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Artificial blood vessels offer hope for heart patients Washington: In a new study, researchers at Rice University in Houston have identified a plastic that releases nitric oxide and could be used to make artificial blood vessels that do not clog. According to Nature magazine, plastic tubes can be used to replace blood vessels in coronary-artery bypass surgery. But tubes smaller than about 6 mm across are often gummed up by platelets, the sticky blood cells that make clots. If the clots break free, they can damage the brain and other organs. Nitric oxide stops platelets sticking together, and stimulates growth in the cells lining blood vessels. Even better, it stunts the growth of smooth muscle that could squeeze an artificial vessel closed. "That's the remarkable thing about nitric oxide; it has all these beneficial effects on different types of tissue," bioengineer Jennifer West was quoted as saying. Anticoagulant drugs are often used to keep conventional grafts clear, but this can lead to bleeding elsewhere in the body. Releasing nitric oxide directly from the graft localizes the effect to where it is needed, says West. The team used a plastic called polyurethane, modified with a chemical group that decomposes in water to release nitric oxide. They studied the plastic's effects on platelets, and cultures of blood vessel and muscle cells, over two months. The plastic released nitric oxide in a burst over the first two days, and then more slowly over the remaining time. This stopped platelets sticking together, boosted the number of blood-vessel cells and damped down muscle growth. Jan 31, 2005 Fruits and veggies could hold key to cancer cure (Go To Top) London:
Researchers have revealed that the compound salvestrols found in
red fruits and green vegetables, and used by plants as a defence against
fungal infection could benefit cancer sufferers. Experts from British
research company Nature's Defence told a conference in Lincolnshire
that a product based on fruit skin extracts may be beneficial for cancer
patients. They claimed that salvestrols, a compound found in food, can
induce cell death, particularly targeting an enzyme found only in cancer
cells. The compounds were discovered when experts from Nature's Defence
and the Cancer Drug Discovery Group, headed by professor Gerry Potter,
investigated the link between diet and cancer prevention. The researchers
looked at how the body protects itself from cancer, and disposes of
cancer cells as they are forming. Professor Potter said that salvestrols
are "a wolf in sheep's clothing" referring to the potency of substances
that were previously thought to be only mildly active. "It is likely
that we have discovered a mechanism that can tackle cancer cells whether
they are formed or forming. Whether this could lead to a cure or not,
we do not know," The BBC quoted Max Drake, medical herbalist at Nature's
Defence, as saying. Above all, researchers found that salvestrols destroyed
the CYP1B1 enzyme, which is present in both pre-cancerous and cancerous
cells. Three siblings suffer from progeria (Go To Top) Kolkata: Rehana, Ikramul and Ali look old and seem to be living their last years. Although their days are probably numbered, these siblings are not old. Rehana is a young 19-year- old girl and her two brothers Ikramul and Ali are 17 and 6 respectively. The siblings suffer from a very rare genetic disease called Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria Syndrome that accelerates ageing. According to the American Progeria Register, there are only around 48 patients worldwide who suffer from this disease. Rehana, Ikramul and Ali are especially unique as they are born of a single couple. Their parents Bisul Khan and Rajia Begum from a remote village of Bihar had eight children, three of whom died at a very early age. But, even as Rehana and her brothers grew a different way, the parents had no idea of their rare ailment. The family was ostracized from the village as the children's appearance disturbed the villagers. It
was the S. B. Devi Charity Home, a Kolkata based NGO that brought the
entire family to the city for treatment and rehabilitation. "This is
a genetic problem which is very rare in the world. There are about 48
people in the world suffering from this disease right now. This couple
had 8 children, out of which 3 died. Out of five living, three suffer
from progeria and two are normal. This is the only family in the world
with the largest number of progeria patients," said Dr Shekhar Chatterjee
who runs the S B Devi Charity Home in Kolkata. He added that the disease
was detected after a series of tests and research. Ikramul, one of the
siblings, likes singing and says the charity home is the best place
to live. "I get bruises. My skin becomes thin and breaks. I feel cold
too. This place is better than our village," he said. Rajjia Begum,
their mother is relived to be away from the neighbor's unkindly remarks
back home. "The neighbors would say our children frightened them. They
called them ghosts. It's nice here, as no one would speak ill about
my children. Here everybody loves them," said Rajia Begum. The siblings
would soon be taken to Switzerland for further research. The children
suffering from progeria appear normal at birth, but begin to develop
characteristic symptoms within the first years such as the failure to
thrive, double or triple rows of teeth, very thin skin, delicate bones
and nearly no immunity. Such patients die early due to physical deterioration
even as their brain develops normally. Missing sequence of the human Y chromosome found (Go To Top) Washington:
German researchers have now succeeded in cloning a missing sequence
of the Y chromosome in humans. According to a report in the journal
Genome Research, the researchers led by Gudrun Rappold, Professor of
Human Genetics at the University of Heidelberg in Germany, reveal that
they have successfully cloned and characterized a previously intractable
DNA sequence, a 554-kilobase-pair genomic segment near the centromere
of the human Y chromosome. The Y chromosome, a sex chromosome that is
specific to the human male, has posed a particular challenge to researchers
attempting to decode its sequence. This sequence contains eight putatively
active genes that could be implicated in sex-associated height differences
and gonadal tumor development. This pericentromeric gap was one of the
few holes remaining in the "finished" sequence of the human genome reported
last October by the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium
and this discovery marks the culmination of a 13-year effort to elucidate
the order and orientation of 2.85 billion basepairs that comprise the
human genome. Red meat enhances cancer risk by 40 percent (Go To Top) Washington:
A diet rich in red meat enhances the risk of developing colon or
rectal cancer, a new study has confirmed , thus lending weight to nutritionists'
call for a switch to healthier diet alternatives. According to the Nature,
the study conducted by Michael Thun of the American Cancer Society (ACS)
in Atlanta, Georgia, and his team has found that those who ate most
red meat had a 40 percent higher risk of getting rectal cancer. By contrast,
those who ate the highest quantity of poultry or fish had a 20-30 percent
lower risk of developing the diseases, the team reports in the Journal
of the American Medical Association1. This applied even when the researchers
took into account other risk factors, such as being overweight, not
taking exercise and not eating fruit and vegetables. Researchers are
not yet clear which ingredient of meat might trigger cancer but possible
culprits include iron, toxins formed during cooking or the nitrates
and nitrites used to preserve processed meats. They advice that replacing
the red meat with some combination of fish, poultry, nuts and beans
might cut the risk of colorectal cancer. "It will have some beneficial
effects for reducing heart disease as well.Fortunately, substituting
pistachio-encrusted salmon and gingered brown basmati pilaf for roast
beef with mashed potatoes and gravy is not a culinary sacrifice," nutritional
expert Walter Willett of the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston,
writes in an editorial accompaning the study. Monkey gene offers clue to HIV origin in humans (Go To Top) London:
A new study conducted by scientists at the National Institute for
Medical Research suggests that only a single change to the human gene
is needed to enable it to block HIV infection. According to BBC, they
pinpointed crucial differences in a gene found in rhesus monkeys that
can prevent HIV infection, and its human counterpart, that cannot. The
scientists led by Dr Jonathan Stoye said that their work indicates that
HIV would not have become established in the human population if mankind
carried the same version of the gene found in rhesus monkeys. "This
discovery has significant implications for the development of effective
gene therapy to combat Aids. In theory, it should be possible to take
cells from an HIV-infected individual, make them resistant to HIV infection
with the modified gene and reintroduce them into the patient. These
cells could then block progression to Aids. Alternatively we could seek
for drugs that activate the human gene against HIV," Stoye said. Largest explosion in space observed (Go To Top) Washington:
Scientists at the Ohio State University have recently observed the
largest ever explosion in space, which indicated that black holes are
a bigger force in space then they are believed to be. The study, which
has been published in the journal 'Nature' hopes to explain why some
galaxies don't create new stars as they cool down in temperature, which
is how stars are usually formed. The blast was observed near one of
the cD galaxies, which is the largest class of galaxies in the universe
that live at the centre of galaxy clusters. The researchers say that
the amount of energy contained in the shock wave created by the explosion
suggests that the supermassive black hole is gobbling up a greater amount
of matter than scientists would have predicted. The new study also supports
recent theories that supermassive black holes have a major impact on
the structure of our universe. The volume of space the black hole occupies
is about the same size of our solar system but it impacts a volume of
space much greater than that about 600 times the size of the Milky Way
galaxy. Little role for fibre, fluids in treating constipation (Go To Top) Washington: An article published in the latest issue of the American Journal of Gastroenterology has debunked myths related to chronic constipation. The researchers have addressed the common beliefs concerning various aspects of constipation and reviewed results based on medical trials. "Chronic constipation is uncomfortable, but not dangerous. This might be the reason why medical doctors often do not take it seriously. There are many unproven beliefs about constipation, but most of them are not tenable upon closer investigation with scientific methostates," said Stefan A. M|ller-Lissner, lead author of the study. According to the study authors, there is no doubt that fibre increases stool bulk and frequency but the role of dietary fibre to treat chronic constipation is exaggerated. A low-fibre diet has been proven not to be the cause of constipation and the success of fibre intake as treatment is modest. The study showed that only 20 per cent of slow transit patients benefited from fibre, and data suggested that while many patients may be helped by a fibre-rich diet, some actually suffer from worse symptoms when increasing their fibre intake, and not even increased fluids are guaranteed to help bowel activity. Muller-Lissner said that fluid ingestion to treat chronic constipation is over-emphasized as well, and the success of fluid treatment is probably none. Unless there is evidence of dehydration, there is no data supporting the fact that increasing fluid intake can successfully treat constipation. The article further addressed the myths behind chronic use of laxatives and whether these drugs can be linked to nerve damage and risks of colorectal or other cancers, and the data showed that those on the market today are safe when appropriate drugs are prescribed and taken at recommended doses. "Patients may no longer be bothered by ineffective advice regarding fibre and fluid ingestion nor threatened by the side effects of laxatives. Also, unnecessary colonic resections may be avoided," concluded M|ller-Lissner. Jan 5, 2005 Soaps and cosmetics are dangerous for health (Go To Top) Washington:
A new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives
(EHP) has revealed that non- toxic synthetic musks, which are widely
used as fragrances in a variety of products, may pose a hidden threat
to human health by enhancing the effect of compounds that are toxic.
Every year, approximately 8,000 metric tons of synthetic musks are produced
worldwide, and humans are exposed to musks through the skin when they
use soaps and cosmetics, cologne sparys, and wear clothes washed with
scented detergents. The researchers discovered that musk compounds inhibited
natural defenses against toxicants in mussels and that the effect remained
long after exposure ended. Under normal circumstances, cells resist
toxicants through multidrug/multixenobiotic resistance (MDR/MXR) efflux
transporters, proteins that keep foreign chemicals from entering cells.
Using mussel gill tissue because its efflux transporters are particularly
active, the researchers incubated tissue for 90 minutes in a solution
of musk compounds and a fluorescent dye. Finding the dye in the tissue
would indicate that the efflux transporters were failing. Immediately
after exposure, the fluorescent dye uptake was 38-84 per cent higher
in tissue treated with musk compounds than in controls. Twenty-four
hours later, dye uptake was still 30-74 per cent higher in tissue exposed
to musks. The tissue remained compromised 48 hours after exposure for
four of the six musk compounds tested. This study especially points
to the need to screen musks and other environmental chemicals that accumulate
in humans to determine if they are also chemosensitizers of MXR-related
transporters. Although the exposures tested in the study were several
times higher than those found in the environment, musk compounds are
known to concentrate in fats, including breast milk, and endure in human
tissue long after exposure. "While other studies have shown that humans
are constantly exposed to musk compounds, routine toxicology screens
have always shown these compounds to be nontoxic. This study suggests
that they could harm the body's ability to fight other toxicants. so
it certainly merits further examination," said Dr. Jim Burkhart, science
editor for EHP. Stem cells from umbilical cord treat heart attack (Go To Top) Washington:
A new study conducted by researchers at the University of South
Florida Health Sciences Center has found that stem cells from umbilical
cord blood can effectively treat heart attacks. The team led by cardiologist
Robert J. Henning injected stem cells taken from human umbilical cord
blood (HUCB) into rats' hearts soon after a heart attack. They greatly
reduced the size of heart damage and restored pumping function to near
normal. This improvement occurred without the need for drugs to prevent
the rats' immune system from rejecting the human cells. The researchers
compared HUBC-treated rats to both untreated rats (those receiving only
a sugar water placebo) and control rats with normal hearts. The HUCB
stem cells were injected directly into the heart muscle of rats an hour
after heart attacks were induced. After four months of recovery, the
size of scar tissue left by dead heart muscle was approximately three
times smaller in the HUCB treated rats than in the untreated rats. As
a result, the heart's pumping capacity improved to near normal in the
treated rats, after an initial decline, and was significantly greater
than the cardiac function in the untreated rats with heart attacks.
"Scar tissue does not contract. Since scar tissue was minimized and
more heart muscle remained in the treated rats, their hearts were able
to function better as pumps. Although not as primitive as human embryonic
stem cells, stem cells isolated from infant's cord blood are less mature
than those taken from adult bone marrow and skeletal muscle," Dr. Henning
said. References: Blood vessels artificial heart patients, cancer fruits veggies, progeria, y chromosome missing sequence found, red meat cancer risk, monkey gene HIV, space explosion, fibre fluids constipation, soaps cosmetics dangerous health, stem cell umbilical cord, Science, Research, Science News, India, India News, Newspaper, Indian, News, Travel News, India Travel Times, Travel,Tourism, Tour, Tourist, India, Times, News, Hotels, Airlines, Ayurveda, Yoga, Hindu, Taj Mahal, Cuisine, Festival, Temple, Trekking, Hindu, Bharatanatyam, Kathakali, Odissi, Dance, Shimla,Varanasi, Kullu, Manali, Dehra Dun, Mussourie, Mussoorie, Haridwar, Hardwar, Rishikesh, Nainital, Delhi, Goa, Kovalam, Darjeeling, Bodh Gaya, Kancheepuram, Kanchipuram, Thekkady, Badrinath, Amar Nath,Vaishno Devi, Tirupati, Sabarimala, Guruvayoor, Kanyakumari, Kodaikanal, Ooty, Chennai, |
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