High Tryglycerides And Cholesterol Levels Evidentiated In Children On Anti-HIV Therapy

According to a new research, the National Institutes Of Health informs that toddlers that are on anti-HIV therapy have raised triglycerides and cholesterol levels compared to normal children that are not HIV positive.

The researchers discovered that cholesterol levels are higher among toddlers that are treated with certain drug classes. The most evident effects could be observed in patients treated with protease inhibitors. The average cholesterol values for this group was 169 mg/dL, compared with only 152 mg/dl, average reading for toddlers that were treated with other antiretroviral drug classes, and 147 mg/dL for toddlers without HIV infection. On the other hand, infected children that were not benefiting from antiretroviral treatment were detected with rather low cholesterol levels around 122 mg/dL.  About 10,8 percent of children that were infected with HIV were detected with cholesterol values above 200 mg/dL (borderline to high risk for heart disease development).

The study was published in the journal AIDS.

These results are in accordance with previous studies that linked protease inhibitors use to high cholesterol levels in adults and older children. This particular study is the first of its kind that investigates the effects of antiviral therapy in children between 12 and 23 months of age.

It is very probable that these toddlers will be on antiviral therapy for a lifetime, and these results indicate that young children treated with certain antiviral medication classes such as protease inhibitors must be monitored on a regular basis in order to asses the cardiovascular risk.

For the study, researchers used the medical records of 764 children who were at risk of developing HIV infection (born from am infected mother – exposed in the womb with HIV). From the total of 764 children at risk, 83 were born with the infection. The toddlers were periodically examined, their viremia was evaluated as well as triglycerides and cholesterol levels. Fifty-nine percent of the infected children were on antiviral therapy at the time when the study was conducted. In 2010 the World Health Organization issued new guidelines recommending treatment options for HIV positive patients under the age of two.

Researchers compared cholesterol and triglycerides levels among the following patients groups:

1. Healthy children
2. HIV infected children that were not on antiviral therapy
3. HIV infected children on protease inhibitors
4. HIV infected children on other antiretroviral drugs.

The results, evidentiated that the cholesterol levels of HIV infected children that were not on any kind of antiviral therapy tended to be below the 50th percentile level of healthy peers. Cholesterol levels evidentiated in children that were on antiviral therapy was above the 50th percentile of healthy peers.  Among the children that were treated with protease inhibitors, the number of toddlers with cholesterol levels exceeding the 95th percentile was notable.

Children on protease inhibitors swoed a rise in triglyceride levels also – 211.0 mg/dL, compared to children that were on other antiviral drugs -106,8 mg/dL and those who did not benefit from any antiviral therapy – 139,4 mg/dL.

New Functional Electrical Stimulation Technique Proves Its Superiority

Patients with spinal cord injuries and lost functions of the upper or lower extremities have benefited for quite a while from functional electrical stimulation (FES), but this traditional treatment option usually leads to painful adverse effects. Electrical currents are used in order to stimulate the patient’s nerves and besides the beneficial effects, the electric currents can also send aberrant signals to adjacent nerves, usually resulting in pain.

A team of plastic surgeons from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center described a new method that can be used for nerve stimulation, that uses only 60% of the electrical threshold of traditional medical equipment used for functional electrical stimulation therapy today. These results represent one step forward in developing more efficient treatment options with less side effects for patients suffering from spinal cord injuries.

Functional Electrical Stimulation

The new device actually manipulates the concentration of ions that are usually surrounding a nerve according to, Samuel J. Lin, MD , co-senior author. The less electrical current used for stimulating nerves means a lower risk for the nerves in the vicinity and therefore less side effects like pain. Further more, the researchers also discovered that they can also use this method to block the transmission of signals to the nearby muscles, making them able to prevent muscle spasms.

Lin and Associate Professor Jongyoon Han, PhD concluded that they can adjust the electric impulses by modifying the calcium concentration found in the fluid that surrounds nerves.

Nerves are stimulated to send electric impulses by the different ions interactions such as calcium, sodium and potassium explains coauthor Ahmed M.S Ibrahim. The scientists wanted to achieve nerve stimulation with the lowest  intensity current possible so they tried to remove at a time, sodium, potassium and calcium ions from the fluid that normally surrounds nerves. The best result were achieved after the removal of positive calcium ions.

This new approach uses less electrical current than traditional functional electrical stimulation therapy and also prevents the electrical impulses from stimulating adjacent nerves. Traditional functional electric stimulation was known to have its limits because anatomically speaking, the nerves responsible for carrying pain signals are arranged in a very tight formation.

By combining biomedical professionals and engineers the research team managed to develop a revolutionary technique with encouraging results. The technique was demonstrated using frog nerves; mammal testing would be the next rational step.

Scientists One Step Closer To Controling Brain Electric Signals

Scientists from Michigan School of Kinesiology are one step closer in harnessing the power of brain electric signals, making moving for paralysed patients not a such a distant dream. Scientists at the school, along with their partners from the Swarz Center at the university of California have invented a method that allows researchers to study and isolate, brain electric signals during body movement.

This invention is considered a key component of a future computer-brain device that could make movement possible for paralysed patients. The patient thinks about moving a limb and a robotic exoskeleton performs the movement. Surely this is not possible in the near future but, it is nevertheless a huge leap forward in understanding the exact brain activity during movement according to Joe Gwim , paper first author.

Using this tool, scientists can now see which parts of the brain are active when a subject moves naturally and map the electric signals. For example when a subject is walking, signals are “born” in a certain area of the brain and are transmitted to the muscles. This valuable information could then be used by scientists for different geographic applications. Until know the human brain electric signals could only be quantified using non-moving subjects.

Brain Activity

Scientists, mapped the brain activity they were interested in, using several sensors attached to a subject who was waking or running. The information gathered from the sensors was then correlated with a MRI scan of the head in order to detect the area from which the electrical activity initially originated.

The method is quite revolutionary in many ways, as no one has managed to record the brain’s electric signals during movement up until now. The military seems to be also interested in testing this kind of technology that could optimize a soldier field performance by constantly monitoring his brain electric activity and determining when the soldier is at his best.  In fact, virtually any industry could benefit from a better understanding of how the human brain works in different scenarios.

Agressions During Chilhood Linked To Poorer Health In Adulthood

A new study published in Canadian Medical Association Journal linked the exposure to aggression during childhood to an increased use of health care services in adulthood. The biological hypothesis states that a stressor that exists during that period may influence the response to stress and those kids may not have a normal development like the normal kids. The consequences may be seen in the next periods of time and are linked to unhealthy lifestyle.

The survey data came from Concordia Longitudinal Risk Project, project launched by the scientists from Sherbrook University, Concordia University, University of Ottawa and the University of California. In this study there data from over 3000 people who were in primary school and gymnasium between 1976-1978 and who requested health care between 1992-2006, was examined.

The combined data showed that there was a 44,2 %  illness increase caused by unhealthy lifestyle ( alcohol dependence, increased weight and obesity, diabetes – type II), 12,4 % more frequent presentations to emergency departments, a 10, 7 %  lesions increase , a 8,1 % increase in visiting a physician and a 6,2 % in visiting a specialist. Also, aggressions during childhood have been associated to other health risks like teen pregnancy , lack of protection during sexual intercourse, higher percentage of single mothers, abandoning school thus lower level of education, dangerous practices while driving and living in poverty.

Most of the aggressions during childhood happen at home and kids with abusive parents are more exposed to health risks in the adulthood according to the study.

Families with aggression problems should be identified by the members of the community that include family friends, friends of the children or neighbors, teachers, the authorities, etc. Those children should be taught how to manage the aggression, how to deal with problems in general, in order to learn new strategies to cope with stress, how to develop their social and emotional abilities.  The families should be informed about the consequences of their acts and should be helped to improve their behavior towards their children. Family therapy may be useful as it can improve the relationships between the family members, both children and adults.

Childhood

The authors concluded that “Our results confirm that there are specific behavioural characteristics, identifiable in childhood, that can have enduring consequences to physical health and can predict increased use of health services in adulthood. Childhood aggression should be considered a health risk when designing interventions to improve public health, particularly those targeting children and families.”

New Cancer-Causing Virus Confirmed By Scientists

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) was confirmed as one of the causes of most common salivary gland cancers. The study was conducted at USC Laboratory for Developmental Genetics and it isolated less than ten oncoviruses (viruses that can cause cancer) including Human Papilloma Virus (HPV).

The study was published in the Experimental and Molecular Pathology online journal, and it is part of a larger series of studies conducted at USC. The combined results highlight the CMV’s role in causing cancer, virus that can either induce cell mutation directly or promotes tumor formation by exploiting cellular weaknesses.

3D Image of Cytomegalovirus

Study leader Michael Melnick, concluded that CMV is a oncovirus after laborious studies conducted on human salivary glands as well as rodents.

CMV has a very high incidence in human and can lead to devastating consequences in patients with compromised immune systems and can also lead to severe birth defects if a woman was exposed to cytomegalovirus for the first time before birth. Besides salivary gland cancer, cytomegalovirus can be linked to other cancer types according to Melnick.

At least 60% of the US population has been exposed to cytomegalovirus, and most healthy patients with uncompromised immune system will become carriers. The virus is inactivated and remains dormant in the salivary glands. The exact cause of reactivation is yet unknown.

This particular study demonstrates not only the presence and intense activity of cytomegalovirus in tumors but also establishes a link between virus-created proteins amount and cancer severity.

Previous studies have shown that salivary glands from newborn mice exposed to cytomegalovirus, lead to salivary gland cancer. Afterwards virus interaction with cells was studied, trying therefore stopping cancer progression.

Melnick and his research team besides linking cytomegalovirus and salivary gland cancer, also discovered a molecular pathway that was being exploited by cytomegalovirus to cause cancer. That particular pathway is the same for both mice and humans and it is only active during the embryonic development stage. Cytomegalovirus deactivates this pathway leading to tumors that help the virus multiply.

The problem with salivary cancer is that they are usually late-diagnosed and the fact that the affected area is very near the face makes the surgical treatment problematic and quite a challenge. With these study results, there is hope for better prevention and treatment options , maybe similar to HPV- cervical cancer measures implemented.

Not so distant into the future, Melnick expects to possess more information about the link between viral infections and tumor formation. “This should be a most fruitful area of investigation for a long time to come,” he said

Genetic Mutation Accelerates The Aging Process, Acording To New Study

A variant of a gene that regulates a protein in the brain can cause early aging of the brain, says new study.

Generally, the performances of aircraft pilots decrease slightly with age. However, a new study shows that pilots who have a particular variant of the BDNF gene are susceptible to a more rapid deterioration of performances. Moreover, the researchers observed a accelerated decline in the brain centers which are responsible for memory and learning.

The study was conducted by Dr. Ahmad Salehi and his colleagues at Stanford Medical Center in Palo Alto and its results were published in the journal Translational Psychiatry.

Almost 38% of study participants had one or two copies of the BDNF gene. In two years it was noticed that in this pilots, performances decreased almost three times faster than in the rest of the pilots. Reduced performances are reflected in reduction of reaction rate, competence in navigation, positioning and in emergency situations.

However, when researchers have calculated the size of the hippocampus, it was found that, after the age of 65 years, men who had suffered a mutation of BDNF gene have a decreased in volume of this area from the brain. Hippocampus size does not correlate with test results in the flight simulator, which is explained by the fact that piloting an aircraft involves other brain regions.

Genetic Mutation And Agging Process

Experts say that these problems are not manifested only in the case of pilots. All persons holding the BDNF gene modified version and works with complex machinery may face the same problems.

The cause of the modified version of the BDNF gene is represented by a change in a single unit of DNA chain. This slight change leads to the substitution of a amino acid called  methionine to valine, in a portion of a protein that is encoded by this gene. Such minor changes can have large consequences for a protein that was subject to a few changes since its emergence, 400 million years ago. Normally, brain cells release BDNF protein only when is needed, but this amino acid substitution causes the protein to be released constantly. In people with the modified version of BDNF gene, this protein is not secreted in sufficient amounts at the level where the nerve cells receive messages.

Although the factors leading to the production of this phenomenon are not yet known, the study emphasizes the importance of BDNF gene and the need for detailed research to help counteract the negative effects of this gene variant associated with a accelerated cognitive decline.

The Human Brain Plays Role In Regulating Glucose Metabolism, According To New Study

For the first time the human brain role in regulating glucose metabolism was highlighted by researchers from Einstein College Of Medicine. The results published online in the Journal of Clinical Investigation today brings the possibility of diabetes future new revulutionary treatments that could target the central nervous system 

The human brain is the biggest glucose consumator organ, and needs a uninterrupted glucose supply to function properly, so it is not that surprising that it can interfere with the glucose metabolism according to study leader Meredith Hawkins, professor of medicine and Global Diabetes Initiative director at Einstein College. This key role was highlighted in earlier Einstein studies on rodents, but there were many doubts if the results could be extrapolated to humans and the study aimed demonstratrating that.

Human Brain

In earlier studies performed on mice, Einstein research team showed that activation of membrane K channels in the hypothalamus, triggers a feedback mechanism that tells the liver to slow glucose production.

Those results were  published in Nature magazine back in 2005 and changed the and changed the way in which the main glucose factory – the liver was seen until then. But further studies conducted on dogs at the Vanderbil University had not success in replicating the results, suggesting that Einstein research team conclusions could not be extrapolated to larger mammals and humans.

The actual Einstein research team study goal was demonstrating their rodents results on humans. A drug called diazoxide (which is not used for treating diabetes) was administered to ten healthy subjects, drug that leads to the opening of K channels in the hypothalamus. The resulted hormonal secretion of the pancreas was closely monitored to detect any change in glucose production that occured due to diazoxide administration.  Once the drug was administered the scientists observed  that the liver slowed its glucose production.

The researcher then administered diazoxide orally to rats and noted similar findings. A sufficient concentration of diazoxide passed through the blood-brain barrier and sucesfully stimulated the hypothalamus K channels. Afterwards researchers blocked the K channels using another drug  administered directly into the brain.

The results confirm that the human brain actually plays a key role in regulating the liver glucose metabolism by according to Preeti Kirshore, assistant professor of medicine.

The next step is linking this brain-liver pathway with diabetes and investigating diabetic patietns for pathological changes. If so, new treatment options for diabetics that target K channels could be introduced.

Breakthrough Hemodialysis

Saint John hospital medical team from Romania invention, was awarded the gold medal in 2010 at the Geneva Exhibition of Inventions , by which the patient own body is used for dialysis, namely the peritoneum. The invention recieved a national patent and soon will begin clinical trials .

“We are very happy. We have already received national patent our invention, this month, and we begun clinical trials in the Saint John hospital. Furthermore, along with nine other scientists, we will submit our documentation to obtain international patent for this invention ” said professor Alexander Ciocalteu.

A year ago, Professor Alexander Ciocalteu form Saint John hospital in Bucharest together with two young collaborators, Dr David Alexander and Dr Ionel Checherita Cristina, have invented a revolutionary new peritoneal filtration method for hemodialysis

This method uses peritoneum as a dialysis membrane, there is no longer a need for a sophisticated device. More specifically, hemodialysis it is done by the human body alone. Although treatment rates would fall ten times, few sponsors were willing to financially support his invention according to Professor Ciocalteu.

In fact, the intervention of the medical team consists in “squeezing” blood vessels from the peritoneum. Doctors use laparoscopic surgery to produce hypertension peritoneum blood vessels that eliminates physiological urine through the urinary bladder. Two microdevices are placed laparoscopically, one to produce urine and other to remove fluid from the bladder. The Romanian doctor  was rewarded with a gold medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2010.

“I never thought that an invention than can cut down hemodialysis prices up to ten times, will face such a delay to begin clinical trials. Perhaps the invention disturbs a worldwide 65 million dollar buisiness just by lowering the hemodyalisis procedure prices. A gold medaled invetion in Geneva, and a revolutionary procedure in which large companies producing artificial kidney dialysis materials show no interest. It is the fate of many Romanian researchers exceptional findings” said Professor Ciocalteu.

According to him, Romanian engineer Florin Nutu from General Turbo Company, offered a sponsorship of aproximately 20.000 euros to start the experimental trials.

A mutidisciplinary medical team was established for this purpose, Professor Alexander has recruited a gastroenterologist – Associate Doctor Ion Dina, two surgeons – Rubin Litescu and Mircea Munteanu, an urologist –  Victor Cauni, and a specialist from the Surgery Department of the Veterinary Medicine Faculty – professor Alin Bartoi .

Studies so far announce an important breakthorugh in medical field, as it turned out that peritoneal filtration is a viable hemodialysis method that allows not only lowering the treatment costs but also a clear improvement of quality of life of dialysis patients according to Professor Ciocalteu

In Romania alone there are nearly 10,000 patients undergoing dialysis for chronic renal failure and the cost of therapy of these patients, exceeds one hundred million euros each  year.

Superbug Infection Treated With Faeces Transplantation

At first it may sound a little odd but researchers have managed to treat patients with superbug infections using feaces. The procedure implied faeces collection from a normal and healthy patient (in most cases a relative), adding saline substances, then transferring into the digestive tract of a Clostridium difficile infected patient.

This technique leads to a natural gut balance restoration, according to U.S researchers, who presented their results during an Annual Gastroenterology meeting.

Clostridium difficile colitis is an intestinal bacterial infection that occurs in people who have abused antibiotics or underwent prolonged antibiotic therapy. Clostridium Difficile is a commensal bacterium of the gut that becomes pathogenic under certain favorable conditions. It is one of the most common infections acquired by patients admitted into the hospital. Clostridium difficile bacteria grows and multiplies leading to diarrhea and dehydration

Clostridium Difficile

A team of physicians and researchers from the Montefore Medica Center in New York, managed to cure 91% of the patients suffering from Clostridium difficile infection using feaces transplantation.

The study leader Dr Lawrence Brand stated that faeces transplantation is a very effective treatment option, which is very well tolerated by the patient and also a very safe way of treatment compared to the traditional ones.

In 2008 alone near 15.000 cases of Clostridium Difficile infection were reported in England, and around half a million people from the United States become infected each year. Clostridium Difficile infection can be a life-threatening condition due to its possible complications.

Clostridium difficile is a kind of bacteria that is normally present in the human gut in about 2/3 of infants and about 2% of adults. However the bacteria can not lead to health issues in normal healthy people. In case of antibiotics abuse or immune system dysfunction, the normal gut balance can alter leading to favorable development conditions for Clostridium difficile. When this happens, Clostridium difficile bacteria thrive and overgrow, producing toxins and leading to serious gut infections.

The procedure named fecal micobiota therapy or shortened FMT can help patients with hard to master Clostridium difficile infections. The procedure was also tested with great success on patients suffering from Cohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.

The team of physicians from Montefiore Medica center noted noticeable improvements in 9 out of 10 Clostridium difficile treated patients.

Nitroglycerin

When administred intravenously, for hours, nitroglycerin leads to unknown until now adverse effects like increasing the severity of a heart attack, according to a recent study conducted at The Standford University. Nitroglyceryn is a drug used in practice for over a century and that is why a proper clinical trial has never been conducted acoording to Daria Machly-Rosen author of the study. The study send a message to cardiologists to investigate the value and effects of nitroglycerin therapy that exteds for several hours.

Doctor Mochly-Rosen study also demonstrated that eventual damage to the heart tissue cand be drastically reduced by using a combined treatment with an enzyme activator also named Alda-1, which was discovered 3 years ago.

Nitroglicerin virtually is a legend in terms of hear disease treatment and is used by patients suffering from angina pectoris as tablets, and oral sprays. It is also one of the drugs which is administred after a heart attack, intravenously or using a transdermal patch in the E.R. Nitroglycerin has leads to very good results, at leas at first, dilating blood vessels so that the heart can receive the much needed oxygen. The bad part is that continous use of nitrogliceryn lead to desensitization.

Nitroglicerin

In order to minimize desesitization to nitroglicerin, the patient uses the drug for a certain period than cesates, in order to use it again later on. The standart protocol for patients suffering form myocardial infarction is sixteen hours on nitroglycerin and eight hours without nitroglycerin use. Unique dose of nitroglycerin or occasional use has not been proven to lead to a decreased response.

The adverse effect that was not known until now was that nitroglycerin can actually harm the cardiac cells, in the case of a heart attack. Nitroglycerin alters an important enzyme known as ALDH2 and damages cells , enzyme that clears toxic products and free radicals, but also the source of the nitroglycerin power to relieve angina pectoris pain.

In other terms ALDH2 helps with the transformation of nitroglycerin to NO (nitric oxide) – one of the most powerfull vasodilators in the body. Nitric oxide lead to vasodilation of blood vessels thus increasing the blood flow to a certain area.  It is quite a paradox that nitroglycerin affects and damages ALDH2 (the enzyme that it is the key of its beneficial effects).