Stick-on tattoos go electric
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Through a combination of careful theoretical modeling and precise micro-manufacturing, a team of engineers and scientists has developed a new type of ultra-thin, self-adhesive electronics device that can effectively measure data about the human heart, brain waves and muscle activity – all without the use of bulky equipment, conductive fluids, or glues.
The researchers have created a new class of micro-electronics with a technology that they call an epidermal electronic system (EES). They have incorporated miniature sensors, light-emitting diodes, tiny transmitters and receivers, and networks of carefully crafted wire filaments into their initial designs.
The technology is presented - along with initial measurements that researchers captured using the EES - in a paper by lead author Dae-Hyeong Kim of the University of Illinois and colleagues in the August 12, 2011, issue of Science.
Poorly controlled asthma costly
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Poorly controlled asthma more than doubles healthcare costs associated with the disease and threatens educational achievement through a dramatic increase in school absence, according to researchers at National Jewish Health. The research team reported in the August 2011 issue of The Archives of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology that children with “very poorly controlled” asthma missed an average of 18 days of school each year, compared to 2 or less for other asthma patients.
“This study looks for the first time at how effective and ineffective management of severe asthma impacts cost ,” said Stanley Szefler, MD, lead author and Professor of Pediatrics at National Jewish Health. “It highlights the toll that poorly controlled asthma takes on children. It also points to an opportunity – with proper attention and education, many, if not most, of those children could gain control over their asthma, thus reducing healthcare costs, improving their lives and their chances for success.”
The researchers studied 628 children ages 6 to 12 with severe or difficult-to-treat asthma. They evaluated direct medical costs – medications, unscheduled office and emergency visits, and hospital admissions – and indirect costs as measured by school/work days lost. Costs were evaluated at baseline, 12 months and 24 months. Patients were divided into three groups - very poorly controlled, not well controlled and well controlled asthma, according to NIH guidelines.
Antioxidants of interest to address infertility, erectile dysfunction
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A growing body of evidence suggests that antioxidants may have significant value in addressing infertility issues in both women and men, including erectile dysfunction, and researchers say that large, specific clinical studies are merited to determine how much they could help.
A new analysis, published online in the journal Pharmacological Research, noted that previous studies on the potential for antioxidants to help address this serious and growing problem have been inconclusive, but that other data indicates nutritional therapies may have significant potential.
The researchers also observed that infertility problems are often an early indicator of other degenerative disease issues such as atherosclerosis, high blood pressure and congestive heart failure. The same approaches that may help treat infertility could also be of value to head off those problems, they said.
Stem Cell “Memory” Can Boost Insulin Levels
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Stem cells from early embryos can be coaxed into becoming a diverse array of specialized cells to revive and repair different areas of the body. Therapies based on these stem cells have long been contemplated for the treatment of diabetes, but have been held back by medical and ethical drawbacks.
Now researchers at Tel Aviv University are capitalizing on the “memories” of stem cells generated from adult cells to bring new hope to sufferers of juvenile or type 1 diabetes, which affects three million people in the United States.
Prof. Shimon Efrat of TAU’s Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry at the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, says these “induced pluripotent stem cells,” derived from adult cells, represent an embryonic-like state. To some degree, he found, the cells retain a “memory” of what they once were — when created from pancreatic beta cells, the cells responsible for the production of insulin, these pluripotent cells prove more efficient than their embryonic counterparts in creating insulin-producing cells. Prof. Efrat says that this discovery promises to advance the development of cell replacement therapy for diabetics, possibly leading to an effective alternative to organ transplants.
Diesel fumes pose risk to heart as well as lungs, study shows
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Tiny chemical particles emitted by diesel exhaust fumes could raise the risk of heart attacks, research has shown.
Scientists have found that ultrafine particles produced when diesel burns are harmful to blood vessels and can increase the chances of blood clots forming in arteries, leading to a heart attack or stroke.
The research by the University of Edinburgh measured the impact of diesel exhaust fumes on healthy volunteers at levels that would be found in heavily polluted cities.
Summer Is the Season for Shaping Up: American Dietetic Association Spokespeople Review the Latest Diet and Lifestyle Books
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With seemingly endless information about food and diets available today, it is easy to be overwhelmed with which plan is right for you. Whether it’s a pill, a cleanse, a fast-results diet or an entire lifestyle change, there is no shortage of products, programs and books that promise life-changing results when it comes to weight loss.
Do these plans work? Are they healthful? How can people tell the good advice from the bad? The American Dietetic Association is here to help.
“Every day, Americans are flooded with information about how to lose weight and feel great fast. While some of these products and programs offer sound nutrition information, others are gimmicks and can even be dangerous,” says registered dietitian and ADA Spokesperson Marjorie Nolan. “It is important for consumers to achieve a healthy weight in a way that is safe and provides their bodies with the nutrition they need to thrive. There is no miracle cure or overnight plan for healthy weight loss.”
Neurologist Develops New Educational Tool
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With a new application developed by a U-M neurologist, better understanding of the anatomy of the peripheral nervous system can be found right on your iPhone.
Nerve Whiz is a free application for medical professionals interested in learning the complex anatomy of nerve roots, plexuses, and peripheral nerves. It can work on Apple personal devices such as iPhones, iPads and iPods, and will soon be available for Android devices.
The application goes beyond simple nerve charts to help medical professionals interpret clinical examinations. Users select which muscles are weak or point to where the patient has sensory loss and the application provides a differential diagnosis, complete with relevant pictures and diagrams.
Large human study links phthalates, BPA and thyroid hormone levels
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A link between chemicals called phthalates and thyroid hormone levels was confirmed by the University of Michigan in the first large-scale and nationally representative study of phthalates and BPA in relation to thyroid function in humans.
The U-M School of Public Health study also reported suggestive findings consistent with a previously reported link between a chemical called bisphenol-A and thyroid hormone levels. BPA is best known for its use in certain plastic water bottles and in the linings of canned foods.
Researchers used publicly available data from the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey to compare urine metabolites and serum thyroid measures from 1,346 adults and 329 adolescents. Generally speaking, greater concentrations of urinary phthalate metabolites and BPA were associated with greater impacts on serum thyroid measures, said John Meeker, assistant professor at U-M SPH and lead study author.
UCSF team describes genetic basis of rare human diseases
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Researchers at the University of California, San Francisco and in Michigan, North Carolina and Spain have discovered how genetic mutations cause a number of rare human diseases, which include Meckel syndrome, Joubert syndrome and several other disorders.
The work gives doctors new possible targets for designing better diagnostics to detect and drugs to treat these diseases, which together affect perhaps one in 200 people in the United States.
On the surface, these diseases look very different. Meckel syndrome causes deadly brain malformations and kidney cysts. Joubert syndrome strikes people with severe movement disorders. But the work of the UCSF-led team, published this week in the journal Nature Genetics, found similarities between the diseases at the molecular level.
Smoke from Southeast wildfires is health hazard
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It’s turning into the summer of smoke in parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.
Public health officials in all three states have warned people with chronic respiratory problems or heart and lung disease to stay inside as smoke from wildfires in Florida and Georgia drifts north.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control warned residents of 13 counties of the possible health effects of smoke blowing their way on Tuesday from fires in southern Georgia’s Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge.
EU bans Egyptian seeds over deadly E.coli outbreak
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Europe banned imports of some seeds and beans from Egypt on Tuesday after food safety investigators said a single shipment of fenugreek seeds from there was the most likely source of a highly toxic E. coli epidemic which has killed 49 people.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) said beyond France and Germany, where outbreaks of the deadly E. coli strain have made thousands ill in recent months, other European Union countries may have received batches of suspect seeds.
It urged the officials to make “all efforts” to prevent any further exposure and said consumers should not eat sprouts or sprouted seeds unless they are thoroughly cooked.
Varenicline for smoking cessation linked to increased risk of serious harmful cardiac events
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The use of varenicline to stop smoking is associated with a 72% increased risk of a serious adverse cardiovascular event, states an article in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) (pre-embargo link only) .
Heart disease is a common cause of serious illness and death in smokers and is often a reason for people to stop smoking. Varenicline is one of the most commonly used drugs to help people quit smoking worldwide. When varenicline was launched in 2006, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) safety reviewers reported that existing data indicated it could raise the risk of adverse cardiac events. The FDA recently updated the label for Chantix based on a small increased risk of cardiovascular events among smokers with heart disease.
A team of researchers from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; the University of East Anglia, Norwich, United Kingdom; and Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, sought to investigate the serious cardiac effects of varenicline in tobacco users (smokers or smokeless tobacco users) compared with placebos in clinical trials. They looked at 14 trials that included 8216 patients (4908 people on varenicline and 3308 taking placebos). All trials except one excluded people with a history of heart disease.
Special infant formula may not prevent allergies
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Despite pediatric guidelines endorsing “allergy-friendly” whey-based infant formulas, a new study finds the products don’t ward off allergies in babies at high risk for sensitivities.
Babies with a family history of allergies to foods or environmental allergens who were fed Nestle’s NAN Hypoallergenic whey product after they stopped breastfeeding were just as likely to develop allergies later as children who were fed milk or soy formulas, researchers report in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
The “findings do not support the recommendation that (the whey formula) should be used after breast-feeding as a preventive strategy for infants at high risk of allergic diseases,” wrote Adrian Lowe and colleagues at the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia.
Vitamin D supplements found to be safe for healthy pregnant women
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Use of vitamin D supplements during pregnancy has long been a matter of concern but now researchers writing in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research report that even a high supplementation amount in healthy pregnant women was safe and effective in raising circulating vitamin D to a level thought by some to be optimal. The study also found no adverse effects of vitamin D supplementation, even at the highest amount, in women or their newborns.
The research team, led by Dr. Bruce Hollis from the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, used a randomized controlled trial with healthy expectant mothers to discover how varying dosages of daily supplements could safely sustain a circulating vitamin D level of at least 32 nanograms per milliliter.
“Vitamin D supplementation during pregnancy remains controversial largely due to severe misconceptions about the potential harm it may cause to the fetus,” said Dr Hollis. “Surprisingly the scientific debate has made little progress since Dr. Gilbert Forbes made a recommendation of 200 IU (international units) per day in 1963, which was based on a hunch.”
Fidgeting your way to fitness
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Walking to the photocopier and fidgeting at your desk are contributing more to your cardiorespiratory fitness than you might think.
Researchers have found that both the duration and intensity of incidental physical activities (IPA) are associated with cardiorespiratory fitness. The intensity of the activity seems to be particularly important, with a cumulative 30-minute increase in moderate physical activity throughout the day offering significant benefits for fitness and long-term health.
“It’s encouraging to know that if we just increase our incidental activity slightly—a little bit more work around the house, or walking down the hall to speak with a co-worker as opposed to sending an email—we can really benefit our health in the long-term,” says Ashlee McGuire, the study’s lead researcher and a graduate student in the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies. “Best of all, these activities don’t take up a lot of time, they’re not difficult to do, and you don’t have to go to a gym.”
