The Norwegian approach to superbugs

I suspect that this does not tell the whole story. What happens when someone gets a serious infection that only an advanced antibiotic can stop? This sounds more like cost control to me. Nobody disputes that antibiotics are overused but they do have their place

“Aker University Hospital is a dingy place to heal. The floors are streaked and scratched. A light layer of dust coats the blood pressure monitors. A faint stench of urine and bleach wafts from a pile of soiled bedsheets dropped in a corner.” This is how an Associated Press story, published in the New York Times last week, begins. The next sentence comes as a surprise:

“Look closer, however, at a microscopic level, and this place is pristine. There is no sign of a dangerous and contagious staph infection that killed tens of thousands of patients in the most sophisticated hospital of Europe, North America and Asia this year, soaring virtually unchecked. “The reason: Norwegians stopped taking so many drugs.

“Twenty-five years ago, Norwegians were also losing their lives to this bacteria. But Norway's public health system fought back with an aggressive program that made it the most infection-free country in the world. A key part of that program was cutting back severely on the use of antibiotics.

“Now a spate of new studies from around the world prove that Norway's model can be replicated with extraordinary success, and public health experts are saying these deaths--19,000 in the U.S. each year alone, more than from AIDS--are unnecessary.

“‘It's a very sad situation that in some places so many are dying from this, because we have shown here in Norway that Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can be controlled, and with not too much effort’,said Jan Hendrik-Binder, Oslo's MRSA medical adviser. ‘But you have to take it seriously, you have to give it attention, and you must not give up. . . . '

“Norway's model is surprisingly straightforward. “-- Norwegian doctors prescribe fewer antibiotics than any other country, so people do not have a chance to develop resistance to them.” Many antibiotics simply are not available.

When Dr. John Birger Haug opens the dispensary at Aker hospital, one sees “a small room lined with boxes of pills, bottles of syrups and tubes of ointment. What's here? Medicines considered obsolete in many developed countries. What's not? Some of the newest, most expensive antibiotics, which aren't even registered for use in Norway, ‘because if we have them here, doctors will use them,’ he says. . . .

“Norway responded swiftly to initial MRSA outbreaks in the 1980s by cutting antibiotic use. Thus while they got ahead of the infection, the rest of the world fell behind. “In Norway, MRSA has accounted for less than 1 percent of staph infections for years. That compares to 80 percent in Japan, the world leader in MRSA; 44 percent in Israel; and 38 percent in Greece. “In the U.S., cases have soared and MRSA cost $6 billion last year. Rates have gone up from 2 percent in 1974 to 63 percent in 2004”

Could the Norwegian solution work here? Yes—if patient safety came first in U.S. hospitals. Why am I so sure?

“In 2001, the CDC approached a Veterans Affairs hospital in Pittsburgh about conducting a small test program. It started in one unit, and within four years, the entire hospital was screening everyone who came through the door for MRSA. The result: an 80 percent decrease in MRSA infections. The program has now been expanded to all 153 VA hospitals, resulting in a 50 percent drop in MRSA bloodstream infections, said Dr. Robert Muder, chief of infectious diseases at the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

“It’s kind of a no-brainer,’” he said. ‘You save people pain, you save people the work of taking care of them, you save money, you save lives and you can export what you learn to other hospital-acquired infections.’”...

Although it may seem a “no-brainer,’ the Norway solution has not been widely adopted in rest of the U.S. health care system. AP reports: “Dr. John Jernigan at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said they incorporate some of Norway's solutions in varying degrees, and his agency ‘requires hospitals to move the needle, to show improvement, and if they don't show improvement they need to do more.’"

And if they don't? "Nobody is accountable to our recommendations,’" Jernigan told AP, "but I assume hospitals and institutions are interested in doing the right thing.’"

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Big talker finally given the boot

This couldn't happen to a nicer fraud. She is constantly shooting her mouth off and pretending to know what she does not know. She claims that TV and computers are harmful despite evidence pointing the other way. In a polite British way, her colleagues have finally had enough of her. The fact that she was a financial bungler as well as a scientific fraud would seem to have been the last straw. The financial bungling is a bit of a surprise in a smart Jewish girl but her lack of scientific depth is too. Her main talent seems to be for self-promotion and that can easily wear thin in Britain. Background on her here

Baroness Greenfield has lost her job as the director of one of Britain’s oldest and most venerable scientific institutions, The Times has learnt. The neuroscientist and peer, who is one of Britain’s most prominent female scientists, was served with redundancy papers yesterday by the Royal Institution of Great Britain (RI), where she was director, the organisation confirmed last night.

Her position at the head of the institution where Michael Faraday and Sir Humphrey Davy once worked is to be abolished after a review of its managment structure and a financial crisis that could threaten its survival. The RI’s trustees decided that the position of a full-time director was no longer affordable in the light of funding problems that has left it more than £3 million in the red. Its chief executive, Chris Rofe, will now head the organisation.

Lady Greenfield, who could not be contacted for comment, is understood to have consulted employment lawyers about the decision, which she is considering challenging.

When contacted by The Times last night, Mr Rofe confirmed that Lady Greenfield was being made redundant. He said: “The trustees of the Royal Institution of Great Britain have completed the first stage of a governance review and as a consequence have concluded that the requirement for the functions of the role of director as currently defined has ceased to exist. We are therefore sad to announce that Baroness Susan Greenfield left the RI on 8th January 2010.

“Baroness Greenfield has played a leading role, not only in the development of the RI, but also in the wider scientific community through her work in popularising science. Baroness Greenfield leaves with our thanks and we wish her all the very best in her future endeavours. “Over the coming months the organisation will focus on strengthening its finances, fundraising, and addressing the organisational governance to ensure the Ri continues to deliver its many, diverse and renowned activities in scientific research, education and public engagement.”

Lady Greenfield’s departure follows heavy losses incurred by the RI during a £22 million refurbishment project she masterminded, which left it so short of funds that its auditors have raised questions about its ability to continue operating. In its most recent submission to the Charity Commission, its auditors said that its future viability would depend on rapid improvements in its finances that could not be guaranteed. “If the charity is to continue as a going concern, the financial projections for the three years ending 30 September, 2011, need to be met,” the audit report said. “There is a significant uncertainty as to whether these projections will be achieved.”

RI sources told The Times that its trustees considered that its precarious finances meant the organisation could no longer afford to employ a senior scientist as a full-time director. Some are also understood to have doubted whether it could improve its financial position under Lady Greenfield’s continued leadership.

Lady Greenfield, 59, has a reputation as one of Britain’s most colourful and influential scientists, but also as one of the most outspoken and controversial. The Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Oxford, who studies disease of the brain, regularly appears on television and is acknowledged by her peers as one of the most talented communicators of science of her generation.

Her unconventional approach to courting publicity, however, has annoyed as many scientists as it attracts, some of whom claim that her talent for self-promotion outweighs her scientific credentials. She has been rejected as a candidate for fellowship of the Royal Society, the elite national academy of science.

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Is breast really best? Professor defies official advice and says formula milk as just as good

Breast milk is no better for a baby than formula, an expert claimed last night as he reignited the 'breast is best' debate. Professor Sven Carlsen said breast-fed babies were slightly healthier, but it was not the milk that made the difference. Instead, babies who are breast-fed have benefited from better conditions in the womb before birth. The professor, an expert in the hormonal changes of pregnancy, claimed: 'Baby formula is as good as breast milk.'

The bold statement will enrage the 'breast is best' lobby, who say a mother's milk wards off a host of ills. It will also confuse mothers who are under pressure from the Department of Health to feed their babies on breast milk alone for the first six months of life. NHS leaflets tell mothers that breast-feeding exclusively for the first six months will help protect their baby against obesity, eczema and ear, chest and tummy bugs. Avoiding formula, they are told, will cut the odds of a child being a fussy eater in later life, as well as cut the woman's odds of some cancers and help with weight loss.

But Professor Carlsen, from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, spoke out after carrying out a review of more than 50 studies into the relationship between health and breast-feeding. Most concluded that the longer a child is nursed, the healthier it will be. The professor said this may be the case, but it was because of a healthier pregnancy, not the breast milk. His research shows that high levels of the male sex hormone testosterone in the womb affect a woman's ability to produce milk and to breast-feed.

With testosterone levels affected by the health of the placenta, which ferries oxygen and nutrients to the baby, the professor believes high amounts indicate poorer conditions in the womb overall. This means that any differences in the health of a baby bottle-fed because its mother finds breastfeeding difficult are set before birth, rather than afterwards.

But Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health spokesman Charlotte Wright said the claims were 'irresponsible and overblown'. She said: 'Women should remember that we were not designed to be bottle-fed - formula is an artificial alternative.'

Clare Byam-Cook, a former midwife who has taught celebrities such as Kate Winslet and Natasha Kaplinsky how to feed their babies, said breast-feeding was not suitable for all. She said: 'How a mother looks after herself and her growing baby in pregnancy is the most important thing that she can do. 'Once the baby is out, of course I would advocate breastfeeding. But if the mother can't do it she shouldn't pursue it too much and she certainly shouldn't feel guilty.'

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The anti-Alzheimer's milkshake: Once-a-day drink that boosts memory

The gain seems to be slight in absolute terms and may not survive replication. That 24% given a dummy drink also showed improvement is cautionary. That's slightly below the normal placebo effect. One wonders about how double-blind the study was. Though it could be that Alzheimers patients are less likely to be influenced by placebo treatments

A memory-boosting milkshake for Alzheimer patients could be available within two years. Tests show that taken once a day with breakfast, the strawberry shake significantly improves short-term memory in those in the early stages of the devastating disease. The changes were apparent after only 12 weeks, providing ‘compelling evidence’ of the drink’s potential, the journal of the American Alzheimer’s association reports.

Further, large-scale trials of Souvenaid, which contains a cocktail of brain nutrients found naturally in breast milk, are already under way. If they are successful, it could be marketed by Shape and Actimel manufacturer Danone. It is likely to be displayed behind-the-counter in pharmacies and sold after a brief consultation, in a similar way to some cough mixtures.

Researcher Professor Richard Wurtman said: ‘This is something that has no toxicity, that gives you better function than you started with. If it works in the follow-up studies, it is very exciting.’

Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia blight the lives of 400,000 Britons and their families – and the number of cases is expected to double within a generation. There is no cure and existing drugs, which raise levels of key brain chemicals, do not work for everyone and their effects wear off over time.

Rather than targeting brain chemicals, the drink focuses on the connections that carry vital messages between brain cells. Damage to these connections, or synapses, is blamed for many of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, including memory loss. Professor Wurtman, of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston, pinpointed the compounds which work together to make new connections. The three key ingredients – omega-3 fatty acids, uridine and choline – are all found in breast milk. Other ingredients include B vitamins and health-boosting antioxidants.

The milky ‘cocktail’ was tested in elderly men and women in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Half were asked to take the drink with breakfast for three months and half were given a substitute drink which looked and tasted the same but lacked the key ingredients. They were then given a battery of memory tests, including one in which they were questioned on details of a story around half an hour after being told it. This type of short-term memory loss is typical of Alzheimer’s.

Those taking Souvenaid were almost twice as likely to score better at the end than at the beginning of the three-month trial, the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia reports. Overall, 40 per cent of those who had taken Souvenaid showed improvement, compared with 24 per cent given the dummy drink.

The drink did not produce improvements in scores for tests of orientation and spatial awareness – but this may be because these traits do not tend to fade until later in the illness.

Flemming Morgan, of Danone, which funded the research, said: ‘Our goal is to make a proven and positive difference in the lives of millions of people with Alzheimer’s and their carers.’

In Britain, Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer’s Research Trust, said: ‘It’s very early days, but this study does suggest that this multinutrient drink is worthy of further investigation.’

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Mobile phone use may reverse Alzheimer's - study

LOL! This is going to freak the cellphone haters!

TALKING on a mobile phone could be good for you, because the electromagnetic waves emitted by the devices could protect against and even reverse Alzheimer's disease. Researchers at the University of South Florida exposed 96 mice, most of whom had been genetically altered to develop the Alzheimer's disease as they aged, to electromagnetic waves generated by US mobile phones.

The mice were zapped with 918MHz of frequency twice a day for one hour each time over a period of seven to nine months - the equivalent of several decades in humans. In older mice with Alzheimer's, long-term exposure to the electromagnetic fields caused deposits in the brain of beta-amyloid, a protein fragment that accumulates in the brain of Alzheimer's sufferers to form the disease's signature plaques, to be erased. Memory impairment in the older mice disappeared, too, the study showed.

Young adult mice with no apparent signs of memory impairment were protected against Alzheimer's disease after several months of exposure to the mobile phone waves, the study showed. And the memory levels of normal mice with no genetic predisposition for Alzheimer's disease were boosted after exposure to the electromagnetic waves.

The study was the first to look at the long-term effects of mobile phone exposure in mice or humans and its findings took even the researchers by surprise. "Frankly, I started this work a few years ago with a hypothesis that the electromagnetic fields from a mobile phone would be deleterious to Alzheimer's mice," lead author Gary Arendash, a professor at the University of Southern Florida, said. "When we got our initial results showing a beneficial effect, I thought, 'Give it a few more months and it will get bad for them'. "It never got bad. We just kept getting these beneficial effects in both the Alzheimer's and normal mice."

Based on the findings in mice, the researchers hoped electromagnetic field exposure could be an effective, non-invasive and drug-free way to prevent and treat Alzheimer's disease in humans.

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Taking the “Human” out of “Humane”

We took a look last week at some details of the 2008 tax return filed by the deceptive Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). The filing shows that HSUS paid out less than one-half of one percent of its $99 million budget to hands-on dog and cat shelters. Meanwhile, a large portion of the kitty – tens of millions of dollars – went to employee salaries and animal rights lobbying. And all this expensive chicken-hugging has a hidden price. To find it, try visiting your local unemployment office.

In 2008 HSUS spent more than $2.3 million on a political committee called “Californians for Humane Farms,” which campaigned for the “Proposition 2” ballot initiative in the Golden State. In 2007, it gave over $1.3 million. HSUS also made donations of $200,000 in 2007 and 2008 to the “Committee to Protect Dogs,” a Massachusetts organization that pushed for a statewide ban on greyhound racing with the “Question 3” ballot initiative.

Both ballot campaigns were successful. And both had human costs. In California, a UC Davis study estimated that Prop 2 would destroy the state’s egg industry by adding 20 percent to the cost of egg production and causing companies to move to other states or to Mexico. In real numbers, the study found, Prop 2 was expected to cost more than 3,000 jobs and take more than $615 million out of the state’s already precarious economy. In Massachusetts, 1,000 people were expected to lose their jobs after the racing ban took effect last week. We love dogs too, but when people lose their jobs, who’s going to buy them kibble and flea collars?

All told, HSUS’s leaders spent more than $4.1 million on two political battles, and put an estimated 4,000 workers out of business. And that doesn’t include similar political “committees” HSUS has bankrolled in Michigan, Colorado, and Arizona. Who knows how many jobs HSUS will kill this year in Ohio alone?

Sure, HSUS claims it does everything “for the animals.” But what about people? How many American workers and their families are left unemployed in the wake of animal rights campaigns? And why doesn’t HSUS put a serious amount of money into pet shelters, where animals can be helped and jobs created?

There are human costs to HSUS’s crusades. But when cows and pigs are all you care about, people can get lost in the shuffle. Today’s overfed animal activists are clearly willing to put Americans in the bread line. Just don’t expect any chicken soup when you get there.

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Now bacon and eggs are good for you!

The food freaks won't like this. The anti-meat brigade have got most pregnant women warned off bacon and smoked meats by now. They could have damaged a lot of children. It's only a mouse study below but it serves as a warning that food fads could do harm

Eating a traditional breakfast of bacon and eggs could help pregnant women boost the intelligence of their unborn child, a new study suggests. Scientists have found that a chemical in pork products and eggs can help the growing brain to develop. A new study suggests that the micronutrient, called choline, is critical to helping babies in the womb develop parts of their brains linked to memory and recall.

Previous studies have demonstrated that a woman’s diet during pregnancy can affect her unborn child and women are given a list of foods to avoid until their baby is born. Scientists at the University of North Carolina tested the effects of choline on the brains of baby mice. Mice fed a low choline diet while in the womb had genetic differences in their brain cells than those given large amounts of the micronutrient. "Our study in mice indicates that the diet of a pregnant mother, especially choline in that diet, can change the … switches that control brain development in the foetus," said Steven Zeisel, who led the study.

Dr Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology journal, which published the research, said: "We may never be able to call bacon a health food with a straight face, but (similar studies are) already making us rethink those things that we consider healthful and unhealthful.

“This is yet another example showing that good prenatal nutrition is vitally important throughout a child's entire lifetime."

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Eating huge quantities of pomegranates may help prevent breast cancer

Another bit of nonsense coaxed out of laboratory glassware



Eating pomegranates could reduce the risk of breast cancer, researchers have said. Scientists have found chemicals in the fruit being hailed as a superfood after the launch of several juice drinks play a key role in blocking the growth of breast cancer. The study may lead to new drugs to prevent cancer and in the meantime the researchers said eating more of the fruit may be beneficial. Tests in the lab have found that the chemicals called ellagitannins block the production of oestrogen which can fuel the growth of cancer cells.

The study is published in Cancer Prevention Research, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research. Experts said it unclear how much of the chemicals would be required to have an effect in humans and it may not be possible to gain enough from diet alone. Prof Gary Stoner, professor in the Department of Internal Medicine at Ohio State University, said that "relatively high levels of ellagitannin compounds" were needed in the study to have an effect. He added "It's not clear that these levels could be achieved in animals or in humans because the ellagitannins are not well absorbed into blood when provided in the diet."

He said the findings were promising enough to warrant further studies with pomegranates. Prof Stoner added people "might consider consuming more pomegranates to protect against cancer development in the breast and perhaps in other tissues and organs."

Dr Powel Brown, medical oncologist and chairman of the Clinical Cancer Prevention Department at the University of Texas M D Anderson Cancer Centre, said: "More research on the individual components and the combination of chemicals is needed to understand the potential risks and benefits of using pomegranate juice or isolated compounds for a health benefit or for cancer prevention."

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Forget Viagra! Sound waves can send your sex life into orbit

This is another attempt to get at causes and may be worthwhile if a full trial is successful

Firing shock-waves into the body could be a radical new way to boost the love lives of men with erection problems. The pain-free therapy boosts performance by stimulating the growth of new blood vessels in the genital area. A small trial involving 20 men who were taking Viagra or similar drugs for impotence problems was so successful that, by the end of the experiment, 15 of them were able to throw their pills away. None of the volunteers reported any pain or side-effects from the treatment.

The radical new therapy, which is on trial in Israel, uses a very mild form of lithotripsy, a technique developed more than 20 years ago for the treatment of kidney stones. Waves of sound are beamed through the skin, and although they pass harmlessly through body tissue, they are at just the right pressure to smash up kidney stones into tiny sand-like particles that are then passed out of the body in urine.

But in recent years, several studies have also shown that this type of shock-wave therapy appears to have a healthy effect on blood vessels. It triggers the release of an important substance called Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor, or VEGF, which sends out a signal for new blood vessels to start growing. As a result, shock-wave therapy has also attracted increasing interest from cardiologists looking for new ways to treat heart disease. U.S. and Japanese researchers are investigating whether firing shock-waves towards the heart will help it sprout healthy new blood vessels. If so, it could offer a lifeline to patients who are too ill to undergo heart bypass surgery.

According to Israeli research, the same benefits could help men who suffer persistent erection problems. Some health experts are now convinced there is a close link between impotence and heart disease, and that problems in the bedroom can often signal hidden blockages in blood vessels near the heart which are reducing blood flow around the body.

Doctors at the Rambam Medical Centre in Haifa, Israel, recruited 20 men with an average age of 56 to take part in the trial. All 20 were already on medication and had suffered mild to moderate erection problems for an average of three years. During the three-week course of treatment, low-intensity shock-waves were repeatedly fired into five specific points in the genital area, using a handheld device.

Doctors then assessed the severity of the men's ailments on a 30-point scale called the International Index of Erectile Dysfunction, widely used to measure impotence problems. The lower the score, the greater the problem. Before the trial, the men averaged scores of between 12 and 20 points, which meant they had mild to moderate sexual dysfunction. But after treatments, their scores increased by between five and ten points. Experts say anything in excess of five points is a significant improvement.

Viagra and similar medications, such as Cialis and Levitra, have transformed the treatment of impotence in the past ten years, around 30 per cent of men who take them see no improvement. For these men, the only other options are to inject drugs straight into the penis, or use a pump that manually increases blood supply to the organ.

Dr Yoram Vardi, who led the trial, says: 'Drugs are not a cure. When patients stop taking their medication, then they cannot function. 'With shock-waves, we can do something biological for the problem. These patients can then function without the need for medication.'

Dr John Dean, president of the International Society of Sexual Medicine, said the findings were 'intriguing' and worth following up in larger studies. But he warned that earlier attempts to use shock-wave therapy for another condition called Peyronie's disease - where the penis is bent and painful when erect - had failed. 'These findings are interesting and definitely warrant further investigation,' Dr Dean said. 'But we are a long way off saying that men should go to their GP asking for this treatment.'

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Politically correct food on the menu in Britain

From foie gras produced without making birds suffer to 'sustainable' fish, British retailers and restaurants are embracing politically correct food

Faux (false) gras is the ethical answer to the dilemma that attends the foodstuff, which has been the bane of campaigners for decades. It is produced by force-feeding ducks or geese to create engorged livers that yield the creamy pate. Waitrose, House of Fraser and Tesco are among a growing number of major British retailers that are refusing to stock real foie gras after protest campaigns.

Even Selfridges, one of the main attractions for discerning shoppers on Oxford Street, decided in November to take foie gras off its shelves after a protest fronted by Sir Roger Moore, the former James Bond actor. "It's torture in a tin," said Moore, who appeared on pre-Christmas posters urging Selfridges to halt its sale, with the words: "Force-feeding birds is not yule, it's cruel."

The foie gras ban has even gained the royal seal of approval after Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, ordered it off menus for royal functions.

Waitrose developed the faux gras version - produced without force-feeding the birds - and calls it an "ethical alternative to traditional foie gras". A darker colour than the real thing, faux gras is made from about 50 per cent liver from free-range poultry blended with goose or duck fat. Two years after its introduction, Waitrose customers appear to be increasingly happy to substitute faux gras for the real thing at Christmas and New Year. "Faux gras is still one of our most popular festive foods," said a Waitrose spokeswoman, who added that sales of the new product grew by almost 60 per cent in 2009.

Such is the popularity of the new, more "ethical" version of the product that lawmakers have backed a motion calling for restaurants to adopt the new version and ditch the real foie gras. "It is only a matter of time before foie gras is relegated to the history books where it belongs," said Sam Glover of lobby group Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

While the day that five-star establishments abandon such foods may be some way off, restaurants in England do seem to be turning towards "green" alternatives. Acorn House, in the King's Cross district of London, claims to be the "first truly eco-friendly" restaurant in the capital. The duck it serves comes from birds raised in a "positive" way, without cages and without antibiotics added to their food; its food deliveries are made in vehicles using biofuel, 80 per cent of its waste is recycled and its roof is a herb garden. "Acorn House is set to alter the image of the restaurant industry as well as transform the way in which people eat out," is the bold claim of its co-founder Arthus Potts.

French celebrity chef Raymond Blanc, the holder of two Michelin stars at his renowned restaurant Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons near Oxford, has embraced a campaign to use fish certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC). This label guarantees that the fish has been obtained from sustainable stocks. "By supporting MSC, I am helping to ensure that fish stocks will be replenished for generations to come," said Blanc, a well-known face in his adopted country thanks to regular TV appearances.

There are 14 MSC-certified restaurants in Britain and although the number remains relatively low, the non-profit organisation argues that its campaign is putting pressure on other restaurants to change their ways.

The main target of the protesters is Nobu, the global chain of chic Japanese restaurants which has the financial backing of Robert De Niro, the actor, and a strong following among the rich and famous. Nobu's Michelin-starred London branch is refusing to remove bluefin tuna, an endangered species, from its menu. Elle Macpherson, a model, Sienna Miller, an actress, and Stephen Fry, a TV presenter and actor, all added their names to a petition protesting against the restaurant's use of the endangered fish.

The restaurant responded by adding an asterisk next to the dish on its menu, directing diners to a footnote saying: "Bluefin tuna is an environmentally threatened species. Please ask your server for an alternative."

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Heart attack and stroke fears over fat-busting "wonder pill"

A fat-busting pill used by thousands in the UK is being investigated by medicines watchdogs over fears it could cause heart attacks and strokes. The European Medicines Agency (EMA), which licenses the use of the drug Reductil, is looking at the results of a clinical trial which suggests that its active ingredient, sibutramine, could lead to an increased risk of developing heart problems. Nearly 330,000 prescriptions for the drug, which tricks the brain into believing the stomach is full, were written out in 2008.

The safety data has come from an international trial of 10,000 patients carried out during the past six years. Most of those recruited for the Sibutramine Cardiovascular Outcome Trial (SCOUT) were overweight or obese and already had cardiovascular problems. A heart condition would normally exclude them from taking the drug because it can slightly raise blood pressure. However, the EMA has said that, as a result of the ‘seriousness’ of the study’s concerns, it is looking at the implications for all patients offered the prescription-only drug and will release its findings later this month. Until then, it has advised doctors to use Reductil ‘with caution’ and to monitor patients’ blood pressure and heart rate.

The UK’s medicines watchdog, The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency, also confirmed it was reviewing the data. The agency has recorded 2,094 suspected adverse reactions to Reductil since it was introduced in 2001, and 17 deaths have been linked to the drug. Six of the deaths were caused by heart problems and strokes.

Reductil works by blocking the nerve cells that release and reabsorb the hormone serotonin, a chemical neurotransmitter in the brain that affects moods and appetite. As the level of serotonin in the body rises, people feel fuller, eat less and, as a result, lose weight.

The drug is recommended for patients who are clinically ‘obese’ – those with a Body Mass Index over 30 – or for anyone with a BMI higher than 27 who has another weight-related health problem.

A spokesman for Abbott Laboratories, which manufacturers Reductil, said: ‘Our ongoing evaluation of the SCOUT study data does not change our medical assessment of sibutramine’s risk/benefit profile when used appropriately in the approved patient population. 'Sibutramine is an important treatment for patients who are obese.’

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The alcohol merrygoround again

Champagne Is Good for Your Heart, Study Suggests -- But Only in Moderation, natch. I would have thought that the effects described could be due to alcohol alone -- as alcohol is a vasodilator and that too would help blood flow

Research from the University of Reading suggests that two glasses of champagne a day may be good for your heart and circulation. The researchers have found that drinking champagne wine daily in moderate amounts causes improvements in the way blood vessels function.

Champagne does this by increasing the availability of nitric oxide, a vascular active molecule which controls blood pressure. It is able to induce these effects because it contains polyphenols, plant chemicals from the red grapes and white grapes used in champagne production.

When you drink champagne, these polyphenols get absorbed into the circulation where they are able to act on the vascular system. Specifically, they appear to slow down the natural removal of nitric oxide from our blood, meaning that it will have a longer time to act on blood vessels and so improve the flow of blood around the body.

High nitric oxide levels in the blood, as a result of drinking champagne, can have beneficial effects, because as well as increasing blood flow, it may help to decrease both blood pressure and the likelihood of blood clots forming. This could therefore reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular disease and stroke, but more research needs to be done to determine the long term effects of daily champagne consumption.

Dr Jeremy Spencer, from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences said: "Our research has shown that drinking around two glasses of champagne can have beneficial effects on the way blood vessels function, in a similar way to that observed with red wine. We always encourage a responsible approach to alcohol consumption, but the fact that drinking champagne has the potential to reduce the risks of suffering from cardiovascular diseases such as heart disease and stroke, is very exciting news."

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Another "magic bullet" dream

Publicity first; evidence later. Not a good sign. Interferon has been around for years anyway and is of very limited use

A lozenge designed to fight off all cold and flu bugs has been created by scientists. It would be taken once a day before breakfast and would cost only 20p a day. The lozenge could be sold over-the-counter in as little as two years. It would prime the immune system to attack every cold and flu bug including 'normal' winter flu, swine flu and bird flu.

The lozenge, which tastes like a sweet and dissolves in the mouth, could be used to clear up sniffles in healthy people and prevent life-threatening infections in the elderly and in asthma and cystic fibrosis sufferers. It has already been tested on people and the first results are due within weeks.

Researcher Professor Manfred Beilharz said: 'This is the golden fleece everyone has been looking for.' The Veldona lozenge contains tiny amounts of interferon alpha, which was nicknamed the 'Crown jewel' of virology when it was discovered 50 years ago. Interferon alpha is a protective protein that the body naturally makes when attacked by a virus. When the lozenge dissolves in the mouth, the protein is released and the immune system is tricked into thinking there is a bug nearby and gets ready for a fight.

Professor Beilharz, who has devoted 15 years to the research, said: 'The outposts of the immune system say, "Hey, we've got a virus, let's gear up and get ready for it before the infection spreads too far."'

The professor has already shown that very low doses of the protein can save the lives of mice exposed to an otherwise lethal cocktail of the flu virus. These 'stunning' results prompted a government-funded trial of the lozenge on 200 adults in Western Australia. Half took the lozenge once a day before breakfast, half took a dummy sweet and all noted any cold and flu symptoms each week, including time off work.

If the results are good, the lozenges, which were developed by U.S. firm Amarillo Biosciences, could be fast-tracked onto pharmacy shelves within two to three years. They could be taken year-round, but people are most likely to rely on them over the winter.

Professor Beilharz, chairman of the department of microbiology and immunology at the University of Western Australia in Perth, expects them to be sold over-the-counter, rather than on prescription, and to be much cheaper than current anti-flu drugs. Tamiflu, which has been stockpiled by governments around the world to treat swine and bird flus, costs up to £5 a tablet. The lozenges could cost as little as 20p each, or £6 a month.

Professor Beilharz said: 'This medicine is quite cheap to manufacture and very low dosage and doesn't seem to have any side-effects of any significance.' Unlike the flu vaccine, which has to be frequently reformulated to fight whichever strains of the bug are circulating, it would be a 'one-size-fits all' drug. This is because interferon alpha primes the immune system to fight a range of viruses, including all cold and flu bugs.

The professor said: 'The vaccine is only good for a particular variant and there may have to be another one the next year, whereas our little baby is not just good against influenza, it is good against all winter cold variants.'

The professor does not expect the drug to completely ward off flus and colds, but symptoms will be greatly eased. He said: 'When the infection comes along, it still infects but the immune system quashes it in a couple of days. 'So you will have some symptoms but they will be rather mild and you will go on as normal.'

Interferon alpha was used by the Russians to treat colds and flus during the Cold War but never took off elsewhere. But injections of much higher doses are used to treat diseases, including multiple sclerosis. Professor Hugh Pennington, Britain's leading microbiologist, cautioned that the side-effects of interferon could be worse than the flu itself.

But he added: 'If you can work out the right dose and the right kind of interferon so people don't feel grotty, and it works, it will be a real breakthrough. So let's wait and see.'

SOURCE





Engineer shows surgeons better way to fix his heart

A heart repair kit designed by a man suffering from a potentially lethal condition has proved so successful that it is being used on other cardiac patients. Tal Golesworthy, 54, an engineer by training, was suffering from a defect in his aorta — the main artery for carrying oxygenated blood — that left it in danger of splitting, which would have caused instant death. He was so unimpressed by conventional techniques for treating it that he decided to create his own.

Usually the damaged section of the artery is cut out and replaced with a piece of tubing, but Golesworthy came up with a made-to-measure knitted polyester sleeve, which was wrapped round the aorta to give it extra support. The result was so good that Golesworthy has joined forces with his doctors and set up a company to market the device. The operation has since been carried out on a further 19 people by a team at London’s Royal Brompton hospital, and another three patients are booked in for surgery this month. Details of the first results are to be described to cardiac surgeons in a medical publication this month.

Golesworthy suffers from Marfan syndrome, a condition which affects up to 12,000 people in Britain. The genetic defect can cause abnormal growth of bones including fingers and toes, but most importantly causes weakness of connective tissue. The consequence is that the neck of the aorta where it leaves the heart gradually stretches under the burden of carrying freshly oxygenated blood round the body. It can reach a diameter of 2-4in, compared with a normal 1in, before fatally splitting.

Golesworthy says he had severe anxieties about the old-style surgery, and the fact he would have had to take anticoagulant drugs for the rest of his life to stop clots forming. “I just thought the operation sounded awful,” said Golesworthy, from Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire. “The doctors were being asked to do an engineering job when they weren’t engineers. I decided there had to be a better way.”

He set about devising a means of wrapping the aorta in a sleeve to prevent it expanding, and came up with a solution called Ears — external aortic root support — which is now being marketed through his firm, Exstent. Each sleeve is created using scans of the individual patient’s aorta and computer-assisted drawing to produce a bespoke device.

Although the technology could be applied to other heart conditions, news of the surgical breakthrough has spread first among families affected by Marfan syndrome, many of whom have seen relatives die suddenly from heart attacks in young adulthood.

The youngest to have the surgery so far is Ami Coxill-Moore, whose parents successfully argued for her to receive an Exstent at 16, even though an ethics committee initially stipulated that the experimental patients had to be at least 18. “To us it was obvious it was less risky and an altogether better operation,” said Coxill-Moore, who is taking a gap year and hoping to study English and linguistics at York University. “I am just very grateful I’ve had it done.”

The British Heart Foundation is watching the project with interest. “We welcome it as a new development, but we have to be certain these things are safe in the long as well as the short term, before we can recommend them,” said Peter Weissberg, its medical director.

SOURCE

Vitamin D and older adults: More than just a bone problem?

I like the last sentence below. The Buell et al study was of very elderly people so is of limited generalizability and may suggest that vitamin D deficiency is just one aspect of poor health and diet. The same applies to the Anweiler study

This issue of Neurology features 3 studies on the possible link between vitamin D and cognition (or thinking) in older adults. The first study looked at the possible link between vitamin D levels and cognition in older women. Dr. Annweiler and coauthors1 studied 752 women aged 75 years and older who lived in France. Levels of 25(OH)D, the form of vitamin D found in the blood, were measured. Patients took a cognitive test called Pfeiffer's Short Portable Mental State Questionnaire (SPMSQ). In this study, low levels (or deficiency) of vitamin D were defined as a 25(OH)D blood level less than 10 (ng/mL). Cognitive impairment was defined as a score of less than 8 (out of 10 points) on the SPMSQ. Seventeen percent had vitamin D deficiency. Women with vitamin D deficiency had lower scores on the SPMSQ and were more likely to have cognitive impairment than those without vitamin D deficiency. The authors found that vitamin D deficiency was associated with cognitive impairment in older women.

The second study looked for links between vitamin D levels, cognition, and strokes in older men and women. Dr. Buell and coauthors studied 318 men and women between 65 and 99 years old in the Boston area. These patients had low income levels, lower functional status, and need for food or personal care. The researchers checked 25(OH)D blood levels and did cognitive testing. Patients had pictures taken of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Vitamin D "deficient" was defined as 25(OH)D blood levels less than 10 ng/mL, and vitamin D "insufficient" was defined as 25(OH)D blood levels between 10 and 20 ng/mL. MRI changes in the large or small vessels in the brain were used to show if there were strokes or cerebrovascular disease. Approximately 15% of the patients were vitamin D deficient, and 44% were vitamin D insufficient. About 24% had dementia. Lower vitamin D levels were linked to dementia and MRI changes in the large and small vessels in the brain. The authors found that those with lower vitamin D levels were more likely to have dementia, strokes, and disease in the blood vessels to the brain.

The final study looked at vitamin D levels and cognition in elderly men. Dr. Slinin and coauthors3 studied 1,604 men aged 65 years and older in 6 cities. 25(OH)D blood levels were measured, and patients took 2 cognitive tests: the Modified Mini-Mental State Examination (3MS) and a timed test called Trail Making Test Part B (TMTB). The patients were divided into 4 groups, based on 25(OH)D levels. After considering race and education, there was no link between lower vitamin D levels, lower scores on the 3MS, or longer time to complete the TMTB. The authors found that there was not a link between lower vitamin D levels and cognitive impairment in older men.

It is well known that vitamin D deficiency can affect bone health. However, other research shows a possible link between vitamin D deficiency and other disorders. These can include heart disease and diabetes.4 Two out of 3 studies in this issue found that vitamin D deficiency may be linked to cognitive impairment.

The table shows that the authors studied different groups of people, used different definitions of vitamin D status, and had different tests for cognitive function. As a result, we cannot be certain about the link between vitamin D deficiency and cognitive changes.

SOURCE





Taking herbal supplement to ward off memory problems in old age 'a waste of time'

Thousands of people who take a herbal supplement to ward off memory problems in old age are wasting their time, according to new research. Elderly people who took Ginkgo biloba every day for six years had as many difficulties with recall as those who took a fake supplement, the largest study of its kind has shown.

At least 100,000 people in Britain are thought to regularly take the supplement, which has been widely credited with improving memory and concentration. Made from the leaves of the Ginkgo tree, the Chinese herbal remedy has been used as a traditional medicine for centuries. It is thought to contain chemicals which help the flow of blood around the body, which advocates believe will help protect the brain against decline.

But the researchers who carried out the latest study warned that the supplement appeared to have no effect on warding off age-related memory problems. Beth Snitz, from the University of Pittsburgh, who led the study, said: “Ginkgo biloba is marketed widely and used with the hope of improving, preventing, or delaying cognitive impairment associated with ageing and neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer's disease. “We (found) no evidence that Ginkgo biloba slows the rate of cognitive decline in older adults.”

For the study the team followed 3,069 volunteers, all of whom were aged between 72 and 96 years old and were given either a dose of the herbal supplement or a placebo twice a day for more than six years. The findings are published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

SOURCE

Infectious cancer

The media seem generally to be playing the significance of this down but it would seem to be a warning of what is possible in humans. Cancer is normally a degenerative disease, not an infectious disease



AN international team of scientists has discovered the genetic marker for a deadly cancer ravaging the Tasmanian devil population, and they say their findings pave the way for developing treatments. Researchers analysed tumour cells taken from facial cancers in the animals, the world's largest marsupial carnivores, and found the disease probably starts in Schwann cells - a type of tissue that cushions and protects nerve fibres.

"Our findings represent a big step forward in the race to save the devils from extinction," said Elizabeth Murchison, who works with the US Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory and the Australian National University.

Deadly facial tumour disease (DFTD) has ravaged the wild population. Australia raised protection levels for devils in May and listed them as endangered due to DFTD. DFTD is a unique type of cancer, transmitted from animal to animal via biting or other physical contact, which transfers living cancer cells between individuals. Only two cancers are known to spread in this way - the other is found in dogs. The devils' tumours are mostly found on the face and mouth, but often spread to internal organs.

Writing in the journal Science, the researchers said that, with no diagnostic tests, treatments or vaccines currently available, the disease could wipe out the entire species in 25 to 35 years.

The team's genetic analysis confirmed that tumours spread from animal to animal are genetically identical because they originate from a single line of cells. Using advanced sequencing technology, the team identified the originating cell by comparing the "transcriptome" - the complete set of genes that are turned on in tumour cells -- with a genetic readout of other tissues. The scientists found the tumours' genetic signature best matched that of Schwann cells, but said they were still unclear about how these nervous system cells spawned cancer.

Identifying the genetic marker could help accurately diagnose the disease and help to develop treatments, they said. "Now that we've taken a good look at the tumours' genetic profile, we can start hunting for genes and pathways involved in tumour formation," said Greg Hannon, who worked on the study.

The study will also help scientists distinguish between DFTD and other types of devil cancers, helping them to identify and isolate affected animals and contain the disease's spread.

SOURCE. The journal abstract is here.






More than a third of health workers believe coffee causes cancer despite no evidence of a link, according to a survey

Good to see the WCRF being a bit skeptical this time. They still talk nonsense about diet, though.

Health professionals are less likely to be clued up than the public, with 36 per cent thinking coffee can cause the disease compared with 12 per cent of the general population. The World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) commissioned the survey of 143 NHS workers, including nurses, health visitors and GPs.

However, health professionals did score highly on knowing that poor diet increases risk of cancer (81 per cent), compared with 63 per cent for the general public. Overall, 79 per cent of workers were aware that being overweight increases the risk of cancer, compared with 60 per cent of the public, and 78 per cent knew of the link with alcohol, compared with 51 per cent of the public.

But the percentage who were aware that not exercising increases the risk of cancer dropped to 64 per cent among NHS workers and 47 per cent of the public.

Silvia Pastorino, health professionals publications manager for the WCRF, said the survey was small but revealed some health workers are still not aware what lifestyle factors increase the risk. She said: "There is no strong evidence that coffee increases the risk of cancer. "In fact, we often suggest drinking unsweetened tea or coffee as an alternative to sugary drinks. "While I am not surprised that many of the general public are not aware of this, it is worrying to think this may also be the case for some health professionals."

SOURCE