-Related Macular Degeneration

by Reuben Chow, NaturalNews.com

(NaturalNews) More and more people are suffering from eye-related health problems. What can individuals do to lower their risk? In this regard, two recent studies conducted by the United States Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have given us some good news, revealing that vigorous exercise could lower the risk of cataracts as well as age-related macular degeneration.

Details and Findings of Studies

The studies, published in Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, had looked at about 41,000 runners for a period of over 7 years. They used data from the National Runners' Health Study, a project which began in 1991 to ascertain the beneficial effects of running. About 29,000 men and 12,000 women were followed, and, at the end of the study, 733 of the male runners reported a cataract diagnosis; the number of women who reported having the condition was not significant enough for analysis.

The researchers found that males who ran more than 5.7 miles each day had a 35% reduced risk of developing cataracts, as compared to men who hit the road less than 1.4 miles each day. Using the men's performances in 10-kilometer races, which provide a good measure of overall fitness, it was also found that the fittest guys had only 50% the cataract risk of those who were the least fit. With cataracts affecting more than half of Americans aged over 65 and also being the number one cause of blindness, this is certainly interesting information for running enthusiasts and those hoping to fend off the disease.

Another study looked at the link between running and aged-related macular degeneration. From the 152 men and women who reported a diagnosis of this condition, those who ran between 1.2 and 2.4 miles each day experienced a 19% reduced risk, as compared to those who covered less than 1.2 miles each day. The corresponding decrease in risk for those whose daily mileage was over 2.4 miles was between 42% and 54%. Again, with age-related macular degeneration being the number one cause of irreversible vision loss in older white Americans, this is another piece of interesting and useful information.

"In addition to obtaining regular eye exams, people can take a more active role in preserving their vision. The studies suggest that people can perhaps lessen their risk for these diseases by taking part in a fitness regimen that includes vigorous exercise. These findings are compelling because of the large size of the study, and the fact that we are looking at something that is fairly well defined: vigorous exercise, as opposed to more moderate exercise," said Paul Williams, an epidemiologist at the laboratory's Life Sciences Division and part of the study team.

Is Running Required to Reap the Said Benefits?

This study was among the first to draw a positive link between vigorous exercise and the prevention of vision loss. But many people cannot really run, or at least not much. Will walking help, too, then? "We know there are important health benefits to walking, including lowering heart disease risk. It is quite likely that the study results might apply to a lesser extent to smaller doses of more moderate exercise," said Williams.

Importance of Nutrition for Eye Health

What else can we do to improve eye health? Most certainly, as with all other health conditions, nutrition plays a key role. Some research has suggested that antioxidants could reduce one's risk of cataracts as well as macular degeneration. In addition, vitamin A, found abundantly in carrots, can also protect against blindness, while vitamin C, richly found in oranges, may help prevent or alleviate glaucoma.

Essential fatty acids found in cold-water fish and flaxseed oil is another group of important nutrients, possibly helping to protect against macular damage as well as to alleviate the symptoms of dry eye syndrome. Other useful nutrients include vitamin E, selenium, zinc and bioflavanoids - be sure to get enough of them in your diet.

http://www.naturalnews.com/025755.html

Veterans at 'higher suicide risk'
Young ex-servicemen are three times more likely to kill themselves than their civilian counterparts, a study has suggested.
Veterans aged under 24 are at greatest risk, with those in lower ranks and with shorter careers most vulnerable.
The Centre for Suicide Prevention linked military discharge data between 1996 and 2005 with details of suicides.
The MoD said veterans were entitled to mental health assessments and schemes had been introduced to improve access.
Of the 233,803 individuals who left the armed forces during the study period, 224 took their own lives, the report found.
The suicide risk was highest among young men leaving the armed forces within the first two years of discharge, it said.
'Already vulnerable'
The MoD-funded study found veterans had a low rate of contact with mental health professionals in the year before death, 14% for those aged under 20 and 20% for those under 24 years.
But the overall suicide risk was no greater for ex-military personnel than for civilians when all age groups were considered, from 16 to 49 years. Men aged 30-49 years had a lower rate of suicide than the general population.
The report's lead author, Professor Nav Kapur, said they could not prove why the increased rate occurred, but said there were three possible reasons.
One could be those joining the military at a young age were already vulnerable to suicide.
“ Whatever the explanation for our findings, these individuals may benefit from some form of intervention ”
Prof Nav Kapur
"This would explain why those serving for a relatively short period of time before being discharged were most likely to take their own lives," Prof Kapur said.
A second explanation was the difficulty a minority of individuals experience making the transition to civilian life, he said.
The effect of exposure to adverse experiences during military service or active deployment was a third possibility.
Yet many of those most at risk had not completed basic training and had not deployed overseas, he said.
The risk of suicide was also higher in young women aged under 20 years compared with the general population, but the overall numbers were small.
Prof Kapur, professor of psychiatry and population health at Manchester University, said: "Whatever the explanation for our findings, these individuals may benefit from some form of intervention.
"Initial pre-recruitment interview, medical examination and training are important in ensuring military health but it should be recognised that those discharged at any of these stages may be at higher risk of suicide."
Support
The study compared the military discharge data with details of suicides collected by the National Confidential Inquiry into Suicides and Homicides.
It used mathematical models to compare the figures to the general population.
A spokesman for the MoD said all service-leavers were entitled to a package to help them re-settle.
Extra help was given to those assessed as vulnerable to help them find accommodation, employment and welfare assistance.
Six community mental health centres have been set up to make it easier for veterans to seek help, he said.
"All veterans are also entitled to a free assessment of their mental health at the Medical Assessment Programme at St Thomas' Hospital in London, he added.
"We are also trialling a mentoring scheme to provide individual support to leavers as they re-adjust to civilian life."
The report comes days after Britain's highest-decorated serving soldier criticised the government for failing to help ex-servicemen and women suffering mental health problems.
Lance Corporal Johnson Beharry called on the government to give more help to his comrades suffering from post traumatic stress disorder, depression and mental breakdowns.

UK watchdog urges caution on child medicines

Sun Mar 1, 2009 7:56am EST
LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's healthcare watchdog this weekend urged parents not to give many over-the-counter cough and cold medicines to children on the grounds that the risks outweigh the benefits.
The government's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said there was no "robust evidence" that many popular products worked, while side effects included sleeping difficulties, allergic reactions and even hallucinations.
Clinical trials have traditionally not been required to demonstrate that products work specifically in children. The agency said this thinking was changing.
"It is not right to assume safety and efficacy based on children being small adults," said June Raine, MHRA's director of vigilance and risk management. "Children should have access to medicines that are acceptably safe and designed for their use."
High street pharmacy Boots said it would be following the advice, while the trade body for medicine manufacturers, the Proprietary Association of Great Britain, said the affected remedies would no longer be marketed for youngsters.
For children under six, the government's watchdog recommends parents stick to remedies to lower a child's temperature and simple honey and lemon mixtures to ease a cough. Still, it said parents should not worry about previous medicine use and said shop shelves did not need to be cleared of current stocks.
http://www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE52016B20090301

Naturally Produced Estrogen May Protect Women From Parkinson's Disease

ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2009) — Women who have more years of fertility (the time from first menstruation to menopause) have a lower risk of developing Parkinson's disease than women with fewer years, according to a large, new study by researchers at Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University.
"These findings, involving nearly 75,000 women, suggest that longer exposure to the body's own, or endogenous, hormones, including estrogen, may help protect the brain cells that are affected by Parkinson's disease," says lead author Rachel Saunders-Pullman, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., assistant professor of neurology at Einstein and attending physician in neurology at Beth Israel Medical Center, an affiliate of Einstein's in Manhattan.
An abstract of the study was released February 25 by the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). Further study details will be presented at AAN's 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 - May 2, 2009.
After Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease is the most common neurodegenerative disease. About 1.5 million Americans currently have Parkinson's, characterized by symptoms that can include tremor (shaking), slowness of movement, rigidity (stiffness), and difficulty with balance. The condition typically develops after the age of 60, although 15 percent of those diagnosed are under 50. There is no cure for Parkinson's, although medications or surgery can ease symptoms of the disease.
Parkinson's disease is almost twice as common in men as in women, and researchers have long hypothesized that sex hormones might play a role in the disease.
In the current study, researchers analyzed the records of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI) Observational Study and focused on those women who developed Parkinson's disease. The study involved about 74,000 women who underwent natural menopause.
The study found that women who had a fertile lifespan of more than 39 years had about a 25 percent lower risk of developing Parkinson's compared with women who had a fertile lifespan shorter than 33 years.
In addition, the data showed that women who had four or more pregnancies were about 20 percent more likely to develop Parkinson's disease than were women who had three or fewer pregnancies. "One explanation for this finding is that the post-partum period, which is typically one with lower levels of estrogen, subtracts from a woman's total fertile lifespan," says co-author Sylvia Wassertheil-Smoller, Ph.D., professor of epidemiology and population health and the principal investigator of the WHI study at Einstein.
"Overall, our findings might lead one to assume that hormone therapy would make sense as a neuroprotective agent," says Dr. Saunders-Pullman. "However, we also found that women who were taking hormone therapy did not have a lower risk for Parkinson's. Thus, our data does not support a role for treatment with exogenous hormones, that is, hormones that originate outside the body, to prevent Parkinson's."
In fact, hormone therapy can have harmful neurological effects. "Earlier studies in the Women's Health Initiative demonstrated that hormone therapy increases one's risk for both stroke and dementia," says Dr. Wassertheil-Smoller. "Clearly, we need to conduct more research into estrogen's effects on the brain.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090225161038.htm

Physical Fitness Improves Spatial Memory, Increases Size Of Brain Structure

ScienceDaily (Mar. 3, 2009) — When it comes to the hippocampus, a brain structure vital to certain types of memory, size matters. Numerous studies have shown that bigger is usually better. Now researchers have found that elderly adults who are more physically fit tend to have bigger hippocampi and better spatial memory than those who are less fit.
The study, in the journal Hippocampus, shows that hippocampus size in physically fit adults accounts for about 40 percent of their advantage in spatial memory.
The hippocampus, a curved structure deep inside the medial temporal lobe of the brain, is essential to memory formation. Remove it – as was done in the well-known case of surgical patient Henry Gustav Molaison – and a person's ability to store most new experiences in memory is destroyed.
The hippocampus also is a key player in spatial navigation and other types of relational memory.
Certain activities are believed to modify hippocampus size in humans. For example, a study of London taxi drivers found that the posterior portion of the hippocampus was larger in experienced taxi drivers than in other subjects. And a study of German medical students found that the same region of the hippocampus increased in size as they studied for their final exams.
Studies also have found that the hippocampus shrinks with age, a process that coincides with small but significant cognitive declines. The rate at which this occurs, however, differs among individuals.
Earlier studies found that exercise increases hippocampus size and spatial memory in rodents, but the new study is the first to demonstrate that exercise can affect hippocampus size and memory in humans.
The researchers, from the University of Illinois and the University of Pittsburgh, measured the cardiorespiratory fitness of 165 adults (109 of them female) between 59 and 81 years of age. Using magnetic resonance imaging, the researchers conducted a volumetric analysis of the subjects' left and right hippocampi. They also tested the participants' spatial reasoning.
They found a significant association between an individual's fitness and his or her performance on certain spatial memory tests. There was also a strong correlation between fitness and hippocampus size.
"The higher fit people have a bigger hippocampus, and the people that have more tissue in the hippocampus have a better spatial memory," said U. of I. psychology professor Art Kramer, who led the study with Pittsburgh psychology professor Kirk Erickson.
"Even ignoring the hippocampus data, we see there is this significant and substantial relationship between how fit you are and how good your memory is, or at least a certain kind of memory, a certain kind of memory that we need all the time," Kramer said.
"This is really a clinically significant finding because it supports the notion that your lifestyle choices and behaviors may influence brain shrinkage in old age," Erickson said. "Basically, if you stay fit, you retain key regions of your brain involved in learning and memory."
An impairment of spatial memory "is one of a number of reasons why older people end up losing their independence," Kramer said. "Here is yet more evidence that becoming fit has implications for how well you're going to live your life."
Kramer is a full-time faculty member of the Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology at Illinois.
Kirk I. Erickson, Ruchika S. Prakash, Michelle W. Voss, Laura Chaddock, Liang Hu, Katherine S. Morris, Siobhan M. White, Thomas R. Wójcicki, Edward McAuley, Arthur F. Kramer. Aerobic fitness is associated with hippocampal volume in elderly humans. Hippocampus, 2009; NA DOI: 10.1002/hipo.20547
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090224133220.htm

Psychologists Shed Light On Origins Of Morality

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — In everyday language, people sometimes say that immoral behaviours “leave a bad taste in your mouth”.  But this may be more than a metaphor according to new scientific evidence from the University of Toronto that shows a link between moral disgust and more primitive forms of disgust related to poison and disease.
“Morality is often pointed to as the pinnacle of human evolution and development,” says lead author Hanah Chapman, a graduate student in the Department of Psychology.  “However, disgust is an ancient and rather primitive emotion which played a key evolutionary role in survival.  Our research shows the involvement of disgust in morality, suggesting that moral judgment may depend as much on simple emotional processes as on complex thought.”
The research is being published in Science on February 27, 2009.  
In the study, the scientists examined facial movements when participants tasted unpleasant liquids and looked at photographs of disgusting objects such as dirty toilets or injuries.  They compared these to their facial movements when they were subjected to unfair treatment in a laboratory game. The U of T team found that people make similar facial movements in response to both primitive forms of disgust and moral disgust.
The research employed electromyography, a technique that uses small electrodes placed on the face to detect electrical activation that occurs when the facial muscles contract. In particular, they focused on movement of the levator labii muscle, which acts to raise the upper lip and wrinkle the nose, movements that are thought to be characteristic of the facial expression of disgust.
“We found that people show activation of this muscle region in all three situations – when tasting something bad, looking at something disgusting and experiencing unfairness,” says Chapman.
“These results shed new light on the origins of morality, suggesting that not only do complex thoughts guide our moral compass, but also more primitive instincts related to avoiding potential toxins,” says Adam Anderson, principal investigator on the project and the Canada Research Chair in Affective Neuroscience.  “Surprisingly, our sophisticated moral sense of what is right and wrong may develop from a newborn’s innate preference for what tastes good and bad, what is potentially nutritious versus poisonous.”
The research was supported by the National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) and the Canada Research Chairs program.  In addition to Anderson and Chapman, the U of T team included David Kim and Joshua Susskind.
H.A. Chapman, D.A. Kim, J.M. Susskind, and A.K. Anderson. In Bad Taste: Evidence for the Oral Origins of Moral Disgust. Science, 2009; 323 (5918): 1222 DOI: 10.1126/science.1165565
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/02/090226141108.htm

One-third Of Americans Lose Sleep Over Economy

ScienceDaily (Mar. 2, 2009) — One-third of Americans are losing sleep over the state of the U.S. economy and other personal financial concerns, according to a new poll released today by the National Sleep Foundation (NSF). The poll suggests that inadequate sleep is associated with unhealthy lifestyles and negatively impacts health and safety.
NSF's Sleep in AmericaTM poll reveals striking disparities in the sleep patterns, health habits and quality of life between healthy and unhealthy Americans. Those in good health are two-times more likely than those in poor health to work efficiently, exercise or eat healthy because they are getting enough sleep.
The number of people reporting sleep problems has increased 13% since 2001. In the past eight years, the number of Americans who sleep less than six hours a night jumped from 13% to 20%, and those who reported sleeping eight hours or more dropped from 38% to 28%.
"It's easy to understand why so many people are concerned over the economy and jobs, but sacrificing sleep is the wrong solution," says David Cloud, CEO of the National Sleep Foundation. "Sleep is essential for productivity and alertness and is a vital sign for one's overall health."
About 40% of Americans agree that sleep is as important as diet and exercise to overall health and well-being; yet, only 32% of Americans who report sleep problems discuss them with their doctor.
"Getting enough sleep everyday is as important to your health as eating healthy and being physical active. Physicians should regularly ask all patients about sleep, diet, and physical activity habits," says Woodie Kessel, MD, MPH, Assistant Surgeon General, USPHS (ret.) who was a member of the 2009 Sleep in AmericaTM poll taskforce. "Sleep is as vital as eating right and exercising to our health."
Lack of sleep is creating a major public safety problem as well—drowsy driving. The 2009 poll finds that more than one-half of adults (54%) – potentially 110 million licensed drivers– have driven when drowsy at least once in the past year. Nearly one-third of drivers polled (28%) say that they have nodded off or fallen asleep while driving a vehicle.
Two out of every ten Americans sleep less than six hours a night. People sleeping too few hours report being too tired to work efficiently, to exercise or to eat healthy. Nearly 40% of these Americans sleeping too few hours have driven when drowsy at least once a month in the past year and nearly 90% report symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a week in the past month.
"With the economy worsening, we are seeing patients in our clinic who have told as that they would not be returning for treatment because they or other family members have lost their jobs, and they are concerned about costs," says Meir Kryger, MD, Director of Research and Education at Gaylord Sleep Services. "Some patients have elected not to be treated for sleep apnea because they could not afford the co-pay for the equipment. These patients may wind up far sicker. Sleep disorders are often associated with other chronic diseases, like diabetes and hypertension, and they can add complexity and even accelerate each other if untreated."
As experts predict that the U.S. economic situation may get worse in 2009, the National Sleep Foundation encourages Americans to maintain good sleep, exercise and diet routines to help combat anxiety and improve health and productivity. People should speak with their doctor if they are experiencing sleep problems.
Poll Methodology
The 2009 Sleep in AmericaTM poll was conducted for the National Sleep Foundation by WB&A Market Research, using a random sample of 1,000 adults at least 18 years of age who were interviewed by telephone between September 22, 2008 and October 30, 2008. The margin of error is plus or minus 3.1 %
Tips for Healthy Sleep
According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 70 million people in the United States are affected by a chronic seep disorder or intermittent sleep problem, with women suffering from lack of sleep more often than men and with increasing frequency as they age. If you have difficulty with your sleep for any reason, here are some tips that may help you get a better night's sleep:
1. Try to have a standard relaxing bedtime routine and keep regular sleep times. Make sure your bedroom is dark, cool and quiet and that your pillows, sleep surface and coverings provide you with comfort.
2. Exercise regularly, but finish your workout at least three hours before bedtime.
3. Avoid foods and drinks high in caffeine (coffee, colas and tea) for at least eight hours prior to bedtime, and avoid alcohol for a few hours before bedtime. Caffeine and alcohol disturb sleep.
4. Use your bedroom only for sleep and sex; if you do this, you will strengthen the association between bed and sleep. It is best to remove work materials, computers and televisions from the sleep environment.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090302090220.htm

TV linked to asthma risk doubling
Young children who spend more than two hours a day watching TV double their risk of developing asthma, a UK study has found.
Rather than telly per se being to blame, experts believe the viewing is symptomatic of a sedentary lifestyle which may be the root cause.
Taking deep breaths, such as when exercising, may keep the lungs fit.
The study, published in Thorax journal, tracked the health of over 3,000 UK children from birth to 11.
The parents were quizzed annually on symptoms of wheezing among their children and whether a doctor had diagnosed asthma.
“ There may be a window in early in life when activity does something to protect the lungs ”
Co-author Dr James Paton, from the University of Glasgow
Parents were also asked to assess their children's TV viewing habits from the age of three-and-a-half years.
All of the children were free of wheeze as babies and toddlers.
At the age of eleven-and-a-half, 185 (6%) of the children had developed asthma.
And children who watched TV for more than two hours a day were almost twice as likely to have been diagnosed with asthma as those who watched the telly less. However, the odds were still small - about two in 100.
Of the children with asthma, 2% did not watch TV, 20% watched TV daily for less than an hour, 34% watched 1-2 hours a day and 44% watched more than two hours daily.
Given that none of the children had wheeze at the age of three-and-a-half, it is unlikely that the children who went on to develop asthma had been forced to do less exercise from an early age because of asthma symptoms, say the researchers.
They speculate that inactivity is the underlying explanation for their findings, if you assume that children who watch more TV lead less active lives - they did not directly monitor the children's exercise levels during the study.
“ It is especially important that parents in the UK try to prise their kids away from the TV and encourage them to lead an active lifestyle ”
Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK
And at the end of the study, when the children were 11.5 years old, there was little difference in the exercise levels of those with asthma and those without.
Co-author Dr James Paton, from the University of Glasgow, said: "We think the problem is inactivity, not watching TV. TV is simply the best proxy marker for this.
"There may be a window in early in life when activity does something to protect the lungs.
"It may be that not sitting still makes you take deep breaths and that might be important in the long run."
There is some evidence that breathing patterns may be important in regulating airway smooth muscle tone and how responsive this muscle is.
Failure to stretch airway smooth muscle by taking regular deep breaths could lead to increased airway responsiveness, which is the problem in asthma.
Dr Elaine Vickers of Asthma UK said: "The findings add to a wealth of evidence linking a lack of exercise and being overweight with an increased risk of asthma, but this study is the first to directly link sedentary behaviour at a very young age to a higher risk of asthma later in childhood.
"We have one of the highest rates of childhood asthma in the world so it is especially important that parents in the UK try to prise their kids away from the TV and encourage them to lead an active lifestyle. This includes children with asthma, who can also greatly benefit from regular exercise."
Some say children under three should not watch any TV in order to prevent health and learning problems. However, others argue that TV can be educational and may aid child speech.
The data was taken from a long-term study of children being carried out in Bristol.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7918576.stm

Depression 'associated with desire to be famous'

TIMES OF INDIA  2 Mar 2009, 1401 hrs IST, ANI

LONDON: Depression and mania drive people to set higher goals, according to a new study. The study, conducted by researchers from the University of California, has found that people who suffer from depression are more likely to focus on success, money and fame than others.

"Manic episodes are characterised by elevated mood as well as increased talkativeness, racing thoughts, decreased need for sleep and extreme distractibility," the Telegraph quoted Dr Johnson, from the University of California, as saying.

"Mania has already been linked to a belief in the importance of achievement and so we wanted to discover whether it is also linked with higher expectations for the future," Dr Johnson added.

For the study, the researchers looked at the manic and depressive levels of 103 people including 27 people with diagnosed manic depression

- also known as bipolar disorder.

The participants answered questionnaires designed to assess their ambitions, such as a desire for fame, material success or recognition.

The researchers found that the people who had experienced episodes of mania during their lives had the highest expectations of achieving popular success and financial success.

"This pattern suggests that people with manic or bipolar tendencies are drawn to focus on success, money and popular fame," Dr Johnson said.

"These results suggest that mania, along with all of its costs, may also drive people to set higher goals. In some cases they achieve them, giving us a glimpse into the advantages that can accompany this highly painful disorder," Dr Johnson added.

The study has published in the British Journal of Clinical Psychology

.
Depression-associated-with-desire-to-be-famous/articleshow/4211939.cms

Women more religious than men

TIMES OF INDIA  2 Mar 2009, 2107 hrs IST, ANI

WASHINGTON: Women pray more often than men, are more likely to believe in God, and are more religious than men in a variety of other ways, according to a new study.

Analysts say that the reasons could range from traditional mothering duties to the tendency of men to take risks, reports Live Science.

The findings come from a fresh review of data that was collected in a 2007 survey and initially released last year by the Pew Research Center.

The survey involved interviews with more than 35,000 U.S. adults by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life.
George H. Gallup, Jr., in an analysis for the Gallup polling organization back in 2002, wrote that the differences in religiosity between men and women have been shown consistently across the previous seven decades of polls.

"A mountain of Gallup survey data attests to the idea that women are more religious than men, hold their beliefs more firmly, practice their faith more consistently, and work more vigorously for the congregation," Gallup wrote.

Gallup said that among the reasons women tend to be more religious are that mothers have tended to spend more time raising children, which often means overseeing their involvement in church activities.

Though two-income households are more common today, in the past women often had more flexible daily schedules, permitting more church involvement during the week.

Women tend to be more open about sharing personal problems and are more relational than men.
Other Gallup research shows a higher proportion of women than men say they have a 'best friend' in their congregation.
Gallup also said, "More so than men, women lean toward an empirical [depending on experience or observation] rather than a rational basis for faith."

Rodney Stark, a professor of sociology and comparative religion at the University of Washington, gave another reason for why are men less religious.

"Studies of biochemistry imply that both male irreligiousness and male lawlessness are rooted in the fact that far more males than females have an underdeveloped ability to inhibit their impulses, especially those involving immediate gratification and thrills," Stark said in a 2002 paper in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.

Stark said that the upshot is that some men are short-sighted and don't think ahead and so 'going to prison or going to hell just doesn't matter to these men.'

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Women better at money matters than men

TIMES OF INDIA  3 Mar 2009, 0015 hrs IST, REUTERS
SINGAPORE: When it comes to money, women are more responsible then men, with an international survey finding that they’re less likely to get into debt and strive harder to become financially independent.

The global survey polled 4,500 women in 12 countries about money matters. An equal number of men were also asked questions. The survey showed that just over half of the respondents of both genders said women are more responsible with money than men, with the highest level of agreement found in Mexico, where 72% of people believed women were better at handling finances.

And although more than 40% of women use part of their monthly income to pay off credit cards, some 70%of female respondents also said that having more than one credit card could lead to financial debt, revealing women’s higher awareness.

"It's not the card itself that causes anyone to use it. So the statement is really about control and temptation," said Claire Braverman, a senior vice president at market research firm Synovate.

"The ability to spend more, that you don't have in the first place, can certainly lead to debt. It means people have to control themselves and their spouses," she added.

More women believed in their financial ability than men, with 61% saying they were more responsible, while only 40% of men agreed. But nearly half the women surveyed also conceded that they were bigger spenders than men, with 60% of men agreeing.

The survey was conducted in Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, France, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Holland South Africa, Britain and the United States.

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