Wednesday May 20, 2009

Popular diabetes treatment could trigger pancreatitis, pancreatic cancer
NewsRx.com 05-14-09
A drug widely used to treat Type 2 diabetes may have unintended effects on the pancreas that could lead to a form of low-grade pancreatitis in some patients and a greater risk of pancreatic cancer in long-term users, UCLA researchers have found (see also University of California - Los Angeles).
In a study published in the online edition of the journal Diabetes, researchers from the Larry L. Hillblom Islet Research Center at UCLA found that sitagliptin, sold in pill form as Januvia, caused abnormalities in the pancreas that are recognized as risk factors for pancreatitis and, with time, pancreatic cancer in humans. Januvia is marketed by Merck & Co. Inc. Sitagliptin is a member of a new class of drugs that enhance the actions of the gut hormone known as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1), which has been shown to be effective in lowering blood sugar in people with Type 2 diabetes. The study is available at http://diabetes.diabetesjournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/db09-0058v1.
"Type 2 diabetes is a lifelong disease people often take the same drugs for many years, so any adverse effect that could over time increase the risk for pancreatic cancer would be a concern," said Dr. Peter Butler, director of the Hillblom Center and the study's lead investigator. "A concern here is that the unwanted effects of this drug on the pancreas would likely not be detected in humans unless the pancreas was removed and examined."
An observed connection between Byetta, a drug used to treat Type 2 diabetes that is related to Januvia in its intended actions, and pancreatitis has already been reported, prompting a Food and Drug Administration warning. Amylin Corp., which markets Byetta, has suggested that since there is no known mechanism linking the cases of pancreatitis with Byetta, the association might be chance. The UCLA study suggests that there may indeed be a link between drugs that enhance the actions of GLP-1 and pancreatitis by increasing the rate of formation of cells that line the pancreatic ducts.
In the study, researchers used human IAPP transgenic (HIP) rats to test both sitagliptin and metformin; metformin, a member of an older, different class of diabetes drugs in use since the 1950s, has recently been found to have anti-tumor properties. The researchers sought to determine how the drugs, both singly and in combination, affected islet disease progression in the pancreas particularly how they affected beta cells in the pancreas's Islets of Langerhans. Beta cells are responsible for releasing insulin in people with normal metabolism, but they don't produce insulin in sufficient amounts in diabetes patients. HIP rats approximate both the islets and metabolism of people with Type 2 diabetes. The drugs were tested in 40 rats for 12 weeks.
The researchers found that the two drugs in combination had a synergistic effect that helped preserve beta cells, improved their function and enhanced insulin sensitivity in the test rats. With the sitagliptin alone, however, the rats had abnormally high rates of cell production in their pancreatic ducts; a few developed an abnormality known as ductal metaplasia, and one developed pancreatitis.
"The apparent protection against the unwanted actions of sitagliptin in the exocrine pancreas are intriguing and may offer a potential way of using the GLP-1 class of drugs safely," Butler said. "The protective effect may have been either by the actions of metformin to decrease blood glucose values or its recently appreciated properties as a tumor suppressive agent."
"Given these findings, it is probably sensible to use the GLP-1 class of drugs only with metformin until other data is forthcoming," he said.
http://www.lef.org/news/LefDailyNews.htm?NewsID=8262&Section=Disease

Probiotics may reduce eczema risk by 60 per cent

Nutraingredients.com, 15-May-2009

Daily supplements of a multi-species probiotic food may reduce the risk of eczema by 58 per cent, according to a new study from The Netherlands.
The eczema-reducing properties were sustained until the age of two, according to results of a double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled trial with mothers and subsequently their babies with a family history of allergic disease.
The study, published in the European Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, used Winclove Bio Industries’ Ecologic Panda mixture containing one billion colony forming units (CFU) of each Bifidobacterium bifidum W23, Bifidobacterium lactis W52 (previously classified as Bifidobacterium infantis), and Lactococcus lactis W58.
Eczema, also known as atopic dermatitis (AD), is one of the first signs of allergy during the early days of life and is said to be due to delayed development of the immune system. According to the American Academy of Dermatologists it affects between 10 to 20 per cent of all infants, but almost half of these kids will 'grow out' of eczema between the ages of five and 15.
Study details
Researchers from University Medical Center in Utrecht, Wageningen University, and Sint Antonius Hospital in Nieuwegein, recruited 157 pregnant women and randomly assigned them to receive the probiotic mixture, or placebo, for the last two weeks of pregnancy. The infants subsequently received the supplements for their first year of life.
The Dutch researchers report that parental-reported eczema was 58 per cent lower in the intervention group compared with placebo during the first three months of life, after which the incidence of eczema was similar between the groups. Furthermore, faecal samples from the infants showed a higher colonisaiton by Lc. Lactis, they added.
In vitro test showed that production of IL-5, one of the protein-like cytokines produced by white blood cells called T-helper type 2 (Th3) lymphocytes during the immune response to allergy, was significantly lower in the probiotic-group compared with the placebo-group.
“The results of this study suggest that primary prevention of eczema by perinatal administration of probiotic bacteria indeed involves modulation of the early colonization of the intestinal microbiota, which may result in modulating the development and maturation of the infants’ immune system,” wrote the researchers.
“Modulation of the immune response via interaction with intestinal dendritic cells with subsequent effects on T-cell differentiation and induction of regulatory T cells has been suggested,” they added.
According the FAO/WHO, probiotics are defined as "live microorganisms which when administered in adequate amounts confer a health benefit on the host".
Source: AllergyPublished online ahead of print, doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.2009.02021.x “The effects of selected probiotic strains on the development of eczema (the PandA study)” Authors: L. Niers, R. Martín, G. Rijkers, F. Sengers, H. Timmerman, N. van Uden, H. Smidt, J. Kimpen, M. Hoekstra
http://www.nutraingredients.com/Research/Probiotics-may-reduce-eczema-risk-by-60-per-cent

Americans wait weeks for routine doctor visit
Last Updated: 2009-05-14 13:00:58 -0400 (Reuters Health)
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Many Americans who need to see a family physician or specialist may have to wait weeks or even months for an appointment, a new survey suggests.
People living in and around Boston need to have the most patience, according to the survey, which attempted to gauge average wait times for doctor appointments in 15 U.S. metropolitan areas. Boston residents, the survey suggests, need to wait an average of 70 days for a routine check-up with an obstetrician/gynecologist; 63 days to see a family physician for a standard physical; 40 days to see an orthopedic surgeon to assess a knee injury; and 3 weeks for a check-up with a cardiologist.
Atlanta typically had the shortest wait times -- 9 days to see a family physician, for example, and 5 days to see a cardiologist.
The survey was conducted by Merritt Hawkins and Associates, a physician search and consulting firm that is part of AMN Healthcare, a healthcare staffing organization. Researchers arrived at their findings by attempting to make routine doctor appointments in 15 major metropolitan areas. For each city, they called a minimum of 10 practices in each of five medical fields:  family practice, cardiology, dermatology, ob/gyn and orthopedic surgery.
In cardiology, the survey found, the average wait time exceeded 2 weeks in five metropolitan areas: Minneapolis (47 days), Miami (29 days), San Diego (22 days), Boston (21 days) and Washington, DC (18 days).
In family practice, wait times were 2 weeks or longer in eight
cities: Boston (63 days), Los Angeles (59 days), Washington (30 days), New York and San Diego (24 days), Houston (17 days) and Denver and Detroit, each at 14 days.
Boston was consistently at or near the top in average wait time for each specialty, while other cities tended to vary depending on the field. This may be related to the fact that Massachusetts now mandates health insurance coverage for residents -- a move that, along with increasing the rolls of the insured, has boosted demand for doctor appointments.
Even though Massachusetts has more doctors per capita than any other state, patients are still having difficulty getting an appointment, Merritt Hawkins president Mark Smith said in a new release from the firm.
If national healthcare reform leads to a similar expansion of insurance coverage nationwide, Smith said, long wait times could become an even greater problem.
Along with geographical differences in wait times, the survey also found wide variation in doctors' acceptance of Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the poor.
Minneapolis had the highest rate of Medicaid acceptance, at 82 percent, while Dallas came in last, at 39 percent.
"Merely having medical coverage does not always ensure access to a physician," Smith said. "Many doctors simply can no longer afford to see Medicaid patients."
http://www.reutershealth.com/archive/2009/05/14/eline/links/20090514elin003.html

Resveratrol Found to Treat Fatty Liver Disease

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com  May 15, 2009

(NaturalNews) The naturally occurring plant chemical resveratrol -- made famous for its role in the health benefits of red wine -- may not only prevent but even reverse the dangerous buildup of fat in the liver caused by alcohol abuse.

"Our study suggests that resveratrol may serve as a promising agent for preventing or treating human alcoholic fatty liver disease," the researchers from the University of South Florida Health Sciences Center in Tampa wrote in the American Journal of Physiology -- Gastrointestinal and Live Physiology.

Scientists have known for some time that part of the way that alcohol damages the liver is by inhibiting the action of two proteins, known as AMPK and SIRT1. These proteins play a critical role in helping break down fats to remove them from the liver; when their activity is disrupted, it leads to the fatty buildup associated with liver diseases such as cirrhosis and fibrosis. Left untreated, this fat buildup can eventually cause total liver failure.

In the current study, researchers looked directly at resveratrol's effects on AMPK and SIRT1. They fed mice a low-fat diet, supplemented with either resveratrol, alcohol or a combination of the two. They then observed that mice that had been given both resveratrol and alcohol had higher levels of SIRT1 and higher activity of AMPK than mice that were given alcohol alone.

The higher levels and activity of the two key proteins led to a decrease in other proteins, specifically those involved in the buildup of liver fat. They also led to an increase in levels of the hormone adiponectin, which metabolizes fat.

When the researchers looked at the mice's livers, they found that the livers of resveratrol-treated mice produced less fat than mice that were given alcohol alone, and that this fat was also broken down more quickly.

Previous research has linked resveratrol to a decreased risk of cancer and heart disease, as well as to longer life and reduced age-related decline. Recent research, published in the Nutrition Review, found that it successfully reduced cholesterol and insulin sensitivity, and protected the nervous system.

Resveratrol is widely believed to contribute to the health-protective effects of wine, which are partially responsible for the so-called "French paradox."

"Despite eating a diet equally high in saturated fat as the typical American diet, the French were shown to have about one-third the level of cardiovascular disease," said Debra Miller, director of nutrition at candy company Hershey. "Continued research indicates that moderate consumption of red wine, along with fruits, vegetables, nuts and lower amounts of red meat, may contribute to this lower risk of heart of disease."

The FDA has approved statements that drinking a glass or two of red wine per day can lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Resveratrol is found in high quantities in grape skins, peanuts and products made with them, such as red wine and peanut butter. A new study conducted by Hershey in partnership with Planta Analytica has also detected high levels in cocoa products for the first time.

"This study shows that the levels of resveratrol found in cocoa and chocolate products is second to red wine among known sources of resveratrol and forms yet another important link between the antioxidants found in cocoa and dark chocolate to other foods," said David Stuart, Hershey director of natural product science.

Among the cocoa products tested, the highest resveratrol levels were found in cocoa powder, followed by baking chocolate, dark chocolate, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate and chocolate syrup. The top three chocolate products all contained significantly more resveratrol per serving than peanuts or peanut butter, but less resveratrol per serving than California red wine.

The Hershey study was published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026274.html

Spinach Knocks Out Cancer and Boosts Brain Power

Barbara Minton, NaturalNews.com   May 15, 2009

(NaturalNews) Popeye was the poster boy for spinach, at least in the cartoons. He could swallow down a can and be able to knock out Bluto who was twice his size. Popeye was probably pretty healthy too, avoiding the pitfalls of aging and disease that come from a diet lacking in flavonoids and other nutrients found in spinach. Recent research has highlighted how well these nutrients work to safeguard health.

Spinach gives a knock out punch to cancer

Scientists in Japan recently studied some of the glyconutrients from spinach and found they inhibited destruction of DNA, cancer cell growth, and tumor growth. They used the nutrients to suppress the growth of colon adenocarcinoma in mice. After a two week period of ingesting the nutrients, a 56.1% decrease in solid tumor volume occurred without any side effects. And the nutrients reduced the ability of tumors to supply themselves with blood which they need to fuel their growth. Markers of cell proliferation were drastically reduced. (Lipids, August, 2008)

Spinach is good for combating ovarian cancer too. A newly released study from the Harvard Medical School evaluated the association between dietary flavonoid intake and ovarian cancer risk. Of all the flavonoids they tested, apigenin found in spinach as well as parsley, showed the highest correlation. (International Journal of Cancer, April)

In another study, Harvard researchers calculated flavonoid intake in 66,940 women participating in the Nurses Health Study that ended in 2002. Their work revealed that women eating diets rich in the flavonoid kaempferol had a 40% reduction in ovarian cancer risk compared to women who ate the least amount of food containing the flavonoid. In addition to spinach, foods high in kaempferol include kale, tea, and blueberries. (Journal of Cancer, November 15, 2007)

Prostate cancer responds to a carotenoid found in spinach and other green leafy vegetables. Researchers have found that this carotenoid, neoxanthin, induces death in prostate cancer cells. Then it converts to a different compound in the intestinal tract. In that state, it lulls prostate cancer cells into a state of rest, preventing their replication. (Journal of Nutrition, September, 2004)

Researchers at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences studied the correlation between breast cancer risk and diets high in beta carotene and vitamin A. They found that eating spinach and carrots more than twice weekly compared to not eating them at all was associated with an odds ratio of .56. This means that the risk of having breast cancer was reduced by 44% in the women who consumed spinach and carrots. (Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, November, 1997)

Spinach is great brain food

All those flavonoids that help prevent cancer also act as potent antioxidants that slow the effects of aging on the brain. Researchers have found that spinach helps protect the brain from free radical damage and slow age-related declines in brain power. Feeding spinach to aging laboratory animals significantly improved their learning capacity and their motor skills.

Diets rich in spinach, as well as spirulina and blueberries have been shown to reduce neurodegenerative changes in aged animals. To study whether these diets have neuroprotective ability when blood supply to the brain is limited, animals were fed one of the three dietary components and studied for the effects. Animals receiving each of the supplements had significant reductions in the volume of infarction in the cerebral cortex and an increase in post-stroke locomotor activity. (Experimental Neurology, May, 2005)

The Chicago Health and Aging Project, reported by World's Healthiest Foods, suggested that eating just three servings of green leafy, yellow, and cruciferous vegetables each day could slow down cognitive decline by 40%. This equates to about five years of younger age, according to researchers at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago.

This cohort study used 3,718 participants. Their mental functions were assessed on several tests at the beginning of the study, after three years, and again after six years. Researchers found that consuming an average of 2.8 servings of vegetables each day was what it took to produce the 40% decrease in cognitive decline. Of the different type of vegetables, green leafy ones such as spinach had the strongest association. There was no relationship found between fruit consumption and cognitive decline, perhaps because vegetables contain high amounts of vitamin E. Since they are often eaten with fats such as olive oil or dressing, the body's ability to absorb fat soluble vitamin E is increased.

Spinach improves and protects eyesight

Another important carotenoid from spinach, lutein, is a major fighter against eye diseases such as macular degeneration and cataracts. Spinach is loaded with lutein as are blueberries. Although egg yolks do not contain nearly as much lutein as spinach, the absorption of the amount they do have is intensified by cholesterol and choline. Since lutein is fat soluble like vitamin E, it should be eaten with fat. This makes a spinach salad dressed with olive oil a great idea. Spinach added to quiche or omelets is another winner.

Spinach is an excellent source of the iron often needed by women. Iron is an integral part of hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to all body cells. When cells are well oxygenated there can be no cancer. Iron is a key part of an enzyme necessary for energy production and metabolism.

Spinach is packed with high quality nutrition

Spinach is one of the best sources of Vitamin K, which functions in retaining calcium in the bone matrix where it promotes bone mineralization. Other minerals in spinach include manganese, copper, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus. This combination makes spinach a great fighter of osteoporosis. It's an excellent source of Vitamin B1, B2, and B6, and a good source of B3. Spinach is also rich in mood relaxing tryptophan, and cancer fighting fiber. One cup of boiled spinach contains over 5 grams of protein, and a decent amount of omega 3 fatty acids. And of course a load of Vitamin A.

What else you need to know about spinach

Spinach is among the 12 foods on which pesticides have been most frequently found. If you want to avoid the health risks posed by pesticides, buy only organic spinach.

Spinach contains goitrogens which are naturally occurring substances in some foods that can interfere with the functioning of the thyroid gland. Cooking helps to inactivate the goitrogenic compounds, but the risk to those with thyroid problems is not fully known.

Spinach contains another naturally occurring substance, purine. Excessive consumption of spinach can lead to excessive accumulation of uric acid in the body. Gout and kidney stones from uric acid are two examples of problems related to excessive consumption of purine-containing foods.

Spinach contains measurable amounts of naturally occurring oxalates. When oxalates become overly concentrated in body fluids, they can crystallize and cause problems with kidneys and gall bladder.

This all means that spinach should be a part of a diet that is composed of a wide variety of foods.
http://www.naturalnews.com/z026273.html

Don't Give Children Cough and Cold Medicines, Warn Health Watchdogs

David Gutierrez, NaturalNews.com   May 15, 2009

(NaturalNews) The United Kingdom's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued new guidelines advising parents not to prescribe over-the-counter cold and cough medicines to children under the age of six, and placing stricter restrictions on their sale.

"Coughs and colds can be distressing for both you and your child but they will get better by themselves within a few days. Using simple measures to ease symptoms is likely to be most effective," said MHRA Director of Vigilance and Risk Management of Medicines June Raine. "Over-the-counter medicines used to treat coughs and colds have been used for many years. However, they came into use when clinical trials were not required to demonstrate that they worked in children. This means they were not specially designed for children."

Although cold and cough medications have been tested in adults, there is no evidence that they work in young children. Potentially dangerous side effects, on the other hand, have been well documented. Therefore parents are advised not to give their young children any product containing antihistamines, antitussives (anti-cough), expectorants or nasal decongestants. Under no circumstances should the drugs be given to a child under the age of two.

"It is not right to assume safety and efficacy based on children being small adults," Raine said. "Children should have access to medicines that are acceptably safe and designed for their use."

In the United Kingdom, all cough and cold products marketed to children under the age of six will be phased out. Products for children between the ages of six and 12 will remain available, but must be purchased directly from a pharmacist.

The MHRA recommends that parents worried about colds and coughs in their younger children use natural remedies such as honey and lemon for a cough and saline drops for nasal congestion. If symptoms do not improve after five days, a doctor should be consulted.
http://www.naturalnews.com/026269.html

Liz Szabo, USA TODAY  May 14, 2009
Ginger capsules can relieve the nausea caused by chemotherapy, a new study shows.
Up to 70% of patients become nauseated after chemo, according to a study of 644 people released Thursday, in advance of the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, which begins in two weeks in Orlando.
Although drugs such as Kytril can prevent vomiting, they don't always relieve nausea, says author Julie Ryan, assistant professor of dermatology and radiation oncology at the University of Rochester Medical Center.
Ginger, however, reduced patients' nausea levels by half, according to the study, funded by the National Cancer Institute. On a scale of one to seven — in which seven represents the worst nausea — chemo patients given placebos rated their nausea as a 5 or 6, or very nauseous.
Those given ginger, however, rated their nausea level as only 2 or 3, Ryan says.
Patients took ginger three days before and three days after getting chemo, Ryan says. Patients took three capsules, twice a day. The most effective doses were 1 gram and 0.5 gram a day, which are equal to half a teaspoon or one-quarter of a teaspoon of ground ginger.
All patients also got standard drugs to prevent vomiting, Ryan says.
Significantly, ginger caused no side effects.
Doctors were careful to monitor patients' platelet levels, because some earlier research suggested that ginger might act like a blood thinner, Ryan says.
"That's why we're so excited. This is something that people have access to, that won't harm them," says Ryan, who notes that ginger capsules are commonly sold in health food stores.
Although ginger has been used as a folk remedy for nausea for centuries, this is the first time that it has been so rigorously tested for chemo patients, says Richard Schilsky, oncology society president, who wasn't involved in the study. He describes the trial's results as "conclusive."
Several studies have shown that ginger can relieve morning sickness during pregnancy, says Linda Lee, director of the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine & Digestive Center. Doctors don't yet understand exactly why it works.
Lee notes that the Food and Drug Administration doesn't regulate supplements such as ginger the same way as it regulates drugs.
"One of the challenges about recommending a ginger supplement is that not all brands are created equal," Lee says. "One study looked at several ginger supplements on the market, only to find a few of them did not contain gingerol, one of the active compounds in ginger."
And Schilsky notes that, because researchers didn't test powdered or fresh ginger, they don't know if these types of ginger are as effective as capsules.
"How do you translate ginger in a capsule to the ginger in your spice rack?" Schilsky asks. "Can you drink a six pack of ginger ale?"
Douglas Blayney, incoming president of the oncology society, says cancer patients should resist the temptation to indulge in too much ginger soda or cookies, however. Some studies show that cancer patients who gain weight are more likely to relapse.
Studies show up to two-thirds of cancer patients try herbal remedies or other alternative therapies.
Cancer researchers are increasingly interested in testing these approaches.
In 2007, researchers at the cancer society meeting showed that ginseng could help relieve cancer patients' fatigue.
After eight weeks of treatment in that study, roughly 27% of those who took the two highest ginseng doses rated their fatigue as "moderately" or "very much" better, she says. Only 10% of those who took placebos or the lowest ginseng dose improved that much.
And while alternative therapies can relieve some treatment-related symptoms, researchers haven't shown the these folk remedies actually treat cancer. At the 2007 meeting, researchers found that shark cartilage had no effect on lung cancer.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2009-05-14-ginger-chemotherapy_N.htm

GARY:  Does this mean a vaccine for blood pressure!!!!!!!!

Common virus may cause high blood pressure: study

Reuters, Fri May 15, 2009 10:47am EDT
CHICAGO (Reuters) - A common virus may be a major cause of high blood pressure, researchers said on Thursday in a finding that may bring new approach to treating a condition that affects an estimated 1 billion people worldwide.
Based on a series of studies in mice, they said cytomegalovirus or CMV -- a herpes virus that affects some 60 to 99 percent of adults globally -- appears to increase inflammation in blood vessels, causing high blood pressure.
And when combined with a fatty diet, CMV may also cause hardening of the arteries, a major risk factor for heart attacks, strokes, and kidney disease, they said.
"I think it could be very important," said Dr. Clyde Crumpacker of Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, who worked on the study in the Public Library of Science Journal PLoS Pathogens.
"It may suggest a whole new way of looking at high blood pressure and vascular disease," Crumpacker said in a telephone interview.
He said the research offers the first direct proof that the virus causes persistent infection in blood vessels. Doctors typically use generic drugs such as beta blockers and ACE inhibitors to control blood pressure, a condition that affects one in every three adults in the United States.
Crumpacker said the study suggests vaccines and antiviral drugs may offer a new approach at treating hypertension.
Currently, there is no vaccine, but several companies, including Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis , GlaxoSmithKline PLC and Vical, are working on them.
And Swiss drugmaker Roche Holding AG makes an antiviral drug called Valcyte to prevent CMV infections in transplant recipients.
CMV AND DIET
By age 40, most adults will have been exposed to CMV, although many never experience any symptoms. But the virus can cause harm in people with compromised immune systems, such as transplant recipients, and it is a major cause of birth defects in babies whose mothers were infected during pregnancy.
In one experiment, Crumpacker and colleagues examined four groups of lab mice. Two were fed a standard diet and two were fed a high fat diet. After for weeks, half of the mice from the standard and fatty diet groups were exposed to the virus.
Six weeks later, mice in both infected groups had elevated blood pressure, but 30 percent of infected mice on high cholesterol diet also showed signs of atherosclerosis.
"This strongly suggests that the CMV infection and the high cholesterol diet might be working together," Crumpacker said.
In another study of kidney cells in infected mice, the team found high levels of the enzyme renin, which is known to cause high blood pressure. They found the same high rates of the enzyme in human blood vessel cells infected with CMV.
And they found that CMV infection increased markers for inflammation in blood vessels.
More research is needed looking at the role of viruses in causing heart disease, but Crumpacker said the findings suggest new treatment possibilities.
"Some cases of hypertension might be treated or prevented by antiviral therapy or a vaccine against CMV," he said.

Human Nose Too Cold For Bird Flu, Says New Study

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2009) — Avian influenza viruses do not thrive in humans because the temperature inside a person's nose is too low, according to research published May 14 in the journal PLoS Pathogens. The authors of the study, from Imperial College London and the University of North Carolina, say this may be one of the reasons why bird flu viruses do not cause pandemics in humans easily.
There are 16 subtypes of avian influenza and some can mutate into forms that can infect humans, by swapping proteins on their surface with proteins from human influenza viruses.
Today's study shows that normal avian influenza viruses do not spread extensively in cells at 32 degrees Celsius, the temperature inside the human nose. The researchers say this is probably because the viruses usually infect the guts of birds, which are warmer, at 40 degrees Celsius. This means that avian flu viruses that have not mutated are less likely to infect people, because the first site of infection in humans is usually the nose. If a normal avian flu virus infected a human nose, the virus would not be able to grow and spread between cells, so it would be less likely to damage cells and cause respiratory illness.
The researchers also found that when they created a mutated human influenza virus by adding a protein from the surface of an avian influenza virus, this mutated virus struggled to thrive at 32 degrees Celsius. This suggests that if a new human influenza strain evolved by adopting proteins from an avian influenza virus, this would need to undergo further changes in order to adapt to the conditions in the human body.
The researchers reached their conclusions by growing cells from the human airway and infecting them with different human and avian influenza viruses, including H5N1, to see how well the viruses grew and spread. The human influenza viruses grew equally well in the cells whether they were maintained at 37 degrees Celsius, our core body temperature, or at 32 degrees Celsius, the temperature of the nose. In contrast, the four avian influenza viruses tested grew well at 37 degrees Celsius but grew very slowly at 32 degrees Celsius.
When the researchers added proteins from an avian influenza virus to a human influenza virus, the human influenza virus also grew slowly and struggled to replicate at 32 degrees Celsius.
As viruses kill the cells they infect, the researchers also measured the extent of cell death in the model. This showed that at 32 degrees Celsius, far fewer cells died as a result of infection with avian influenza compared with human influenza, supporting the idea that the avian virus could not thrive at that temperature.
Professor Wendy Barclay, one of the authors of the study from the Division of Investigative Science at Imperial College London, said: "Bird viruses are out there all the time but they can only cause pandemics when they undergo certain changes. Our study gives vital clues about what kinds of changes would be needed in order for them to mutate and infect humans, potentially helping us to identify which viruses could lead to a pandemic.
"It would be impossible to develop vaccines against all 16 subtypes of avian flu, so we need to prioritise. By studying a range of different viruses in systems like this one we can look for warnings that they are already beginning to make the kinds of genetic changes in nature that mean they could be poised to jump into humans; animal viruses that spread well at low temperatures in these cultures could be more likely to cause the next pandemic than those which are restricted," added Professor Barclay.
The research was funded by the Medical Research Council in the UK and by the NIH in the USA.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/05/090514222019.htm

Eating Fish, Nuts And Olive Oil May Be Associated With Reduced Risk Of Age-related Blindness

ScienceDaily (May 15, 2009) — Regularly eating fish, nuts, olive oil and other foods containing omega-three fatty acids and avoiding trans fats appears to be associated with a lower risk for the eye disease age-related macular degeneration, according to two new reports.
By 2020, as many as 3 million Americans are expected to have late-stage age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to background information in one of the articles. AMD is the leading cause of severe vision loss among individuals older than 65 in the developed world. Established risk factors include age, genetic markers and smoking (the only consistently reported modifiable risk factor).
In one report, Jennifer S.L. Tan, M.B.B.S., B.E., of Westmead Hospital, University of Sydney, Australia, and colleagues studied 2,454 participants in the Blue Mountains Eye Study, which began in 1992 to 1994. At that time, participants completed a food frequency questionnaire that was analyzed to determine their intake of various fatty acids. Digital photographs of the retina were used to assess the development of AMD five and 10 years later.
After adjusting for age, sex and smoking, eating one serving of fish per week was associated with a 31 percent lower risk of developing early AMD. The association was stronger among individuals with a lower intake of linoleic acid, an unsaturated omega-6 fatty acid found primarily in vegetable oils. Eating one to two servings of nuts per week was associated with a 35 percent lower risk of early AMD.
"In conclusion, our findings support the hypothesis that increased intake of omega-three polyunsaturated fatty acids and regular consumption of fish and/or nuts in the diet may protect against the development of early AMD," the authors write. These fatty acids may protect the eyes by preventing the buildup of plaque in the arteries or reducing inflammation, blood vessel formation and oxygen-related cell damage in the retina.
Joint effects of protection against AMD were suggested between the consumption of these foods and other factors, such as smoking, intake of unsaturated omega-6 fatty acids or beta carotene and the ratio of total blood cholesterol to HDL or "good" cholesterol. "These findings also suggest that an appropriate balance among various nutrients is essential for maximizing nutritional benefit," they continue. Further studies are needed to determine whether changing an individual's diet or recommending supplementation could prevent or delay the development of AMD.
In the other report, Elaine W.-T. Chong, M.D., Ph.D., M.Epi., of the Centre for Eye Research Australia, and colleagues analyzed data from 6,734 individuals age 58 to 69. Between 1990 and 1994, participants' nutrient intakes were assessed from a food frequency questionnaire, and they were tracked for the development of AMD between 2003 and 2006. During the follow-up period, 2,872 cases of early AMD and 88 cases of late AMD developed.
Individuals who consumed higher levels of trans-unsaturated fats—found in baked goods and processed foods—were more likely to have late AMD, whereas those who consumed the most omega-three fatty acids were less likely to have early AMD. "Olive oil intake (100 milliliters or more per week vs. less than 1 milliliter per week) was associated with decreased prevalence of late AMD," the authors write. "No significant associations with AMD were observed for intakes of fish, total fat, butter or margarine."
Trans-unsaturated fatty acids have been shown to increase the risk of coronary heart disease through their effects on cholesterol levels and possibly through inflammation. In contrast, omega-three fatty acids are believed to protect against damage to the retina, thereby reducing risk for AMD. Although the primary fats found in olive oil (oleic acid and monounsaturated fatty acids) were not associated with AMD risk, olive oil contains other components that may have a protective effect, such as the antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds.
"Our findings suggest that people who follow a diet low in processed foods high in trans-unsaturated fatty acids and rich in omega-three fatty acids and olive oil might enjoy some protection from developing AMD," the authors conclude.
Tan et al. Dietary Fatty Acids and the 10-Year Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Blue Mountains Eye Study. Archives of Ophthalmology, 2009; 127 (5): 656 DOI: 10.1001/archophthalmol.2009.76