According to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, low levels of vitamin D increase the risk of anemia in children. The study was conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center and is the first of its kind that explores in detail the relationship between the two conditions.

The researchers highlighted the fact that the study results do not prove a cause-effect relationship, but rather a proof of the fact that there is a complex connection between vitamin D and hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein in red blood cells with a role in oxygen transport; a decrease in the amount of hemoglobin leads to anemia. It seems that there are several mechanisms by which vitamin D may contribute to anemia. On the one hand, this vitamin influences hematopoiesis in bone marrow ( red blood cell production ) and on the other hand, vitamin D is involved in inflammation and immunity.

To analyze the connection between anemia and vitamin D, the researchers conducted a study that included more than 10,000 children. They searched for evidence of anemia and low blood levels of vitamin D. Researchers have found that vitamin D levels were much lower in patients who had anemia. Researchers found that children who had vitamin D levels below 30ng/ml had a double risk of anemia than children who had normal vitamin D levels.

There seems to be a difference between ethnic groups in terms of risk of anemia related to vitamin D. Black children have higher rates of anemia and vitamin D levels much lower than white children, but the risk of anemia occurs only when the vitamin decreases far below than the level found in white children. This racial difference on the level of vitamin D and anemia indicates that the current therapeutic targets for preventing and treating these conditions require a new approach. Lead investigator Meredith Atkinson , MD, MHS, a pediatric kidney specialist at the Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, said that this clear racial difference  pointed out in the study should serve as a reminder for the fact that what we consider a pathological level in some it may be perfectly normal in others.

Children who have chronic anemia and vitamin D deficiency have more health problems such as impaired growth , skeletal deformities , fractures, premature osteoporosis and others. Senior study investigator Jeffrey Fadrowski, M.D., M.H.S., a pediatric kidney specialist at Johns Hopkins, said: “If our findings are confirmed through further research, low vitamin D levels may turn out to be a readily modifiable risk factor for anemia that we can easily tackle with supplements.”

The researchers from Columbia University Medical Center ( CUMC ) have developed a new more effective method of hair regeneration. Co-study leader Angela M. Christiano , PhD, the Richard and Mildred Rhodebeck Professor of Dermatology and Professor of Genetics & Development, said that most of the women with hair loss are not candidates for transplant surgery because of an insufficient donor hair. They explained that this method offers the possibility to induce a large number of hair follicles or rejuvenate existing hair follicles.  According to study authors, this method could be available to individuals with limited number of hair follicles as women with hair loss due to alopecia or burns. This new method could provide an eficient alternative because hair-loss medication only slow the rate of hair loss without stimulating new hair growth.

Co-study leader Colin Jahoda, PhD, Professor of Stem Cell Sciences at Durham University, England, and co-director of North East England Stem Cell Institute, explained that dermal papilla cells give rise to hair follicles and that the notion of cloning hair with inductive dermal papilla cells has been known for over 40 years. Jahoda explained that when these cells are placed in two-dimensional tissue cultures they transform into basic skin cells and lose their ability to generate hair follicles. So, the problem was to attempt to replicate these cells while maintaining their property to generate hair follicles.

The researchers observed that unlike human papillae, rodent papillae can be harvested, expanded and transplanted successfully in rodents. It seems that rodents have dermal papillae which, in tissue culture, spontaneously aggregate and form some clumps, which means that they create their own extracellular microenvironment. First author Claire A. Higgins, PhD, associate research scientist, said: “This suggested that if we cultured human papillae in such a way as to encourage them to aggregate the way rodent cells do spontaneously, it could create the conditions needed to induce hair growth in human skin.”

Researchers harvested dermal papillae from seven human donors and cloned these cells in tissue culture without adding growth factors. Then these cells were transplanted between the epidermis and dermis of human skin which was grafted onto the back of mice. It seems that in 5 of the 7 cases , the transplanted cells resulted in new hair growth.

The researchers said that further studies are needed before this method to be tested on humans. They must establish the properties of the new induced hairs such as color, angle, positioning, but the research team is optimistic and hopes to start the clinical trials as soon as possible.

According to research presented at the AACR -NCI- EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics, further progress has been made regarding the treatment of melanoma and breast cancer. Preclinical studies showed promising results and researchers have recently launched phase 1 clinical trials to evaluate the safety and toxicity of LEE011, an inhibitor of cyclin -dependent kinases ( CDK ) 4/6.

Studies have shown that many cancers occur because a protein that functions as a tumor suppressor (called retinoblastoma) is inactivated due to an increased activity of CDK4 and 6. This protein, CDK4 /6,  is controlled by cyclin D and cyclin D expression is increased by the activity of BRAF and PIK3CA, proteins involved in melanoma and breast cancer.

Researchers used BRAF and PIK3CA as therapeutic targets in breast cancer and melanoma treatment but unfortunately although initially respond to treatment, the patients eventually develop resistance. William Sellers, MD, vice president and global head of oncology at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research in Cambridge , Mass. , said that the optimization of chemistry lead to the discovery of LEE011 and that so far,  it is the most selective inhibitor of CDK4 /6. He explained that by using the latest cancer genomics, they were able to identify the indications and the drug combinations of LEE011. According to Sellers, LEE011 is able to prevent the emergence of resistance to the partner compound that would otherwise occur if the compound would be dosed without LEEo11.

Based on these results, the pharmaceutical company Novartis launched several phase 1 clinical trials in adults and a phase 1 clinical trial in pediatric patients. Sellers said that until now studies have shown that LEE011 is well tolerated and has excellent pharmacokinetic properties. Laboratory experiments conducted by Sellers and his team showed that this drug prevents the growth of tumor cells ( it appears that LEE011 inhibit tumor cells in a critical phase called G1).
Further experiments on mice showed that LEE011 has a robust antitumor activity in melanoma when tested in combination with another BRAF inhibitor, LGX818 . The same results were obtained when LEE011 was tested in combination with PIK3CA inhibitor, BYL719, an investigational drug for breast cancer.

Researchers are now investigating LEE011 in adult patients as a single agent to see which is the drug works in cancers that are dependent on CDK4 /6 as head and neck cancers, certain lymphomas and liposarcoamas.  Also, the drug is tested in a study in pediatric patients for the treatment of malignant rhabdoid tumors and neuroblastoma.

According to statistics, there are approximately 2.5 million people infected with HIV worldwide and about thirty-four million people living with the virus. HIV is the virus that causes AIDS  ( acquired immunodeficiency syndrome), which means that the immune system is severely affected and eventually it leads to death due to opportunistic infections. Now researchers at the University of Georgia were able to develop a drug to attack the virus before it integrates into human DNA.

Vasu Nair, who is the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Drug Discovery in the UGA College of Pharmacy, said that they discovered a highly potent HIV inhibitor that targets the viral integrase, or ‘point of no return’ , as it is called by researchers, that is before the virus infects the cells in the body. He added that this inhibitor is very effective against many variations of HIV.

Nair believes that this inhibitor is an ideal target because it interferes with virus replication without involving the host (ie the patient ), so the risk for major side effects  is very low. In replication, an important role is played by cell signaling. In the first stage, HIV infection triggers an immune response in CD4 + T helper cells, which causes other cells to protect the body. After having entered the body, the virus attaches to the surface of CD4 + T helper cells, penetrates them and then starts replicating. Nair said that of all the steps of HIV replication, the most devastating point is that when the virus integrates its viral DNA into human chromosomal DNA.

Integration of viral DNA into human DNA occurs after several biochemical processes that require a viral enzyme called HIV integrase. Only after this critical step can HIV begin to replicate in a large number of copies and destroy CD + helper T cells;  in this way the body is defenseless against infections. However the drug developed by researchers at the University of Georgia blocks this viral enzyme;  in other words the viral DNA cannot integrate into the host DNA. Nair admits that even though a vaccine to eliminate the virus is not feasible, however he points out that there are therapies that allow people to live longer while infected.

Researchers are now testing this new HIV drug in preclinical trials and up to this point, it seems to have a low toxicity. “There are potential ramifications of this invention in other therapeutic areas, as well as in co-infection therapeutics. This is perhaps the most exciting aspect of our discovery,” Nair pointed out.

Studies conducted by researchers at Columbia University Medical Center in New York City found that cinnamon helps women suffering from polycystic ovarian syndrome. Polycystic ovary syndrome, an endocrine disorder, is one of the most common cause of infertility in young women and is characterized by obesity, hirsutism, abnormal menstruation (amenorrhea ) and infertility. Polycystic ovary syndrome is due to a hormonal disorder that affects ovulation, disorder that most often leads to secondary amenorrhea, which means the absence of menstrual cycles at least three months in a row. Besides affecting ovulation, there is a metabolic disorder of insulin that leads to diabetes and obesity.

Now researchers have found that cinnamon is not only a spice that gives flavor to food but also has a beneficial effect on hormonal disorders in the polycystic ovary syndrome. Researchers found that women with POS who took cinnamon supplements daily showed a significant improvement in menstrual cycles than women taking placebo. Furthermore, two of the participants reported spontaneous pregnancies during the study.

Study author Dr. Daniel Kort , a postdoctoral fellow in reproductive endocrinology at the Medical Center, said there is a lot of interest in natural or homeopathic remedies to treat this condition. He added that it is possible that this completely natural substance to help a large group of patients.

The standard treatment of polycystic ovary syndrome consists of weight loss, control of diabetes ( metformin) and drugs that induce ovulation (such as clomiphene ) . Kort said they do not know what is the mechanism by which cinnamon regulates menstrual cycles in women with POS but it is possible that these effects are a result of stimulating the body to process glucose and insulin. In addition, there have been studies conducted on diabetic patients that showed that cinnamon regulates the metabolism of insulin (apparently this spice decreases insulin resistance).

The researchers tested this hypothesis on a sample of 16 patients with POS: 11 of them received daily cinnamon supplements (1,500 milligram ) and 5 received placebo. Researchers monitored diet, daily activity and the calendar of menstrual cycles during the study. After 6 months, women taking cinnamon supplements had four menstrual periods compared with an average of two menstrual periods in the placebo group. In addition, two women reported spontaneous pregnancies after three months of starting treatment with cinnamon supplements. However, Dr. Avner Hershlag, chief of the Center for Human Reproduction at North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, N.Y, added: “It’s not going to regulate every patient who takes it, but a good percentage who take it may experience some benefit, and the side effects are low. It’s relatively cheap and well tolerated.”

A study led by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and published in Molecular Psychiatry, shows that ghrelin, known as the ‘hunger hormone’ could be involved in the onset of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Ghrelin was discovered several years ago in obesity research and since then, as it  is a hormone that stimulates appetite, pharmaceutical companies have tried to use it as a therapeutic target in the fight against obesity and metabolic syndrome.

Now researchers have found that ghrelin is released also in other conditions such as stress, and that this hormone makes the brain  more susceptible to the onset of PTSD. Ki Goosens, an assistant professor of brain and cognitive sciences at MIT and senior author of the paper, said that drugs that lower the  levels of ghrelin could be used to protect people who are more prone to PTSD, as are soldiers in the war. Goosens, who is also a member of MIT ‘s McGovern Institute for Brain Research, said it is possible that in the future these people to receive a ghrelin vaccine to have a lower incidence of PTSD. He added that this is an innovation because for the moment nothing is given to these people to prevent PTSD.

Stress is a normal response reaction in dangerous situations that determines the action of ‘fight or flight’. But if stress is chronic, then can lead to other behavioral disorders such as anxiety, depression or other mental illness. In the studies conducted so far, Goosens found that the amygdala, a brain region involved in stress response, has a specific response to chronic stress. It seems that the amygdala produces large amounts of growth hormone during stressful situations, which does not happen in other brain regions. Now researchers have found that the release of growth hormone by the amygdala is controlled by ghrelin. Ghrelin is a hormone produced by the stomach and circulates throughout the body including the brain.

The researchers found that when mice were given a drug to stimulate the ghrelin receptor or gene therapy to express growth hormone for a longer period of time, the mice were more vulnerable to stress and fear than healthy mice. It was found that when mice were exposed to chronic stress, they encoded more strongly the fearful memories. The same thing happens with people who suffer from PTSD. Therefore, researchers want to target the ghrelin receptor to treat or prevent PTSD. “Maybe the ghrelin could get damped down and these people could go through cognitive behavioral therapy, and over time, maybe we can reverse it,” said Retsina Meyer, lead author of the paper.

A study led by researchers at the University of Massachusetts Medical School shows that a particular type of lymphoma ( diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, or DLBCL ) could be treated if normal aging program was activated in tumor cells. In this manner, tumor cells would not be able to divide and proliferate anymore. Researchers found that Smurf2 protein involved in senescence, or cellular aging, acts as a tumor suppressor in DLBCL . This new function of Smurf2 protein could be an important therapeutic target in the treatment of DLBCL, researchers believe.

Hong Zhang , PhD, assistant professor of Cell & Developmental Biology at UMMS and senior author of the study, said that normally this signaling pathway is responsible for the suppression of cell proliferation and senescence. He explained, however, that human DLBCL expresses low levels of Smurf2 protein which means that proliferation and cell division are uncontrolled. Thus restoring Smurf2 protein expression could provide therapeutic benefits for patients with DLBCL. Rachel Gerstein, PhD, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Physiological Systems at UMMS, and co-author of the study, pointed out that the mean age of diagnosis is about 60 years. Since this cancer occurs mostly in the elderly, it is interesting to look for the connection between this feature of lymphoma and cell aging.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a cancer of B cells, the immune cells responsible for producing antibodies. DLBCL is one of the most common forms of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in adults and it is estimated that in 2013 in the United States 70,000 people will be diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Standard chemotherapy, called R-CHOP, consists of a combination therapy that includes a monoclonal antibody, a steroid and three other drugs ( rituximab , cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone ). However, it seems that half of patients diagnosed with DLBCL do not respond to standard treatment.

Another study published in 2012 by Dr. Zhang has shown that mice that were deficient in Smurf2 protein spontaneously developed certain tumors, including B cell lymphoma. In order to find out the link between human DLBCL and Smurf2 protein, researchers analyzed the expression of this protein in patients with DLBCL. In this way they learned that an important subset of patients had a low expression of Smurf2; moreover, it appears that low levels of this protein was correlated with a worse prognosis.

Now a team of researchers at the Biomedical Sciences UMMS showed that Smurf2 is actually part of a complex signaling pathway involved in cell division and proliferation ( which includes transcriptional regulator YY1 and the regulatory genes c -Myc ). So, in DLBCL, the lack of Smurf2 leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation for cells. Now researchers want to find molecules that mimic the Smurf2 protein in order to suppress cell division in DLBCL .

According to a meta-analysis presented at the Acute Cardiac Care Congress 2013, heart disease patients are less likely to suffer from another heart attack if they receive psychological support. Starting from simple observations on patients from the coronary care unit, the investigators wanted to see if indeed psychological support influences the outcome of patients with heart attack .

Dr Zoi Aggelopoulou, a nurse and one of the study authors, explained that patients were unlikely to suffer from a second heart attack, to die or to return to the hospital if the nurses talk to them about their treatment, if they played music for them or if  they helped the patients to say their prayers. That made them the nurses believe that coronary heart disease is not only a physical illness but also it involves a psychological component.

In the current meta-analysis conducted by investigators from Athens, Greece, the researchers wanted to see if psychological interventions, along with standard rehabilitation programs, can improve the recovery of patients with coronary heart disease. The meta-analysis, which included nine randomized clinical trials, showed that psychological interventions have benefited these patients. The researchers found that psychological support resulted in decreased mortality and cardiovascular events by 55% after two years or more. Therefore, the meta-analysis demonstrated that psychological interventions indeed have a positive impact on the outcome of these patients, but after the first two years after heart attack.

Dr Aggelopoulou said they found a huge benefit of psychological interventions after the first two years, with fewer patients who died or who had cardiovascular events. She explained that these interventions consisted of talking with the patients and their families about their issues, listening to music and helping them to say their prayers.

The studies conducted so far have shown that psychological factors may influence the likelihood of a heart attack. Some of these factors include depression, chronic stress, marital distress, socioeconomic status, social isolation, etc. According to Dr Aggelopoulou, the current study reinforces the idea that psychological factors play an important role in heart disease. She explained that these factors not only have an impact on the risk of having another heart attack but also influences and future prospects of a patient who had a cardiovascular event. Therefore, researchers now strongly believe that psychological support should be included in rehabilitation programs of patients with coronary heart disease.

A meta-analysis published in The Lancet shows that vitamin D supplements do not provide any benefit in preventing osteoporosis. Conducted on a sample of  over 4,000 healthy adults, this meta-analysis demonstrates that vitamin D supplements do not improve bone mineral density.

Researchers at the University of Auckland conducted a meta-analysis that included 23 studies on the benefits of vitamin D supplements on bone mineral density. Study leader Professor Ian Reid from the University of Auckland in New Zealand said that most adults do not need supplements of vitamin D. He added that it would be better if these vitamin D supplements were given only to patients at risk.

Researchers analyzed the 23 studies and found that people who took vitamin D supplements had no benefit in terms of preventing osteoporosis. However it was shown that there was a small statistically significant increase in bone density at the femoral neck (0.8%), but according to the researchers, this increase is unlikely to be clinically significant. I seems that widespread administration of vitamin D supplements for the prevention of osteoporosis in adults without risk factors is inappropriate.

Osteoporosis is characterized by progressive loss of bone density. Osteoporosis is usually discovered accidentally when one makes an X-ray or a special analysis called dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Although osteoporosis is a disease that does not hurt, however, it increases the risk of fractures. Usually the most feared complications in osteoporosis are fractures that can greatly decrease quality of life.

There are two types of osteoporosis : primary and secondary. Primary osteoporosis usually occurs in postmenopausal women; this is type 1 primary osteoporosis that  occurs mainly due to estrogen deficiency. But it should be noted that osteoporosis can also occur in men, especially after age of 75 ( type 2 primary osteoporosis or senile osteoporosis ). Secondary osteoporosis occurs as a result of another disease  (renal disease, endocrine dysfunctions ) or after prolonged treatment with corticosteroids.

Osteoporosis can be prevented by lifestyle changes such as diet , physical activity, avoiding falls, vitamin D supplements etc . There are a number of drugs approved by the FDA for the treatment and prevention of this disease such as bisphosphonates, hormone therapy, denosumab etc. Studies have shown that bisphosphonates reduce the risk of fracture but in order that these drugs bring benefits must be administered over a period of several years.

There has been much discussion regarding the administration of vitamin D and calcium supplementation in postmenopausal women. It seems that low-dose supplements have no benefit in terms of lowering the risk of fracture. It is not known what effect higher doses have but it seems that there are some significant side effects such as kidney stones or increased risk of myocardial infarction.