Biopeer

Weight loss gains steam

Recognizing obesity as an important issue, two new studies researching weight loss have come up with interesting finds.

An American study has determined that when it comes to body-fat distribution, dieting and exercising have the same effect. The researchers from Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, Los Angeles, concluded this after conducting a trial on 35 overweight participants. The trial participants were divided into three groups on the basis of a diet they had to follow for six months. The first group reduced calorie intake by 25 per cent while the second group embarked on a combination of a diet and exercise plan. The third group was the control group, which maintained its weight. At the end of the trial, the researchers observed that the distribution of body fat was the same for the first two groups. The findings of the study are in direct contrast to the belief that certain exercises can reduce fat in specific areas of the body. Though the weight loss achieved is the same whether one diets or combines diet and exercise, the researchers advocate the combination as exercise offers other health benefits for overall health.

Meanwhile, American researchers have found a weight loss supplement to have adverse side effects. Researchers from Ohio State University studied the effects of the supplement conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on mice and rats. The mice lost weight quickly but simultaneously excessive fat got collected in their livers. Such collection could lead to insulin resistance. On the other hand, rats taking CLA failed to lose the weight they had gained before taking the supplement. Instead, they lost the extra fat from their livers. To better understand the effect CLA has on humans, the researchers are now looking at clinical trials that observe the effects of CLA on women with diabetes.

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Brain studies open new doors

In an encouraging study, American researchers have determined that brain function can be enhanced with the implantation of a stent. This procedure is usually undertaken to clear blocked carotid arteries and thwart the occurrence of stroke. Researchers from the Sacred Heart Medical Center, Spokane, Washington, conducted the study on 37 participants. All of them were subjected to a two-hour battery of 11 standard neurocognitive tests. Doctors observed that while improvements in brain function were visible even as early as three months, 43 per cent of the participants saw significant improvement a year after the procedure.

Meanwhile, American doctors have found that the chances of a new born baby suffering a brain hemorrhage increase significantly if it is born naturally. Doctors at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, made this finding when they scanned the brains of 88 healthy newborns using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Seventeen of the babies born naturally had intracranial hemorrhages while seven had ruptures. The researchers believe that this bleeding was most likely caused due to pressure on the skull during delivery. They are now planning to test these babies again when they are one and two years old with the aim of formulating ways to determine ‘shaken baby syndrome’.

In another study, researchers from the University of Michigan Medical School have found a possible link between brain protein SH2B1 and obesity. The researchers established the link after conducting experiments on different kinds of mice. They found that the metabolic disorders of mice without the protein were corrected when SH2B1 was restored in the mice. Also, with the protein, their brain cells ably controlled their eating. Further, these abilities were not lost in those mice which made the protein in large quantities. The researchers hope their findings will in the long term help better understand obesity.

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Diabetes research gives more cause for worry

In a surprising study, American researchers have found that the risk of developing diabetes can increase with passive smoking too. The study was conducted on 4572 male and female participants. The researchers found that 22 per cent of those who smoked had developed glucose intolerance. This was significant as glucose intolerance can lead to diabetes. But the researchers also noted that of those who had been only passive smokers, 17 per cent had developed the condition. Supporters of the study agree that further research is necessary to confirm this link before smoking can be completely prohibited in public places.

In a shocking study, researchers from the Saint Louis University have determined that 50 per cent of Americans have the gene version FABP2 that could lead to diabetes. FABP2 causes the food to be metabolized in a way that interferes with the body’s ability to get rid of the excess sugar in the blood stream, resulting in diabetes. The researchers do admit that those with the gene version need not panic, as it does not cause diabetes by itself. But it would be valuable for them if they change their other risk factors like diet and exercise for the better.

Meanwhile, researchers from the Joslin Diabetes Center led a study which has concluded that a neuropeptide found in the brain, melanin concentrating hormone (MCH), helps to determine insulin secretion. During the study, the researchers observed that as MCH stimulates appetite, it causes the secretion of insulin from beta cells to increase. It also boosts the development of the beta cells. The researchers believe that their findings could possibly lead to development of drugs that could encourage insulin production and potentially treat both type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

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Breast cancer research makes progress

American scientists studying breast cancer have made a startling discovery regarding the role of estrogen in breast cancer. Researchers from the University of Illinois observed that estrogen aids the growth of the tumor. In the normal course of events, natural killer cells produce granzymes that destroy the tumor. However, in the case of breast cancer, estrogen stimulates the release of proteinase inhibitor 9 (PI-9). Since the role of PI-9 is to stop the granzyme from destroying the tumor cells, an increase in its production protects the tumor and promotes its growth. The researchers also claim that a small quantity of estrogen is enough to encourage the inhibitor production.

Meanwhile, British scientists have determined that a fiber rich diet could reduce the likelihood of one developing breast cancer even by half. The researchers from the University of Leeds reached this conclusion after they had followed the eating habits of around 35,000 women for seven years. Since they focused mainly on pre menopausal women, the researchers were able to establish a link between fiber rich diet and breast cancer quite effectively.

Similarly, American researchers are of the view that the recurrence of cancer in male breast cancer patients needs to be recognized. They studied the records of 1,926 men who had suffered from primary breast cancer. They found that 11.5 per cent of the men had developed a second primary cancer in less than 60 days from the diagnosis of the first cancer. Compared to men without breast cancer, the chances of developing a second primary cancer increased for male breast cancer patients by a good 16 per cent. On the basis of their findings, the researchers are advocating better cancer screening and cancer counseling for male breast cancer patients.

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New facets of antidepressants revealed

In a recent study, Canadian researchers have found that when compared to psychotherapy, antidepressants are more suited for depression arising from heart disease. The researchers determined this after studying 284 participants for three months. All the participants had sometime suffered heart attacks or had had related heart problems like blocked arteries. They found that depressive symptoms were more effectively alleviated with the antidepressant citalopram, which is sold under the brand name celexa, than with weekly psychotherapy sessions. The researchers believe that prescribing citalopram to heart patients is not risky as it is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and SSRIs are not known to cause any cardiovascular problems.


On the other hand, another study has found SSRIs increase the risk of fractures in the elderly. Researchers from Montreal, Canada, studied the records of 137 patients on SSRIs who had an average age of 65 years and followed their progress for five years. They found that with SSRIs, the risk of fractures doubled and these fractures occurred mostly in the forearm, ankle and feet. Also, those on SSRIs tended to fall more often. In fact, the chances of falling increased 1.5 times when the dosage was doubled. Taking the drug daily also lowered the bone mineral density at the hip and spine. However, the researchers do not advise those needing SSRIs to stop taking the drugs. Instead, they recommend that patients take more general precautions like measuring bone density periodically.

Meanwhile, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted conditional approval to Wyeth Pharmaceuticals for its major depressive disorder drug Pristiq (desvenlafaxine succinate). The drug is meant for adults suffering from this disorder. The approval is subject to many conditions including an FDA inspection of the manufacturing unit and post-marketing commitments.

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Genetic research helps unravel several mysteries

Continuing their efforts to study Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA), American researchers from Northwestern University, Illinois, have zeroed in on a gene mutation as a probable cause for PPA. The researchers observed the samples of two independent families where almost all the members suffered from this disease and compared them with more than 200 control samples. They then concluded that the progranulin gene mutation could cause PPA. The researchers are hopeful that their findings will not only help them understand the causes of this progressive disease but also lead to possible treatments.

In another study, American scientists have discovered genes that will help them better understand autoimmune disorders. It is a known fact that in autoimmune disease, T-cells fail to perform their function of regulating the immune system. Now, researchers from Harvard Medical School, the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research collaborated on a study and examined the protein Foxp3, a transcription factor. When they scanned the T-cell genome, they found around 30 genes that Foxp3 regulated and even suppressed. The researchers are excited about the possibility that drugs targeting these genes could effectively treat autoimmune disorders.

Meanwhile, in the UK, scientists from the University of Oxford have discovered how to turn off the gene responsible for cell division leading to tumor growth. The research team focused its attention on the ribonucleic acid (RNA) that turned the dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) gene on and off. The DHFR gene secretes the enzyme that regulates the production of thymine, which, in turn, is essential for cells to divide quickly. The researchers believe that with the development of anti-cancer treatments that hamper the function of this gene, ordinary cells could be stopped from turning into tumors.

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Fertility concerns on the rise

Women who wish to conceive may do best by avoiding foods with trans fats as a recent study claims that taking trans fats even in small quantities can have significant effects on fertility. In the study, American researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health linked trans fats to fertility problems. Of the 18,500 women studied who were attempting to conceive, 438 women faced ovulatory problems. The researchers concluded that trans fats could raise one’s likelihood of developing fertility problems even by 70 per cent. But they are unsure as to the exact process by which trans fats affect fertility.

Meanwhile, British scientists from Sheffield University have developed a test that could tell a woman how quickly her biological clock is ticking. The blood test calculates the number of eggs in a woman’s ovaries and determines whether her fertility is on a downward spiral. This test, named Plan Ahead is the first fertility test to bring together pituitary hormone FSH and ovarian hormones inhibin B and AMH, as they are responsible for the number of eggs. With an increasing number of women preferring to have babies at a later stage in life, this test can help them prioritize between career and family.

On the other hand, Indian researchers from the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bangalore, have uncovered the disturbing fact that Indian women as young as 30 are reaching menopause. While 3.1 per cent women reach menopause between 30 and 34 years, 8 per cent do so between 35 and 39 years of age. Also, such premature menopause is more common in the rural areas than in the urban areas. However, women who wish to marry late have no cause for concern as giving birth at a later age delays the onset of menopause.

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Delving into the depths of the brain

In a startling revelation, researchers from the Wellcome Trust Centre for Neuroimaging, London, UK, have established that amnesiacs are unable to imagine future events. Five amnesiac patients and 10 others who did not have amnesia were requested to imagine something new in various settings and events like Christmas that would occur in the future. It was found that amnesiacs were unable to accomplish either of the tasks. The researchers believe that their findings have proved that the role of hippocampus, till now associated with past memories, could extend to imagination too. That is why, when its functioning is hampered, it leads to amnesia and hinders one’s ability to imagine.

Israeli scientists from the Weizmann Institute of Science have developed a new method to remove the excess glutamate formed in the brain from a brain injury. It is a known fact that the levels of glutamate should be higher in the blood than the brain. When experimenting on mice, the researchers found that when they lower the levels of glutamate in the blood with the help of the enzyme GOT, the transporter activity of the body accelerates and sends the glutamate from the brain into the blood to restore normal levels. This way the damage excess glutamate can cause to the brain tissues is thwarted. The researchers are now looking at Phase I clinical trials.

Meanwhile, a Harvard study has found a possible link between the anesthetic isoflurane and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The researchers found that when they exposed brain cells with an amyloid-beta protein to isoflurane for six hours, the cells died. Also, the cells produced in abundance the toxic molecule that is known to cause the pathology of AD. However, they accept that more research needs to be done before this connection can be proved beyond doubt.

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Clinical trials make waves

In order to prove the superiority of its cervical cancer vaccine Cervarix, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has decided to conduct a clinical trial. The trial will compare the efficacy of Cervarix against its rival Merck’s Gardasil. The trial will study the immune responses the vaccine produces against HPV 16 and 18 in 1,000 women between the ages of 18 and 26 years for two years. The makers of Cervarix believe that a new additive they have used in their vaccine stimulates higher levels of antibodies, giving them an edge over Gardasil. The trial also aims to compare the immune responses of the vaccines to HPV 31 and 45.

In a related development, scientists from the Joslin Diabetes Center, Boston, USA, are launching a clinical trial for type 2 diabetes patients. It will study whether lowering blood glucose levels with the anti-inflammatory drug salsalate will help these patients. If the study results are positive, it can even lead to the development of an inexpensive treatment for type 2 diabetes.

Meanwhile, a recent study from the stables of consulting firm AT Kearney has found that India is the second-most favored destination for clinical trials with only China ahead of it. Factors like a large number of willing patients, quick enrollment processes and possibility of lowering costs by even 40 to 60 per cent tilted the scale in India’s favor. However, for India to become the first on the list, it needs to address basic issues like poor infrastructure and the absence of a strong network for hospitals. Once this is done, India’s share in clinical trials will definitely increase from the current share of 5 to 10 per cent.

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Research on heart attacks intensifies in India, Germany and NZ

In a study, researchers at the Government Medical College in Nagpur, India, have determined why South Asians suffer heart attacks at a younger age compared to the Western population. They analyzed the records of heart-attack patients and healthy people from five South Asian countries against those from Western countries. While the average age for suffering the first heart attack was 58.8 years in the Western countries, it was 53 years in the South Asian countries. The researchers claim that this is because the chances of performing activities that prevent heart attack were less for South Asians. Also, they had an increasing proportion of factors, like stress, that cause heart attack. The researchers believe that their findings add weight to the theory that changes in lifestyle habits, if implemented early enough in life, could reduce the chances of heart attacks.

In a debatable study, German researchers from the Center for Clinical Studies at GWI-TU found that taking a combination of the diabetes drug pioglitazone and the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin, brings down C-reactive protein, a marker of heart attack. They arrived at this after conducting a 12-week trial on 125 non-diabetic participants with heart disease. However, the clinical significance of the findings is under criticism from other scientists.

Meanwhile, researchers from Otago University’s Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, New Zealand, have found a connection between a protein and decreased ability of a heart to recover after an attack. The protein resistin comes from fatty tissue around the body. The study found that when the levels of resistin in the blood are high during a heart attack, the heart is able to recover only 68 per cent of its ability instead of the normal 90 per cent. The researchers are hopeful that the negative effects of resistin can be overcome with the development of drugs that will block it.

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